Reel to reel deck -Talk me in or out of buying

Kublakhan,
Go-4-it. And Go-2-it. I’ve been playing Reel-to-Reel tapes for 40 years. My playing time is 5% cd, 45% vinyl and 50% RtR tape. I buy decks, fix ‘em and get my friends reeling. TEAC as a company actually still supports its decks in the field. I have 50-year-old tapes that are in excellent shape. I’ve had 20-year-old (acetate) tapes fall apart in my hands. There’s a huge base of RtR users on Audio Karma.

Years before vinyl went stereo, studios were producing what some say were the pinnacle of analog – the two-track stereo tape. These gems were recorded at playing speed (no high speed duping) directly from masters to banks of recorders on an excellent media base. They are luxuriant in their richness. You hear everything in all frequency ranges. If you’re a patient buyer you can snag ‘em occasionally for under $15. (2-track King & I went for $207 two weeks ago – sheeesh!)

I say go for it, too.
I bought my first reel to reel deck, an Akai GX4000d, in a thrift store about a year ago for 10 bucks. Several months later I found a virtually unused Revox A77 in another thrift store for $15.00. Ever since that I've been buying reels on ebay. Some are gems, some aren't. Now I'm screwed as I'm really getting into this. I just bought a Technics that I'm going to modify by adding tube electronics.

Reel to reel is a doorway to another way of experiencing music that I think every audiophile should try. Not only does it sound different, but it feels different. Listening to music on reels becomes more of a "special event," and I don't think the price to performance ration can be touched.

By the way, I just heard that Doc of Bottlehead is going to start a label. I don't know what kind of music he will be recording, but the releases will 1/2 track, 10.5" reels @ 15ips.

The word is that they're trying to release some of the early analog Reference Recordings along with whatever else they have planned.

I'm a r to r junkie and have 3 decks.I have a Teac 4010SL that has been fully restored made back in 1969,But is not tube like Albert is getting.
I just love doing live recordings on my deck.The sweet sound of Analog is magic to my ears.
I have a live recording of a gospel southern song that would send chills up and down you and bring you to tears.
I just haven't had that type of response from CD playback,or SACD.