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Best REEL TO REEL blank tape?

Hi. I am about to buy a Pioneer RT 909 open reel tape deck to record many of my LPs on. I have been out of the open reel tape deck game for more years than I can count. My understanding is that Maxell UD-180 tape is top notch (the "best" is always debatable). I also understand that this Maxell tape was their latest to be manufactured -- late '90s -- 2003. Are my assumptions correct? What open reel tape do YOU recommend for 10" reels and why? Thanks for your help. Cal.
128x128dramapsycho
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
Dramapsycho, you are a man after my own heart. Reel to reel is superior to everything. With my 2 track Technics, the speakers even get bigger.

Once you record that vinyl, it will sound better on playback than it did when you recorded it. Find "Reel to reel" on the analog forum; there were some fantastic discussions which will be highly beneficial. When you are sitting in the sweet spot watching those 10" reels turn and enjoying that liquid sound of R to R, think of Orpheus doing likewise.
inna
7,789 posts
 
Some records are very valuable and either virtually irreplaceable or/and very expensive to replace.
Also, I rarely listen to the entire side of a record, I may listen to a track or two so compilations make sense to me.
40 open reel decks, oh man. I would probably have five or so if I could, say, Studer, Nagra, Ampex, Otari, Technics.
herman
2,274 posts
 
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I completely understand the fun of playing around with it and watching the reels spin. I had a pretty nice Teac deck at one time and enjoyed fiddling around with it but sold it when the price of blank tapes got so expensive and I realized I would never have many tapes. But the idea that putting something on tape and playing it back makes it sound better is completely foreign to me. Sounds different of course since you will be applying EQ with transistor circuits and playing back through more transistor circuits, but since all you can do in the process is lose information and add distortion I'm not buying into it sounds better unless the distortion it introduces is pleasing to your ear. It might be and the fun factor is there so I say go for it if you want to hassle with it.

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orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
Herman my friend, go to reel to reel on this forum and be enlightened. All things are foreign until you have experienced them.
herman
2,274 posts
 
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I understand completely, I do not need to be enlightened.

It distorts what's on the record in a way that you find pleasing. You choose to call this "better." I have no problem with that.

By recording it you change the frequency response both recording and playing back, the dynamic range changes, there is distortion from wow and flutter as well as the introduction of tape hiss and distortion on peaks when it saturates. You also introduce harmonic distortion in the active devices (transistor or tube) that you've added as well as the cabling. This can't be argued. These distortions are very real and measurable.

I'm sure there are many records that do benefit from this distortion. Better is in the ear of the beholder but don't try to make it sound like something magical is going on.

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