Why no interest in reel to reel if you're looking for the ultimate sound?

Dear @orpheus10  : ""   always commenting on distortion and noise. ""

Look, for me the main differences between any two room/systems quality levels resides/belongs to which comes with lower levels of any kind of distortions/noises/resonances/vibrations generated by that room/system.

Main target in a room system: put all kind of those distortions at minimum and this permit us to listen more and better MUSIC signal information that was hidden behind those every kind of developed system distortions.

Maybe all those doe not have sense to you but that is always my take and that's why I post so often about.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@scar972 

You should have bought the Sony APR5003. It's the real sleeper in the R2R world. Spares are a problem, unlike Studer and Otari. The multi-pin connector for the headblock is totally unobtanium.

But the Sony has a really lovely transport and is really kind to tape. OK, it's a forced guidance transport, as opposed to the precision guidance on the A820 and A80. But the Sony is a superb design.

The calibration is all software driven with 3 store settings for each of 3 tape speeds. It will work at 3.75, 7.5, 15 and 30 IPS; you can run 3 speeds at any one time (the change down to include 3.75 is done with dip switches in the removable headblock).

The stock electronics sound really clean, and I wouldn't be interested at all in external tape repro preamps.

Finally, you can switch from 1/4 to 1/2 inch very easily. I missed out on a 1/2 inch headlock and rollers about 4 years ago. I still regret not buying that.

Charlie

The sony APR machines are really nice.

I would not worry too much about missing out on the 1/2 inch parts.

I had a 1/2 inch MTR-20 14 inch reel capable machine, for many years. finally sold it when I realized it had not been used for some time.

half inch masters are really tough to find, unless you have your own you can play.

best

Raul, I agree with almost everything on your most recent post, but it's impossible to have 0 distortion, plus 0 noise and good "music" reproduction with SS; that's because of the way SS amplifies signals as opposed to tubes. Pure music can only be amplified by class A tubes, while SS makes a facsimile of the signal that may sound ever so pleasing to many ears because it can be 100% noise and distortion free (according to measurements)

The big question is, "Are audiophiles equipment lovers or music lovers"? From most of the comments, I believe they're equipment lovers, but that's just fine with me.

Wow, first time I've seen a Sony AVR R2R on YouTube.  Very nice, looks professional.  I wonder about why teflon/delrin wasn't use instead of steel along the tape path.  It would be magnetically neutral to the tape and just as smooth.  Steel paths require demagnetization (at least my R2Rs get demagnitized along with the heads).   Any answers?