Great video. As I entered my 40's, I started to revisit the music formats I enjoyed in the past. Within the last 2 years got the vinyl setup, cassette tape and looking into reel to reel. I really enjoy the interactive experience with those formats that are not available with digital formats. Thanks again for the information!
I still have my 1974 Akai 4000DS and it still works perfectly even in 2020. The sound quality is outstanding! and the reliability speaks for itself. Did Akai imagine it would last well over 40 years in 1974? Built like a tank and to a standard not a price!
Literally got my 4000ds mkii working up to 100% yesterday, and am super happy with it. I realized working on the insides that the simplicity of its construction makes it a machine that could potentially last a VERY long time (especially if it has a savvy owner). Cheers!
Love your walk down memory lane . In 1978 I bought a TEAC - 2300SD . In 1979 I bought a TEAC - 3340 -S . They served me well until 2013 when the motor bearings dried up and seized . In between those years I had worn out the gaps on a few channels .So all 4 heads were replaced . The Memorex , Basf , TDK , Sony ,Maxell and Scotch 3M tapes where the ones I used and still have . When you buy the best tapes the binder never wears out . I can't say the same for the 456 Grand Masters of Ampex . Those binders turned to glue and properly buggered everything up . I had invested heavily due to the claims made by Ampex Corporation . In the end I lost my shirt in that fiasco . I now use Teac cassette decks . Not the same band for the buck , but pretty fine sound for a 68 year old . Yours truly .......Dudley Rathborne
Thanks for taking the time to put this together! I was an avid reel-to-reel collector in the 70's.I have plenty of Ampex & Columbia tapes at 7 1/2. I still have 2 TEAC & 1 Dokorder machines which I haven't touched in years. It's time for eBay. Thanks again for putting this together!
I was gifted a 1966 Teac A-1500 Reel to Reel a few decades ago. It was gathering dust in my garage until recently. I'm cleaning it up, and I'm planning to use it again.
Paper never died. Vinyl is coming back. REEL 2 REEL WILL BE BACK !!!! Calligraphy is back. Woodworking is back. Screw the fake new trends that only are designed with planned obscolescence in mind !!!
Its a great joy and suprise to so many reel to reel tapes to gather, never seen such a collection in my life , must thanks to the people who has done this
I own a Tandberg TD-20A SE, A Revox B-77 Mark II a Pioneer RT-707 and my Pioneer RT-1020L and trust me you don't lose any significant sound quality with your Pioneer. Pioneers are built like a tank and they sound great!
Cool I came across one of these units; what is the value of these units on the market? Also have a Pioneer 770 rack mount model; where can I find the current value of that unit? Let me know.
I have both a Pioneer RT-707 and an RT-1050. Both needed a lot of love to bring them back to full performance, but they're pretty amazing. I went as far as to replace the regulated power supply in the 1050 to eliminate an "engineered-in" ground loop issue that caused a faint 120 Hz hum. You couldn't hear the hum until I replaced a number of the original transistors with new low-noise devices. After that, the hum was audible above the now very faint hiss from the electronics. The 707 is now calibrated for RTM LPR-35 tape, which is absolutely amazing at low tape speeds. www.redbankvintageaudio.com
I have a Technics 2-Track, AND an Otari MX-5050, AND a TEAC A3340S. I’m an Oboist/Guitarist. Dad was a professional Pianist. Tape! What a big warm beautiful sound!!!!
I recognize you. I listened to almost all of the audio clips of your, or rather, father's collection on discogs. Great sound! I am eager to purchase reels from you. Best
It's worth mentioning that the continued development of cassette decks was imperative, but even at it's peak the format still never became as good as reel to reel.
I wished I had one when I was in my 20' s - I bought the B 795 revox turntable ,the taperecorders weren't so much affordble for me back then , less now - I just appreciated good sound sound even now .
When I was a kid a friend of mine introduced me to Reel to Reel. His brother was in Vietnam and had brought home a couple of machines from Japan. He still has them and they have been treated very well. I don't remember brands or capabilities.
I used to be the buyer and general manager of a store in central London called Teletape. We specialised it tape recorders and tapes. We used to import prerecorded reel to reel tapes from America and we also sold the machines to play them. Over time prerecorded reel to reel tapes fell out of favour with the introduction of high end cassette recorders like Nakamichi. A lot of people would buy the vinyl records and make cassette tapes from the records and settle for that.
Life is not made better by the constant new formats being offered to consumers. I have just watched a video about a another new format of CD called MQA-CD. This requires people to go out and by their music collection again and buy a decoder to decode the MQA-CDs. This is not SACD but something new released in 2018. It's enough to drive consumers crazy.
I recently got a TEAC A-2300SX for next to nothing. It's in almost perfect condition! It came with a NOS sealed reel, BASF LP35. I swear, unwrapping the cellophane on a 40+ year old tape is surreal.
I am also a fan of tape....I currently have 2 Pioneer RT-1020s, a Pioneer RT-707, and a TEAC X-1000R (w/dbx). Also a couple of high-end cassette decks, a Pioneer CT-F1250, and a TEAC R888-X. Love `em all ! :-) The best-quality pre-recorded R2R tape in my collection is "Vivaldi`s Four Seasons", with Lorin Mazel directing the Orchestra National de France, Sound quality is incredible. Thanks for sharing your videos !
I've always used a reel to reel. My first recorder I received as a gift, I was 9 years old. I am 57 now and I'm still using them. I have 2 Pioneer decks A RT909 and a RT707. I have a Tascam 32 for 2 track and 15 inches per second speed. You can't beat the sound quality of the 15 ips speed.
I have an AKAI GX-230D reel to reel deck that I bought on Ebay several years ago. I absolutely love it. It is in near mint condition and I've managed to collect about 150 tapes so far. I use it in conjunction with a BBE Sonic Maximizer and the sound quality is fantastic!
Cavolo, ma sei Italiano! Hai tutta la mia stima, sempre più raro trovare gente appassionata e che faccia questi generi di video, così ben spiegati. Corro a vedere la seconda parte.
Here's a different reel to reel story...I was a 12-year old audio nerd. I had a Wollensak 4-track in my own modest, but decent system. I was wanting so bad to get a pre-recorded reel to reel tape of any rock music possible.so I went with my sister to Birmingham, Alabama because she had to go to her optometrist for her contacts. This was summer of '71. She was looking for some place called Godwin Radio that was supposedly stocking some pre-recorded reel to reel titles. Some girl ran a red light turning in front of us (she was to only turn when it was green and clear) and me an my sister ran into the front corner of her. It crushed the front end of my sister's Kharman Ghia (orange no less) which was less than two years old. Thank goodness we were safe but the other driver had no insurance which was not unusual back in those days. So to this day, and I'm 60 now, I've never bought a pre-recorded reel to reel tape yet I still have a reel to reel macine.
Hello, you doing really great job!!! Excellent knowledge base for people who don’t know to much, but love music and want to get better and better. What you suggest about first real to real tape deck. I won’t to start but don’t know with what.
Thanks Marek! Well, if we are talking 4 track and don't want to spend too much, an Akai or Tascam could be a good idea. At a higher level a Revox, Technics or Otari...
I for one would love to see more time spent on the Technics RS - 1500 through 1800 series, their qualities and what it was about them, that made them so darn good and sought after. Thanks!
Nice I never new about the different speed on those tape I know they sound good but I never bought one cus is expensive n hard to find those tape on the music I like that dope bro fresh 👍😎
my fav is old analogue 45,s but i did hear a reel to reel as a kid & my memory was it sounded much better than tape cassette.but a very very long time ago but me im getting into recording so i have an old tape 8 track.but put it this way everything was recorded using tape fuji tape has stood the test of time & sounds as good as the day it was recorded.also i was recently just given a box of about 100 old tapes by my mums friend.some rare ones for sure all of them are the faster tapes so i might get a machine & listen also the machine look,s great fine post peace...
