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

@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?

topoxforddoc,

"I can testify to that, having archived many 15IPS master tapes in my collection in a straight zero level transfer with a professional Prism Sound A2D converter. The digital file sounds pretty much indistinguishable."


Wow, is digital really that close to capturing original studio sound quality? Can you do level transfers for those tapes that were intended for vinyl?

Do you think this would also be the case for 30IPS recordings? A lot of questions I know, but the closest I ever got to play with something like a Studer was to walk past one parked outside the studio where I did some voluntary work.


"The problem is that many modern digital files are not just transferred, but remastered from the tape, and are often made worse. This is particularly true if compression is added after the transfer to make the sound "better" on a phone, rather than on an audio system."


Yes, and it’s these remastering alterations that usually cause the headaches for some of us audiophiles.

There seem to be an awful lot of problems preventing what was recorded (on tape destined for vinyl) to make its way to digital with the same end result. In a perfect world a CD/download would be (could be?) an identical copy of the original vinyl release without any of its issues.

Yet this seems to be beyond the efforts (or most likely wishes = $$) of all those involved.

A good case in point, amongst far too many to mention, has been the failure to deliver a copy of the classic The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society album that would make us forget all previous releases.

Or maybe I’m getting all this remastering business confused by assuming it’s intended for those in pursuit of a better sound.

Obviously, despite what they may suggest, it isn’t is it?