Open Reel Curious
I am relatively new to audiophile level listening, with a respectable SS system, streaming mainly, with some discs and vinyl in the mix as well. But I am intrigued with open reel. Yet I am also a bit intimidated. There is clearly a learning curve regarding equipment, calibration, tape types, etc, not to mention a pretty major expense.
It seems like there are only a very few places to listen and learn - Brooklyn, LA, Vancouver, BC…? Anyone know of places in Chicago or Detroit where one can go to hear high-end open reel demos and talk to knowledgeable people in person? Anyone have any advice, like “Run! Run far away!” lol.
Curious about where you live. I am from Detroit originally and live in Chicago. In Bucktown there was a shop that had a R2R prominently displayed about a year go. Ann Arbor had a very HE store that might be worth checking. At the moment I can’t recall the name of either place, I’ll have to dig a bit
deciBEL in Chicago
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@mahler123 are you thinking of Paragon west of town on Jackson Road? |
The pre-recorded tapes that will be much better sounding than other formats are very expensive and the selection of music is also very limited. Playing R2R tapes is NOT just as easy as playing records unless you have some strange problems with records. It will not be a primary source component for any serious music listener. That is not to say that it cannot be a fun bonus thing to play with. Reconditioning machines for the long run can be quite a process. Even if all the transport parts are fine or reconditioned, there are a lot of other parts that might best be replaced. I know the owner and the service person for a really nice Technics RS1500 machine that had crappy Panasonic electrolytic caps that started to go bad (the electrolyte is corrosive and destroys board traces if they leak). The technician replaced 134 caps in that one machine. I think the technician charged four hours of work (I would have had to charge four years myself). I went to CapitalAudiofest with the owner of that machine and he lugged around a 15 ips pre-recorded tape of Bartok's String Quartets; we found one exhibitor showing a new model of tape player that is now on the market (can't remember the brand) and he was wiling to play the tape. That tape cleared the room very quickly. |
Back in the day, when I was in high school..'72, I took out a $3000 loan to buy a stereo. I might have been a drug-addeled 16 yr-old, but I had my priorities straight.(I was working near full time in high school) My mom co-signed the note and I went off to buy a McIntosh 6100 integrated($600), a pair of Klipsch LaScalas($1050 unfinished), and a Tandberg 9200($1150) R2R. Cables back then..ha!..16ga lamp cord from the hardware store for about 7 cents a foot. I borrowed friends albums and recorded a ton, a ton of Maxell tapes. Needless to say, the Tandberg, was my main source. I still have the Mac. The LaScalas are long gone, but I still have the Tandberg. I went through three sets of heads on it. The last pair wore out decades ago and it sits in the basement, stored well. I don't know what to do with it. I think I checked on new heads like..30 years ago, and I found a pair for $800. I didn't bite. So it sits. Gotta say, 60 watts from the Mac into LaScalas, in a 12x20 room, with some good hash..you could "..break on through to the other side.." The Tandberg was a great source though. I find it..interesting..that people are starting to get re-interested in R2R. I attended the Tampa Audio Show and saw a couple there..hmmp. |
