What Kind of Gear Do You Run?

What Kind(s) of Gear Do You Run?

  • Solid State

    Votes: 204 57.1%
  • Tubes

    Votes: 38 10.6%
  • Both

    Votes: 115 32.2%

  • Total voters
    357
Poll idea...

You should ask what everyone's favorite source format is - ie: MP3, MP4, CD, SACD, Vinyl, Tape, DAT, or... maybe 8-track!?!

Stew.
 
For me the best sound I have heard would have to be from a
Akai gx-747 Open Reel

Nothin like it yet.

steve
 
Ok, Ok... I'll bite!

...please educate this neophyte. What's so great about RTR!?! I mean what source material is there out there!?! ...and then if there's no source material - then what are you going to do? Record from CD? Vinyl?

...or is there some underground source of studio quality RTR software out there? Because if you're filling your reels with material from another user level source your only going to wind up with a degradation in sound quality.

Seriously if there's good stuff available somewhere then those Pioneer RT-909's are starting to look a whole lot sweeter.

Fill me in. Stew.
 
CDs' and mp3s' are just too easy..and the sound quality....well...mp3s'..............uh................nuff said.....but CDs'.......your young aint you????? well, you had to be there ....... It 's hard to explain...Cds' are too easy..just pop it in and push the button...done.....with TTs' and open reels you had to physically do the work...thats kinda like the same as women sayin' that after childbirth a mother has a closer relationship with their child....because of the pain they had to go through

As for the sound quality...if you put a CD on open reel (as with the teac unit shown above)..youd' be hard pressed to tell the difference...and theres just something about watchin' those reels going .Round ..and round....and round....and round...and round...and round...I'm gettin dizzy just writing this.....whhaaaaooooo......LOL,........
 
Re: Ok, Ok... I'll bite!

Originally posted by stewey
What's so great about RTR!?!....... Record from CD? Vinyl?


Well Stewey, nothing says "Hi Fi" like a reel to reel to me, especially one with 10 1/2" reels. Back in the late 60s and 70s, folks knew you were serious about your music as soon as they saw those reels.
I had a couple and never really set them up, just wound up selling them on Ebay. I would have kept one, but I fiqured that I really didn't have the room to use it and I needed another format (LPs, CDs and cassettes already) like I needed another set of speakers.
I did have a Teac 7010 w/ 10 1/2" reels that I ran in the garage for awhile and she sure looked and sounded sweet. I think I probably have more sellers remorse over that than anything else, and I've sold some sweet stuff. I see reel to reels fairly often (two Sony's this week alone) and usually pass on them because most don't bring much.
I actually still do have a Tandberg in the garage and a couple old 7" tapes laying around. It has some issues, but maybe I'll drag her out and play a bit.

Where to put it????????????
 
I think I get it

CDs' and mp3s' are just too easy..and the sound quality....well...mp3s'..............uh................nuff said.....but CDs'.......your young aint you?????

I guess I'm young, but not for long. I'm 22. Well, I can certainly understand CD's being too easy... but tapes were a pain in the ass. Having to rewind ffwd all the time to find the right track sucked. I can see how picking the right spot to drop the needle on a record can take practice and that's fun.

As for MP3's, yes they blow. I can't stand bad MP3's. That said you can make a good MP3 if you know how to rip a CD properly and set the bitrate high enough. Newer compression formats such as AAC are even better.

I'd really like to play with one of those big RT-909's with the nice fluroscan meters.

So, ya - if it's about fun then I understand. Maybe I'll pick one up someday when I have some extra cash and room to set it up.
 
Stew,

Here's what us "serious 'philes" used to do if someone had a RTR:

When you got a new LP, make sure it gets a good cleaning (yes, even a brand-new, unplayed album can be dirty), clean the stylus, and of course make sure that the turntable is optimized.

Then make sure the heads, capstans, and rollers, etc. are clean and demagnetized on the RTR, get the best tape you could find, and make a nice clean recording of your new album before any scratches or noise set in. Remember - on the first few plays, the LP gives its best high frequency response. :yes:

That way, you could play the tape as your every day copy, still not have any loss in sound quality, and you wouldn't be wearing out the new LP. If/when the RTR copy ever became too worn, you just make another copy from your 'still new' LP!

Worked for us! :nerd:

Plus, like Reel 2 Reel said above, with audio, it's all about the pain & suffering!
 
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There is a guy here in town who restores ampex studio recorders. Magnetic tape was used for sound recording and playback during mixing before records were cut/pressed. These were the pro high end gear used in studios and the ones I saw when I visited his shop were all tubed.
Wards, he uses 604s for testing. You need one of these monsters and if you want some 604s we can work on that.
 
MP-3's is that music??????????

What audio geek said. Play once while recording to a RTR and you never wear out the vinyl. As for CD's, tooo colddddd, BRRRRR.
Nothing like vinyl for depth of sound. Perhaps not as accurate as cd's but the sound is the best. BTW 22 is not even close to being old. I'm 56 and am still youngish. Teac is nice but "Akai Rocks"
Eilati
 
I'm a big fan of the SS amp / tube preamp combo. A best of both scenario if you will.

Good power (and damping) per $ ratio with a respectable sand amp, a 'splash' of lushness on it all with a tube preamp.

Cave rig:
Carver TFM 45 amp (375/ch)
Melos SHA-1 preamp (dual 6922)
Polk SDA SRS-2

New main rig:
PS Audio Delta 200 amp (200/ch)
Golden Tube Audio SEP-1 preamp (SET 6DJ8)
Dual NHT Sub Two's (500/ch each)
Spendor 1/2

HT rig:
Audire Crescendo amp (125/ch)
Audio Experience Music MKII preamp (5Y3, 3 x 12AX7)
B&W DM303
DCM Sub 710

Cheers,
Russ
 
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I am a tube fan but, some of the newer formats were never made with tube circuits, so I am forced to run both. When that happens, I have chosen "High End" or professional gear. My one exception is my preamp. I have a Mcintosh C24 which replaced the PAS2's.

My system: (Main)
Mcintosh C24
Mcintosh MQ 102
Dynaco ST70
Fisher R200 Tuner (Soon to be replaced with a Mcintosh MX 113 as a tuner with additional imputs.)
AR 3a speakers
Crown R to R Tube decks (3) 714C, Prince player, BX822)
Tascam 122 cassette
Tascam DA 20
Lynn Mimik CD player
NAD 911 distribution amp
DBX 200

In the wings I have 3) Ampex 351 mono machines which are in good shape, just no plece to install them. I have to make room for the rack.

There is also a TV surround sound system (all solid state)
 
143% of the respondants have voted. That's certainly better than the turnout for our last national election (unless you were in certain districts).
 
Oh, and anything which powers up and doesn't burn up or electrocute me is fair game!

gpdavis2 said:
143% of the respondants have voted. That's certainly better than the turnout for our last national election (unless you were in certain districts).

I recognize some of those as Chicago registrants. 143%???

Has your computer experienced the Blue Screen of Death yet?

Here's a great one from NYC...

:sigh: Actually, it's about the ONLY one...the guy with the really cool site on BSOD has exceeded his bandwidth, and the other good one sends back 404 messages for anything you click on??? Methinks on purpose :naughty: :lmao:

PS Iiiiiii see what you did. That would be PEOPLE, my friend :lmao:
 
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