Pioneer RT-707 reel to reel decks

The only Pioneer Deck that I'd place at or above either the x0x decks are the RT-1050 or RT-2022/44's. Pioneer decks made after 1973 are sleepers in general. Parts are plentiful, might they might not always be.......but that having been said, they last nearly, virtually forever. I've been restoring them since the early '90's and I've only had two that had component failures and they were NOT well cared for.

The RT series was an economical alternative to most all other consumer decks of the day such as Tandberg and Revox. The spec wars were in full swing which spawned the big Technics. Solenoid operated transports were a boon to reliability.

There was another war in progress in those days. The over population of buttons, switches, lights, and tool accessible heads. The Japanese products were especially adorned.

I purchased a 909 to play the quarter inch dupes from the studios main board outputs. Unknowingly, the 909 became a great party mix devise when used at a slower speed and auto reverse is selected. People were far more frighted to touch a ten inch reel to reel compared to turntable in those days.

J-Corder chose it for their 7" machine and the auction prices tell the story.  (Up to $1500, if realigned/restored.)  Arguably the best Quarter 7" track machine ever made.  I've always been seriously underwhelmed by the Scandanavia "Uber Alles" mentality.  I know it's closely tied to Stereopile, which was biased against anything Japanese for many years. Lots of controls (all necessary) and lots of illumination to give user feedback which I also prefer.  So folks who don't like technology (or outstanding analog sound) might not like them, but that's not most audiophiles.  Like I stated before the XoX's, the 2022 or 2044 are the top of the line for good reasons.  The 10x0's are unjustly overlooked (Patrick H. Donleycott gave a VERY positive review of the RT-1050 in TAS, issue 6, and you can get a quarter-track head stack for it if you have deep enough pockets) and all mine have held up like new since my first machine in 1991.  I had to restore/align them, but the sweat equity I could afford.  I had (then at least) more time than money.  Well worth the price, IF they've been well maintained.