About the Company
Olimp (Олимп) was a **brand of reel-to-reel tape recorders produced in the former Soviet Union, known for relatively advanced and robust designs at a time when Western reel tape decks dominated consumer and professional markets.
Manufacturer and Context
Produced by: The Kirov Electrical Machine-Building Production Association named after I. I. Lepse (Кировское электромашиностроительное ПО имени И. И. Лепсе), a major Soviet industrial manufacturer.
Origin: Soviet Union (often branded in Cyrillic as Олимп).
Era: Primarily mid-1980s through the early 1990s — late in the history of analogue tape decks.
Market: Domestic Soviet consumer and semi-professional audio; some export via Eastern Bloc trade.
Production Timeline & Models
1984 – Mid-1980s: First Series
Olimp-003-stereo: One of the earlier reel-to-reel units produced around 1984. It was a substantial desktop tape recorder capable of recording/playback and supplied sound to external equipment.
These early units used magnetic tape widths and speeds similar to Western designs (e.g., speeds around 9.53 and 19.05 cm/s).
Mid-1980s: Advanced Models
Olimp-004-stereo: Introduced around 1985, this model was considered among the most technically advanced Soviet reel decks of its time.
It incorporated microprocessor-assisted controls, quartz-controlled tape speed stabilization, automatic features, and electronic tape meters, features that aligned with higher-end Western designs.
According to several sources, its underlying transport designs were influenced by Elektronika or Revox-style mechanisms, adapted with Soviet components.
Late 1980s – Early 1990s: Refinement and “700 Series”
Olimp-MPK-005S / MPK-005C: By the late 1980s and early 1990s, models such as the MPK-005S / MPK-005C were in production. These units offered:
4-track recording/playback
Quartz speed control
Multiple motors and head configurations
Improved frequency response and low wow & flutter
Remote control support (Olimp DU-005)
— specs resembling high-end Western consumer decks of the time.Olimp-700 Series (701, 702): Continued adaptations produced into the early 1990s, featuring enhancements such as quartz-stabilized speeds, auto-reverse features, bias adjustments, and electronic displays.
Technical Characteristics
Across the production run, Olimp tape recorders were notable for:
Tape Speeds: Commonly 9.53 cm/s and 19.05 cm/s (equivalent to about 3.75 in/s and 7.5 in/s).
Tracks: 4-track stereo capability on larger units such as MPK-005 models.
Drive Systems: Multi-motor transport with quartz control on later models.
Build: Heavy, robust desktop formats typical of late analogue deck design.
Features: Some units featured auto-reverse, electronic tape counters, bias adjustment, and infrared remote control support.
Market Role & Legacy
Position in Soviet Audio Industry
Olimp bridged the gap between basic portable tape decks and high-end studio recorders in the Soviet market, incorporating features seen on Western units despite limited access to global components.
It followed earlier Soviet brands like Elektronika but aimed for more advanced consumer recording capabilities.
Production volumes were significant enough in the 1980s that Soviet industry rhetoric reported orders in the tens of thousands annually.
Post-Soviet Era
With the collapse of the USSR, the Olimp brand and its manufacturing infrastructure faded as global electronics and digital recording technologies became dominant.
Today, Olimp decks are niche collector items, valued by enthusiasts of Soviet-era technology and analogue audio.