Thanks everyone for all of the great info! All aspects really got well explored here and I really appreciate the engagement. I could respond to each one from an interest level. There's so much to talk about and consider. You all make great points! I think I'll keep looking at them...see how the budget goes and maybe get inspired to go for it. Maybe something will "fall in my lap" and make it convenient as possible to get into it again. I did the Beta VCR thing too. It was interesting. Thanks again everybody!
Reel to Reel
So I have this tug to get a reel to reel but I'm a little perplexed by pricing and how the decks and the pretty high prices don't move. I've been keeping an eye on certain ones for a while now. People really have patience. lol But is it even worth it to mess with? I remember having a quadrophonic RTR in the 80's and wow did it sound good...rich and thick and chocolatey! It seems like it could be fun to experience/experiment with this and hear again how it sounds esp through modern gear. Would/Have any of you had much experience lately with RTR? Is my memory better than the thing is actually? lol
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@inna Cool! One of the studios I recorded in used an ADAT system. It uses VHS tapes and is/was very much pro quality. Masters kept on them. |
If you buy a fully rebuilt deck, calibrated and specs documented from an expert tech, you should be plug and play, just need tapes. But vintage prerecorded tapes often have the shedding problem due to age deterioration. Buying used decks from amatuers or resellers is a low probability of satisfaction in sound quality and reliability. I cannot recommend that route unless you are a tech and will be restoring the deck, or you just want to mess around with one for curiousity and won't be disappointed if they sound not so great. My best experience buying used was a Pioneer 909. But that was decades ago. Just recently before I sold it I made a test dub from hi res TIDAL source and when monitoring during recording between source and recorded signal I could not hear a difference. None of my three currently owned consumer level vinate Sony's are anywhere near that good sounding.
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ltmandella "But vintage prerecorded tapes often have the shedding problem due to age deterioration." I suspect you are referring to home-made pre-recorded, on tape formulations that sadly shed. Definitely a problem to be aware of and avoid. Buying old stock, be aware: ...................................... I refer to pre-recorded commercial releases from the majors: CBS, RCA, London, Capital, Decca, Reprise ...... Not a single one of my 7" pre-recorded reels (around 500 of them) from these various makers has ever shed. Surprisingly, bleed thru is extremely rare. I inherited some opera tapes from my uncle that he had home-recorded, on ..... blank tape. Those sadly had some bleed-thru. They also had become more brittle than the commercially produced ones. I/you should never use Fast Forward or Fast Rewind prior to putting a tape back in the box, the tape will be packed too tightly. Wind them at normal speed. some store them tails-out, I store them tail’s in, as they finish after auto-reverse play. |
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