I am lucky to have a working Akai GX-747 purchased in Germany early 80's. I am having it restored by Muse Audio Service located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I cannot wait to get it back from these talented folks at Muse. The 747 is an awesome tape player/recorder, I am using a DBX noise reduction unit with it and a DBX 1BX as well. I kick my self for not getting the DBX 3BX when I had the chance. Reel to Reel is the way to go...
Exactly...I wrote the same thing in a past comment...cassette techmology has developed so much, if only this happened also to R2R bringing also down the absurd costs...
Not true, infact they used metal formulations for video8, which is extremely fast, why?, because it's small. Reel to reel tape would simply be amazing but much much too expensive considering the amount of tape for a standard 1/4' 2 track tape, or worse a mutitrack 2 inch for recording sessions!
@@EdSullivan101 No metal tape was used the broadcast digital Video tape recorders made by Panasonic Sony And JVC. Plus is now used by IBM and HP dat recorders
I would be interested in knowing how often you clean your tape path and heads? For instance, do you follow the same cleaning procedure with your reel to reel tapes that you do with your vinyl records? In my own experience the tapes we buy on eBay are quite old. I find playing these tapes leaves more of an oxide trail than compared to playing brand new tapes. I am cleaning my reel to reel deck more often than I ever used to just to keep from having a build up of gunge on the tape path and heads - which as you know, if left uncleaned over time will create a buildup of dirt that will affect sound reproduction.
@@anadialog I'm sure you are aware that the used tapes we buy of popular pop and rock bands are 30-40-50 years old. The lubricant they put on the tapes to keep them supple has lost its usefulness, in many cases. So. As much as we love the bands, these tapes we have no idea how the tapes we buy were stored. Too much humidity, heat, and so on damages the suppleness of the tape to such a degree that we basically threading garbage through our reel to reel machines.Each play requires that we clean the heads and tape path because of the oxide material that comes off the tape. Just sayin'
Ahh the 70s. My bud was running crowns. 2 of each dc60, dc150 , dc300. On jbl components. Including 15 inch woofers. Recorded vynil on a a77 at 15ips.. tt was a thorens with an sme arm and shure v15 , stanton 681eee and a few others. . Source was vynil masters.
Hi you seem like someone best to ask this question. I would like to buy a Reel to Reel for sampling my music back into my DAW when working with music to give it some tape love. Would I be ok with something like an Akai 4000D for example using 7.5ips or would you say something like a Otari Mx5050 2 track would be much better? Like is there a huge difference in what I'll be using it for. Running vocals, drums and various stems to gain some tape love and experimentation? Maybe you haven't used these machines in this way. Thank you in advance and great video.
The Otari is in another league. I would make that investment. I also did two dedicated videos on 2 track machines and their aspects. Start here if you haven't seen them: th-cam.com/video/Yly9Ubzs5iY/w-d-xo.html&feature=share9
As an audio / recording engineer with 50+ years' experience, I will only say that were it not for the hiss, wow, and flutter, analogue tape - and the associated audio chain - would certainly be the best sounding of all. The 'sampling rate' is infinitesimal (no nyquist!) and the natural warmth is something few ears now would appreciate. However, these analogue devices were far from "pure" especially the tube ones which added harmonic distortion (of the pleasant 2nd order) and intermodulation distortion. Wonderfully pleasing to the ear, but not accurate. From the moment the sound waves from the particular instrument or voice in the studio impacted the microphone diaphragm (or ribbon), the additions began. Thru the mic and its preamp, to the console input, its preamps, line amps, to the tape machine and it's circuitry, then on the the mag tape, back off the tape through the tape machine back to the console, through the console and back to the mixdown tape machine again. Then to mastering - and before finally being committed to a lacquer groove (where it once again becomes a physical representation of the original soundwaves) a trip through more electronics yet again. Yes, analogue sounded wonderful, but it was anything but true and accurate. Were digital to have sampling rates up in the megacycles, we'd have a better approximation of real analogue sound and without the added distortion. I for one, do not miss the hiss, flutter, and wow....and I sure as shit do not miss doing full record/repro alignments on a Dolby-equipped 24 track tape machine.
The key word is engaging, not accurate. It is an excercise in search of perfection but faithful to real music. Analog, with all its distortion is more faithful and engaging than digital. Obviously there are excellent digital recordings but it is sadly rare.
Chuckirkpatrick I could hardly agree with you more. Analogue at it's best can sound very good. But, I feel that people confuse "a sound they like" with "a sound that is accurate". In addition to the points you mention, another weakness with tape is phase distortion across the frequency spectrum which softens transients. Dolby processing does a similar thing. This is one of the reasons for the softening of transients which in turns helps to create a sound percieved as warmer. I have a real problem with people saying that digital techniques take the warmth out of the sound. It's more a case that analogue mediums remove some of the finer detail to leave a sound that can seem warmer.
My Dear friend at ANA/DIA/LOG. Even I had watched your Video earlier, but since I have no one to turn and ask a question, I took the opportunity to ask you. I have three Amplifiers. Two in my bedroom, SONY Amplifier/Receiver, and KENWOOD (maybe 1970 )only amplifier no receiver. I hooked my two KEF Q series(4ohm) speaker to the KENWOOD, and sounds fantastic; clear crisp, balanced sound. Great bass, great treble. In one word, full body sound. When I hooked my speakers to the ONKYO AMP/RECEIVER, and also to my SONY AMP/RECEIVER both have 4 to 8ohms, the sound on both is "cloudy" it is not like the KENWOOD. You think the SONY and the ONKYO has receivers that is why? . Please let me know about this because I am waiting to buy the new ONKYO A-9110 amplifier. I know you are busy, but no rush. I forgot to mention above. I also have ONKYO Receiver/Amplifier. Thank You, your friend, Krikor.
Hi Krikor, judging by what you wrote, to me it seems that the Kenwood is just better. A receiver is usually a lower quality piece of gear than a pure amp but you never know...
Hi, thank you for this video. Very informative. I have got a question concerning the equalization. Is this feature only important for recording? Or also for playing prerecorded tapes? If so, why is it also important for prerecorded tapes? Best regards
Both! Why? Because according to the area of production prerecorded tapes may have been recorded in NAB or CCIR (IEC) so in order to play them back correctly you need a machine with one or the other or, better, both! The vast majority of tapes you see on eBay done by Ampex at 3 3/4 or 7.5ips are all in NAB. If you don’t apply the correct eq you are going to modify the sound and it will sound worse.
No problem! This channel is for everyone! 4 tracks is exactly like the cassette. The recorded records 2 tracks (stereo signal, left and right) of audio in one direction and 2 tracks of audio in the other direction (that is why you must flip the reel after each side).
Thank you so much for posting this - I was hearing about this format and I'm learning so much. Do you have any tips on where to find 7 1/2 inch pre-recorded for a good price as well as blank quality tapes? I'm considering getting an Otari MX5050 (not sure on the model yet but likely the BQ ii2 model..) I am open to any suggestions on machine too, but I really like that the Otari seems so serviceable and parts are readily available.
I mainly got mine on ebay even though prices now are going high. For recording you can get NOS or recorded tapes for cheap. New tapes are from ATR magnetics or Recording the Masters. Otari is a great machine in production until a few years ago.
@@anadialog it is hard to find pre-recorded tapes or than classical. any ideas? i want to go back to reel. buying a deck is easy, but not finding originally recorded tapes nop. help please
I have a half track Revox B77. What were they smoking when they came up with the four track? These units are and can be unnecessarily-complicated - especially with auto reverse.
