VILMA D-3

 Soviet copy and German original  

Used Google translator

     VILMA D-3 is a Soviet copy of the Grundig EN3 recorder. The German original was considered a very successful model, and such recorders still work fine. I have two devices from the series of its modifications - Grundig EN3 Luxus and Grundig DeJur Versatile III. and both of them are now in good working order. Produce them began in the early 60's, the earliest patent relating to design EN3 is dated 1961 year. When started to produce Vilma D-3 it's not known exactly, but my device probably was made in 1967, as all the electronic components of the circuit were manufactured this year.
I well know the nuances of the Grundig EN3 design, and I can confidently say that all components of the Vilma D-3 design were manufactured in the USSR, including cassettes. The only doubt is the electric motor, it is very similar to German, but without a centrifugal regulator. Instead, there is an electronic stabilizer in the circuit, which is not in the German design. However, in my Vilma D-3 it is the engine that works poorly, and the German electric motors work reliably. This suggests that the engine was probably also manufactured in the USSR.
The whole design is copied very accurately, with the exception of the wiring diagram. However, this is difficult to say with certainty, since EN3 was produced in several modifications, and I may not know the one with which the scheme could copy. Scheme Vilma D-3 is assembled on 6 transistors, four of which (МГТ108В) in the amplifier, and two (МП11 and МП41А) in the speed regulator of the electric motor. I can say with confidence that the transistors of the amplifier have not been replaced before me, the factory rations have not been violated, and the transistors of the stabilizer have been replaced, and they are 1969, so we can assume that the original could have other transistors, and when repairing installed what was available. The electronics board is manufactured in an industrial way from textolite.
The tape mechanism copied very accurately, rubber rollers of good quality, and have remained perfectly. Metal parts are stamped, it can be seen that this was a mass production, but the chassis shows traces of manual modification. The magnetic head is made well, outwardly very similar to the original one. In general, the whole design is similar to the original, but for a variety of nuances and minor defects it is easy to understand that the device was made in the USSR. The cassettes are not as neat as the German ones, but they work well, there are no censures on them.
The previous owner of the recorder was the son of a developer of the Soviet version, so on the two tapes that I got, they recorded the tests made while setting up the recorder. There was also useful information, for example it became known that the removable microphone-speaker MVU-2 was developed at the Leningrad Institute of Broadcasting and Acoustics named after Popov. Also, along with the recorder I got two photos that were clearly made for use in advertising, or in the operating instructions.
Externally, the devices are almost indistinguishable, but the EN3 microphone-speaker has a metallized coating, which makes it much nicer. My device is working poorly, I've repaired the electrical circuit, and it works fine, but the speed of the tape is very unstable, and this is due to a motor defect. The mechanism I repaired, cleaned, lubricated, and now it is completely in order.
     Probably these recorders were made in a small amount, since there is no information on the Internet about them, and there are no such recorders in the collections known to me. Apparently I own the only surviving specimen of Vilma D-3.

Photos can be enlarged

For comparison, in the photo on the right, I put a German cassette next to it. There are no inscriptions on the Soviet cassette, the German cassette has the inscription "Grundig Made in Germany". There are no design differences, if you do not take into account different patterns on the reel. On the Soviet - a spiral, in German - radial lines.

Electric scheme of the recorder VILMA D-3