SOTA reel to reel players

If you want the absolute best analog deck, for my money it's a Studer... if you can't play there, get a well loved Otari with an Atmasphere pre - it will rock

But it's all a question of what your source is

Tape is/was the mastering medium. Nothing like it if you are feeding it straight from the mixing board. Better yet if you are going direct to two track. But take it down a few generations and you slowly begin to build noise of various kinds

That's why if you really want SOTA, the answer the recording industry in many cases will be an entirely digital aignal path until perhaps the final 2 track mixdown. Or a multitraxk record master then all digital until the mixdown.

If you have source material this good, it's killer - A 2 track mix master is three, four maybe five generations up the food chain from a commercial LP.

One other thought - old tape is a much more problematic medium then old vinyl.

Read this thread to put your expectations in line with what you are likely to experience:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/63578-studer-a812-2-track-should-i-buy.html

Sticky tape does not need to be a problem!

Old tape can be 'baked' at 150 degrees for about 30-40 minutes to get rid of the sticky/shedding issues. It can then be used for years before having to be 'baked' again. You can leave it on the reel as long as the reel is metal.

'Baking' the tape chases the moisture that it has collected over the years out of the tape. It takes a few years for the moisture to collect in the tape again.

You can prolong the storage of tape by keeping it in a sealed plastic bag, in a box away from direct sunlight and high humidity. A little packet of 'Silica Gel' to absorb moisture in the bag is a good idea.

Old tape can be 'baked' at 150 degrees for about 30-40 minutes to get rid of the sticky/shedding issues.

Brings new meaning to the term "Hot Jazz"

Has anybody tried using a VHS-Hi-Fi VCR just for recording analog 2-track? It's analog, flat 20-20KHz response, s/n at 90-96dB, nearly unmeasurable wow and flutter, and the tape is still manufactured, available, and inexpensive. It's the machines that are disappearing! But you can still easily find VHS/DVD combo players.