I've recently aquired two reel to reel recorder/players. A Revox A77 MKIII and a Pioneer RT-707. I enjoy recording off of vinyl on to the tape. Then setting up the Revox on the table and pluggin in my Sennheisers. Does anyone else like reel to reels?
I've only had the chance once at an audio show this past summer to hear a reel to reel tape. From what I remember, it sounded pretty good. If you're an analog nut, reel to reel was supposed to be the pinnacle of analog sound. All vinyl playback systems supposedly try to get as "close to the tape" as possible (if the original source recording was analog, of course). You can still buy actual recordings on tape, which should sound even better than recoding vinyl to tape then playing it back.
Most reel to reels play at 7.5 ips (ips= how fast the reel is spinning-inches per second) which is not as good as vinyl but still a lot better than an MP3 file. The nice reel to reels can go 15 ips which is as good if not better than vinyl, and yes i am an analog nut.
I wonder how treble quality or quantity of R2R? In digital world, 'analog' sound moslt interpreted as roll of treble.
I never had a chance to listen to Vinyl, let alone Tape, so I'm curious.
I know. I have to audience it one day. But the 'disc' are sooo expensive I'm afraid I will only have a few in a lifetime.
But anyway, I will try to listen to it before making any judgement.
I know. I have to audience it one day. But the 'disc' are sooo expensive I'm afraid I will only have a few in a lifetime.
But anyway, I will try to listen to it before making any judgement.
I used to be in the advertising agency business. Radio creative was my thing. I created and produced radio commercials. From 1981 to 1992 it was all on reel to reel, everything, the music, s/x, v/o's, all mastered eventually to 1/4 inch mono or stereo at 15 or 7.5 inches per second. I was in the studio every day then off to Federal Express to overnight the copies to radio stations in markets all over the place. No doubt, reel to reel can sound live. In the studio I quite often did not know live from recorded. But it was a hassle too, especially editing it. When professional DAT came out reel to reel disappeared overnight. I've been out of the advertising agency business for years but I still own a pair of Sony PCM-7010F DAT recorders and a Sony RM-D7200 dual remote controller which is essentially an automatic edit controller accurate within 3 frames. I use these units to record digital from the Internet which cannot be downloaded. I also use the units to get digital to the computer. The sound is better than any other source component I have, that's to say, more life like. Only thing that's a problem are that these are professional units and are not easily integrated into a consumer system. I have had to purchase two M-Audio CO2's to make it all work and still input/output levels are in constant need of adjustment it seems. Nevertheless, these $7200.00 units can be found today on ebay for about $300.00, and, for what they can do make more sense than reel to reel. Once I transferred all of my commercials from reel to reel to DAT I sold my Sony reel to reel and have not regretted it.. .
Equipped with a good recording mic, reel to reel can be real fun. I don't think it would be used for editing or so forth however having an antique and recording and playing instrumentals is really a pleasure. Have heard and recorded from Revox B77 and Akai gx747 dbx and they're just awesome. To me the sound is more natural and how it;s intended when compared to digital recorders.
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