In the 50's, certainly in Europe, Grundig was as synonymous with the reel-to-reel tape recorder, as Hoover was with the vacuum cleaner.

I don't remember that ancient history, but in my days of playing with theatrical sound and lighting (early 80's) the object of desire was Revox A77. Grunding was kind of equipment likely to be bought by a gastarbeiter* when returning home, something like low-end (perhaps second hand) diesel Mercedes - robust, good value for money, but entirely un-cool.

*) literary 'guest worker' - migrant workers from (then) Yugoslavia, Turkey, Greece, Italy working in Germany; I knew lot of them.