I own master reels of unreleased songs from a legendary Detroit boogie funk artist from the 80s. One of his 12-inch singles sells for over 700 USD every time it hits eBay. Truly one of my greatest finds.
@@anadialog can you recommend any reel-to-reel machine that will play at 15 ips and 30 ips? There is a kick-ass pioneer up for sale on eBay. I messaged the seller about the same question but he didn't reply.
What are your thoughts on TEAC 3340s as an entry unit. If I get started in real to real I want the ability to us 10” reals and 4 track. That way if I move up to better units my tape investment goes with me. I can’t afford a refurbish unit, is it worth my time getting what appears to be a good unit on eBay. Or should I wait until I can get a refurbished one when I can afford it. I see Technics units but the price is unbelievable. Thanks. Hope you and your family are well.
Great piece! Not the best s/n ration but ok. Try getting this or even a better model that is broken but looking good, then YOU send it to a lab. It will cost much much less that way! The risk is that the machine has a serious problem but its rare.
Thanks for the information. I think I’ll wait for a while and get a refurbished unit when I can afford it. Rather then jumping in on unit that is questionable. Also looked harder at the specs and as you pointed out there is a a difference between the teac and other decks.
Lots of good information thanks a lot. last year I got ahold of a Tascam 32 2 Channel I think it just needs a belt and some lubrication should be good to go thanks again.
My dad had a Studer Revox 2 track reel to reel. ;) Unfortunately it finally gave up the ghost. I have a 4 track machine but obviously won't be able to play his extensive 2 track library.
Great video! I am looking forward to seeing the next videos in the series. I have a TEAC A-1500-W reel to reel in beautiful shape. I have been running FLAC files through a Cambridge Audio upsampling DAC, and recording onto high bias tapes. I have been getting some great sounding recordings! I like 7 1/2 IPS also. Thank You much for the video!
If I may, I'd like to make an important observation concerning magnetic tape. First, all decks are slightly different when it comes to play, rewind, and fast forward tension. The decks were older, and so are the reels. So, because of tension differences between decks, and playing a reel that hasn't been played on YOUR deck, I suggest playing at correct play speed in both directions BEFORE you use the fast forward or rewind functions. That is one sure way to break a tape, or stretch the tape, both undesirable! How was the tape stored in the last 40-70 years? A garage in Michigan? An attic in Louisiana? Some tape manufacturers were better than others in thickness, oxide particles etc. I recently got a batch of records that included a professional 1/4" 10" reel. The tape was like ...sticky tape! As if it was soaked in glue. I unscrewed the reel and the tape was as solid as a rock. I threw out the solidified tape and gained a Scotch 10" empty reel :-)
I have an Ampex AG-350 2 track Studio machine,a Revox B77, an Otari MX5050II, a Pioneer 1020 and 909,and an AKAI GX747Dbx. So I am well endowed with good equipment.I have all kinds of tapes in 2 and 4 track,recorded anywhere from 3-3/4 ips to 15.Although my Akai excels at the slowest speed in both record and playback,there is a distinct audible difference between 3-3/4 and 7-1/2 ips..Also between 2 and 4 track.,even when both are at 7-1/2.The 15 ips 2-track tapes reign supreme on the Ampex,the sound is so open and airy.Tape,particularly the open reel format is,over the long run,the more durable medium-my now 60+ year- old RCA Red Seal 2 track tapes STILL sound fantastic!
@@anadialog Thank you! I have taken the position of using the format of choice depending on the type of use and the rarity of the format.For example,I play my vinyls that are either not rare,thrift shop finds,or are already worn somewhat from days before my good equipment.But for my pristine,and/or rare albums I want to preserve,I use my Ampex or other machines to make tapes for everyday use,or to listen to my other tapes.And it's fun to have a variety of sources anyway.I was even thinking of putting an old Teac A-4000 (reel deck with playback-only preamps) in my van!
you didn't play the beatles one, I wanted to know how the bass in come together sounded. the music you played sounded too "thin" and "tinny", I assume it was supposed to sound like that, right?.
Unfortunately Beatles create copyright issues...no, it should not...but keep present that my Philips has NOT been serviced recently so a few parameters my be off
It is why I liked computer type of a reel to reel, you need just to put a tape on and the rest will be done by the mechanism itself. It is a very convenient.
Just come across your channel great tutorial and explanation how the different systems work looking forward to watching more as I catch up with your channel. I could do with a bit of advice I bought a Akai GX4000D with quite a few tapes it sounds great and records fantastic not problems. I just have one issue which i could do with some help please it's with one of the breaks it goes fast forward and stops perfect no slack tape. It rewinds and stops perfect no slack tape. But when I play a tape and stop it sometimes it leaves some slack tape just after the pinch roller is this one of the breaks and if so which break do you think requires adjustment will it be the tape up spool or the supply spool as its hard to tell when watching it. Thanks in advance keep up the good stuff i have lots to learn about this great hobby.
Hi David, thanks for yoir commwbt. This is a very technical question and unfortunately I don't know. You need a tech for stuff like that. It seems strange though that during FF RW you do not experiencebthe same problem...tje best (and cheapest) thing is to open a thread on Tapeheads...they will surely help!
Cool I came across a Pioneer 1020; what is the value of these units on the market? Also have a Pioneer 770 rack mount model; where can I find the current value of that unit? Let me know. in case I wanted to sell them or just so I know. Thanks
Enjoyed your video. I recently uncovered an analog studio "barn find" of sorts in a real estate transaction. Abandoned studio with stacks of tapes and reel to reels as well as instruments. I shot a video yesterday in the dark with a flashlight. No power in there yet. If it's something of interest to you, it might be worth a look. I hope to uncover some of the mysteries about it.
I love tape. I still do more tape than most humans. I got into the consumer 4 tracks several years ago. They CAN sound amazing, but they rarely do. The tapes were usually bin looped and very little care was taken in production. The B side program material leaking througb in quiet spots is really a killer for me. No matter how well your machine is setup, its gonna happen. They were usually made with low levels to keep bleed and other problems minimized. That means a higher noise floor. That being said, I have videos of bunches of them over on my channel. I finally gave up uploading them all, because YT strikes them. I transferred my collection to DSD and havent looked back.
Nice, really helpful. I have from my dad a Sony Tapecorder TC-530 and some 7 1/2 cassettes of Andy Williams but we don’t have the power cord to give it a try again, hope to find one compatible. This device is from what year? Do you know? What artists can i found in this format? In ebay they are just a few, more soundtracks of movies than rock bands or other artists. Thks
Thanks Luis. The machine, I saw online, was produce 1967. To be honest the specs are non very good, but who cares. When its something that your father used, it becomes the best recorded in the world! Are you kidding? On Ebay they're dozens of thousands of tapes. Even rock bands! Search with different key words...reel, tape, 7.5ips, 4 track, 7 1/2 etc....there should also be a specific section on Ebay...need to look in detail for it...
Hello and thank you for your comment. What do you mean with license reels? Maybe official, issued reels? Yes they are originale. You can mainly find them in the US. There are hundreds of reels on ebay. Just search for "Real to reel tape" and the speed you want. They can be quite expensive, reels of the Beatles or other famous rock bands are very expensive now (in the past they were much cheaper). Let's say between 50-200$ + shipping. But you can find several at 15-30$. It depends from the type of music and how famous/requested is the artist you are interested in.
I’m considering buying a stereo reel to reel machine, but is it going to be better than a cassette deck with Dolby S ? I had a mono reel to reel fidelity machine for Christmas in the 1970’s it was a 4 track machines that ran at 3and 3 quarters IPs and remember it being vastly superior to the cassette machine of the day .
