About the Company
Tascam is the professional audio division of TEAC Corporation, established to expand TEAC’s recording technology into studio, project, and musician‑oriented products. The name Tascam stands for TEAC Audio Systems Corporation of America and the division was founded in 1971 to serve the growing market for professional and semi‑professional audio equipment worldwide. Tascam helped define home and project recording with innovations like the multitrack Portastudio (a cassette‑based multitrack recorder) and a range of reel‑to‑reel machines for studios and serious recordists. Tascam’s involvement with reel‑to‑reel tape recorders spans from roughly the early 1970s into the early 1990s, with later models produced into the early 2000s. This work built on earlier TEAC tape recorder technology while forging a distinct identity focused on professional and musician needs.
Tascam’s open‑reel tape recorder production began in earnest in the early 1970s but the first machines associated with the brand actually derive from products built under the TEAC name that were later marketed by Tascam. For example, in 1974 the first “Series 70” reel‑to‑reel machines were shipped and sold under the Tascam name. These included a range of configurations such as 2‑track master recorders, 4‑track units on both 1/4‑inch and 1/2‑inch tape, and even 8‑track 1/2‑inch machines. These early multitrack decks were based on TEAC transport technology but branded and distributed by Tascam to appeal to small studios and project engineers.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tascam expanded its reel‑to‑reel lineup with machines targeted at professional, broadcast, studio and serious home recording markets. Some notable products from this era include the Tascam 30 series (for example the 38, 34 and 32 models) with half‑track and multitrack configurations, and the 58/58‑OB series, which were early multitrack machines aimed at production professionals. These decks offered solid‑state electronics, a variety of track formats (2, 4 and 8 tracks) and supported multiple tape widths and speeds, reflecting Tascam’s commitment to versatile recording platforms.
In the mid to late 1980s Tascam continued to produce open‑reel machines, including larger multitrack recorders such as the TSR‑8 (an 8‑track recorder using 1/2‑inch tape on 10½‑inch reels) and others with professional features like noise reduction modules, SMPTE time code support, and advanced synchronization capabilities. These units were used in small studios, post‑production facilities and by independent producers who wanted multitrack analog recording without the high cost of larger studio machines. Open‑reel production by Tascam continued into the early 1990s with models such as the BR‑20 and BR‑20T, the latter offering a time‑code track; these units remained in production until roughly 2004, making them among the last reel‑to‑reel machines manufactured by the company.
Tascam machines were solid‑state throughout their production, reflecting the transition from tube and early transistor designs to reliable solid‑state recording electronics. They were available with multiple track formats (2, 4 and 8 tracks) and supported standard reel sizes (7‑inch and 10½‑inch) with professional transport mechanisms designed for accuracy and durability. Tascam’s reel‑to‑reel products were typically manufactured in Japan but targeted at a global professional and semi‑professional market rather than strictly consumer hi‑fi.
The company’s reel‑to‑reel efforts were part of a broader Tascam strategy that included mixers, cassette multitrack recorders (Portastudios), cassette decks, digital tape formats and digital recorders. While compact cassettes and later digital recording formats gradually eclipsed open‑reel tape in the studio and consumer worlds, Tascam’s reel‑to‑reel machines remain recognized among vintage audio enthusiasts and professionals for their contribution to affordable multitrack recording and small studio workflows.
In summary, Tascam manufactured reel‑to‑reel tape recorders from the early 1970s through the early 1990s, with products continuing into the early 2000s as some of the last analog open‑reel machines. These machines ranged from 2‑track master decks to professional multitrack recorders and were significant in enabling project studios and independent production in the analog era. Tascam’s contribution helped bridge pro audio requirements with more accessible recording technology rooted in TEAC’s early reel‑to‑reel expertise.