About the Company
Recordio was not an independent manufacturer in the usual sense, but rather a brand name used by the Wilcox‑Gay Corporation of Charlotte, Michigan (USA) on some of its consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorders.
Brand: Recordio
Parent Company: Wilcox‑Gay Corp.
Country of Manufacture: United States
Reel‑to‑Reel Era: mid‑1950s through early 1960s
Market: Consumer home audio users
Technology: Tube (valve) electronics, common for the period’s tape decks
Company & Brand Background
Wilcox‑Gay Corp.
Wilcox‑Gay was an American electronics maker dating back to about 1910, originally producing radios and transcription equipment.
In 1939, the company launched the Recordio brand initially on 78 rpm disc recorders that let users make their own records at home (combining radio, phonograph, and cutter functions).
As magnetic tape technology replaced discs and wire, Wilcox‑Gay moved into consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorders in the 1950s under the same Recordio name.
The company ultimately fell into bankruptcy in the early 1960s, ending production and closing by around 1963.
Note: Because Recordio served as a brand label rather than representing a separate corporate factory, Recordio tape recorders are essentially Wilcox‑Gay machines marketed under that model name.
Recordio Reel‑to‑Reel Models
Here are a few recorders commonly listed under the Recordio name in vintage directories:
Recordio R‑804
Brand: Recordio (Wilcox‑Gay)
Electronics: Tube (valve)
Tracks: Half‑track (½ Rec/PB typical)
Tape Speeds: 3¾, 7½ ips
Max Reel Size: 7″
Head Composition: Permalloy
Voltage: 110–120 V (USA)
Use: Consumer deck aimed at home recording and playback.
Recordio 892
Brand: Recordio (Wilcox‑Gay)
Category: Consumer reel‑to‑reel tape recorder
Electronics: Tube (valve)
Speeds: 3¾, 7½ ips
Max Reel Size: 7″
Heads: Two (record/playback)
Market Position: Mid‑level home audio machine of the early 1960s.
Recordio “Prestomatic” (series)
Mid‑1950s tube‑based cassette model line, also from Wilcox‑Gay.
Note: These models shared a typical 1950s consumer tape deck feature set — two heads, dual speeds, and modest performance suited for everyday home recording and playback, rather than pro‑studio fidelity.
Technical & Market Characteristics
Valve/Tubed Electronics
Recordio decks used vacuum tube circuits, typical of pre‑transistor consumer gear, giving them characteristic sound of the era but also making them bulky and heat‑producing.
Consumer Orientation
Positioning was clearly home audio, rather than professional broadcast or studio use.
Units often included built‑in speakers and simple controls.
Physical Characteristics
Reel Size: Up to 7″ — smaller than professional decks.
Tape Speeds: 3¾ and 7½ ips — standard for consumer/hi‑fi recording.
Lifespan
Production appears to have been concentrated in the mid‑ to late‑1950s and early 1960s, waning as transistorized designs and Japanese imports grew popular and as Wilcox‑Gay’s fortunes declined.
Corporate Decline & Legacy
Wilcox‑Gay — the company behind Recordio — saw its business decline with the rise of magnetic tape, despite initial success with record cutters and combination record players in the pre‑tape era.
After moving operations in 1961, the firm went bankrupt and closed by 1963.
Today, Recordio‑branded tape decks are vintage curiosities representing a transitional phase in home audio history — early consumer tape recorders by an American maker in the pre‑solid‑state period.