Pioneer RT-707 reel to reel decks

What will you use this deck for? Most people use it as 'eye candy', especially the 10.5 capable units. The latter don't have a high WAF. If your interest is to play original pre-recorded tapes, a 7 inch only unit is a better value and buy. For those you will need a unit that does auto reverse. Original pre recorded tapes are fetching high prices now, especially the B&C Dolby, Living Presence units. Always go for the 7.5 speed tapes. Some approach $100 if mint, sealed. Don't buy a Pioneer, look for a Akai or Teac. Sony's are junk. Teac still does service on their units, very expensive but they know what they are doing. The Technics units, 1500 and 1700 series are great, if you buy from the Porter. Me? I have a Teak (x700), Akai (gx635) and Sony (580) which I have in three different systems, and play pre recorded tapes thru tube electonics. I have some 10.5 reels of pre-recorded music from Media General that supplied radio stations with music for on air play. The content is hit music, all kinds of artist. The latter are two track but play on 4 track units. I call it music by surprise.

I also have a Teac X700 and think it's a very good deck. It has a lot of features including auto-reverse. I believe the take up hubs are belt-driven and the belts can cause issues. The Pioneer has individual motors for tape drive, and both reel hubs so should be more reliable. I don't think the Teac sounds any better than the Pioneer.

I've also owned the Revox A77 machines and those sound quite good, maybe a touch better than the Teac and Pioneer units. They'll do 10.5" reels, but no auto reverse.

I kind of lust after the big Technics IsoLoop machines, but they can be pricey these days.

Hi _ Thanks for the responses so far. To clarify a bit, the reason I'm looking for a player is that I recently found a large quantity (about 80 or so) Living Stereo, Living Presence, and London Blueback reels at a garage sale. I couldn't resist, as I'd been meaning to try reel to reel out eventually anyway. As a starter, the Pioneer seems like it has excellent reliability, at least decent sonics, and the low profile of the 707 especially, would be very welcome for it's WAF.
If it turns out I/we are really think tape is significantly better/different than vinyl (we already have on LP almost anything available on tape) we'd probably move up to the Technics later on.

Judging from the comments

Oops - got cut off - to continue,

Judging from the comments so far it sounds like the Teac may sound a little better but be a bit less reliable. Unfortunately, even the X-700 isn't passing WAF at the moment. (And Buconero - she also says that 7.5" is plenty :)

So it probably has to be a Pioneer for now, unless something else comes along that we haven't considered.

So one question for Pioneer people - has anyone compared the RT-707 and the RT-909 sonically, or know of any important differences between the two to consider?

Hey, late getting in on this thread but have to say.. Pioneer made some wonderful open reel machines. My youngest son uses a 909 every single day... all day long. Pioneer was really committed to reel to reel in the late seventies. Here in Chicago, many radio stations used them, the RT 1050 half track was seen every where. Very robust machines, every bit as good and as well made as Revox (calm down guys I used to own a B77 for 10 years and thought my Teac 3300s and Sony TC 755 were as well made and much better with tape handling) Teac, Akai and Sony. I would have no problem living with a nice 1050 or 1020. For that matter, the 909 would do me fine too. Get a pioneer half track and you can enjoy tape project tapes. The 1020 and the 1050 have changeable plug in head block assemblies for 1/4 track and 1/2 track.
Enjoy,
Norman