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

Ryan M. O’Connor

Founder - 917.488.4664

www.reeltoreelhaven.com

roc@reeltoreelhaven.com
 

Ryan may help. My advice is jump in to RTR, but do so when you’ve optimized your system, room, and listening habits. I listen to my Studer A810 daily — often over the corresponding album. 

RTR is fun but if you think vinyl is fiddly, it's a cakewalk comparatively.

After retiring from my job as a symphony musician and embarking on a new one as a recording engineer I bought two high end Reel2Reel tape decks manufactured by AEG Telefunken, an M20 and an M21.  These were the decks used by German radio for broadcast purposes.  My understanding was that they were totally reconditioned units but to me showed zero signs of use. Shortly after my purchase, digital recording was becoming more popular and clients were off put when I said their recording project would be done in the analogue format and so I quite reluctantly acquired the digital equipment required to satisfy their demands. The few live recordings I did with those machines are the best sounding of my entire 30 year output.  The decks were so unwieldy that I fit them onto folding handcarts that doubled as a base so that I could cart them from job to job. They operated at 7 1/2 IPS and 15 IPS.  A 10 1/2" reel of professional quality tape at the time was about $35 and a typical job required two reels for an expenditure of $70.  When I went to using a DAT machine the software cost was about $10 and even later when recording directly to CDs the cost dropped to about $2.50 for an "archival" disc.  I eventually recorded directly to a computer hard drive and used CDs as a backup precaution.  After all those iterations I still think the best sound I ever achieved was with those AEG Telefunken decks.  On one occasion I was visited by the concertmaster of a major symphony orchestra [with great ears] who couldn't believe that a master tape I played for him was analogue and recorded at 7.5 IPS to boot !  I also own a Revox A77 deck, an Otari MX5050, a Tandberg 10XD and several other Tandberg decks of early vintage.  All are excellent decks but not one of them compares to either of the AEG decks.  When everything is "right" the experience of hearing a master tape on a top notch Reel2Reel machine played over a top notch system is beyond unbelievable.  However, it is not for the faint-hearted in regards to what is required of the operator. "Be prepared" ---- [ an old Boy Scout motto !]

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.

Have both analog+digital audio chains. Not yet done - endgame.  

R2R - slim chance in my lifetime - new r2r vs used, if used then deep research on getting a quality unit plus a maintenance plan, high initial cost, high media cost, maintenance learning curve.  Maybe someday when financial picture settles down with a decent budget and motivation