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Reel to Reel uses -

My wife and I love to entertain.  It never ceases to surprise me how many will walk over to my stereo and stare at my Reel to Reel tape deck.  Some under the age of 35, will ask what it is? Others want to know why I have it, and what do I use it for?  Of course I answer their questions, but now it makes we wonder how others use their machines?  I have been following a couple of high end blogs that I really enjoy and see that one gentlemen uses his machine to play master tape copies.  I do this as well, but have no where near the selection that he does.  I make copies of my favorite LP's to play when guests are over, and also make my own master tapes using a couple of neuman's microphones.  I record small jazz trios and solo artists straight to the machine.  People are amazed at how 'real' these tapes sound.  My main reel to reel is a Pioneer RT-1050 high speed half track.  I have a second just like it that I use for the above mentioned site recordings.  I also have a ReVox B-77, a Sony TC-765, and a Crown 822, all half track machines.  Anyone out there making your own masters?

Norman
normansizemore
inna
7,355 posts
 
Anyone using 1/2" machine for home listening?
inna
7,355 posts
 
I get the feeling that, generally speaking, people who are tape heads sound different than vinyl heads. Of course, there are those who are both. Truer to the roots you know. Long live the tape!
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
The Revox was purchased here on Agon and was modded by Arian Jansen (you can google to se ewhat he does with his mods but basically changes to IEC  (for 15ips; 7 1/2 is NAB).  the preamp is redone a bit and the record circuit/mute circuit are all taken out.  The recording circuits are also removed in order to provide the best playing possible.  The Opus 3 was amazing (AMAZING) and I just tried an ABC Records 15ips (China) and it was SWEET.  I have 2 tape projects in tansit and hope to have Santa deliver them by Christmas.

normansizemore OP
601 posts
 
cerrot,
Spent the morning coffee in hand looking at Arian's website.  I would love to hear one of his ATR10's.  I just did a quick check of the ReVox PR99, and it seems that they are pretty reasonable.  Even if you had to have a total service on one, it would come in less than $4500.00.  Something to consider.  When I bought my B77 back in 1979, I don't think the PR99 was available, at least I hadn't heard of it.  I would have certainly opted for that since it has additional features that I would use.  (most of which are already present in the Pioneer RT-1050).  I also wish that ReVox had plug in head assemblies like the Pioneer.  That is my most used feature of that machine.  You can swap out a head-stack in 4mins time. 
I would be interested in seeing what Arian would charge to mod my ReVox, since it sits on a shelf most of the time.
Thanks so much for the information!
Norman
livin_262002
187 posts
 
Norman,

  PR99 is a very versatile unit though it was marketed mainly to radio stations. It was used more as a playback unit rather than for recording. When I had mine I really liked it. The CCIR mod to PR99 is not a complex one I had planned on changing EQ on mine before I sold it. Also the PR99 had trouble calibrating for a +6 tape like the SM911 and Quantegy 456 the bias oscillators on it didn't put out enough current. That was the main reason I sold mine. That said it could be modded to bias those tapes and CCIR eq.
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