Lafayette LRK-855 (1971–1972)
Surviving documentation on the Lafayette LRK-855 is thin. No service manual, production figures, or catalog pages have surfaced in the usual archives. What the record does show comes from period audio magazines, and it gives a reasonably clear picture. This was a combination stereo/quadraphonic receiver-recorder, the kind of multi-box-in-one product Lafayette was known for in the early Seventies.
High Fidelity (March 1972, p.32) described it as a single unit combining a low-power stereo FM/AM receiver, an eight-track stereo cartridge recorder/player with front-panel microphone inputs, an "adapter" circuit that derived a quadraphonic effect from stereo sources via an extra pair of speakers, and a "composer" circuit for four-channel decoding. So it could play and record 8-track cartridges, receive FM/AM, and fake or decode four-channel sound, all in one chassis.
Period press took notice in both editorial and advertising form. Audio's Edward Tatnall Canby mentioned it in his "Latter-Day Gadgetry" column (November 1971, p.30). Audio also appears to have bench-tested the unit the previous month (October 1971, p.30). The test charted output with both channels driven and noted one response characteristic, shown in the review's Fig. 7, that the reviewer found a bit confusing. The instruction manual pointed the way through the relevant control. The model also turned up in Audio-Collection's 1972 four-channel components roundup (p.88), where it was listed at $89.95 and the amplifier section was rated at 20 W/ch dynamic power.
Known specs:
- One-piece stereo/quadraphonic receiver + 8-track cartridge recorder/player
- FM/AM tuner; front-panel mike inputs
- "Adapter" circuit for derived four-channel from stereo; "composer" circuit for decoding four-channel
- Amplifier rated at 20 W/ch dynamic power
- Listed price: $89.95 (1972)
- Review period: October 1971 – March 1972
Beyond that, little else is recorded: no dimensions, weight, tuner specifications, or confirmed production dates. If you have an original manual or catalog listing, the Archive would welcome the details.
Similar items on eBay
No exact Lafayette LRK-855 listings are live right now — these searches show current Lafayette and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.