Top three best consumer and prosumer reel to reels in your vision, designwise

Bigcatlover

Monstah
Hi, long time no see!

This is something I have always intended to ask this community, but never had the time to.

Finally my chance is here.


Let's go straight to the subject. In further posts, I would like you to enlist the three recorders of your choice in a top of 3 positions, a top of your own requirements. What does the esthetic work of such machine need to comprise, in order to fit within the barriers of your taste? Also, let's not forget this is about consumer and prosumer recorders, and their visual desing! (I apologize for a confusing title)

Furthermore, name the little detail hidden in the esthetics of your recorder, that have attracted your attention in the way which makes it deserve the given position. Tell us a few words about each of them, and, if you feel like two or more recorders equally mach in your vision, therefore more than one of them will fit the same place, you are free to do so. Also, what feeling does your choice deliver to you and how does it relate to the semblance of your chosen machine?

Do you own any of those recorders? If not, does the look of that specific r2r matter enough to rise the will of owning it? And, does this apply to other choices as well?

Questions and questions :D This thread is more about esthetics, but if sound performance alter your view in any way, or you just want to say something about their technical performance, any info is welcome.


I shall now set my own t3 (top three)


The look of a reel to reel, for me it must be strong in the first place... Tape is the best recording medium out there, one of man kind's best achievements, some people say that it even records feelings... and it does. You need to look at a machine that will go with you, as it delivers music to your ears... Something that will rhythmically alter your mind and induce so many moods and thoughts, that you might sometimes feel like you're out of reality, in another world, and let's face it! We are all going through that when we listen to music, aren't we :)

I will start with the third position:

It's definitely the Akai GX-646 Black. Though I do not own it, and I'm not a fan of the Akai sound anymore, the way it looks makes me simply want one! In my eyes, the special point in it's design is the central placement of the pinch roller, which makes it rise from the shadow and gives you a simple way to remember it. When the 646 engages in play mode, if two TDK reels are fitted on it, and maybe with a pair of Sony NAB adapters, it gives you the feeling of both old and new, then you feel like recording any kind of music on it! Those 747-like VU meters absolutely make the difference between the 636 and 646, they give it a more modern look, and it doesn't hide the controls like 747 for example. This also keeps it away from the older design of the GX-635 as well. The whole body of this recorder, smaller than many others out there, makes it perfect in size for many applications, while holding all of the controls a consumer recorder might need. For me, it's the best example of modern looking recorders of their age that is available at a good price to anyone that wants a fair recorder to have fun with.

I can't say more about the 646, this is it, third place.




Now second place:

The the mighty, king of them all, Sony TC-880-2

The Sony doesn't only look like a masterpiece, but it's also a technical masterpiece as well. Some people say it's the very best sounding consumer (or more exactly, prosumer) tape recorder ever made! I have never owned one, and there is a small chance I ever will, but the tc880 became very special in design for me. Viewed from the right angle, it just gives you something to think about, and it almost speaks to you... Every corner, every knob, every light that hits it reflects it's perfection. The way those capstans and tape guides are arranged in perfect mirror of each other, it just feels how gentle it is to tape, and also, it is such a powerful design, it just keeps you starring at it! I am proud that people have managed to create something that gives so much feeling, every TC-880 truly has a soul...




And the first place, as weird as it might sound...


The Ferrograph Logic 7, with Dolby



THIS! No matter how I look at it, no matter how I think of it! It simply hunts me. Sometimes, I see it in my dreams, other times I keep on looking at it for hours, and I can't believe what I see. I don't even know how to describe it... It leaves me speechless. If I zoom in, I see the mightiest, and best proportioned reel to reel ever to emerge from man's mind. The way everything is placed is unique, perfect mirror! You feel both channels, this recorder controls YOU if you don't know how to control it... When I look at it, I feel like I have a mountain in the front of me, and the way they named everything... And those tape tensioners, just WOW. Every single detail is just in perfect match with the other, to form what is in my eyes, the very best looking tape recorder ever made!

And that speed changer... And, no more talking about all of those functions! Technically, it's just perfect for a recorder like it. And the secret, in my eyes, are the two mpx and Dolby switches. They are placed in the center of all this perfection, and as you probably guessed, there is also a version that lacks those two functions, therefore you don't have any switches placed there. And, for me, the whole image of perfection is totally blown away if those are missing. That is the little detail that completes this masterpiece, and without it, it worth's nothing in my eyes.


