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Open Reel Curious

I am relatively new to audiophile level listening, with a respectable SS system, streaming mainly, with some discs and vinyl in the mix as well.  But I am intrigued with open reel. Yet I am also a bit intimidated. There is clearly a learning curve regarding equipment, calibration, tape types, etc, not to mention a pretty major expense. 
 

It seems like there are only a very few places to listen and learn - Brooklyn, LA, Vancouver, BC…? Anyone know of places in Chicago or Detroit where one can go to hear high-end open reel demos and talk to knowledgeable people in person? Anyone have any advice, like “Run! Run far away!” lol. 

mattsca

Showing 3 responses by mahler123

mahler123
3,645 posts
 

Curious about where you live.  I am from Detroit originally and live in Chicago.

  In Bucktown there was a shop that had a R2R prominently displayed about a year go.  Ann Arbor had a very HE store that might be worth checking.  At the moment I can’t recall the name of either place, I’ll have to dig a bit

 

https://muse.audio A2

 

deciBEL in Chicago 

 

mahler123
3,645 posts
 

20 years ago my brother in law mother passed.  She was a real hoarder and emptying her home was quite an ordeal.  They came upon an old R2R that apparently had belonged to her brother and was in the attic for at least 20 years and a few tapes.  I was prevailed upon to take it.  I tried cleaning and repairing it.  I put one of the tapes in and about one minute in, after sounding terribly distorted, the tape broke and little shredded bits were in various parts of the R2R. 
 

I guess I am just recounting this as a precautionary tale.

mahler123
3,645 posts
 

As above…people who do it are intrigued by the old tech, as with the users of old HMV Gramophones.

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