What is the best Reel To Reel machine ever built?


Everyone who has listened to master tapes or dubs knows about the well balanced sound they provide. But it is also important to have a fine tape recorder or playing machine to enjoy the tapes' qualities in a good system.
Maybe my question was raised once before but the relevance of the topic is now greater as the tapes are back to more and more audiophile friends, especially those who are owning excellent phono chains.

I have seen many big & professional machines being recently offered and sold on e-bay, Audiogon and other platforms and I am discussing within a small group which machine is really the "holy grail" among the R2Rs. So why not here. I am interested in findings.
thuchan
Thesoundhouse,
you`re absolutely right. Being a connoisseur of R2Rs as I learn from your history you know about "your treasures" quite well. I regard the Revox machines as very good ones too. Nevertheless I experienced that the professionnel studio machines offer some advantages we as home audio guys did not know before.

In my youth I started with Grundig and Philipps R2Rs. When I rediscovered Tapes in the 90ies I first bought a TEAC X2000 and later picked up a Studer A810 in Switzerland but had to calibrate the machine. This one was a true friend for about six years. When I was confronted with one of the best restored Studer C37 R2R I have ever seen I added the C37 and from now on enjoy the tube sound of a studio tape recorder.

I also compared the sound of the C37 with the A820 being able reproducing over 15.000 Hz. The A820 is from my point of view technically the superior unit but musically I prefer a little the C37. This is today`s situation, but who knows...

best & fun only
Studer C-37 with thoughtful modification. Had two of them. Never heard more faithful, dynamic or physical presence from any R2R. Together with "air" and soundstage.
Cheers,
D.
The Studer's when they were brand new. Today any R2R 'best' is best measured by its condition or reconditioning. Since parts are very hard to come by at reasonable prices, the ability to have a fully functioning, calibrated machine is the starting point. I have five decks, including sony, teac, technics and akai. I play pre recorded broadcast tapes from Drake, Radio Arts and AFRTS and have found great sound, often better then digital.
Sorry to sound like a broken record but "Best" is in the eye/ear of the beholder. There is no definitive "best" anything, it's all subjective. When you ask a question like this, the answers will always be what folks think is "best" to them in their system.
as far as best Reel to Reel machine ever built, i'll agree it does become a matter of personal preference. but there are some objective things that can be said. there is a difference between consumer machines, pro-sumer/broadcast machines, and master recorders. and only master recorders, where the build level and transports are not compromised, are really candidates for being the best machines. there is a reason that the master recorders were used in studios to make our beloved music.

this is not to say that a particular hot rodded broadcast level machine cannot have perfect heads and output electronics and sound better than nice master recorders.

i still own a stock Technics RS-1500. i owned a deParavicini modified RS-1700, which sounded great. but when i compared either of those to my Studer A820, either with or without the King/Cello.....there was a refinement to the music with the Studer which the Technics could not attain.

and when you look at the way tape is handled, my Studer A820's and ATR-102's simply are in another league compared to even broadcast machines. i think the Nagra T would also fall into that territory.

so talking about the best ever tape player you need to consider the build quality and tape handling mostly. heads and output electronics can be changed. i'd liken it to a turntable and arm in vinyl. yes, the cartridge and phono stage is important; but if the turntable and arm don't properly put the cartridge in the perfect position to do their job there is compromise.

and since all these machines are 25-60 years old; how do you objectively compare RTR decks that are in such variable states of repair and optimization?

as far as which master recorders are best, i have very limited experience. maybe Ki Choi would be the guy to have the most to say about that question. he owns almost every master recorder ever built, in most cases multiple, and is able to work on them too. i suspect i know his preference.

there is a RTR repair facility which does answer this question from a slightly different perspective. here is the question they ask. and here is their answer.

i'm not sure i 100% agree with them. but they know quite a bit more than me about the subject. and their answer is a bit self-serving.