I simply have no more words to describe it, but it's a feeling that no other reel to reel gave me before, ever, and I've seen a few... I do not own it, but I will, definitely, I don't know how, I don't know when, but I will own it in a way or another. I must have something that strong, I need it... And it's not about the sound quality... It's just the design. Imagine how it will look like with a pair of revox NABs with hubs fitted on them, and gothic style reels (things like that actually exist)







So there you have it. I'm sorry if any of those images are property of yours, and if you find them, please tell if you want me to take them down for you! They have been used only for showing more details of the Logic7.



Thank you for reading, and I'm waiting for your answers!

Sergiu
 
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So this is in the looks department only, correct?

3. Akai. The whole brand. Some were ugly, but most were very attractive.
2. Pioneer 909. Gorgeous deck. Love to have one someday, but they're worth less to me than their going price. Also vying for second are the Sony TC-755 and the Dokorder 1120.
1. Akai Pro 1000. Gorgeous. More symmetrical than most machines.

th
 
Ferrograph post Series 6, the machines which wrecked their reputations. They had lots of issues with the Seven series. Heads which once lasted many years, were having issues at 6 months old. Rubber parts which lasted 40 years, began having short lives. Older Ferrographs were the UK equivalent of the ReVox, the US Crowns, and the UK Leevers-Rich. Looks are great, but reliable and rugged and good sounding beats machines which love going FUBAR. The Sony of your lot is the only machine I could be happy with long term. The Akais would be OK but would need major servicing before I used one much. Dokorder is another synonym for FUBAR. Pioneer RT 909 is good I much prefer the RT 707 mechanically.
 
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At risk of drifting off topic, I believe all circuit components on the Ferrographs, switches, attenuators etc are standard products still available today and mechanically (once the original faulty rubber has been replaced) these decks are pretty much indestructible.
However. the heads are known to be soft and the decks have no tape lifter when the deck is wound/rewound. i.e. the tape is wound in contact with the heads.
Another oddity to mainstream consumer decks was Ferrograph's use of more professional terms like 'Run' for play and 'Upper' and 'Lower' channel instead of Left/Right.
 
Ferrograph post Series 6, the machines which wrecked their reputations. They had lots of issues with the Seven series. Heads which once lasted many years, were having issues at 6 months old. Rubber parts which lasted 40 years, began having short lives. Older Ferrographs were the UK equivalent of the ReVox, the US Crowns, and the UK Leevers-Rich. Looks are great, but reliable and rugged and good sounding beats machines which love going FUBAR. The Sony of your lot is the only machine I could be happy with long term. The Akais would be OK but would need major servicing before I used one much. Dokorder is another synonym for FUBAR. Pioneer RT 909 is good I much prefer the RT 707 mechanically.

I know about that, and I don't care :D I don't want to be rude, but when it comes to the visual design of it, every other issue just doesn't mean anything to me :D I've had a look at it's issues, and I know what to expect from it.

Cheers for your message, and other examples
 
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Revox Sonorus-PR99/B77
SonoruS_PR99_small.jpg


Technics RS-1506
bandmaschinen_125.jpg


Tascam 38-8
Tasc38-DM24.jpg



Cool! I've got the Tascam ATR-60-8 and the Revox B77 Mk2HS, awesome machines.


The Technics in your photo is actually the RS-1800, RS-1506 isn't split in two. I would prefer the Teac A7300 (the one built after the Ampex ATR-700) as machine based on that design :D, or the Akai pro-1000 rather than the Technics, but just designwise.
 
Oops. Indeed the split one is RS-1800! Thx mate. :thmbsp:


No problem. Do you also own any of them? and will the visual aspect be enough to make you want one (in case you don't already own it) ? what was the main thing within their look that made you decide which is which?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I'm just curious.
 
That Technics RS1800 is beautiful! I've never seen one. I own an RS1506 and 2 RS1520's and absolutely think they are great machines, but that 1800.....wow.
 
That Technics RS1800 is beautiful! I've never seen one. I own an RS1506 and 2 RS1520's and absolutely think they are great machines, but that 1800.....wow.

I might be wrong, but I remember there is someone on youtube having Three of them. They are as impossible to find as the Sony TC-880-2 or Akai Pro-1000
 
No problem. Do you also own any of them? and will the visual aspect be enough to make you want one (in case you don't already own it) ? what was the main thing within their look that made you decide which is which?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I'm just curious.

