PHILIPS Black Tulip - The Rack Systems

The first rack system for the PHILIPS Black Tulip components was the PHILIPS LFD 4819 metal rack from 1979. For this version there was a small LFD 4803 rack module where all the components were mounted then the whole rack module was inserted into the LFD 4819 metal rack. Soon after this rack system was replaced by the 800 Series Metal Rack built in 4 different versions. These were modules specifically designed for components or various component and vinyl archiving modules with glass door. The 800 Series had the following components: AH 008/00 - AH 008/01 - AH 008/02 - AH 008/03.

PHILIPS LFD 4819 

PHILIPS LFD 4803 module

 PHILIPS AH 008/00

PHILIPS AH 008/00 + AH 008/01

PHILIPS AH 008/00 + AH 008/01

PHILIPS AH 008/00

PHILIPS AH 008/00 + AH 008/01

PHILIPS BLACK TULIP

More PHILIPS Black Tulip components.......in Silver, here and here.

15 Designer Racks - More Then Audio.

KODO by Joachim B. Stanitzek for BLAUPUNKT 1988

Normally when we say audio rack we think of a simple piece of furniture with shelves and wheels or a more "profesional" system holding components via front panel mounting screws. There were however some exceptions as well, with manufacturers asking artists or designers to come up with unique concepts for audio storage. Below you can see a selection of such concepts initiated by manufacturers like BLAUPUNKT or PHILIPS. 

BLAUPUNKT had collaborated with Joachim B. Stanitzek, Susanne Neubohn, Christian Schneider-Moll and furniture manufacturer interlübke. PHILIPS had collaborated with world famous designers like Ettore Sottsass (founder Memphis Group) or Andrée Putman.

In some cases there were in house creations as well like the ones from PHILIPS, SONY or by Jakob Jensen as Bang&Olufsen designer.

Joachim Stanitzek, Media Component Holder BG-1, 1988-1989

Vis-ä-Vis by Susanne Neubohn for BLAUPUNKT 1987

Baobab by Christian Scnaider-Moll for BLAUPUNKT 1988

interlübke Caddy RO 63 for BLAUPUNKT 1988

interlübke for BLAUPUNKT 1988

PHILIPS 1998

Ettore Sottsass PHILIPS Design Edtion No.2 1994

Mediathek by Andrée Putman PHILIPS 1994

PHILIPS R 900 for Series 900 components 1994

SONY 1998

SONY 1998

SONY 1993

ATTYCA 1 by Jakob Jensen  Bang&Olufsen 1986

Studio Metamorfosi office by Studio Alchimia  1984

7 Cassette Decks....Then They Were Vertical

AKAI on the wall - 1974

When we say Cassette deck we normally think of a square box of a component that can be stacked one on each other. This was not however always the case. In the 70's some manufacturers tried a different approach by promoting vertical standing models that can be wall mounted or simply standing next to a tape recorder - like the big boys. Here is a selection of vertical standing cassette decks by various manufacturers.

AKAI GXC-510D 1974

Aurex (TOSHIBA) PC-6030 1976

DENON DR750 1977

Nakamichi 700 1973

PHILIPS N2521 1977

TEAC A-860 1976

TANDBERG TCD 330 (right) 1977

For More Cassette Deck click here.