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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
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Thucan, is it stll possible to pick up a like new rehabbed Crown or Tandberg R2R? If so where?? Here on S'gon or eBay??
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Hey R2R mavens, got a question. Just checked eBay and saw there a number of Crown R2Rs: (1) a Crown 800 and (2) Crown SX-724. Both drive only 1/4" tape. Are these good units? Is 1/4" tape the tape of choice, as compared to something wider?
thuchan OP
1,009 posts
 
Atmasphere,
you are describing deep experiences with R2Rs. I share your assessments you made so far and it shows that looking on master tape machines needs a more detailed approach and comes to different results than the repair facility which Mike mentioned believes.

And of course it us all about recording quality and the transistor/tube output of the mastering deck. One may ask if we do need the technical options of a big studio machine but when you operate one of the giants, let's say the A820, it is a lot of fun and a very nice haptic feeling you have.

This is also part of the story. You have this with the C37 as well whenever the transport mechanism is not as soft as with the A820 and maybe the Ampex.
thuchan OP
1,009 posts
 
Bifwynne,
I have no experience with the Crowns. Tandbergs you find on ebay or here on Audiogon. I would recommend going for a 1/2" if you looking for quality recording & playback.

best @ fun only
lewm
13,433 posts
 
Bifwynne, As you may or may not know, the better Crown tape recorders have interchangeable heads, can be modified therefore to use half-inch tapes. At one time, Crown was considered to be right up there with anything else made for home use and I think they were used in studios as well. And they are built "like a tank". My old and sadly departed boss used to have four, yes FOUR, Crown tape decks in his audio system, set side by side by side by side in his listening room. Then he had a spare bedroom entirely devoted to storage of first-generation master tapes he collected, floor to ceiling shelves with free-standing shelves in the middle of the room as well, all first generation. The sound was awesome. But when digital came along, some salesman sold him a bill of goods, and he replaced all that stuff with a Sony CD player, which sounded awful. Years later I asked him what had become of his tape collection; he had given it away!!!!
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