Reel to Reel


This may sound like a dumb question, but what the heck !!!
I have always wanted a R to R, just to play around with.

But I have to ask, what do you guys do with your machines ? What do you play or tape ?

Recently, I was told locally where a lot of refurb R to R are sold, that a lot of people record CD to them ?

Just curious ?

Wayne
waynefia

Showing 3 responses by kftool

Commcat hit it right on the nose, there's not much more one can say about the sound quality of RTR recordings.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to buy back the Ampex 351-2 I bought new in 1958. The friend to whom I sold it, put it in his closet and never used it. The Neumann U 67 mikes I also bought new at that time, I sold for $600 for the pair. It was a little less than what I paid; now they go for around 7 or 8 grand each!

The sound of a master tape is addictive. Once your exposed to it you want to hear more. The Tape Project tapes are $200 a set, about the same you'll pay for a copy of a master tape from the few sources out there that sell them.

Tomorrow I be getting an 800 lb shipment 200 master tapes that came from a Memphis studio that shut down in the late 90's, over one hundred are 1/2 inch 2 track mixdowns at 15 and 30 ips. The remaining are 1/2 inch 8 track masters that need to be mixed down to two tracks; here comes another machine and a need for DBX and Dolby noise reduction that some were recorded with.

Hearing these tapes for the first time will be like going on a blind date and I'm sure some may be dogs. On the bright side of things, some might also be great. It will be an experience!

Ken
Sam,

I've only managed to listen to a half dozen or so 1/2 inch two track tapes; all at 30 ips. Recorded at Sounds Unreel studio in Memphis in the mid 80s, without dolby, the dynamics are as good as anything I've heard. Steve Horton and his band never quite made it big but the Memphis rock he put out should have gone somewhere other than clubs in Memphis.

There are a bunch of 1/2 inch 8 channel tapes that will have to wait a while before I can get to them. Since they'll need to be mixed down to two track it'll take time to get familiar enough with the songs to do a decent job; it will be fun but creepy mixing music from dead guys! Ken
Hi to all you RTR mavens.

If you're a Studer fan, I have a line on an A80 VU MK II 1/2 inch four track for about 2 grand. It's located out west. Email me if interested. I have no interest in this machine but can vouch for the seller as I purchased other gear from him and he's a straight up guy.

Ken.