How many People own Working Reel to Reel Decks?

mercy of the engineers? Add to that the mercy of all others in the production chain. I have Miles/Blue in all media, reel, lp, cassette, cd, sacd, sacd hybird. I know no eight track, but hey some has to be missing.

It never amazes me that all can sound so different. I give the edge to the sacd hybrid since it is not mixed, but rather a three channel production from the original mono, not mixed but corrected for the original tape speed problem. Here is an instance of a great master which leaves any short comings in the final product to others.

Sad to say, I've owned some great reel decks and, for various reasons, parted with them. Teac 6300, Akai GX-747 and a Pioneer RT-909. Wonderful sound but as tapes get more scarce, harder to maintain much less build a collection.

Mepearson,

I hear ya! I believe the same. Reel to reel like cassette decks have lots of moving parts and it is likely not a typical to have some not operate properly. I suggest that those selling machines that may not work just be upfront. To dump your junk on another buyer is just not right. I know, I know all about caveat emptor, but that still does not make dumping junk onto others correct. Sellers should be honest and they still may sell it to a person who is into fixing things, no not as much as they may hope but so be it. I agree to be prepared to spend a little more to buy a deck that has been tested and maybe reconditioned.

Kmulkey-we have all been through the "wish I never got rid of that piece of gear" remorse. And you did have some really good decks. The Akai GX-747 is a really cool looking deck and brings big bucks on Ebay. Lots of people love the Pioneer RT-909 and they usually bring over $600 on Ebay. Did you make all of your own tapes or did you also collect prerecorded reel to reel tapes? I am really curious to know what people who are buying RTR decks now are doing with them. I know some people like to copy CDs over to tape because they swear they sound better and others like to copy their LPs over to tape. Looking at auctions of prerecorded tapes on Ebay, it is obvious that people are willing to pay high prices for tapes they want. I know that my brother has spent over $2000 in the last couple of months since he bought his Revox buying tapes on Ebay. The 71/2ips Beatles reel to reel tapes all seem to bring big bucks and he is collecting those. I have two copies of the EMI/Parlaphone BC-13 Beatles collection on LP and I think they are great. Having said that, when I heard "Fixing a Hole" from Sgt. Pepper at my brother's house on reel to reel, I heard things from a new perspective. I have heard that song and that album a thousand times if I have heard it once and it was a new experience on tape-and one for the better.