Just wanted to introduce myself.

@lowrider57 Hey! Hope things are well. The thing that got me fascinated into reel to reel and analog recording formats was the Beach Boys and the Beatles. They used 1/2" 4 track Scully 280 machines, I think. I had a few home vinyl record cutters made in the 40s for voice use, but I wanted to go a little farther with sound fidelity and go to what my hero Brian Wilson used to make his masterpieces (he and I chat on Twitter a lot.) I first started using 3 3/4 IPS and 7 1/2 IPS decks to get my feet wet with analog, but I soon wanted something better, bigger, and more accurate. I spent 2 months struggling to find the perfect deck, I got a TEAC 80-8 deck off eBay, but the guy had no way to deliver it, so that was out. I looked and looked for much longer, until my dad surprised me with something amazing. He had purchased a MIB TEAC A3340S from a seller named hifi on eBay, the deck ran at 7 1/2 IPS AND, my favorite part, 15 IPS, the professional studio recording speed! I've loved that deck ever since, and I don't want to replace it anytime soon. I currently have a Roberts (Akai) 1725 tube recorder (not fully working), a TEAC A1200U, (Perfect working condition,) and of course, the TEAC A3340S (Mint condition perfect working machine.)
Thanks,
Ryan

Also, @lowrider57 , I buy tapes off eBay, usually used, I like older Scotch tape from the 50s-early 60s, (150, 190 acetate, 290, 203, etc,) as they have no sticky shed and sound amazing. I then splice the 7 inch reels onto plastic NAB 10.5" reels and use them like a professional. :)

Nice deck @orpheus10 ! 3 speed deck with my favorite speed, 15 IPS! Great stereo mastering deck, I bet. :)

Thank you for the welcome @stereo5 ! That was a nice deck! I always liked them. :)

@jond Thank you for the welcome! Yes, reel to reel tape decks and the reels can get quite pricey, but they're definitely worth the extra buck if you love hifi sound. :)