Talk to me a about reel to reel tape

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by dnuggett, Sep 27, 2014.

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  1. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I don't think this is the model with auto-reverse, or is it?
     
  2. Yes, it is!
    4 Track - 2 Channel Stereo - Auto Reverse
     
  3. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I like 6-hours of continuous play - great party machine ... LOL
     
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  4. That's basically why I wanted one. Make a nice compilation of a variety of tunes and just let it play. I do have plans to dub some audiophile pressings I have at 7.5ips, so I can preserve the vinyl.
     
  5. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    And I prefer my machines to be reliable over high styled. Pioneer's RT 707 is mechanically much more reliable than the RT 909 is. I like the RT 707. But I prefer ReVox and Otari to most any looks deck. Especially the fact that I can get parts and maintain them.
     
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  6. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    You will have to break your wallet to get those 10 1/2" reels. I have lots of them, which I bought when they were readily available and hopefully they have held up well with age ...
     
  7. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    A Revox open-reel deck is built like a tank. I have the A700 model. I heard that there is a service center in TN that specializes in Revox equipments. My Revox B760 conked out on me recently. It does not power up even after I have changed the external fuse but I am not comfortable with opening up the box ...
     
  8. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Agreed. And the Pioneer RT 707 was and also is a tank. Very well built itself.
     
  9. Yeah...they're pretty pricey. For me in Canada with shipping and taxes they run close to $100 a tape.
     
  10. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    That sounds about right. Even the 7 1/2" reel can set you back $50 if not more ...
     
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  11. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    IMHO the major drawback isn't the cost of the hardware, as I have a nice RTR setup with a modded RS1500/Flux Magnetics and outboard tube repro head for much less than just my turntable/cartridge. But instead the drawbacks are severe lack of software. I mostly listen to older music, and if it's new music I'm mostly into indie rock. I really don't care for the elevator music audiophile releases which is what is being released on tape. And even if you are into the new music the tape prices are outlandish. The latest Lynn Stanley release on 15 ips tape is $700. The 45 rpm double LP reissue (I assume a high quality all analog reissue?) is around $50.

    I think these prices are targeting the Asian markets where there is a huge interest in tape and where the really high priced gear goes. The Bottlehead Tape Project reissues used to be $300 and I bought every one I was interested in. They are now $450 and probably going to get more expensive. I have around three or four of the Tape Project tapes also on Analogue Productions 45 rpm vinyl, they aren't really night and day different as much as the tape evangelists would make you believe. Saxophone Colossus actually sounds better on the 45 rpm LP. I am all for squeezing the last drop of blood from the stone when it comes to sound quality, but I've already decided the entire tape setup will be the first to be listed for sale when we're moving.

    I've heard dozens of prerecorded 7.5 ips. I have never heard one that blew me away like some LPs have, they usually sound several generations removed. Even CDs sourced from the master tapes sound better.

    If this is for messing around for dubbing and stuff I have no advice there. I was only interested in it for the high fidelity playback of prerecorded tape.

    Think really hard about it before diving in, I went a bit too gung-ho given the opulent treatment it is given on another forum, but from the sounds of it those groups are in a secret club with all sorts of goodies :)
     
  12. Wardsweb

    Wardsweb Audio Enthusiast

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I keep a Tascam BR20 in my main system. It is really hard to beat 2 track 15ips with good quality source material, like master tapes or a direct copy of a mix down master.

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Wardsweb

    Wardsweb Audio Enthusiast

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Another great work horse is the Revox C270.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Wardsweb

    Wardsweb Audio Enthusiast

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    A nice consumer deck is the Teac X2000M. It does 2 and 4 track. Next to the Revox in this picture. For 4 track only, next to it is the Teac X1000R.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    I bought a RTR deck once, as "I always wanted one", no other reason really. I got a ReVox PR99 MkII and kept it about a month. It was nice and made decent recordings but tape was hard to find (and this was maybe 7 - 8 years ago) and in order to make use of it with good sound quality, it was perhaps best to buy blank tape and record your own stuff. The trouble was that it was a real PITA to operate, even with all of the "automatic" functions on this model. It takes longer to load a reel and feed the tape through to the take-up reel than to plop an Lp on a turntable. So if you think it's too labor intensive listening to Lp, you'll hate RTR. I am an Lp guy, so I can suffer a bit to reap the rewards of higher fidelity, but this was a bridge too far IME. Nice deck though, if you are a glutton for punishment.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I sold it to a singer / songwriter in the Pacific Northwest. Hopefully, he got more use out of it.
    -Bill
     
