DBX Expander

I think Opalchip has a great point, first spend the money to get your R2R serviced and tuned up, including a check of its performance against the original spec. Heads could be dirty, worn, mis aligned. I have a number of broadcast tapes, all sound better then the vinyl. Only after making sure the R2R is okay would I move on to DBX.

DBX is no substitute for properly functioning equipment.

A 1 band DBX will be more prone to audible "pumping" than a multi band DBX, particularly with noisier recordings (tape recordings are often more prone to "hiss" than other sources).

THe secret with the DBX expanders is to have the levels adjusted properly and to not overdue it.

You may need to adjust the levels differently for different input sources with different inherent levels or even recording by recording.

When properly applied and adjusted, a properly functioning 3BX can help deliver more lifelike dynamics into otherwise compressed and artificial sounding recordings.

I've never detected any inherent coloration from the DBX itself, but of course interconnects used can make a difference so these have to be considered as a factor in the resulting sound.

I've not heard the DBX, but agree with an r2r tuneup. I recently bought a very lightly used Revox cassette deck with a boogered up $4.00 balance trim pot and am incurring additional expenses for parts and the attendant labor charge for new pinch rollers, capstan shaft resurfacing, align/clean/lube. The heads are out of spec and will also be replaced. At $260, the heads parts cost accounts for about half the total outlay. For comparison, my speaker cables cost more than this tuneup.

A certified Revox tech is doing the work.

The worth of a properly reconditioned tape source is up to you, but if you're serious about using and holding on to a classic machine, you ought to consider the expenditure. The experienced service shops for tape gear will likely become nearly extinct in our lifetime...

Thanks for all of your responses!! this is a wonderful site that I learn from each time I visit.

I have had the A-4010S reel to reel completely reconditioned, cleaned and aligned by a knowledgeable professional and I believe it sounds as new but...I'm sorry to say, just not as good as my CD or LP rigs. I've considered coming off the playback heads with RCA's to a Bottlehead tube amp but I'm told by a sound guy that a 3BX is the way to go and actually will give me better sound. Thing is he has the 3BX for sale and it has been totally refurbed but he wants $ 700 I think this is steep????
Thoughts???

Markus1299

$700 is a lot.

I paid between 2-3 hundred for mine on Ebay.

Ask a lot of questions before buying used though. These units have been around for a while. Make sure everything sounds good, no noise or distortion, switches and adjustments work cleanly, etc.