Tape Project Tapes

I am a charter subscriber to the Tape Project. I am playing them back on a Technics RS1500 modified and optimized for playing back the Tape Project releases. The Technics internal electronics have been bypassed so that the tape heads directly feed a Bottlehead Seduction tape head preamp.

The Tape Project tapes use the IEC equalization curve, not the NAB. They are two track, 15 ips. Each tape consists of two 10.5 inch reels packaged in beautiful slipcases, including cover art. All charter subscribers for the first set of 10 tapes are assigned a serial number so that all tapes arrive with the same number. The Tape Project has licensed the original masters and each copy is duped from slaves in real time.

To date, I have received Tapes 1 & 2, with 3-6 on their way shortly. I do not have the vinyl versions of the two I currently have so I have not been able to do a head to head comparison against my LP playback system. That said, they are damn fine analog listening. Dead quiet, big deep soundstage, and David Alvin's voice on tape 2 (Blackjack David) just hangs in the air between the speakers. Coming releases in the first set include "Saxophone Colossus" and "Waltz For Debbie".

To learn more, check out http://www.tapeproject.com

As a follow up, I just perused EBay and saw no mention of TTP tapes for sale. Mike, Paul and Dan are still busy getting charter subscribers orders taken care of. They have yet to start selling the individual tapes. I doubt that anyone who has invested in the project thus far would want to break up a set and sell them. I would think that should that be the case, you see them here first, rather than EBay.

heck, i wouldn't mind a 7.5ips dubbed copy of one of their tapes sans packaging, etc. for, let's say, $75? the audiophile lp 180gm would cost about $30; so add the cost of a nice reel of tape ($20) and the time and effort ($25). play it on a regular ol' teac, etc. i'm willing to bet it will still sound good
even on the most revealing systems, with a slightly higher noise floor. i like the tape project for shedding light on magnetic tape, because i have a reel to reel (a teac x-2000r piece of plastic junk) which i have made some AMAZING tapes of classical lp's. the music just jumps out of the speakers and grabs you like "Ahnold S."! moral of the story is that you can have a BLAST with a tape recorder with OR WITHOUT all of the proprietary hardware and software. it's LIVE RECORDINGS where you start running into major difficulties without a professional setup, but recording from another tape or an lp, a cd, etc. is a piece of cake, with extra icing with tapes dubbed from lp's (of course).
oh, i forgot- the TURNTABLE i used to make the tapes from?
a $300 thorens with a denon cartridge. i wonder what would happen if i record NOW from my VPI Aries? Hmmm....

French Fries that may be a possiblity after I get my tapes, I could copy from one deck to another.

Gentleman,

I made the comment to Mepearson regarding buying 20 releases from TTP per year, if they could release them. It wasn't an off the cuff statement but re-enforcement of what happened after I heard the first TTP release on my Ampex 351-2 I bought new in 1958, or so. I have a high resolution system that showcased TTP recordings that to the point that Sue and I bought some high quality mikes and started out recording live music in Richmond, Va. The variety and venues are great here, and NOTHING sounds better than live music recorded on a pro machine with great mikes, Peluso 2247 SE's. It all began after we heard TTP releases and wanted more.

I'm sure Dan and crew knew there'd be rip offs but it's not as easy as ripping a $20 cd on a $500.00 computer.

If you have a pair of top Pro machines, Studer, or better yet, Ampex ATR machines, which TTP uses to dub the masters in IEC equalization, you'll get a copy from ? to ? The old adage said, " Garbage in, garbage out." Put your $75 bucks in the LP. Chances are the quality level of your tape machine will be close to that of your TT/ Cartridge so buying a dupe of a TTP release might be wasting your money.

On another note, the prices of RTR machines on ebay are going up; buy with caution or deal with TTP and get a machine that will deliver the music on the tape, or stick to LP; the most cost effective medium of all. I think I'll visit Goodwill tomorrow and see if I can score a find.

Ken