11:22 no leading tape in green and red? When I bought blank tapes, they were equipped with green nonmagnetic tape in the beginning, red in the end, both I could use to write the tape's name on it.
I recorded songs in a DAW on my computer. I now want to get the song from my computer to be recorded onto a reel-to-reel and then send the reel-to-reel version of the song back onto my computer. How would I do that?
Well, if you arr doing this almost as a high quality plug-in to add analog saturation maybe it isn't worth the effort. In any case, you need a high quality D/A converter ro the the signal to a calibrated reel to reel machine (che my vids on r2r). You then would connect the outputs to a high quality A/D converted with good sampling rate and bit depth and off to your computer for recording...
Nagra is definitely the best , but they’re super mega expensive . The next one down is a Uher report monitor 4400 , they’re still expensive , a cheaper machine is an Akai x-v , they are a really good versatile machine and a personal favourite of mine
Back in the day, Uher and Nagra were the best. See the movie Diva for the Nagra involvement. Thunderball shows the Uher 4000, a good machine for its dual function knobs
Whatever you prefer. The famous brands all made excellent tapes. Remember that for best results you should professionally calibrate your machine for THAT specific tape you choose. For example I have mine calibrate for the mythical SM900, now produced by RTM. The Master Tape from ATR magnetics is also great, just to mention currently produced tape and respectively one for Europe and one for the US.
Best tapes is ultimate QUANTEGY GP9 Grand Master or Scotch 3M 996 . You can use also TDK GX 50/120 where 50 is pro thin 35 consumer . Modern tapes is Chinese under registration office in Europe .
Recording the Masters tapes, including one of the best tapes ever made the SM900 directly coming from the Agfa-BASF recipes is entirely produced by Mulann industries in France. Please don't put out false information.
DJ Juan, swveral Scotch and the Quantegy tapes are renowned for being among the worse tapes in history due to the high chances of having sticky shed syndrome. These two types have less chances but still present.
Hi Pablo, ebay is practically the only place. Check also your local/ national used items websitea. There you coukd make some deals. On ebay you have to write "reel to reel tape" + the speed. Congrats for your machine! Love my Philips N4520.
I confess right away that I know nothing and haven’t even listened to this entire video yet, but I have a question. Is reel to reel music available direct from the manufacturer like records and cassette tapes, or was the point to record live audio and/or dub music from other media types to this new type? My parents have a machine that they used when I was a baby to copy their records onto for some reason, and I would like to have it but I’m not sure how to use it. My husband was like “oh, so it’s like an iPod” since it seems like they were recording their favorite albums/songs onto one new seamless recording (not having to switch sides, etc). I’m confused, but I think I want their reel-to-reel machine since they don’t want it anymore.
Well, in the 50-70’ they sold 4 track and some 2 track copies of albums with different speeds. Now you can find some master tapes copies which are very expensive.
Thanks for your marvellous video - I have a REvox B77 I bought recently - I have a small collection of LP which I started to buy in the 70's and I am still buying LP . Question can you advice where to buy such pre recorded Reels on the web ? ? ebay ? what else ? thanks daniel
Thank you Daniel! Well, ebay is surely and unfortunately the main place. Other and cheaper places are local/national online used objects websites...tell us if you find other goid resources!
Good question! Well, Dolby and DBX will give you dramatically better signal to noise ratio and that is a good thing. In my opinion it is not paramount. The best recordings in history do not have it! Plus you need good quality equipment to encode the recording in those formats...
Thank you for answering. With all the many old R to Rs I have, Some were recorded on 2 Track, and some on 4 Track. I f I get a 4 Track recorder, will I be able to listen to the 2 Track ones? What a big decision, and so thankful you can answer these questions!@@anadialog
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Great video. As I entered my 40's, I started to revisit the music formats I enjoyed in the past. Within the last 2 years got the vinyl setup, cassette tape and looking into reel to reel. I really enjoy the interactive experience with those formats that are not available with digital formats.
Thanks again for the information!
Thank you Luis!!
I still have my 1974 Akai 4000DS and it still works perfectly even in 2020. The sound quality is outstanding! and the reliability speaks for itself. Did Akai imagine it would last well over 40 years in 1974? Built like a tank and to a standard not a price!
Literally got my 4000ds mkii working up to 100% yesterday, and am super happy with it. I realized working on the insides that the simplicity of its construction makes it a machine that could potentially last a VERY long time (especially if it has a savvy owner). Cheers!
@@BogoEN I think the lack of rubber belts and robustness speaks for itself!
How is it in 2022?
@@uncled39 Still working fine!
I was born in 74 thats 48 years
Love your walk down memory lane . In 1978 I bought a TEAC - 2300SD . In 1979 I bought a TEAC - 3340 -S . They served me well until 2013 when the motor bearings dried up and seized . In between those years I had worn out the gaps on a few channels .So all 4 heads were replaced . The Memorex , Basf , TDK , Sony ,Maxell and Scotch 3M tapes where the ones I used and still have . When you buy the best tapes the binder never wears out . I can't say the same for the 456 Grand Masters of Ampex . Those binders turned to glue and properly buggered everything up . I had invested heavily due to the claims made by Ampex Corporation . In the end I lost my shirt in that fiasco . I now use Teac cassette decks . Not the same band for the buck , but pretty fine sound for a 68 year old . Yours truly .......Dudley Rathborne
Thanks for taking the time to put this together! I was an avid reel-to-reel collector in the 70's.I have plenty of Ampex & Columbia tapes at 7 1/2. I still have 2 TEAC & 1 Dokorder machines which I haven't touched in years. It's time for eBay. Thanks again for putting this together!
Thank you Bob! Give us the links when you do!
I was gifted a 1966 Teac A-1500 Reel to Reel a few decades ago. It was gathering dust in my garage until recently. I'm cleaning it up, and I'm planning to use it again.
MAN KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK TAPE GURU!
Paper never died. Vinyl is coming back. REEL 2 REEL WILL BE BACK !!!! Calligraphy is back. Woodworking is back. Screw the fake new trends that only are designed with planned obscolescence in mind !!!
Well said!
Paper never died, Vinyl never died, r2r tapes never died......
@@israelelias1574 i would argue that rtr has gotten a little quite in the 90s and 2000s but they are making a comeback
you are a Bodhisattva of retro sound Blue Sky, I'd love to find out tips and tricks! =]
@@mcpoulet13 :-DD
u are real good thank you J.P.
Its a great joy and suprise to so many reel to reel tapes to gather, never seen such a collection in my life , must thanks to the people who has done this
Thanks Mukesh!
I have a Pioneer RT-1020L machine that works beautifully! Back in the mid70s I owned a Pioneer RT-1050 two track. I miss that machine.
I own a Tandberg TD-20A SE, A Revox B-77 Mark II a Pioneer RT-707 and my Pioneer RT-1020L and trust me you don't lose any significant sound quality with your Pioneer.
Pioneers are built like a tank and they sound great!
Cool I came across one of these units; what is the value of these units on the market? Also have a Pioneer 770 rack mount model; where can I find the current value of that unit? Let me know.
I have both a Pioneer RT-707 and an RT-1050. Both needed a lot of love to bring them back to full performance, but they're pretty amazing. I went as far as to replace the regulated power supply in the 1050 to eliminate an "engineered-in" ground loop issue that caused a faint 120 Hz hum. You couldn't hear the hum until I replaced a number of the original transistors with new low-noise devices. After that, the hum was audible above the now very faint hiss from the electronics. The 707 is now calibrated for RTM LPR-35 tape, which is absolutely amazing at low tape speeds. www.redbankvintageaudio.com
@@fsmmike Just search for it on eBay, and look for closed/sold items.
