I love my R2R, an am surprised that audiophiles who spend a LOT of money for minor improvements don’t add R2R to their systems. It’s not easy that’s for sure, but very rewarding. I progressed bit by bit, settled on Teac’s last Prosumer x2000r and prior x1000r. If you get into it, go for 6 head auto reverse. These decks are built like tanks.
The content is limited, BUT, the R2R tapes are my BEST sounding source (even though S/N is the lowest ratio).
I did many listening shootouts here, same music CD/LP/R2R. Everyone chooses LP over CD; Everyone chooses R2R over LP. And Everyone chooses Tubes over SS.
Why? The S/N progressively worsens while appreciation increases, it ain’t a love of noise. I’m 73, after listening, reading ... I came to believe/sum it up: Analog ’gets’ the overtones ’right’.
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I play mostly 4 track stereo pre-recorded tapes, 7-1/2 ips. 50-60 years old, amazingly they still sound terrific. Actually my 2 Track Stereo Tapes from 1956 sound the absolute best, 65 years old. Wider tracks, like faster speed means more magnetic material for the content. 15 ips; pro 30 ips even better, but no pre-recorded content at those speeds.
I bought over 500 R2R years ago, let’s guess avg around $10. plus $3.50 shipping. Later, I sold about 150 of them. The 7-1/2 ips versions have gotten rarer, and the costs have gone way way up.
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You hear things you do not hear on LP or CD versions, i.e.
Moody Blues, original band, strong piano based blues, the intro to the 1st song is a mess on LP, it sounds great on the tape. Curiously, the CD also sounds a mess on the intro, it must have been made from an LP master, I guess the tapes were made from the tape masters at the time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/113891127741?hash=item1a8470b1bd:g:5EEAAOSwFDddgZ-1
Iron Butterfly
https://www.ebay.com/itm/333887968944?hash=item4dbd4616b0:g:elgAAOSwDrdgJteW
this one is the less desirable slower 3-3/4 ips version. On my 7-1/2 ips you can hear him drunkenly say ’Garden of Eden’
Beatles
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184891757815?hash=item2b0c6854f7:g:OvgAAOSwpDRgvS6-
Sgt. Peppers (again, the less desirable 3-3/4 ips version). On my 7-1/2 ips version, you hear subtleties of their voices, you gain a lot of respect for Paul’s bass playing talents ... I played it for my nephew, a musician, I glanced sideways, tears were starting to flow.
....................................
Jazz, Rock, Crooners, the era when the greats became great all exist on pre-recorded tape, then it stops. I don’t know when they stopped making them, but the content is limited by that cessation.
The content is limited, BUT, the R2R tapes are my BEST sounding source (even though S/N is the lowest ratio).
I did many listening shootouts here, same music CD/LP/R2R. Everyone chooses LP over CD; Everyone chooses R2R over LP. And Everyone chooses Tubes over SS.
Why? The S/N progressively worsens while appreciation increases, it ain’t a love of noise. I’m 73, after listening, reading ... I came to believe/sum it up: Analog ’gets’ the overtones ’right’.
..............................
I play mostly 4 track stereo pre-recorded tapes, 7-1/2 ips. 50-60 years old, amazingly they still sound terrific. Actually my 2 Track Stereo Tapes from 1956 sound the absolute best, 65 years old. Wider tracks, like faster speed means more magnetic material for the content. 15 ips; pro 30 ips even better, but no pre-recorded content at those speeds.
I bought over 500 R2R years ago, let’s guess avg around $10. plus $3.50 shipping. Later, I sold about 150 of them. The 7-1/2 ips versions have gotten rarer, and the costs have gone way way up.
.....................................
You hear things you do not hear on LP or CD versions, i.e.
Moody Blues, original band, strong piano based blues, the intro to the 1st song is a mess on LP, it sounds great on the tape. Curiously, the CD also sounds a mess on the intro, it must have been made from an LP master, I guess the tapes were made from the tape masters at the time.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/113891127741?hash=item1a8470b1bd:g:5EEAAOSwFDddgZ-1
Iron Butterfly
https://www.ebay.com/itm/333887968944?hash=item4dbd4616b0:g:elgAAOSwDrdgJteW
this one is the less desirable slower 3-3/4 ips version. On my 7-1/2 ips you can hear him drunkenly say ’Garden of Eden’
Beatles
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184891757815?hash=item2b0c6854f7:g:OvgAAOSwpDRgvS6-
Sgt. Peppers (again, the less desirable 3-3/4 ips version). On my 7-1/2 ips version, you hear subtleties of their voices, you gain a lot of respect for Paul’s bass playing talents ... I played it for my nephew, a musician, I glanced sideways, tears were starting to flow.
....................................
Jazz, Rock, Crooners, the era when the greats became great all exist on pre-recorded tape, then it stops. I don’t know when they stopped making them, but the content is limited by that cessation.