Why Not Bring Back Analog, Reel to Reel Tape

Viridian,

"Norman, a killing? These guys can't even sell enough home theatre receivers and MP3 players to make ends meet. A killing?"

Well maybe that is the problem! I don't know your age (I am 46) but I can vividly recall walking into Stereo Systems, Playback, Pacific Stereo, etc., and stores were always busy. Reel to reels were big ticket items that sold well. If you are serious about music, hell if you just enjoy listening to music, why would you purchase a 'home theatre receiver'? Now one has three choices, crummy stereos sold at Best Buy, Exotic high end that most can't afford, or mid market home theartre goods. That is why Ebay and the like are thirving today, selling 30 year old hi-fi gear. That is why I still have and enjoy my 30 year old Citations.

I heard Reel to Reel tape for the first time at RMAF this past weekend. I would love these to make a big comeback. It is very special.

Dlanselm glad you got to expirence some of what a few others have been doing for a while now. Tape really is good under the proper conditions.

Because no one cares.

Really , if you can't sell a cd anymore, it's very hard to sell anything and tape is expensive and no one makes tape machines anymore because they are too expensive to make.

In the pro audio community there is an old saw that if everyone had a 15 IPS half track machine for music, there wouldn't be any other formats. I can believe that still.

As for quarter track stuff, it depends on the spped, transfer and tape quality. I worked at a studio doing tape transfers when i was about 19 and it was not a pretty sight.