RADAR is a price search engine. We link to the original listing — we never sell direct. Transactions happen on the source site.
Sony TC-500A Reel to Reel Tape Sony TC-500A Reel to Reel. Very good condition, just a couple of small scuffs but for its age and being a portable type unit it's excellent. Complete with mics, box, some spare NEC tubes, a spare mechanism of sorts - not sure what it is, two instruction manuals, looks like a spare belt and other accessories. (All pictured.) Have connected it and it powers up with no hum, just the regular fan noise. Tested the audio with a CD player into the Aux input and sounds great. Small volume pot noise which went away with a few turns of the volume but may need lubricating.
Generating expert take…
Sony emerged from the ruins of post-World War II Japan, founded on May 7, 1946, by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district. Starting with radio repairs and Japan's first magnetic tape recorder, the duo secured transistor licensing from Bell Labs, pioneering the TR-55 transistor radio in 1955. Renamed Sony Corporation in 1958—from the Latin "sonus" for sound—the brand symbolized Japan's ascent from cheap imitations to innovative leadership, fueled by Ibuka's engineering prowess and Morita's global marketing vision.
Sony's hi-fi legacy spans headphones, amplifiers, speakers, turntables, and DACs, alongside landmark formats like the Compact Disc in 1982 and Blu-ray. Iconic products include the Walkman for portable audio revolution and Trinitron televisions, blending consumer accessibility with cutting-edge tech. Today, offerings like the Signature Series headphones and ES amplifiers target discerning listeners seeking refined soundstaging and dynamic range.
Positioned as a mid-to-high-end powerhouse, Sony commands respect among knowledgeable buyers for blending mass-market reliability with premium performance, outpacing many pure audiophile brands in innovation and value. Far from vintage relic or niche boutique, it dominates with forward-thinking engineering, holding strong market share in headphones and streaming ecosystems.
See all Sony listings on RADAR.