I owned a Revox B77 mk I in gray and silver. I flipped it for a decent sum after 8 months or so. It was the best toy I had to play with in my entire life. The heads were perfect and it recorded amazing quality, despite the tape hiss (I only had old tapes).

I can buy another one but they are very expensive where I live. Very.
 
I owned a Revox B77 mk I in gray and silver. I flipped it for a decent sum after 8 months or so. It was the best toy I had to play with in my entire life. The heads were perfect and it recorded amazing quality, despite the tape hiss (I only had old tapes).

I can buy another one but they are very expensive where I live. Very.


The B77 is truly a great machine! I just feel like I can't have enough of it, it's fascinating in sound quality, and so simple inside... Sometimes it's even hard to believe it's true, but it is :D

I've got mine (B77 MK2 HighSpeed) for £160 broken, and the fixing cost me like £10 or less... I did the technical work myself, with some theory help from a few great people here on AK.

P.S. IMO, if the B77 or PR99 had the same VU-meters like A700 (or the Grundig TS-1000... Oh my... I would love one of those), it would've been more attractive :D
 
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The B77 is truly a great machine! I just feel like I can't have enough of it, it's fascinating in sound quality, and so simple inside... Sometimes it's even hard to believe it's true, but it is :D

I've got mine (B77 MK2 HighSpeed) for £160 broken, and the fixing cost me like £10 or less... I did the technical work myself, with some theory help from a few great people here on AK.

I bought mine for 300 euros and called it a SCROE. Sold it for 800 euros and that guy called it a SCROE too. Go figure! :D
 
And the inevitable Teac X-2000R from the Pulp Fiction scene playing Urge Overkill - Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon with Uma Thurman dancing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdMEMGLr9xE

pulpfiction2.jpg

pulpfiction1.jpg

od2.jpg
Its so good she even OD'd.

Teac X-2000R (aka R2RUMOD)

teacx2000rbbox1.jpg

The rival of Akai's GX-747dbx isn't it :)


I have never found a thing attractive in x-2000r's look :( I know it sounds good though, but...

And I will never, ever understand why Teac chose to build the X-1000R and X-20R like they did, and even the 2000r... Where is the master design of the A7300? They could've done much much more to resurrect that powerful look, instead of messing them... And the Tascam 32 is even more weird, it looks like they combined them, but the 52 is another story. That looks more acceptable.

I don't mean to insult anyone but that's just my personal opinion. I totally respect Teac for what they did with the older recorders, but the newer ones simply miss that "teac" feel when it comes to the visual design (at least for me) . Look at Akai for example... Look at the Terecorder! Since the Terecorder, going through the history, to the gx-747dbx, Akai managed to stay strong in esthetics, and rarely missed anything.
 
I have never found a thing attractive in x-2000r's look :( I know it sounds good though, but...

And I will never, ever understand why Teac chose to build the X-1000R and X-20R like they did, and even the 2000r... Where is the master design of the A7300? They could've done much much more to resurrect that powerful look, instead of messing them... And the Tascam 32 is even more weird, it looks like they combined them, but the 52 is another story. That looks more acceptable.

I don't mean to insult anyone but that's just my personal opinion. I totally respect Teac for what they did with the older recorders, but the newer ones simply miss that "teac" feel when it comes to the visual design (at least for me) . Look at Akai for example... Look at the Terecorder! Since the Terecorder, going through the history, to the gx-747dbx, Akai managed to stay strong in esthetics, and rarely missed anything.

The 7300 type recorders were incredibly expensive for TEAC to build, which is a major reason they moved to the X series (much cheaper to make). I share your sentiment, I've never found the X series to be particularly good looking. 7300s look good, like their older A series cousins (*), but the transports are vastly improved. The X series transports are even better for the most part, but they are built with a small fraction of the quality of the 7300/A series machines. The unfortunate thing about the X series is that although they were the finest performing machines TEAC ever built, they were also the least reliable and durable.

* Although the 7300 is technically a part of the A series, I don't group them together as the 7300 has very little in common with the A series design. In addition to the 7300, the 4070 and the 5000 series are also oddballs of the A series.
 
And also, the X 2000 machines head mount is a poor design. The X 1000 is a more durable machine due to that reason. The X 2000 head mount causes uneven head wear.
 
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