I have a Technics 2-Track, AND an Otari MX-5050, AND a TEAC A3340S.
I’m an Oboist/Guitarist.
Dad was a professional Pianist.
Tape! What a big warm beautiful sound!!!!
I recognize you. I listened to almost all of the audio clips of your, or rather, father's collection on discogs. Great sound! I am eager to purchase reels from you. Best
Nine Ball
Oh man, thanks, I was hoping that someone would appreciate some of my Audio Clips!
Take a shot when he says “typology” 🥃
😂
I bombed 5 minutes in! How's that for drinking typology!
which typology of alcohol are you consuming?
@@TB303 Gin is my favorite typology of booze.
Typology???????
I agree , reel to reel is much more like a live performance than nearly every other format
Larry Shaver Vinyl on a good direct drive table comes close!
I understand the attraction to analog recordings, (and recording) but I don't understand the attraction to "live performances"
@@AceTechHD drive belt is better the direct
@@killmore75 Not sure where you received that information, but it's not entirely true.
@@AceTechHD belt drive has less vibration : )
It's worth mentioning that the continued development of cassette decks was imperative, but even at it's peak the format still never became as good as reel to reel.
Umm nakamichi tt700 and 1000 later the dragon. Tt 1000 was bigger than a reel to reel lol. Not as high but deep..
I have a Revox A-77 that still works beautifully, purchased in 1974.
I wished I had one when I was in my 20' s - I bought the B 795 revox turntable ,the taperecorders weren't so much affordble for me back then , less now - I just appreciated good sound sound even now .
I had 2 of those. Portable. Beautiful they were.
I owned a Dolby MkIV miss that machine😕
I own a Revox A77 Mk3 4 track suitcase model. It's absolutely fantastic👍
It always makes me smile when you say typology. Love it 💗
Its my darn Italian surfacing! I corrected that now...only 'type'! ;-)
aww :(
😂
SAME 😋
No, no! My mistake...its my Italian kicking in...the correct word is type! Thanks anyways!
You sure love the word "typology". Very educative video btw.
When I was a kid a friend of mine introduced me to Reel to Reel. His brother was in Vietnam and had brought home a couple of machines from Japan. He still has them and they have been treated very well. I don't remember brands or capabilities.
Cool!
Probably TEAC. Was big over there.
I used to be the buyer and general manager of a store in central London called Teletape. We specialised it tape recorders and tapes.
We used to import prerecorded reel to reel tapes from America and we also sold the machines to play them.
Over time prerecorded reel to reel tapes fell out of favour with the introduction of high end cassette recorders like Nakamichi.
A lot of people would buy the vinyl records and make cassette tapes from the records and settle for that.
Thanks for sharing your expetience Jeremy! Cool!
Life is not made better by the constant new formats being offered to consumers.
I have just watched a video about a another new format of CD called MQA-CD.
This requires people to go out and by their music collection again and buy a decoder to decode the MQA-CDs. This is not SACD but something new released in 2018.
It's enough to drive consumers crazy.
Indeed! Check this way around MQA I recently did: th-cam.com/video/kmrWeuEHsVY/w-d-xo.html
I recently got a TEAC A-2300SX for next to nothing. It's in almost perfect condition! It came with a NOS sealed reel, BASF LP35. I swear, unwrapping the cellophane on a 40+ year old tape is surreal.
How cool is that!?
Lots of great decks out there. Tandberg makes some great ones.
I am also a fan of tape....I currently have 2 Pioneer RT-1020s, a Pioneer RT-707, and a TEAC X-1000R (w/dbx). Also a couple of high-end cassette decks, a Pioneer CT-F1250, and a TEAC R888-X. Love `em all ! :-) The best-quality pre-recorded R2R tape in my collection is "Vivaldi`s Four Seasons", with Lorin Mazel directing the Orchestra National de France, Sound quality is incredible. Thanks for sharing your videos !
Wow, great collection!! Congrats!!
I have 12 machines in my stable. Yes... I love tape!
I've always used a reel to reel. My first recorder I received as a gift, I was 9 years old. I am 57 now and I'm still using them. I have 2 Pioneer decks
A RT909 and a RT707. I have a Tascam 32 for 2 track and 15 inches per second speed. You can't beat the sound quality of the 15 ips speed.
Wow! Congratulations for the consistency of your passion for tape! And thanks for sharing your experience Mike!
I have an AKAI GX-230D reel to reel deck that I bought on Ebay several years ago. I absolutely love it. It is in near mint condition and I've managed to collect about 150 tapes so far. I use it in conjunction with a BBE Sonic Maximizer and the sound quality is fantastic!
Incredible information! What a lesson! Thank you 🤟
nice recorder you have!
Nice!!!
Wow i love this channel ✌
Soon you'll have me hooked on this type of equipment 😅
Cavolo, ma sei Italiano!
Hai tutta la mia stima, sempre più raro trovare gente appassionata e che faccia questi generi di video, così ben spiegati.
Corro a vedere la seconda parte.
Here's a different reel to reel story...I was a 12-year old audio nerd. I had a Wollensak 4-track in my own modest, but decent system. I was wanting so bad to get a pre-recorded reel to reel tape of any rock music possible.so I went with my sister to Birmingham, Alabama because she had to go to her optometrist for her contacts. This was summer of '71. She was looking for some place called Godwin Radio that was supposedly stocking some pre-recorded reel to reel titles. Some girl ran a red light turning in front of us (she was to only turn when it was green and clear) and me an my sister ran into the front corner of her. It crushed the front end of my sister's Kharman Ghia (orange no less) which was less than two years old. Thank goodness we were safe but the other driver had no insurance which was not unusual back in those days. So to this day, and I'm 60 now, I've never bought a pre-recorded reel to reel tape yet I still have a reel to reel macine.
Nooo! What a sad story!
You need to make a t-shirt that just says "Typology"
Hello, you doing really great job!!! Excellent knowledge base for people who don’t know to much, but love music and want to get better and better. What you suggest about first real to real tape deck. I won’t to start but don’t know with what.
Thanks Marek! Well, if we are talking 4 track and don't want to spend too much, an Akai or Tascam could be a good idea. At a higher level a Revox, Technics or Otari...
I for one would love to see more time spent on the Technics RS - 1500 through 1800 series, their qualities and what it was about them, that made them so darn good and sought after. Thanks!
I'm surprised to hear Technics did a reel to reel but I know now, I shall look these up.
Indeed and they are very good besides being beautiful!
I just got my first reel to reel, a Technics RS-714US! Haven't been able to find much on it.
Sony, Technics, Akai and Teac were considered the best, but the Holy Grail was Revox.
Nice I never new about the different speed on those tape I know they sound good but I never bought one cus is expensive n hard to find those tape on the music I like that dope bro fresh 👍😎
Hi, excelent video !
What do you think about the AKAI M-10 Solid State ?
Thank you
my fav is old analogue 45,s but i did hear a reel to reel as a kid & my memory was it sounded much better than tape cassette.but a very very long time ago but me im getting into recording so i have an old tape 8 track.but put it this way everything was recorded using tape fuji tape has stood the test of time & sounds as good as the day it was recorded.also i was recently just given a box of about 100 old tapes by my mums friend.some rare ones for sure all of them are the faster tapes so i might get a machine & listen also the machine look,s great fine post peace...
Hi, thank you for the great series, I am just starting to try reel to reel thanks to your videos!
Glad to hear that!
That's a nice machine! I really like your detailed instructions.
Thanks!
Great
I am lucky to have a working Akai GX-747 purchased in Germany early 80's. I am having it restored by Muse Audio Service located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I cannot wait to get it back from these talented folks at Muse. The 747 is an awesome tape player/recorder, I am using a DBX noise reduction unit with it and a DBX 1BX as well. I kick my self for not getting the DBX 3BX when I had the chance. Reel to Reel is the way to go...
