steerpike2
Super Member
A 70mm cinema projector is in that league
It borders on frightening: it's fascinating but a bit scary to get too close.
And there's another mindblowing technology that has been abandoned.
N00b Question - Why get a reel to reel?
- Thread starter 04blackmaxx
- Start date
A 70mm cinema projector is in that league
It borders on frightening: it's fascinating but a bit scary to get too close.
And there's another mindblowing technology that has been abandoned.
analog
Tubes Are Good
I grew up listening to my Dads Sony Sterecorder300 in the early 60s and at that time I thought it was the coolest. Bought my own Pioneer 707 new and still use it quite a bit, great for putting all my 45s in one place so I don't have to change the record every 3 minutes. Also good for party mixes and always gets the wow factor. I am total old school as I love my LPs, tape and tube amplifier.
Why get a reel to reel? I can answer very simply: if you have to ask, then it's not for you. With today's technology, there is probably no requirement for a R2R deck in an audiophile system. They fit nicely in vintage systems though, so I won't be giving mine up anytime soon.
jonnysocko
Member
I've always had RTRs of one kind or another. The main thing is they're cool and really set off the looks of a vintage system. The second is they can hold and play a lot of music and when setup right and running a decent recording they sound very nice. The bad part is that tapes cost a lot. I'm fortunate that I have lots of media in my library from years of having decks around and living in a family of audio junkies. As a musician I still like recording on tape once in a wile, things come out real cool when you record to tape. It forces you to play better in fact.
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Tinman
Super Member
A 70mm cinema projector is in that league
It borders on frightening: it's fascinating but a bit scary to get too close.
And there's another mindblowing technology that has been abandoned.
Oh yes, I have had the fortune to run an IMAX rolling loop projector.
Wow... what a beast!
turnitup
No, the stereo won’t break the crystal...Oh CRAP!
As it's been said, probably no logical reason to have a RTR but I simply love the physical (mechanical) characteristics that had to be mastered to be able to build these machines. In the digital world physical movement is quickly going by the wayside. Turntables, cassette decks and RTRs celebrate the mechanical nature of music creation. It's truly amazing to me how the exact speeds were mastered to get precision playback, recording, etc. - like a fine Swiss watch. As much as anything it's the romance of a different time and the celebration of an older technology that is (and was) mastered by mechanical genius.
Jody Thornton
Just Enjoying the Music
See I'm with you on that concern nowadays. And this is not to poo poo on open reel users (remember I was a major fan too).
However, open reel can potentially be an expensive format (or addiction) to keep up.
First off, from what I've read in forum threads here and on Tapeheads. Good NOS or reliable open reel tape is expensive to source. There seems to be a lot of people who bake tapes to resolve stickiness issues, and so forth. There's upkeep like head cleaning and demagnetization. And since the lot of open reel machines are more than 25 years old, there may need to be repairs to the transport or even head/capstan replacement.
And then there's potential sound quality. I am of the belief that a half-track open reel machine running at 15 IPS even with no noise reduction will probably produce the most natural dubs and original tracks that you could possibly muster in the home on analog equipment. I think that you'd only better it in a studio with 1" or 2" tape on a multitrack machine. The noise level will likely reach 60 or 65 dB, without any compromises that noise reduction systems can potentially bring. Performance can be astounding.
Even a 7.5 IPS quarter-track machine can top many cassette decks. Again, you can achieve excellent S/N ratios without noise reduction.
However, the one thing you cited is the most damning thing about exhausting your funds on the open-reel format, in my opinion. To justify its inclusion into your system, and to realize the benefits I mentioned above (at least with the half-track example), you need to have access to a source that is superior to ANYTHING you or your neighbours can muster. Do you have buddies with multitrack or first generation masters that I don't know about? Because, dubbing your finest analog or digital discs won't cut it. Sure you may produce a fine duplicate of the source, but the original turntable or CD player will beat it.
So that leave two things that are suitable open reel applications: the need for tape editing or to replace your cassette deck. In both cases, I'd say only go then for a half-track 10" machine, because that's only way to completely furnish those needs. Many quarter-track machines can provide outstanding performance at 7.5 IPS, but I would have to think that the absolute best cassette decks from Nak or Tandberg could topple that performance, no? (some experts can chime in on that and clarify either way). And if you need tape editing, a Technics RS-1500 or Tandberg open reel deck to allow for half-track editing is quite expensive no?
And for new pre-recorded material, I recall The Tape Project. Apparently, here's an application that will get the best out of an open-reel machine, no doubt. But at $300.00 a pop for an album/reel, er - no thanks. But that's just me. I used to spend too much on records and the like, but I've just gotten past that I suppose.
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Jody Thornton
Just Enjoying the Music
ReVox WHRB Dead aircheck by mhardy6647, on Flickr
Realistically, IMO, no, there's no good reason. If you happen to have, or have access to, a collection of high-quality recorded material (e.g., two-track 'safety' copies of master tapes, or carefully-made commercial pre-recorded tapes) or if you wish to do live recording, a good quality reel to reel "prosumer" deck (e.g., the better TEAC or TASCAM decks, OTARIs, ReVox A77 or B77, a few models from Sony, Technics, and Pioneer, and a few others such as Tandberg and Crown) could be a good investment. Hardware and software will not be inexpensive.
Otherwise, having one can be a fun toy. In that case, aim low.
Listen to this guy.
. He has a realistic outlook on the hobby if you ask me. I didn't want my last post to sound negative, but this person says it a bit better than I did.
Jody Thornton
Just Enjoying the Music
However, I would back him up on "re-asking" the question. Why? Because the answers that people gave in this thread are quite different (and more realiatic today) than what was fed in the past. I made a post a few years ago, with similar points that I made above, and I was met with stark contrast and opposition (most people cited open reel was king, better than anything else (OK not exactly, but you get what I mean). This time, I posted before reading the entire thread, and then read the posts. I was VERY surprised how practical the responses were. Most realize there is no technically realistic reason, but that it's fun for those who engage in it.
