Fostex E-2 or Akai 646 ???

[ECL2009]

Please help me to decide which kind of reel to reel to buy...
My un-professional opinion:
1) for Fostex E-2:
- (-) not manual adjustment of BIAS on the front, only inside of machine;
- (-) frequency: 30Hz-26KHz
- (-) no reverse
- (-) not usually spare parts like heads
- (-) very good engines
- (+) XLR connections

2) for Akai 646:
- (-) very poor engines
- (+) very goos frequency: 20Hz-33KHz
- (+) very good heads

Or may be, Revox PR99 MKII or MKIII:
- no opinion

I'm don't have many knowledge about reel-to-reel, please give your opinion about these 2 reel to reel. Finally question: Fostex E-2, Akai 646 or Revox PR99 MKII/MKIII ??????

 

[jan_stevns]

in my book :
forget the frequency response issue - 30 to 18Khz would be enough.

i'd go for a Revox PR99 - if the coise was mine
The Akai is a good deck, parts allmost none - can't say anything about the Fostex - allways thought it was a cheap TASCAM clone

 

[Ebzen]

I would go for the Revox PR99

Parts are plenty full, you can buy new heads, rollers & bearings straight of Ebay.

The Akai is a nice looking deck. But face it: It have weak DC motors. Weak noisy transistors.

BIAS adjustment is not a problem on the Revox. You simply adjust it too the tapes you use, inside the machine. I take your gonna use new RMGI tapes ?

The Revox will go on, almost like forever.

 

[goldear]

I would concur that of those choices, the PR-99 would be the best.

 

[vinyldavid]

ReVox or Fostex.

 

[ECL2009]

ok revox, if I will find some good machine in my budget. but between 646 or E-2?

 

[vinyldavid]

E2.

However, the E2 is half track. You only get one "side" to the tape. Also, I don't believe that the E2 would have worse specs than the Akai, what are the db points on those specs?

With the E2, you have a 7.5/15ips speed, with the 646, you get 3 3/4ips and 7.5ips speeds. What are you looking for? Are you looking to just make new tapes or play back older ones? Or transfers?

 

[jan_stevns]

a typical PR99 would also be a half track 7.5 / 15 Ips machine - not many was 4 track

 

[goldear]

The E-2 would be my last choice. You don't hear a lot abobut Fostex machines for a reason: They made super-low-budget pro-gear which was designed to undercut Tascams lower-end offerings in the pro-gear market.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Fostex was the low bidder of the semi pro open reel market. As a result of lower selling prices, critical components were lower quality. Meaning cheaper motors, deck plates, and heads. Fostex decks are a maintenance nightmare. Fostex speakers and digital gear is reasonably fine. Their analog tape machines are best avoided. The ReVox PR 99 is excellent if you want a 2 track deck which is reliable, durable, and easy to maintain and find parts for. They also sound superb.