<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-05-033400
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041231
<FILING-DATE>20050607
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050607
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AMPEX CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000887433
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3663
<IRS-NUMBER>133667696
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1228 DOUGLAS AVENUE
<STREET2>1228 DOUGLAS AVENUE
<CITY>REDWOOD CITY
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94063-3117
<PHONE>650-367-2011
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1228 DOUGLAS AVENUE
<STREET2>1228 DOUGLAS AVENUE
<CITY>REDWOOD CITY
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94063-3117
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>AMPEX INC /DE/
<DATE-CHANGED>19940505
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>AMPEX INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19930328
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BRAMSON EDWARD J
<CIK>0001016268
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-20292
<FILM-NUMBER>05882582
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>2129356144
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O BATTLE FOWLER LLP
<STREET2>135 EAST 57TH STREET 32ND FLOOR
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10022
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd80983.xml
<DESCRIPTION>OBLIGATION TO SELL
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000887433</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMPEX CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AEXCA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001016268</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRAMSON EDWARD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>135 EAST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chmn of the Board, Pres. &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Obligation to Sell</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>27.50</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>E</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1995-03-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2004-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Note 1</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This option was granted on March 6, 1995 by Sherborne Holdings Incorporated (of which the reporting person may be deemed to be a controlling stockholder) to a third party, and was previously reported as covering 150,000 shares with an exercise price of $1.375 per share. The number of shares and the exercise price were adjusted to reflect a 1 for 20 reverse stock split effected by the Issuer on June 12, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option became exercisable with respect to 25% of the shares on each of the following dates: March 6, 1995, September  6, 1995, March 6, 1996 and September 6, 1996.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As originally written, the option was scheduled to expire on December 31, 1998, but was extended by agreement of the parties, for no additional consideration, until December 31, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reporting person does not own any other options with the same exercise price and exercise period.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Edward J. Bramson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-06-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
