Steelman Transitape

American battery portable, widely cited as the first transistorised portable tape recorder (Steelman Phonograph & Radio Co., a division of Herold Radio & Electronics), designed by Sidney Lidz and sold from about 1959. Configuration: seven transistors plus two diodes, AC bias; two speeds (1.875 and 3.75 ips); standard 3-inch reels (up to ~64 minutes); built-in 4-inch speaker with an output jack for earphones or an external speaker; operates at any angle. Audio/power/physical: frequency response about 150-7,500 Hz; 13 batteries total (6 x 1.5 V mercury cells for the amplifier, ~300 h; seven for the motor, ~50 h); about 9.75 x 6.5 x 2 inches; under 6.5 lb without batteries.