Sony - EL-5 ELCASET Audio-cassette deck

The Sony EL-5 (introduced in 1976) is an iconic high-end audio deck that uses the rare and short-lived Elcaset format. Sony developed this format together with Panasonic and Teac to combine the ease of use of a cassette with the superior sound quality of a large tape recorder (reel-to-reel).

The EL-5 was the popular 'little brother' of the top model, the EL-7. Although the size was technically superior to the then common compact cassette, it flopped commercially and production was discontinued again around 1980. Today it is a sought-after and unique collector's item among lovers of vintage audio.


The technique behind the EL-5

The big secret of the Sony EL-5 lay in the tape and the transport mechanism:

Wide tape and higher speed: The Elcaset tapes were about twice the size of a normal cassette. They contain 1/4-inch (6.4 mm) magnetic tape (same width as spool tape) and ran at a speed of 9.5 cm/s — exactly twice as fast as a standard cassette. This ensured a huge frequency range and a very low noise floor.


Mechanical decoupling: Unlike a compact cassette, the tape in the EL-5 was physically pulled out of the housing and guided along the heads by the deck itself. As a result, the (lower) plastic tolerance of the cassette housing did not affect the sound quality and stability of the tape.

Heads and electronics: The EL-5 is equipped with very strong Ferrite & Ferrite (F&F) heads. The display head is directly linked to a FET preamplifier for an extremely pure signal-to-noise ratio.

Key specifications

System: 4-track, 2-channel stereo

Band speed: 9.5 cm/s

Frequency range: 25 Hz to 20,000 Hz (with Type II FeCr tape)

Signal-to-noise ratio: 62 dB (Dolby NR off, Type II)

Noise cancellation: Dolby B

Weight: No less than 10.5 kg (a heavy, solid build quality)

Operation: Electromagnetic touch keys (Full Logic Control)