Reel to reel

benjie

Why does this distortion not exist in digital or analog LP recordings? What is unique about a R2R’s recording circuit that causes this to happen?

It’s not really the recording circuit that causes this distortion. I know that you may not want to hear this, but the distortion common to analog tape recording is a function of the nonlinearity of the tape itself. The use of bias increases linearity and - as you may know - is only applied during recording, not playback.

Magnetic tape is also challenged with high level (approaching 0 dB) HF. The use of EQ is a technique to improve that performance.

One way that I think there is great similarity between LP and analog tape is that both systems seem to have profound, although different, limitations ... on paper. In practice, they both can result in extraordinary performance. The experiences of tape users in this thread is an indicator of that.

I am afraid that I just cannot agree with a blanket statement like that.

@uberwaltzYes, its all about provenance.
@benjie The 3rd harmonic in tape machines has to do with the nature of the record and playback heads, both being inductive devices. If a 2nd order shows up, its a sign that something is wrong with the machine.

Ralph, you keep self-advertising, and that's that. That piece of s... Technics with Grado is nothing really, DJ toy at best.

Inna

I think you missed Ralph's point entirely on the usage of the Technics.......