Sony F-98 (circa 1969)

Little is documented about the Sony F-98. What the record shows comes from a single 1969 equipment listing: HiFI-Stereo (1969, p.83) described it as a tape recorder with detachable speaker systems, supplied with two F-98 dynamic microphones. The same entry gives a wow-and-flutter figure of 0.09% at 7½ ips, dimensions of 15¼ × 19¾ × 10 inches deep, and a list price of $399.50.

That is essentially the whole surviving record. The 7½ ips speed places it among Sony's reel-to-reel machines of the late 1960s, and the bundled microphones — themselves designated F-98 — plus detachable speakers suggest an all-in-one recorder meant to stand alone without an external hi-fi system. No production years, amplifier specifications, service documentation, or further reviews have surfaced. The Archive welcomes any additional details from collectors.