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Reel to Reel information, user tips and tricks...

Reel to Reel.  I'm bringing my Reel to Reel rigs back into service. They have been in storage for almost 20 years.

I ordered, a new RtR pre amp. Decware ZP3 Phono/RtR valve preamp. I stopped using the medium, mainly while I was raising kids. I'm retired now getting everything in working order.  I had the misfortune of loosing a lot of the gear. Tapes, preamp, and Otari MX50/50 BII with a "direct head tap" via RCA. Any RtR people out there.
New tape? Better tape? I'm using 10.5" and down. It has been a while..
I'm looking at any mods on dampening the reels or heads for sound tweaks.

I'm going to playback, and record. Any pointers, ideas, are sure welcome.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, I know it's NOT digital. I like it, plane and simple. 

No name callin', be polite, ok.. HAVE FUN...

Regards
oldhvymec
johnss
564 posts
 
if you are handy with a soldering iron and can run the EQ curves, you can also use one of the tube phono stages as a tape head preamp......I have done it with an EAR 834 as well as the Marantz 7 clone phono stage.
Amazing how much better it sounds.
dangcaonguyen
206 posts
 
I think it is more attractive if the manufacture could make a tape preamp with 4 inputs like some phono stage preamp. Someone would hook up 4 R2R machines at the same time.
oldhvymec OP
5,101 posts
 

johnss439 posts11-24-2020 4:55am

if you are handy with a soldering iron and can run the EQ curves, you can also use one of the tube phono stages as a tape head preamp......I have done it with an EAR 834 as well as the Marantz 7 clone phono stage.
Amazing how much better it sounds.

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https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZP3.htm

Look under "Tape options"..  This is all valve, PtP 5 valves, tube rectified. This is the (second) model, with a few improvement over the first.. I owned the first with Decware's M60. Nice.. had a couple of issues, seemed it took a super quiet valve, it would get noisy... I love valves, I don't like noise...

Above is the phono stage I’m having built, for my RtR and the TT. I still haven't received and ETA. 4-16 week lead time..

I’ve seen MX110z phono stages all tricked out for tape, with the ability to change the bias on the fly... Magic, come to mind..

I always wondered where he got the phono stages, something had to be gutted to do it.. Might have been 110Ms. The late 70s and early 80s

I’m a Mac guy, I’ve used their phono stage for a long time. A guy named Samra, tricks them out.. Red sock, green sock guy..

I love a GOOD valve pre. Noisy.... YUK..

The EQ curves your speaking of, I’m not following. For mixing,
recording?

Appreciate the information.. A little Reel to Reel action..:-)

Regards
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,615 posts
 
I love a GOOD valve pre. Noisy.... YUK
FWIW just about any competent tube tape head preamp will be quieter than the tape itself, unless you are using low inductance heads.
oldhvymec OP
5,101 posts
 
unless you are using low inductance heads.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Is there an option? I thought there were a few different type heads.
I never got that far into it.. I did have one much like the Decware, just not tube rectified.. Bias pot was used the same way, vary the bias..

I know vinyl is fun, I know, it’s ALL fun.. I would really like to see a GOOD resurgence, and a resurrection of Reel to Reel WITHOUT a floor stomping price tag, along with it..

What is FWIW?


Thanks..and Regards
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