In other words, users are less likely to try and justify reasons for using open reel, and instead just enjoying it for the guilty pleasure it is. (and so they should
)
Tinman
Super Member
Thinking about it, I'd say it's the same as any of us wanting to or owning a vintage muscle car from our youth. It's nostalgia, it's reliving memories, etc. i certainly recall how awestruck I was by the sight of my first Reel to reel as a little kid.
I can afford the Reel to Reel, but I don't have the pockets for a restored GTO.
Neither make real world sense these days. With one small exception..... A good reel to reel can blow the doors off most of today's gear, and a good GTO will blow the doors off what passes for a car today, like a prius. Sure, the smugmobile get's you there and uses less gas, but the GTO (or whatever) is WAYYYY more fun doing it.
I look at my CD player in action and say "Meh..".
I look at my Studer in action and it's just an experience in itself.
As far as upkeep? Seriously..... We only bake old tapes to preserve what was already recorded ON them. New tape is easy to get. Cleaning the transport? Seriously? Is it hardship to wipe an alcohol soaked q-tip over the heads and guides? If you are THAT lazy, you have other problems. And lastly the repairs. Like a lot of old gear, it has survived 30, 40 and even more years already and now needs a good overhaul to run another few DECADES! You complain about that? Bit you don't complain about the abysmally short life of today's disposable formats.
No, after reading some replies here I think that none of this makes sense, but that"s not what audio is all about. Audio is about EMOTION. It stirrs our soul. And that's exactly what these amazing old machines do.
I can afford the Reel to Reel, but I don't have the pockets for a restored GTO.
Neither make real world sense these days. With one small exception..... A good reel to reel can blow the doors off most of today's gear, and a good GTO will blow the doors off what passes for a car today, like a prius. Sure, the smugmobile get's you there and uses less gas, but the GTO (or whatever) is WAYYYY more fun doing it.
I look at my CD player in action and say "Meh..".
I look at my Studer in action and it's just an experience in itself.
As far as upkeep? Seriously..... We only bake old tapes to preserve what was already recorded ON them. New tape is easy to get. Cleaning the transport? Seriously? Is it hardship to wipe an alcohol soaked q-tip over the heads and guides? If you are THAT lazy, you have other problems. And lastly the repairs. Like a lot of old gear, it has survived 30, 40 and even more years already and now needs a good overhaul to run another few DECADES! You complain about that? Bit you don't complain about the abysmally short life of today's disposable formats.
No, after reading some replies here I think that none of this makes sense, but that"s not what audio is all about. Audio is about EMOTION. It stirrs our soul. And that's exactly what these amazing old machines do.
Jody Thornton
Just Enjoying the Music
Well I was more hinging on the need for possible repairs, and since the OP was an admitted newcomer to open reel, he may not want to maintain the deck, no matter how easy it is. All of the points I made were in fact legitimate.
But I agree that your last sentence sums it up nicely.
steerpike2
Super Member
If you do, or you have have friends who make music, a reel to reel can make excellent recordings of live small-venue performances.
Those recording will be unlike anything you could buy commercially, and be a very good reason to own the format and to show it off.
(You will then have to learn about microphones and how to place them - another sink for your money & time)
Those recording will be unlike anything you could buy commercially, and be a very good reason to own the format and to show it off.
(You will then have to learn about microphones and how to place them - another sink for your money & time)
04blackmaxx
Well-Known Member
However, I would back him up on "re-asking" the question. Why? Because the answers that people gave in this thread are quite different (and more realiatic today) than what was fed in the past. I made a post a few years ago, with similar points that I made above, and I was met with stark contrast and opposition (most people cited open reel was king, better than anything else (OK not exactly, but you get what I mean). This time, I posted before reading the entire thread, and then read the posts. I was VERY surprised how practical the responses were. Most realize there is no technically realistic reason, but that it's fun for those who engage in it.
In other words, users are less likely to try and justify reasons for using open reel, and instead just enjoying it for the guilty pleasure it is. (and so they should
Thanks Jody, and all who continue the discussion. Ive been on a lot of boards with the same format as this for various vehicles I have or currently do own (i.e. maxima.org I spent a decade on). I know most questions have been asked, but we all know its impossible that all questions are identical and if people are trampled on with SEARCH etc...the discussions will eventually stop entirely.
Its also a lot easier and more fun to just to throw a question out and hope people are in the spirits to discuss especially if the question is more philosophical than technical, such as this thread.
Jody Thornton
Just Enjoying the Music
Now that's what I like to hear; someone online who would prefer having a conversation instead of hearing "Google is your friend". I like this place because of the conversation. I hope it always remains that way.
oblomov
Well-Known Member
Why? Cause chicks dig R2R decks...
If she gets her hair caught up in that thing (a good possibility), that will end her love affair with r2r right quick!
04blackmaxx
Well-Known Member
That would be amazing.
Im going to get one, but not until after I put the money in more important areas of my system.
I don't like to do things half-ass either, so its got to be something that is well known and of high quality, especially good looking like that woman there, since that is mostly what it is for. I need a sexy machine that has already been all gone though and works correctly. I think $750 or so is ok for me when the time comes. I am thinking Akai because they are good looking and the name sounds cool. Now I know these thoughts are normal.
So Ill get some blank tape reels and make some mixes? What would you do to start?
04blackmaxx
Well-Known Member
By the way, I wouldn't call these thoughts normal, I'd call them "audiophile" thoughts, far from normal, but not that uncommon
Hopefully I don't experience any sweating, dizziness or unusual dreams while using the reel to reel.
