RU recording LPs on Reel to Reel ?

Before CD's I use to tape my LP's using a 10 1/2" R to R so I could have background and casual listening music without wearing out valuable LP's. Now I have CD's for that purpose I no longer use tapes at all, and when I listen to LP's its a special sit down and pay attention session.

Thanks for the comments so far. I get the message but I can't help feeling disappointed. Those old decks look so nice.

Newbee, I agree; listening to vinyl really makes me pay attention. It only now dawns on me that this, above preferring the sound of analogue, is what's getting me so into the music once again.

TT or not, it's time to just listen.

I know of a basement closet about 3 feet deep, 4 feet wide and 7 feet tall lined wall to wall with carefully labeled and well-recorded reel-to-reel tapes. The tapes were carefully made from LPs in the 60's and early 70's.

They have all bled through and are now unlistenable.

Go with CD. Get a Meridian A to D converter and a burner with a digital input, perhaps.

Hi Dennis:

Reel to reel "can" end up being an expensive venture, but it's cool looking and sounds great if done correctly. For quality sound you need to record @ high speed, which uses up lots of tape.

Another consideration is either finding the deck in top condition, or having it properly refurbished by someone who knows what they are doing.

However, if you are only looking for occasional low speed playback/background music for the novelty of it you do not have to be as fussy.

Even though I have not owned a reel to reel for 25 years I still collect pre-recorded and blank tape in the event that I eventually pick up another one for background music.

If you know people in the recording industry, ask around as you might be able to find a nice R2R that is no longer being used.

If you want to try recording LP's to CD you are welcome to borrow our Pioneer PDR-W839. I have never tried it in A/D format (just D/D, so far), but do plan to burn most of our French popular music LP's to CD in the future (along with some Disco cassettes:-).

Another interesting storage medium is Digital Audio Tape. I believe that its use is still popular in Asia. I used DAT pro gear once in 1989 or 1990 (which sounded good), not certain about the consumer grade gear though.

pmkalby want to sell!? What do you have in that basement?

Dekay, i've been told and read that DAT becomes unstable after 5-10 years. I don't know if it's true.

I'm going to research some computer programs for this compared with some of the units above like the alesis, etc