Best REEL TO REEL blank tape?

scar972 
while what you say is absolutely true, I consider 15 IPS a waste of tape; that would only be for a live musical event. I can't tell the difference between 15 IPS and 7 1/2 IPS for CD's and LP's; but if the tape isn't a problem, why not?  And of course the machine has to be 2 track. 

If anyone stops to figure how much 15 IPS on 2 track is going to cost, as well as the shorter time for what they're getting, they might reconsider after they experiment.  But since this is theoretical, why not.

@qdrone those are precisely my reasons for making tapes. There are millions of us who have been doing it for decades. I've done ADC with good results (better than the commercial CDs) but still prefer tape for the sound. 

I'm still not all together clear on the best sources for new R2R tape purchases. Please help.

Maestros,

Can't help with the USA. In Europe, Thomann is very competitive on pricing for Recording the Masters tapes (formerly RMGi, Pyral, BASF, EMTEC, Agfa etc) - SM900, SM911, 468, LPR 35.

In the UKL, Tape City usually have stock ready to ship, albeit a tiny bit more expensive than Thomann

Since this thread began a few things have changed in the reel to reel landscape.  RMGI is now Recording The Masters, ATR is making a consumer tape called MDS-36 and a new brand called Capture is making two tapes.  

However reel to reel hasn't gotten significantly cheaper to run except Capture is a bit less money than ATR and RTM.  Quality for Capture is said to be very good.  Now recording vinyl to reel to reel at any reasonably good speed is still hardly worth the fuss.  I haven't put a vinyl album onto RTR tape in over 30 years.  However many of my favorite CD's have gone onto the RTR.  The RTR adds back the missing analogue character which is why I do it.  There's nothing sonically to be gained by putting vinyl onto RTR and at current tape prices makes little sense.  

I'm all in favor of dubbing vinyl into hi res digital or if you really must have it on tape invest in a good three head cassette deck.  The better three head decks can match many of the consumer reel to reel machines if set up well and using good tape.  If new RTR tape wasn't $30 a 7" reel it could almost be argued that taping a new $25 vinyl pressing has merit but sad to say those days are gone.  That's why I choose to record digital music onto tape since there is at least the payoff of arguably better sound.