Reel Recorder Tesla Uran

Producer: Tesla Liberec national plant, production of tape recorders and fire signal technique

The year of production: 1966-1969

Technical parameters: 265 x 210 x 100 mm, 3,5 kg, frequency range 50 – 1200 Hz at 9,53 cm/s, velocity 4,75 and 9,53 cm/s, diameter of reels 10 cm

Donor: PhDr. Jozef Baláž, Trenčín

A portable two-speed reel recorder, a 9 volt battery powered, externally charged from 12V source. The reel recorder enabled sound recording in the two levels of speed. The speed rate was changed by a switch that was placed between the reels, always after switching the appliance off. 

A weak spot of the recorder was a motor and its regulation. The rotor coil did not have the iron cord itself, it consisted just of the coil which rotated round the metal cord. Repairs were problematic, the motor was difficult to dismantle and the producer recommended to replace a spoilt one with a new one.

This recorder has been very popular at that age, it was produced in 1966-1969 in Liberec. The ANP404 Pluto recorder that followed Uran was manufactured till 1971 and the difference between them was a speed rate electronical button instead of the Uran’s mechanical switch. The speed rate was possible to regulate while the appliance was operating.

In special schools the recorder has been used as the device for recording – an aid for training therapy and after-treatment for the stammering pupils and students.

The pupil spoke into a microphone and his voice was recorded onto the tape and by the repro head it was played with an imperceptible delay. The pupil wore headphones. It had to affect an auditive perception of the stammer one by his own speech that was 0,5-0,9 second delayed by the technical appliance.

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