About the Company
Tapesonic was a United States‑based reel‑to‑reel tape recorder maker active from about 1949 until 1972, with products built under the name Premier Electronic Labs at 382 Lafayette Street, New York City. The company was a small, independent operation rather than a mass‑market manufacturer, and it produced tube‑based and later solid‑state machines that were highly regarded for audio quality compared to many contemporary consumer decks. Tapesonic recorders were typically sold direct from the factory on a custom order basis, allowing buyers to choose tape formats, track types and other options without retail markups. This distribution model kept prices competitive with similar professional machines.
The business appears to have been founded and run by a collaboration between Adolph “Sam” Miller, who built chassis and transports, and Harry Kolbe, responsible for electronics and alignment. Early machines were tube designs, and around 1964 the company transitioned to solid‑state electronics, reflecting broader industry trends toward transistor circuitry. The sound quality of Tapesonic decks is regarded by collectors and restorers as better than many Japanese consumer machines made into the 1980s, and the brand has a cult reputation among vintage audio enthusiasts.
The earliest Tapesonic models date from the late 1950s and early 1960s. For example, the 70 C was a tube‑based mid‑high fidelity recorder sold roughly between 1957 and 1960, with four main tape speeds (3 3/4, 7 1/2 and 15 ips), a three‑head configuration (erase, record, playback) and the ability to accept 10½‑inch reels. Performance specifications such as frequency response and wow‑and‑flutter were modest by later professional standards but competitive for high‑end consumer gear of its era, and long‑term reliability ratings for these machines remain strong among restorers.
In the mid‑1960s, Tapesonic introduced its TR series, the company’s first fully all‑solid‑state models. These included variations built on the Model 70 platform such as the 70‑TRSQ (quarter‑track stereo), 70‑TRSH (half‑track stereo), 70‑TRH (half‑track mono) and 70‑TRF (full‑track mono). The basic tape transport remained largely similar across these versions, with three motors and three heads and a 10½‑inch reel capacity, but the inclusion of solid‑state electronics, better transport components such as direct‑drive capstan motors and improved tape tensioning systems helped reduce wow and flutter and generally boost performance. The TR series was also priced competitively relative to other U.S. tape decks of the era.
Tapesonic’s production run extended into the early 1970s, but the brand never became a large international player. Its machines remain relatively rare today in the vintage market and are generally sought after by collectors who appreciate their robust mechanical design and high‑quality audio performance compared with many consumer‑grade decks of the same period.
In summary, Tapesonic was a U.S. manufacturer of reel‑to‑reel tape recorders operating from about 1949 to 1972 through Premier Electronic Labs in New York City. The company produced a range of tube and solid‑state models, including early custom‑built tape decks like the 70 C and later the TR series of solid‑state machines. Tapesonic recorders were factory‑built to order rather than mass produced, and they earned a reputation among vintage enthusiasts for above‑average sound quality and mechanical reliability.