Very informative video!!
I haven't met anything that sounds as good as my Teac 3340s
Good for you! Glad tape is still keeping up these days! That is indeed a good 4 track machine!
Been wanting to buy one, but i don't know where to start
This is also helpful: th-cam.com/video/eXlB6FaWasM/w-d-xo.html
I have AKAI GX650D and I love it!
Keep it tight!
Could you imagine if they made metal tapes for these
Exactly...I wrote the same thing in a past comment...cassette techmology has developed so much, if only this happened also to R2R bringing also down the absurd costs...
3D printed.
Metal tape is great for extremely slow speed recording. Completely unnecessary in the professional world, and would only make it MORE expensive.
Not true, infact they used metal formulations for video8, which is extremely fast, why?, because it's small. Reel to reel tape would simply be amazing but much much too expensive considering the amount of tape for a standard 1/4' 2 track tape, or worse a mutitrack 2 inch for recording sessions!
@@EdSullivan101 No metal tape was used the broadcast digital Video tape recorders made by Panasonic Sony And JVC. Plus is now used by IBM and HP dat recorders
Man your killing me, I want to buy some.
🤣🤣
I agree I'm getting a akai gx 210D. I still enjoy LP
I would be interested in knowing how often you clean your tape path and heads? For instance, do you follow the same cleaning procedure with your reel to reel tapes that you do with your vinyl records? In my own experience the tapes we buy on eBay are quite old. I find playing these tapes leaves more of an oxide trail than compared to playing brand new tapes. I am cleaning my reel to reel deck more often than I ever used to just to keep from having a build up of gunge on the tape path and heads - which as you know, if left uncleaned over time will create a buildup of dirt that will affect sound reproduction.
Very true! It depends on how much I listen. In any case I do it regularly.
@@anadialog I'm sure you are aware that the used tapes we buy of popular pop and rock bands are 30-40-50 years old. The lubricant they put on the tapes to keep them supple has lost its usefulness, in many cases. So. As much as we love the bands, these tapes we have no idea how the tapes we buy were stored. Too much humidity, heat, and so on damages the suppleness of the tape to such a degree that we basically threading garbage through our reel to reel machines.Each play requires that we clean the heads and tape path because of the oxide material that comes off the tape. Just sayin'
Ahh the 70s. My bud was running crowns. 2 of each dc60, dc150 , dc300. On jbl components. Including 15 inch woofers. Recorded vynil on a a77 at 15ips.. tt was a thorens with an sme arm and shure v15 , stanton 681eee and a few others. . Source was vynil masters.
The best format
is 15 ips 2-track.
He said format, I.e. tape, not speed or number of tracks. If interested I also made videos on those: th-cam.com/video/Yly9Ubzs5iY/w-d-xo.html
I have a Roberts 778X. It's a Great machine. Has the 8 Track in the side and works Great. I have the 15ips capstan drive also.
Hi you seem like someone best to ask this question. I would like to buy a Reel to Reel for sampling my music back into my DAW when working with music to give it some tape love. Would I be ok with something like an Akai 4000D for example using 7.5ips or would you say something like a Otari Mx5050 2 track would be much better? Like is there a huge difference in what I'll be using it for. Running vocals, drums and various stems to gain some tape love and experimentation? Maybe you haven't used these machines in this way. Thank you in advance and great video.
The Otari is in another league. I would make that investment. I also did two dedicated videos on 2 track machines and their aspects. Start here if you haven't seen them: th-cam.com/video/Yly9Ubzs5iY/w-d-xo.html&feature=share9
As an audio / recording engineer with 50+ years' experience, I will only say that were it not for the hiss, wow, and flutter, analogue tape - and the associated audio chain - would certainly be the best sounding of all. The 'sampling rate' is infinitesimal (no nyquist!) and the natural warmth is something few ears now would appreciate. However, these analogue devices were far from "pure" especially the tube ones which added harmonic distortion (of the pleasant 2nd order) and intermodulation distortion. Wonderfully pleasing to the ear, but not accurate. From the moment the sound waves from the particular instrument or voice in the studio impacted the microphone diaphragm (or ribbon), the additions began. Thru the mic and its preamp, to the console input, its preamps, line amps, to the tape machine and it's circuitry, then on the the mag tape, back off the tape through the tape machine back to the console, through the console and back to the mixdown tape machine again. Then to mastering - and before finally being committed to a lacquer groove (where it once again becomes a physical representation of the original soundwaves) a trip through more electronics yet again. Yes, analogue sounded wonderful, but it was anything but true and accurate. Were digital to have sampling rates up in the megacycles, we'd have a better approximation of real analogue sound and without the added distortion. I for one, do not miss the hiss, flutter, and wow....and I sure as shit do not miss doing full record/repro alignments on a Dolby-equipped 24 track tape machine.
The key word is engaging, not accurate. It is an excercise in search of perfection but faithful to real music. Analog, with all its distortion is more faithful and engaging than digital. Obviously there are excellent digital recordings but it is sadly rare.
Chuckirkpatrick I could hardly agree with you more. Analogue at it's best can sound very good. But, I feel that people confuse "a sound they like" with "a sound that is accurate". In addition to the points you mention, another weakness with tape is phase distortion across the frequency spectrum which softens transients. Dolby processing does a similar thing. This is one of the reasons for the softening of transients which in turns helps to create a sound percieved as warmer. I have a real problem with people saying that digital techniques take the warmth out of the sound. It's more a case that analogue mediums remove some of the finer detail to leave a sound that can seem warmer.
My Dear friend at ANA/DIA/LOG. Even I had watched your Video earlier, but since I have no one to turn and ask a question, I took the opportunity to ask you. I have three Amplifiers. Two in my bedroom, SONY Amplifier/Receiver, and KENWOOD (maybe 1970 )only amplifier no receiver. I hooked my two KEF Q series(4ohm) speaker to the KENWOOD, and sounds fantastic; clear crisp, balanced sound. Great bass, great treble. In one word, full body sound. When I hooked my speakers to the ONKYO AMP/RECEIVER, and also to my SONY AMP/RECEIVER both have 4 to 8ohms, the sound on both is "cloudy" it is not like the KENWOOD. You think the SONY and the ONKYO has receivers that is why? . Please let me know about this because I am waiting to buy the new ONKYO A-9110 amplifier. I know you are busy, but no rush. I forgot to mention above. I also have ONKYO Receiver/Amplifier. Thank You, your friend, Krikor.
Hi Krikor, judging by what you wrote, to me it seems that the Kenwood is just better. A receiver is usually a lower quality piece of gear than a pure amp but you never know...
Hi, thank you for this video. Very informative. I have got a question concerning the equalization. Is this feature only important for recording? Or also for playing prerecorded tapes? If so, why is it also important for prerecorded tapes? Best regards
Both! Why? Because according to the area of production prerecorded tapes may have been recorded in NAB or CCIR (IEC) so in order to play them back correctly you need a machine with one or the other or, better, both! The vast majority of tapes you see on eBay done by Ampex at 3 3/4 or 7.5ips are all in NAB. If you don’t apply the correct eq you are going to modify the sound and it will sound worse.
I'm sorry my ignorance or fool question, I'm from Brazil, but what is exactly the meaning of 4 tracks? Are you talking about what? Thank you a lot!
No problem! This channel is for everyone! 4 tracks is exactly like the cassette. The recorded records 2 tracks (stereo signal, left and right) of audio in one direction and 2 tracks of audio in the other direction (that is why you must flip the reel after each side).
