A New Reel to Reel Tape Deck?

So he wants $5k for a refurbished Technics. If you are patient you could find Studer 810 for $4k, add $2-$3k to make it perfect. And Otari would be much less expensive. I would see no reason to get anything other than these two within this price range.

If you haven't had a look at this you should,

  http://www.wired.com/2015/11/review-j-corder/

Norman,
Let's hope you are right about the comeback of tape.
I think, besides other things, that people just got tired of digital and of computers in general, they want something more authentic.

larryi,

There is actually quite a bit now being offered.  United Home Audio has a page with links to many selling quality master copies.  A Google search will show you even more.  I believe this is just going to grow as it has with LP production and turntable production over the last 15 years or so. That and there are now several companies reconditioning quality machines to like new condition.

Makes me smile.
Norman

cleeds -

Yes I see that.  But you and I know that product launches are often delayed.  Being a Stereophile related link (Analog Planet), I figured there must be some credibility to the source.  Still waiting, and wondering if anyone else had heard of anything.
It does seem possible though, and Reel to Reel is now being used quite regularly at CES for some of the finest systems.

Norman

You just need to hear one tape project tape and all will make sense.  It's not going backwards, it's going towards the master...the holy grail.  Digital or analogue does not matter as much as generations removed from the master.  

I am WAY too lazy to thread tape and wait for tape to rewind, but, I have heard The Tape Project copies and other high quality dubs and the sound is quite superior to vinyl and any digital sources I have heard--open and detailed sounding while managing to sound relaxed, smooth and natural.  

The United Home Audio people who recondition reel to reel machines and equip them with superior parts also like to dub their records on to tape.  I have been to their showroom and heard a comparison of the record being played to the tape made using the same record playing gear.  I can see why they like the sound of the tape copy of their records (actually smoother and less edgy), but in some respects I liked the records more (slightly better dynamics).

The BIG problem is the lack of decent pre-recorded tapes being available.  The stuff you can buy from e-bay varies greatly in quality and the really good duplicates, made by the likes of The Tape Project are extremely limited in number and in the size of the catalog.  I doubt that there will be much of a resurgence of reel tape.

The linked article is more than 18 months old and claims that the un-named Swiss company will begin producing decks "next year." It looks like that isn't going to happen.

inna,

That's what I was thinking.  I sent the link to our audio friend 'thuchan' hoping he would be able to find out or maybe has heard something.  He regularly attends the Munich high end show.

Studer is in the best position for this I think.  As part of of Harman International, they are fully backed finically, and have extensive manufacturing sources of their own.  A 'new' Studer or ReVox would be incredible!  I would be in line for one for sure.

It would likewise be amazing if NAGRA built a new machine, though I am thinking it would probably be way more expensive then something from ReVox.

Norman

They mean Studer is back? Or is it Nagra?