another tiny reel-to-reel: 1958 Phono Trix (gernany) with nice hammerite-housing, actially sort off a memo-corder. plays 7cm reels, compared to most tiny recorders that era it even got a capstan controlled tape speed. check pics compared to Aiwa TP-60, Nagra SN and Sony WM-504
Beautiful collection, thanks for sharing. The AIWA is most likely rim-drive and the Nagra is belt? The Nagra also looks like you can only use it's reels?
as funny as it sounds: the PhonoTrix is very likely „DD-drive“, means a flat lying motor powers a flywheel with capstan. same you find on that „Citroen“ r2r i introduced to the other day. yes, the Nagra uses it‘s own reels, the tape-size is cassette-tape, that was lately my project that i needed normal-position C120- cassettes (worked out perfect !). the Nagra‘s drive part is more mechanical swiss watch than a magnetic recorder... the beautyfull Aiwa is rim-driven, like many other little reel to reel‘s that era had it. disadvantage is the changing speed during the recording or playback and that‘s why many of those units habe variable tape speed control. i‘ll show up the differences if there‘s any interest...
...and the Citroen 550 drive, so you can see: direct drive is no Sony invention, it‘s an old pair of shoes...
and the little Nagra is a complete different kind of universe, checkout that servicability, even little details like the spring that gives pressure to the batteries !
after all it was in that size one of the first units using a proper ersse-head instead of a static magnet (like f.ex. Sanyo MC-1 or 2):
