How To Operate the Wollensak 5710 Vintage Reel to Reel Mono Tape Recorder

The Video:

This is a video "operator's manual" for the Wollensak 5710 vintage reel to reel tape recorder. The machine is rare, and even more rare are operating manuals for any of the Wollensak 5000 series of reel to reel tape recorders. The video explains the less-than-intuitive aspects of this tape recorder's unique design. The operation, though specific to the mono Wollensak 5710, is basically the same for all the Wollensak 5000 series tape recorders.

This video does NOT show the internal workings of the machine. All the Wollensak 5000 series tape recorders used the same mechanical transport. To explore the mechanical transport and electrical system of a Wollensak 5750 (a stereo version of the 5710) see this YouTube video:    • Restoring a Vintage Wollensak 5750 Stereo ...  

Behind the Scenes:

I was engaged by filmmaker and voice artist, Bob Hite, to preserve a Wollensak 5710 mono reel to reel tape recorder so that he could transfer the sound of vintage tapes made on a variety of tape recording machines to digital format. The tapes this tape recorder had to play back faithfully ranged from the small 3-inch reels used by portable battery tape recorders of the 1960s to full 7-inch reels used by the "desktop" machines.

In the 1960s consumer reel to reel tape recorder, speeds varied from 15/16ths ips (very slow) to 7-1/s ips.(standard fast speed). The Wollensak 5710 was the ideal solution for Bob, because although it was built to have three speeds (1-7/8 through 7-1/2 ips) there was a 'hidden speed" - 15/16ths left in the mechanical system.

The earlier Wollensak 5300 series of reel tor reel tape recorders, which looked much like a minimalist version of the 5000 series, had this forth speed available on the motor pulley and was accessed by the speed control dial. The three-speed 5000 series kept these features, but blocked off the lowest speed by the position of a special "C" clamp on the speed control. Moving the clamp made the lowest speed available, but without any equalization.

I refurbished this Wollensak 5710 with Bob's special needs in mind. I resurfaced the rubber idlers rather than replaced them. This allowed some slippage in the mechanism's powerful fast forward and rewind, so that the machine would have less tendency to strain or break the delicate, smaller reel tapes, which were designed for the weak transports of the battery machines of the day. The amplifier components tested out perfectly, and at rated spec's so there was no need to change them! As is typical of Wollensak quality amplifiers, the power is strong enough for even the weakest of original recordings.

Bob sent me the following e-mail about the work ClydeSight Productions did on his Wollensak 5710:

"Thank goodness you are out there to keep our old reel to reels running!
Fabulous job on my Wollensak. Now my edit suite can handle anything our
clients bring us! With the resurgence of interest in mag tape I expect
this machine will be getting a lot of service.
Your friend in Hi Fidelity!
Bob Hite"


The Wollensak 5710 Legacy:

When 3M built the Wollensak 5000 series of reel to reel tape recorders, they "broke the mold" in tape recorder design and operation. With their wide rectangular cases and central control panel design, the machines were eye candy for the time.

Looking at the history of these Wollensak tape recorders through restoration projects, I surmise that 3M really wanted to make only stereo machines. But at the time (circa 1968), mono tape recorders and tapes were still quite popular. So, in a nod to backwards compatibility, and to meet the lower budgets of the "younger generation" (as evidenced by their TV advertising of the day), they produced the Wollensak 5710, their only mono machine in the entire 5000 series.

It is actually a stereo machine with some of the parts left out! The case of the 5710 is designed for two speakers, but it has only one installed, the mechanism is identical to the other machines of the 5000 series, it even has a full stereo layout on the amplifier board. Only the components for the right channel have been left out. While many Wollensak 5000 series tape recorders are still around in 2014, the mono Wollensak 5710 reel to reel tape recorder is a bit of a rarity.

About Bob Hite:

Many people have probably heard Bob Hite's strong authoritative voice narrating nature documentaries and other TV shows, news reports, ads, promos and films. Currently, Bob and his wife, Bonnie run and manage Kinship Productions. It was founded in 1977 by Bob, who is a veteran photojournalist whose work has garnered multiple Emmy's, Addy's and other industry awards.

Please visit Bob's website at: http://www.kinshipproductions.com/

You can find Bob on YouTube at:    / @ketchkinship  

Visit ClydeSight Productions at: http://www.clydesight.com