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Why would a semi-sane person get a reel to reel deck?

Mingo

Mingo

stranger in a strange land
Subscriber
OK, maybe I flatter myself by saying semi-sane...I am about to take the reel to reel plunge and wonder what others consider to be the pros and cons of the format? For me, the pros include the sound (hopefully), the aesthetic appeal, and the cool factor. The cons include upkeep, size, lack of support, and limited choices of tapes (prerecorded and blank). What keeps others in the reel to reel fold, or keeps them away? Thanks!
 
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Truthfully I wouldn't have any if I hadn't gotten them cheap. That said, my uncle left behind about thirty boxes of reels when he died. Some of it is prerecorded, or recordings of records or radio shows, but the majority is my uncle's jazz band playing live gigs or rehearsals. My dad was in that band as well as another uncle and the rest were family friends that were around during the time I was growing up. It's kind of cool to know what your dad was doing on June 16 1956, ten years before you were even born.
 
Mingo said:
limited choices of tapes (prerecorded and blank).
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Regarding the statement about the prerecorded tapes: that depends on your interests. In classical music, there are thousands of used titles available. The sound is consistently the best analog source available (alongside the 45 rpm records) , in my opinion. I say this because I've got hundreds of triplicated or quadruplicated recordings in R2R tapes, records and cassettes.

Regarding the decks: once I've tried a Revox A77 I couldn't resist getting a second one and a B77. They deliver superb sound, including the prerecorded tapes.

All the best
 
oldhifiguy said:
have you ever operated a Revox A77? Heaven on earth.
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Try a studer A810. It should be illegal!


Why keep RTR decks? The novelty, the love of mechanical things, the sound.

I have them because I really enjoy restoring these machines. The tactile feel of using a big MACHINE to record and play music. Not some plastic box.

And it's oddly relaxing listening to some music you really like and watching those big reels turning.

I guess it's also good memories from days of our youth.

Marc
 
Because they are awesome.

Like Tinman said, it's the idea of having a machine that actually plays music, instad of just a plastic disc. Also, I personally love the looks of them.
 
r2r

For some of us "old" guys, reel to reel was all that was around at the time we got started in this insane hobby. If you wanted to record music with any kind of quality sound, there really were no other options. I bought mine while I was at a Navy communications station in Sidi Yahia Morocco in 1966. Anytime anyone got a new piece of vinyl it was passed around recorded and rerecorded. I still have and use the hundreds of tapes I made during my 4 years overseas. Of course I have added many others since.
 
The cool factor, unless you can afford a TOTL machine. Then you can include the sound on that list.
 
Because these big electro-mechanical beasts are both interesting and fun to use. And also because the best units can sound superb in ways that digital formats simply can't match.
 
goldear said:
Because these big electro-mechanical beasts are both interesting and fun to use. And also because the best units can sound superb in ways that digital formats simply can't match.
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Well said. Both of my parents were blown away by the sound quality from my consumer-grade Akai GX-1820...and my recently acquired Otari kicks it out of the window.
 
Mingo, I've been asking myself the same question, but I keep looking at the those beautiful Pioneer RT-909s, and I just know that one of these days I'll take the plunge.

— K.
 
because us insane people will take anything given to them.. and also like the sound of good tape...

I've been given three reels. All Akai... and all the tapes I have were given to me... I'm probably sopme where around 300 tapes... I did buy a few, like The Beatles, Paul Revere, Steppenwolf.. but the rest were all free.. lots of factory recordings, some home brews, and some just flat out strange stuff...

Finding tapes is pretty cool going back and listening to them.. you'll here stuff you never imagined..
 
I hate you guys!! :D

I just convinced myself to sell all my RTR stuff to finance a digital move and along comes this thread. Unfortunately, I think I'll go ahead and do it becasue the sad truth is that I've played reels perhaps 6 times in the last year and most of the tapes here I've never even listened to. My tube preamp also lacks tape out circuits, so that makes recording interesting. But with all the LPs, CDs and now iTunes files I have, I just really don't see them getting any use.

Once I figure out how to digitally record stuff; it could be all over....

But like I've said before, nothing says "hi fi" like a set of 10 1/2' reels spinning :yes:
 
Slap a couple 10½" Maxell 'M' reels on a machine and sit back for some sonic bliss and one very mesmerizing trance caused by the changing speeds of those Ms. Fast on the right then they spin the same, exactly the same, then it gets faster on the left. All the while being matched up vertically (as for a photo shoot) numerous times during the hour and a half when playing at 7½ips. More time slower and better sound, can it really get better, at the higher speed. Wow, what fun and no need to flip the record over every 15-20 minutes.
 
"Why would a semi-sane person get a reel to reel deck?"

what they said!

and cuz i've always had one, beginning in '68 with a craig 3"er; then a rca 5"er; and then my first 'real' r2r, a sony tc-277-4 (4 TRK/4 CH Quadraphonic) in '73; then an akai 10"er (again, a quad) in '78, and been aquiring more in the last year. (see my slideshow below in my signature area)

hate think to of living without them.

¡sʞɔoɹ lǝǝɹ oʇ lǝǝɹ
 
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2fives said:
I just wish blank media was cheaper and more readily available. The prices on hose-bay are ugly.
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The prices where also ugly when the tapes was a daily thing to see ....

think one could buy 4-5 records for the cost of one 10" quality tape - many recorded their precious vinyls to tape to preserve them , well....... that was goofy. many tapes disintegrated all by them self, the vinyls on the other hand :banana:
 
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