Thank you so much for posting this - I was hearing about this format and I'm learning so much. Do you have any tips on where to find 7 1/2 inch pre-recorded for a good price as well as blank quality tapes? I'm considering getting an Otari MX5050 (not sure on the model yet but likely the BQ ii2 model..) I am open to any suggestions on machine too, but I really like that the Otari seems so serviceable and parts are readily available.
I mainly got mine on ebay even though prices now are going high. For recording you can get NOS or recorded tapes for cheap. New tapes are from ATR magnetics or Recording the Masters. Otari is a great machine in production until a few years ago.
@@anadialog thanks for that. To get NOS cheap, do you look to Ebay to do that?
@@anadialog it is hard to find pre-recorded tapes or than classical. any ideas? i want to go back to reel. buying a deck is easy, but not finding originally recorded tapes nop. help please
What Model do you suggested for a High End Freak but a simple audiophile Music Lover? Merry Christmas. Jan
Well, I would invest in a Technics Rs1500, an Otari 5050 Mklll or an Akai Gx like a 635...
I have a half track Revox B77.
What were they smoking when they came up with the four track? These units are and can be unnecessarily-complicated - especially with auto reverse.
How about vinyl? Vynil or Cassette tape, wich is the best?
Big question! If we take a high quality type II or type IV cassette and recorded on a professional deck, cassette may win over vinyl IMO.
I own master reels of unreleased songs from a legendary Detroit boogie funk artist from the 80s. One of his 12-inch singles sells for over 700 USD every time it hits eBay. Truly one of my greatest finds.
How cool!
@@anadialog can you recommend any reel-to-reel machine that will play at 15 ips and 30 ips? There is a kick-ass pioneer up for sale on eBay. I messaged the seller about the same question but he didn't reply.
What are your thoughts on TEAC 3340s as an entry unit. If I get started in real to real I want the ability to us 10” reals and 4 track. That way if I move up to better units my tape investment goes with me. I can’t afford a refurbish unit, is it worth my time getting what appears to be a good unit on eBay. Or should I wait until I can get a refurbished one when I can afford it. I see Technics units but the price is unbelievable. Thanks. Hope you and your family are well.
Great piece! Not the best s/n ration but ok. Try getting this or even a better model that is broken but looking good, then YOU send it to a lab. It will cost much much less that way! The risk is that the machine has a serious problem but its rare.
Thanks for the information. I think I’ll wait for a while and get a refurbished unit when I can afford it. Rather then jumping in on unit that is questionable. Also looked harder at the specs and as you pointed out there is a a difference between the teac and other decks.
Lots of good information thanks a lot. last year I got ahold of a Tascam 32 2 Channel I think it just needs a belt and some lubrication should be good to go thanks again.
My dad had a Studer Revox 2 track reel to reel. ;) Unfortunately it finally gave up the ghost. I have a 4 track machine but obviously won't be able to play his extensive 2 track library.
It will be able to play the tapes. Give it a try.
good video
Great video! I am looking forward to seeing the next videos in the series. I have a TEAC A-1500-W reel to reel in beautiful shape. I have been running FLAC files through a Cambridge Audio upsampling DAC, and recording onto high bias tapes. I have been getting some great sounding recordings! I like 7 1/2 IPS also. Thank You much for the video!
Thank you for your enthusiasm. Interesting your FLAC-to-tape solution. People usually do something similar on cassette tapes....good job!
If I may, I'd like to make an important observation concerning magnetic tape.
First, all decks are slightly different when it comes to play, rewind, and fast forward tension. The decks were older, and so are the reels. So, because of tension differences between decks, and playing a reel that hasn't been played on YOUR deck, I suggest playing at correct play speed in both directions BEFORE you use the fast forward or rewind functions. That is one sure way to break a tape, or stretch the tape, both undesirable! How was the tape stored in the last 40-70 years? A garage in Michigan? An attic in Louisiana? Some tape manufacturers were better than others in thickness, oxide particles etc. I recently got a batch of records that included a professional 1/4" 10" reel. The tape was like ...sticky tape! As if it was soaked in glue. I unscrewed the reel and the tape was as solid as a rock. I threw out the solidified tape and gained a Scotch 10" empty reel :-)
love my reel to reel, just a cheap old Sony, but I made some videos with it too.
i had a Voice Of Music Circa 1953 reel-to-reel i loved it
Awesome video ! Are you based in Germany ?
Italy!
@@anadialog Fantastic !
I have an Ampex AG-350 2 track Studio machine,a Revox B77, an Otari MX5050II, a Pioneer 1020 and 909,and an AKAI GX747Dbx. So I am well endowed with good equipment.I have all kinds of tapes in 2 and 4 track,recorded anywhere from 3-3/4 ips to 15.Although my Akai excels at the slowest speed in both record and playback,there is a distinct audible difference between 3-3/4 and 7-1/2 ips..Also between 2 and 4 track.,even when both are at 7-1/2.The 15 ips 2-track tapes reign supreme on the Ampex,the sound is so open and airy.Tape,particularly the open reel format is,over the long run,the more durable medium-my now 60+ year- old RCA Red Seal 2 track tapes STILL sound fantastic!
Congrats for your fabulous collection!
@@anadialog Thank you! I have taken the position of using the format of choice depending on the type of use and the rarity of the format.For example,I play my vinyls that are either not rare,thrift shop finds,or are already worn somewhat from days before my good equipment.But for my pristine,and/or rare albums I want to preserve,I use my Ampex or other machines to make tapes for everyday use,or to listen to my other tapes.And it's fun to have a variety of sources anyway.I was even thinking of putting an old Teac A-4000 (reel deck with playback-only preamps) in my van!
@@user-dy2zy8rd2t in your van?! Just like Mercury Living Presence! Check this video I made: th-cam.com/video/ZDzLQmUeky8/w-d-xo.html
you didn't play the beatles one, I wanted to know how the bass in come together sounded.
the music you played sounded too "thin" and "tinny", I assume it was supposed to sound like that, right?.
Unfortunately Beatles create copyright issues...no, it should not...but keep present that my Philips has NOT been serviced recently so a few parameters my be off
You should run the audio directly to your computer so we REALLY know what it sounds like!
It is why I liked computer type of a reel to reel, you need just to put a tape on and the rest will be done by the mechanism itself. It is a very convenient.
Just come across your channel great tutorial and explanation how the different systems work looking forward to watching more as I catch up with your channel.
I could do with a bit of advice I bought a Akai GX4000D with quite a few tapes it sounds great and records fantastic not problems. I just have one issue which i could do with some help please it's with one of the breaks it goes fast forward and stops perfect no slack tape. It rewinds and stops perfect no slack tape. But when I play a tape and stop it sometimes it leaves some slack tape just after the pinch roller is this one of the breaks and if so which break do you think requires adjustment will it be the tape up spool or the supply spool as its hard to tell when watching it.
Thanks in advance keep up the good stuff i have lots to learn about this great hobby.
Hi David, thanks for yoir commwbt. This is a very technical question and unfortunately I don't know. You need a tech for stuff like that. It seems strange though that during FF RW you do not experiencebthe same problem...tje best (and cheapest) thing is to open a thread on Tapeheads...they will surely help!
Excellent and informative video, thanks for your efforts. Keep up the great work 👍
Cool I came across a Pioneer 1020; what is the value of these units on the market? Also have a Pioneer 770 rack mount model; where can I find the current value of that unit? Let me know. in case I wanted to sell them or just so I know. Thanks
can you talk a bit about bias and equalisation? how do you decide the settings?
Will do in a future video dedicated to recording!
Thanks. I've got a Teac Dolby R2R and I'm usually at a loss when deciding the recording controls.
