i own 5 reel to reel tape recorders. why? i like to record vinyl and do alot of editing (choosing only the tracks i like). secondly, you can plug in microphones, even really cheap ones, and have an absolute blast recording music or even voices. my 1st machine was a concord, and the whole family gathered around and took turns reciting poetry or singing songs into the little microphone. we acted like idiots and had more fun than you can imagine. later i alligator-clipped wires to our blaupunkt am/fm/sw radio speaker and recorded classical and broadway shows.
these days you're better off with a hard-drive (alesis) recorder unless you can really play an instrument pretty well and have some decent mikes. if only more places would fix reel-recorders (and do it right) it would make me VERY happy indeed! as for old pre-recorded tapes, i just wouldn't want to take a chance with them shedding and possibly ruining a nice clean tape deck. but if you really want a tape deck in 2007, TEAC/TASCAM sells many of the (mechanical) parts you would need to get them to run like new again if they needed work. AND i strongly prefer decks WITHOUT AUTO REVERSE. pro-decks run in one direction and the reason is all too obvious. reliability, tape alignment, fewer heads/better quality.
of course, if by some miracle you find a nagra or stellavox in perfect shape that a neighbor will let you have for $500, you might want to make a quick run to the bank...!
these days you're better off with a hard-drive (alesis) recorder unless you can really play an instrument pretty well and have some decent mikes. if only more places would fix reel-recorders (and do it right) it would make me VERY happy indeed! as for old pre-recorded tapes, i just wouldn't want to take a chance with them shedding and possibly ruining a nice clean tape deck. but if you really want a tape deck in 2007, TEAC/TASCAM sells many of the (mechanical) parts you would need to get them to run like new again if they needed work. AND i strongly prefer decks WITHOUT AUTO REVERSE. pro-decks run in one direction and the reason is all too obvious. reliability, tape alignment, fewer heads/better quality.
of course, if by some miracle you find a nagra or stellavox in perfect shape that a neighbor will let you have for $500, you might want to make a quick run to the bank...!