  16. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    To be honest, I have always been fascinated with reel to reel decks. I tend to stick with the smaller simple ones because its easier to keep them running. I have had several Teac's and Sonys over the years. I had an AKAI GX-747, but sold it because it needed work and someone wanted it badly
     
  17. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    Nice collection!
     
  18. DaveyF

    DaveyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    La Jolla, Calif
    I am hearing a lot about how expensive and scarce tapes are. OTOH, I am surprised that more of you are not sourcing some of the used tapes that can be had for little money on eBay and elsewhere. Also, I have heard good things about the cheaper Japanese Sony's and of course, the Revox B77. The Technics is also favored by many. I recently was looking at a Studer A80...but as a beginner, I thought I may be jumping in too deep. OTOH, the Studer was one heck of a machine...along with its bretheren...the A810 and A820. Anyone using these machines or the Ampex's? For now, i have a lot of ???'s and I guess a LOT more research to do.
     
  19. krisjay

    krisjay Psychedelic Wave Rider

    Location:
    Maine
    I have a Teac A3440, 10", 7.5-15ips deck. Wonderful.
     
  20. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Unfortunately, cassette deck was supposed to solve the problems you described above and cassette deck has been history for some times ...
     
  21. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Cassette Deck was also technically an inferior format to boot. Less reliable, harder to maintain and repair. There are toys, and then there are reliable workhorses. I choose reliable every time.
     
  22. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    But cassette deck handily beats open-reel deck in terms of ease of loading your music. A good condition Nakamichi deck gives any open-reel deck a run for the money. As for high maintenance, what electro-mechanical equipment with moving parts have low maintenance?
     
  23. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    A3340 is the big brother to A2340. I am amazed at how well these decks were built. My HS buddy bought the A2340 from me almost 40 years ago and it is still running strong. I will be surprised if you can find present-day equipments that can last you trouble-free for ten years ...
     
  24. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Threading tapes is not hard. I can thread one in a hurry when need be. Nakamichi can give slow speed open reel a run for the money, if you use high end tape and keep your levels at -20 db. Which is not a real world operating level. And play the tape only on Nakamichi machines.
     
  25. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    I also have an Otari MX5050, for 1/4"wide tape, that had been used in a profesional recording studio and well maintained until they gave-up on analog tape. I've purchased quite a few commercial 1/4-track, 7-1/2 ips tapes on Ebay, and most sound so-so. Some sound almost as good as a record. I've had no interest AT ALL in 3-3/4 ips tapes, so the Otari is perfect for me. It plays back 7-1/2 ips and 15 ips, 1/4-track and 1/2-track pre-recorded tapes, and records at either speed, 1/2-track only.

    I also have no interest AT ALL in recording my records into some digital format. I am a firm believer that any digital transfer ("needle drop") immedately removes realism and excitement from the sound of an analog recording. I say, "if the original instruments were analog, the microphones were analog, the original recording was analog, and the consumer medium was analog... plus our playback amplification and speakers are most certainly analog... and my ears are analog... WHY would I want to pollute that purity with A/D and D/A converters?"

    The 15 ips, 1/2-track tapes I have recorded myself from LPs sound extremely close to the record itself, so it has been a wonderful way to make tapes of my favorite songs. The Tape Project tapes I have purchased, and direct copies from master tapes (on Ebay), were expensive and sound a bit better than the best audiophile records I own.

    So, for me, owning this Otari has been a very satisfying investment, and a fun addition to my audio system. But, I am not interested enough to actually spend the time or money on completely rebuilding the deck's electronics, with all new capacitors (and maybe some circuit design upgrades/simplification) which would certainly improve its sound to well beyond LP.

    I love that picture, but with no 10" reels showing, I must say that 15 ips, 1/2 track tapes, on the big metal reels, have been the most satisfying for me.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2015
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