Enjoyed your video. I recently uncovered an analog studio "barn find" of sorts in a real estate transaction. Abandoned studio with stacks of tapes and reel to reels as well as instruments. I shot a video yesterday in the dark with a flashlight. No power in there yet. If it's something of interest to you, it might be worth a look. I hope to uncover some of the mysteries about it.
is this place still around? Ping me I'm super curious!
I love tape. I still do more tape than most humans. I got into the consumer 4 tracks several years ago. They CAN sound amazing, but they rarely do.
The tapes were usually bin looped and very little care was taken in production. The B side program material leaking througb in quiet spots is really a killer for me. No matter how well your machine is setup, its gonna happen. They were usually made with low levels to keep bleed and other problems minimized. That means a higher noise floor.
That being said, I have videos of bunches of them over on my channel. I finally gave up uploading them all, because YT strikes them. I transferred my collection to DSD and havent looked back.
hi, i liked your presentation. are there any r2r decks that play both 2 and 4 tracks?
Yes, I suggested a few at the end of the vid. The best are probably the Technics and Otari....
Nice, really helpful. I have from my dad a Sony Tapecorder TC-530 and some 7 1/2 cassettes of Andy Williams but we don’t have the power cord to give it a try again, hope to find one compatible.
This device is from what year? Do you know?
What artists can i found in this format? In ebay they are just a few, more soundtracks of movies than rock bands or other artists.
Thks
Thanks Luis. The machine, I saw online, was produce 1967. To be honest the specs are non very good, but who cares. When its something that your father used, it becomes the best recorded in the world! Are you kidding? On Ebay they're dozens of thousands of tapes. Even rock bands! Search with different key words...reel, tape, 7.5ips, 4 track, 7 1/2 etc....there should also be a specific section on Ebay...need to look in detail for it...
Great video, thanks! Are those license reels? Great rarity? What is the price of one, at least approximately?
Hello and thank you for your comment. What do you mean with license reels? Maybe official, issued reels? Yes they are originale. You can mainly find them in the US. There are hundreds of reels on ebay. Just search for "Real to reel tape" and the speed you want. They can be quite expensive, reels of the Beatles or other famous rock bands are very expensive now (in the past they were much cheaper). Let's say between 50-200$ + shipping. But you can find several at 15-30$. It depends from the type of music and how famous/requested is the artist you are interested in.
I’m considering buying a stereo reel to reel machine, but is it going to be better than a cassette deck with Dolby S ?
I had a mono reel to reel fidelity machine for Christmas in the 1970’s it was a 4 track machines that ran at 3and 3 quarters IPs and remember it being vastly superior to the cassette machine of the day .
1970s technology, no new recordings since then. eye wateringly expensive media. This format is nuts.
11:22 no leading tape in green and red? When I bought blank tapes, they were equipped with green nonmagnetic tape in the beginning, red in the end, both I could use to write the tape's name on it.
Not in these consumer tapes, or at least it is rare in the pop-rock genre.
Pretty strange.
I recorded songs in a DAW on my computer. I now want to get the song from my computer to be recorded onto a reel-to-reel and then send the reel-to-reel version of the song back onto my computer. How would I do that?
Well, if you arr doing this almost as a high quality plug-in to add analog saturation maybe it isn't worth the effort. In any case, you need a high quality D/A converter ro the the signal to a calibrated reel to reel machine (che my vids on r2r). You then would connect the outputs to a high quality A/D converted with good sampling rate and bit depth and off to your computer for recording...
@@anadialog ok will do thank you!
I did not hear you discuss Pioneer RT-909.
Not a big fan of it, that's all.
Excuse me sir, what would be the best portable reel to reel recorder to get? Good for music
The best portable recorder is surely the Nagra IV-S. I used to have one but I sold it in the end to get my Telefunken...
ANA[DIA]LOG thank you it looks very nice; and suitable to my future ambitions.
Nagra is definitely the best , but they’re super mega expensive . The next one down is a Uher report monitor 4400 , they’re still expensive , a cheaper machine is an Akai x-v , they are a really good versatile machine and a personal favourite of mine
Back in the day, Uher and Nagra were the best. See the movie Diva for the Nagra involvement. Thunderball shows the Uher 4000, a good machine for its dual function knobs
In vietnam 🇻🇳 love ❤ teac
i love reel to reel tape deck I have a PIONER RT 707 AUTO RIVERSE in very good consition & 100 recorder 1800 music tapes
What a collection!!
Open to reel the best format.
What tape should I use for recording. Such as Mac sale, TK scotch Ampex?
Whatever you prefer. The famous brands all made excellent tapes. Remember that for best results you should professionally calibrate your machine for THAT specific tape you choose. For example I have mine calibrate for the mythical SM900, now produced by RTM. The Master Tape from ATR magnetics is also great, just to mention currently produced tape and respectively one for Europe and one for the US.
Best tapes is ultimate QUANTEGY GP9 Grand Master or Scotch 3M 996 . You can use also TDK GX 50/120 where 50 is pro thin 35 consumer . Modern tapes is Chinese under registration office in Europe .
Rustam Tairov Thank you so much. This helps me. Cheers brother.
Recording the Masters tapes, including one of the best tapes ever made the SM900 directly coming from the Agfa-BASF recipes is entirely produced by Mulann industries in France. Please don't put out false information.
DJ Juan, swveral Scotch and the Quantegy tapes are renowned for being among the worse tapes in history due to the high chances of having sticky shed syndrome. These two types have less chances but still present.
Where do you buy theese original tapes? I have a Phlips N4506 totally restored.
Hi Pablo, ebay is practically the only place. Check also your local/ national used items websitea. There you coukd make some deals. On ebay you have to write "reel to reel tape" + the speed. Congrats for your machine! Love my Philips N4520.
I confess right away that I know nothing and haven’t even listened to this entire video yet, but I have a question. Is reel to reel music available direct from the manufacturer like records and cassette tapes, or was the point to record live audio and/or dub music from other media types to this new type? My parents have a machine that they used when I was a baby to copy their records onto for some reason, and I would like to have it but I’m not sure how to use it. My husband was like “oh, so it’s like an iPod” since it seems like they were recording their favorite albums/songs onto one new seamless recording (not having to switch sides, etc). I’m confused, but I think I want their reel-to-reel machine since they don’t want it anymore.
Well, in the 50-70’ they sold 4 track and some 2 track copies of albums with different speeds. Now you can find some master tapes copies which are very expensive.
Top quality of recording
It's a good archival format too. For historical thingies and important audio :3
Thanks for your marvellous video - I have a REvox B77 I bought recently - I have a small collection of LP which I started to buy in the 70's and I am still buying LP . Question can you advice where to buy such pre recorded Reels on the web ? ? ebay ? what else ? thanks daniel
Thank you Daniel! Well, ebay is surely and unfortunately the main place. Other and cheaper places are local/national online used objects websites...tell us if you find other goid resources!
If i want the best quality recording , do i need then dbx or dolby , or is recording without these better.
Good question! Well, Dolby and DBX will give you dramatically better signal to noise ratio and that is a good thing. In my opinion it is not paramount. The best recordings in history do not have it! Plus you need good quality equipment to encode the recording in those formats...
So many years ago our machine was A side 1 and 2, B side 1 and 2. Is that 4 track? I need to get this! Any help with this? So many tapes to revisit!
Yes!
Thank you for answering. With all the many old R to Rs I have, Some were recorded on 2 Track, and some on 4 Track. I f I get a 4 Track recorder, will I be able to listen to the 2 Track ones? What a big decision, and so thankful you can answer these questions!@@anadialog
Teac a-3340 or Teac x-1000m. Which is better?
Btw, what's your opinion on elcaset?
I have never tried it. Too hard and expensive to obtain and just a couple of machines available. Not worth it IMO.