This device called Conferette 212 was sold at Neckermann. Actually, the Conferette is more of a dictation device than a tape recorder for music recordings. Nevertheless, I find this device interesting in many ways, which is why I would like to introduce it here.

This is how the Conferette looks closed. With the integrated storage for the supplied microphone as well as the battery operation, it can be easily transported.

The bottom. In the middle is a built-in loudspeaker, which can also be switched off.

The cover for the battery compartment and the cover between the tape reels has been removed. A part of the technique of the Conferette is visible now. It can already be seen that the device has no capstan and no pressure roller. The belt transport is achieved only by the drive of the right winding device. Thus, of course, the belt drive is not evenly fast. The more tape is wound on the right tape reel, the faster the tape will pass past the audio and erase head. This is because, with a constant speed of the belt reel, an increasing diameter and thus also a likewise increasing circumference of the outer belt winding ensures a continuous acceleration of the belt transport.

The built-in tape counter of the Bölkow Conferette is an interesting construction. A rotatably mounted lever presses weakly on the right tape winding over a weak spring. By means of a gear mechanism, a disk is operated with a scale which allows rough conclusions about the tape position. To remove the right tape reel, the lever must be moved away from the tape reel by moving the button in the upper right corner of the image. Also shown in the picture is the flywheel, which is connected to the engine by a belt, which is supposed to provide some better synchronous characteristics of the drive.

By the way, the four drive buttons do not perform any mechanical functions. All drive functions can also be carried out using the supplied microphone with built-in cable remote control. Under the buttons are the tape guides and the two heads (erase head (red) and audio head).

The microphone with the remote controls. The big button switches between stop, recording and playback. In the middle position, the device is switched off when the microphone plug is inserted. Playback is started by sliding the push-button in the direction of the small button. Pushing the directional microphone button starts the recording. Under the button, a red marking will be displayed. When the microphone plug is inserted, the recording button on the set must be pressed.

Here you can take a look at the audio heads and tape guides of the Conferette.

The device with the chassis removed. The electronically controlled DC motor and the flywheel already mentioned can be seen above. Under and beside the motor are electromagnets for the execution of the drive functions. In the upper left of the picture you can see the small circuit board for the motor control.

Here you can see the DC motor in a close-up. It is located in a metal housing and is softly stored inside there.

The amplifier board of the Bölkow Conferette. At the time of manufacture of the device, many other electronic devices and assemblies still had free wiring. Printed circuits such as here were not used as frequently around 1961.

The small loudspeaker installed in the lower case. A date stamp of May 10, 1961, can be seen on this. The device is over 50 years old.

A lateral view of the amplifier board. You can see two of the built-in Valvo transistors. These are very old germanium transistors with OC type designations. Later generations of transistors often used AC-type designations as well as BC-type designations for the small signal transistors.

Here you can see the circuit board for the motor control in a side view. There is also an operating control lamp which is visible from above thru a red cover.

A few words to the connectors, controls and the device itself: The left connector is provided for the supplied microphone, as you can see. The jack on the front right of the unit can be used to connect an external loudspeaker or headphone. At least I have found out that an output signal of the amplifier is present at the pins of the socket. An external power supply can be connected to the socket at the back right of the set in order not to use batteries. The functions of the sliding switch in the upper left of the picture I only partly understand. In position "L", the built-in loudspeaker of the Conferette is switched on. In position "D" and "C", it is deactivated. In this case, playback can take place via the microphone, which then functions as a loudspeaker. On the left side, just behind the battery compartment cover, the volume control is placed.