[ARSCLIST] Early stereo mass market tapes

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All:

I'm trying to find out some history of the early stereo hifi era, specifically the handful of 
companies that sprang up to make and market stereo tapes. This would be circa 1955-56, when the 
first commercial mass-duped 2-tracks were out. What was the business model for a company like 
Livingston or Bel Canto? Were they basically run like boutique record labels or differently? Aside 
from those two and Stereotapes, who else was making original recordings as opposed to licensing and 
releasing stuff from major labels or European sources?

Also, we talked about Emory Cook and I believe there's someone on-list here who actually worked with 
Cook. Did he jump into stereo tapes or stick with his two-cartridge grooved disks?

Finally, does anyone have any sales estimates on the first generation of tapes? I know they were 
priced a bit higher than mono LP records and the playback decks were expensive by mid-50s standards, 
so it was a niche market. But, reel to reel tape obviously caught on enough that by the 
quarter-track era (1958 or so onward), there was enough demand to allow for a lot of catalog variety 
and many duping operations around the country. By the late 60's, I think it was down to Bel Canto, 
Ampex Tapes and a handful of smaller dupers but I might be wrong on that.

OK, thanks in advance for any facts anyone can share.

-- Tom Fine