Sony H1
Sony
Japan
Tape Deck Details
Number of Motors
Number of Heads
2
Head Configuration
Mono - Half-Track
Wow & Flutter
Signal-to-Noise [dB]
Dimensions [mm]
Weight [kg]
Year built
Head Composition
Permalloy
Equalization
NAB
Frequency Response
Speed
7½
Max Reel [inch]
7
Tracks
1/2 Rec/PB
Price
Additional Information
The Sony H-1 reel-to-reel tape recorder is a significant model in the early history of the company, sharing a heritage with the pioneering machines like the GT-6.
The model is extremely vintage, dating back to the era when the company was still known as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Ltd., before the name officially changed to Sony Corporation in 1958.
It was aimed at professional and semi-professional audio recording uses.
Technical Overview:
Tape format: ¼ inch wide tape, supporting single and possibly stereo tracks.
Tape speed: Typically around 7½ inches per second (ips), common for high-fidelity recordings.
Motor: Likely a single motor design driving tape transport.
Built-in features: Possibly included microphone input, speaker output, and basic level controls, typical of mid-20th century portable tape decks.
Usage: Designed for field recordings, broadcast, and professional audio capture, rather than consumer hi-fi.
Construction: Robust and portable form factor suitable for field use.
Detailed technical specifications are scarce in current public sources, but the H1 fits Sony’s early reel-to-reel innovations before they expanded into multi-speed and stereo configurations widely adopted later. It shares lineage with other early Sony tape decks produced by Tokyo Telecommunications and reflects mid-century tape deck engineering aimed at professionals.
The H-1 was designed as a durable, functional machine for recording and archiving voice and simple audio. Key aspects of its design included:
Portability (Relative): While heavy by modern standards, it was an attempt to create a more manageable unit compared to the massive American professional decks of the time.
Simplicity: The two-head, half-track mono configuration was a simple, cost-effective way to provide basic recording functionality with efficient tape usage.
In summary, the Sony H-1 is a fundamental piece of Sony's audio history, representing an early, tube-powered, two-head, half-track mono recorder built for practicality and institutional use in the early 1950s.