Can we finally put Reel to Reel out of its misery? Put it to rest people.

Uberwaltz, from a technical point of view, early CD's were not as good as today's CD's. But just as the case of a technically inferior record, you would wind up with the same result; this usually consists of the whole batch, not just one record.

If it sounds bad it's bad, if it sounds good, it's good; whatever your determination in regard to this fact is good enough for me.

Here is a CD I have determined is good from a musical point of view (which is arbitrary) but I also stand behind this CD as very good from a technical point of view; Pat Metheney & Anna Maria Jopek "Upojenie";


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NXc9Gzg8hY

   

Some people take that word "opinion" off into the wild blue yonder; however, since most of us agree that R2R is the ultimate reference in regard to recorded music, we can proceed from that point.


Digital or analog is not an audible difference or qualification, since all music is analog, which is why digital must be converted into analog in order to be music, otherwise it would be pure noise.

It's the quality of the components in this conversion that determine the quality of the music. While the audible difference between SS and Tubes has some merits; lately, that "digital", "analog" has gotten very foggy. An example is recording a CD to reel; that playback is 100% analog, that's not opinion, but scientific fact, and the proof lies in the manner in which that process is carried out to it's conclusion.

Although I rest my case on science, the bottom line audio speaks for it self, in which case all one needs is a good pair of discerning ears.

SS versus tubes; here is a case of some like vanilla while others like strawberry. While I can accept a tube pre, and a SS amp; I wont go beyond that; never a SS pre-amp. Many times companies will manufacture a SS amp, but with a tube pre.

In the case of tube phonos, it is the tube itself that determines the end result, as much as the quality of the unit; which is why "Uncle Kevin" is always promoting tubes.


    https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/telefunken-e88cc-6922


These tubes will make a big difference in a tube phono, and that's not my opinion but an auditory fact; as a matter of fact, I will live without my TT until these are back in the phono.

All is not opinion, there are some clear audible facts.

If a good CD is recorded to reel, the playback is pure "analog". What you have, is a noise free LP.

Chakster, I'm totally convinced that whether or not you choose SS over tubes depends on your choice of music, and the aspects of that music which appeal to you most; in other words, I doubt if the two camps like the same music; however, if I auditioned those two amps that you mentioned, I might come to the same conclusion.

I hooked up the Sony Video Cassette SLV 770 HF, and it sounded clean, loud and clear; no distortion. Beyond that I'm not going to compare it to any "high end" source, although the NEC I had was comparable to high end sources.

Chakster, get some "rubber cleaner" for your pinch roller, over a period of time you'll ruin it with water.

Now that I've down-loaded my records to digital I no longer use the record player. The expensive NOS Telefunken tubes in the phono pre went belly up, and I'm not going to replace them soon. I replaced them with some run of the mill tubes, but you know how that is; you can go up the ladder, but not back down, I'll have to live without the TT until I replace those tubes with the NOS Telefunkens.

I divide my time between computer playback and reel; although the reel is better, the play list is more convenient; plus the records were down-loaded when the NOS Telefunken tubes were functional.

Some years back, there was intense discussion on this forum in regard to upgrading digital playback until it was as good as analog. I took it all in and made the necessary changes including different cards in the computer, and the best equipment for down-loading records, as well as DAC for playback; my digital is very close to analog.

Those who haven't caught up can complain how inferior digital is to analog until the cows come home, but in the meantime I'm enjoying the quality and convenience of upgraded digital. Actually, since it's vinyl that was recorded digitally and played back through a Digital to Analog Converter, it's just half digital.


Happy Listening!

I became seriously involved in HI-FI VCR's after purchasing what I considered the best ever, it was head and shoulders above the rest, although I do recall owning a Panasonic; I know they made some good one's.

After this VCR broke and I was unable to get it repaired, I was never satisfied although I purchased several Hi-Fi VCR's after this one;


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmuL6AnO4SA


Unlike most people, I used it exclusively for music, and other VCR's for the purpose they were intended.

I think I'll listen to the Sony playing tapes made with the NEC and get back to you in regard to the quality. Too much trouble to put it in the setup, so I'll use headphones for the evaluation.

There is one vintage recorder that no body mentioned; it was my favorite, I owned one that was as good if not better than my reel, and it was more convenient. The one I owned was hi-end and I don't even remember the name, but if I took the time to look through some old magazines I might find it.

Aside from professional quality open reel, a Hi-Fi VCR was the best audio recorder around. I still have VCR tapes that I recorded on this machine. It broke and couldn't be repaired, but I bought a Sony that's still working.

By request, if anyone is interested, I could do a review of the Sony, and try to find the brand of the Hi-Fi VCR that was so good.

That was a totally erroneous statement; a reel is much less trouble than a turntable. I bought a reel in order to listen to a number of records without getting up to turn them over, and as a matter of fact my first reel was an Akai.

Face it, you wish you hadn't sold it because you would really like to hear the pristine beauty of that Akai reel again.

There are 101 reasons to choose digital over tape, but audio quality is not one of them.

Even here, many will agree that digital is a close second to reel, but in the dark silence of late night audio, when audiophiles are at their keenest perception of what is, and what is not, is when reels reign supreme; they breathe life into music.

Vinnny, I have never been out of the R2R game. I recall my first reel that I purchased from Tipton appliance in the early 70's; they had a room with nothing but R2R decks lining the walls; Pioneer, Crown, AKAI, Sony, TEAC; many different models of each brand, all brand new and looking so beautiful; I purchased an AKAI that was a combination 7 inch reel, 8 track, and cassette deck. Naturally it was a lot of fun, but hard to get replacement parts.

Parts and repairs are no problem when you stick to the main stream names and models.

But if you got in that might make the hobby crowded, so please stay out.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiHXuxBjxtU

"Its such an inconvenient format that can be equalled by nakamichi easily in tape decks.
Retire it please put them in museums."


"You must be smoking some of thot Jamaican Spliff Mon"