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How do you use your Reel to Reel?

I have 3 RT-707's and 2 Teac's.
When I was young I could only dream of owning a reel to reel, so a big part of it is Baby Boomer nostalgia.
I use mine to play back pre-recorded tapes, as stated earlier some are ok, some earlier ones are fantastic.
Have to say, seeing the reels spinning with Sinatra or Brubeck playing through my tube system is wonderful on a Saturday evening.
The only recording I have done is 2 reels of my favorite Beatles tunes, 1 early Beatles, 1 late Beatles.
Very time consuming but I do enjoy playing them when I need a Beatles fix.
Hope that you enjoy yours.
Jim
 
I inherited several reel to reels a few years ago......a couple Crowns, a couple Otari 5050's, Teac's, Akai's etc along with several hundred tapes. Try as I might I couldn't get myself to like this format . One thing in particular I didn't care for was leaving my listening room briefly and coming back in to find half a spool of tape spilled out on the floor and wound into the machine. The nostalgia of owning them and watching those reels go round and round was cool and I can understand the attraction but it wasn't for me so away they all went.
 
Wildcat said:
My TEAC is a doorstop at this point. It works well, but I have no room to use it, and really have no need to use it other than to occasionally make a tape and play it back. I don't buy pre-recorded reels except under duress. ;) (Or more importantly, if I can't find a recording in any other format. Mass-produced reels are too lacking otherwise.) I do have a handful of blanks, though, including some 10" reels. I did have a couple of reels of Ampex 456 that had the sticky-shed syndrome, but I've since dumped the tape into the trash and kept the metal reels. (How bad was it? I tried playing back one of the tapes and after 10 minutes the head was completely clogged and was only playing back muffled bass!)
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Hey, Wildcat, isn't "ants in my pants" a James Brown tune? Did Clinton do it too?
 
Have a Teac. Recorded some live performances. Those sound really live - the dynamics are awesome.

However, there is a limit of 50 dB s/n ratio, or so. Expect some noise in the background, unless your deck has the Dolby built-in. Mine was pre-Dolby.
 
pch300 said:
Have a Teac. Recorded some live performances. Those sound really live - the dynamics are awesome.

However, there is a limit of 50 dB s/n ratio, or so. Expect some noise in the background, unless your deck has the Dolby built-in. Mine was pre-Dolby.
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Or you can get an external dbx unit and get used to breathing artifacts.
 
I thought it was the greatest thing ever until I used it a few times...now it's mostly just a conversation piece that CAN function if someone is really excited to see it. At least with vinyl I can justify the expense and inconvenience with affordable recordings. R2R is just more expensive than I am willing to go for a lot of music.
 
I recently added an Otari MX50 deck and went through the update/calibration process so that the machine now fully meets spec and is basically flawless.
I've purchased a number of 15IPS IEC tapes pre recorded- usually 2nd or 3rd generation masters- and in almost every case the tapes are a step up from the LPs/digital sources that I have of the same recording. Dark side of the Moon, Kind of Blue etc. are a revelation. Some of the new issue tapes- if you like classical- from various sources are glorious.
It is an expensive option, but the results can be quite eye opening.
 
Will S. said:
The thing about open reel is that to get the most out of it, you need to know how to align it and have the equipment to do it; unless you know an old guy who can do it for you.
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Or do it yourself. (It ain't rocket science...) ; - )
 
I use mine regularly, but more for playback than recording in recent years. I went through all my machines (3-Pioneer RT-707s, 3-RT-2044's, 2-RT-2022's, 2-RT-1050's both with JT-204T 1/4 track head stacks), an RT-909 and an RT-1020L) and except for changing belts (and Pinch Rollers on the 909 once, about five years ago) they all work like new.
I used to record FM radio constantly, but OTA FM Radio has devolved into something less easy to be excited about than when I started my reel to reel collecting in the early '90s. There are two pretty good Classic oldies stations left, but the NPR stations that used to play Jazz and interesting weekend programming have just about alienated me to the point of seldom checking them out. One local Classical station still runs a couple of good Movie soundtrack and Pipe Organ performance shows and I still tape those. I remember when there are great shows like "Audiophile Audition" on Sundays and I used to religiously time shift ALL of those shows. I have a large collection of OTA recordings and pre-recorded tapes that I still play often. I digitally record anything that's not local reception/OTA though. Like the physical influence of a stylus on the signal for LPs, I really enjoy the sound (head bump, etc.) of good analog tape. It's not effortless, but it's well worth the trouble.
 
How did I use my Reels to reels. The Ampex professional machines to make money. I recorded remotes for the radio station and live performances for the sound company so they could make records. I recorded recitals and concerts for two different College music departments from time to time also. I made boot leg tapes of live PA jobs featuring professional performers and groups, too. At home I used the the Machines to make 2 track copies of LP's for playback and to make party tapes. As R2R business dried up I kept two smaller machines that could only use 7 inch reels and bought B-77 HS machines. Eventually I dubbed the better stuf to CD's and in fact just sold my last Revox last week. So the two Professional Ampexs are in moth balls. One friend of mine got the tapes after they were mixed down and dubbed to CD. But he has passed on and the tapes were destroyed. I always found consumer machines, including my Revoxs, to be a compromise. My oldest Ampex designed in the late 50's and manufactured in the early 60's could out perform any consumer machine any time of the day with ease. Even if the specs were worse. I personnally think we went digital to soon, but thats the way it always is with new technology.
 
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