About the Company
Stuzzi was an Austrian manufacturer of reel-to-reel tape recorders active from the early 1950s until the late 1960s. Its machines were primarily targeted at the consumer and portable home audio market, rather than professional broadcast or studio environments. Stuzzi tape recorders were manufactured in Austria and sold under the Stuzzi name throughout Europe.
Era of Production
Stuzzi’s reel-to-reel output spanned roughly 1952 to 1968, during which the company produced a range of portable and mid-fidelity machines. Early models employed tube (valve) electronics, typical of the 1950s, and later models transitioned toward solid-state (transistor) circuitry in the mid-1960s as that technology became standard.
Market Position and Technology
Stuzzi decks were positioned as consumer and everyday audio recorders for home use, school, and general recording. They offered standard features for the era, such as dual-speed control, typical half-track and quarter-track formats, and support for 7-inch reels. Many machines included built-in amplification and internal speakers, making them self-contained units. Performance levels were modest compared with high-end hi-fi or professional tape recorders.
Representative Models
Stuzzi produced a diversity of models over its production run, ranging from early tube-equipped decks to later solid-state units:
Dixi 55 (c. 1955–1958) – A portable tube-based half-track mono recorder with two speeds (1 7/8 and 3 3/4 ips) and a 7-inch reel capacity. It featured inputs for microphone and other sources and had an internal amplifier and speaker.
Magnette 671B (c. 1959–1962) – Another Austrian tube portable deck with similar dual-speed operation and battery-powered capability for extended use, plus controls such as pause and push-button operation.
Tricorder 578 W (c. 1960–1963) – A half-track mono recorder notable for offering three speeds (including an unusually slow 15/16 ips for very long recording time), again with tube electronics and compact form factor.
Stereo Recorder 202 (Model 398W) (c. 1962–1965) – Marketed as a stereo recorder, but used dual-track mono heads with a specialized head design that allowed stereo playback of pre-recorded tapes through an external amplifier.
504 and 604 (c. 1963–1966) – Solid-state or hybrid portable decks with dual-track mono operation at two speeds and built-in features such as AM radio tuners (on the 504 “Radiocord”).
1604T (c. 1965–1968) – A fully solid-state quarter-track mono recorder, representing the transition toward transistorization. It offered two speeds, internal level metering, and a compact design.
General Features Across Models
Tape formats included half-track mono and quarter-track mono.
Tape speeds were typically 1 7/8 ips and 3 3/4 ips, with some models offering lower or higher speeds depending on design.
Early units used tube electronics, later replaced by solid-state transistor circuits.
Machines generally supported 7-inch reel sizes.
Target users were home recordists, not broadcast studios.
Decline and Legacy
Like many consumer reel-to-reel brands, Stuzzi’s presence diminished in the late 1960s as compact cassette formats gained popularity and consumer focus shifted away from open-reel machines for everyday use. Surviving Stuzzi recorders are now vintage collector pieces that illustrate the typical design and performance of mid-century European consumer tape decks.