Reel to reel

I just down-loaded 4 of the 15 IPS reels that I had recorded to my hard-drive. They really sound good on play back, and I don't have to get up and put another reel on.

- I just down-loaded 4 of the 15 IPS reels that I had recorded to my hard-drive. They really sound good on play back, and I don’t have to get up and put another reel on.

It also saves wear on your repro head, as well as the rest of the transport.

But personally I can’t see why you would want to use R2R to record your LPs. At 15 IPS, you’ll need 2 pancakes of 1.5 mil tape or 1 pancake of 1 mil tape for each LP. Each pancake is GBP35 over in the UK (presumably about USD 40-45). That buys you 2 x 45 rpm QRP pressings of every album.

I do get R2R as a concept - I have 5 studio machines - 1/2 inch 2 tr Studer A820, 1/4 inch 2 tr Studer A807/II, 2 x Sony APR 5000 series and an Otari MTR12. But I play studio masters or dubs. The difference then becomes compelling, although the outlay is very substantial.

That was just an experiment, and to make sure it wasn't a waste, I down-loaded it to hard-drive; those were my most select LP's.

As you know, new tape can be recorded over at least once with no ill effects; consequently, I'm regarding that as blank tape when the need arises.

While the playback sounds good from the computer play list, I'm wandering if I would get R2R quality out of the playback with a very good DAC?


Yes, 15 IPS is extreme for LP's, but only because of the expense and time. Even if I could afford the expense, the time would be too short; but if I could find a way to negate those two factors, I could easily live with 15 IPS for my most select LP's, not just any LP.

The Jacintha Tape while expensive is a true reference caliber tape, which you can also compare directly w LP
again for those of you taping LP at 15 ips or even half that you are blowing thru $ on tape...
the simple experiment is level matching at 1k with an spl meter, y’all doing that, right ?

after you have done that, hit play/Rec and pause... this will allow you to listen w deck electronics in loop

level matching....

you might discover you just like gain...

free experiment.....

I'll give the SPL meter test a try.  Found one on feebay cheap and it's in good working order.  

The enhancement of music is never a waste for the music lover. These 15 IPS reels that were down-loaded to the computer hard-drive, are quite revealing on lesser systems; the subtle nuances are more apparent on the bedroom system for example.

Music for me is as close to a 24 hour a day thing as I can make it, and of course every day. Where as many evaluate everything from a technical point of view, I evaluate the emotional impact of the music; do I experience "instant recall" in regard to very personal music that I enjoyed at a certain time. Can I travel back to that time?

When the music is reproduced to the the highest level possible, it functions as a time machine, that allows me to sit in my listening chair and travel back to long forgotten events and experience them vividly.

May have to consider a dedicated tube tape pre after all.

As a cheap experiment I purchased a simple tube buffer with 15db of gain max.
I put this inline between Revox and Ayre and besides a healthy boost to signal level ( now pretty much level with CD input level) it have a nice " tube" type of warmth and space feel to the music.

Well worth $28 as an experiment.

Plus you can roll NOS tubes and get more monies worth than you paid. Notice, I stated NOS tubes because they last longer and sound better, you wont regret it.

Have fun.

Got it Benjie!

Probably not something I am too interested in pursuing right now Tbh.

I am actually quite happy with this little tube buffer, it is doing exactly what i hoped for.

As a bonus ( in my eyes at least) it has tone controls which is very useful to roll off the bass a little on some early recordings.

For my needs I am probably set for now.

Time to shop for some more decent tape though, nearly used all my Ampex up.

Uberwaltz, what tube buffer did you get? Sounds like fun!

Sleepwalker.
It was just an el cheapo Chinese job bought of ebay, does not even have any brand name on it!
Works just fine for what I wanted though.

Another reason to own a reel. The other day, one of my expensive NOS tubes in my phono pre went belly up, and presently I can't afford another pair; now records are not so impressive.

But there is good news, while the phono pre was cooking on all 8 with the NOS tubes, I recorded to reel at 15 IPS some of my favorite LP's, plus I down loaded to hard drive on the computer my LP collection, so I still have the essence of those NOS tubes, and I can enjoy those records sounding their best.

All things are relative; what I'm speaking of, is the fact that you can go up the ladder but never back down. After I replaced the blown NOS tube with ordinary tubes, records just sounded flat; I can live without the TT until I get some more NOS tubes for the phono pre.

Another example of not being able to go back is my cassette deck; I have one of the top flight decks, and I went to a lot of trouble to get it back in top flight condition, but to no avail. Compared to my other sources, the cassette deck wont cut it; no matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig. I can't get over how good it sounded after I purchased all of that "metal" cassette tape. I'm sure it sounds just as good now, as it sounded then; but cassette good, and reel to reel good are two different "goods".

The bottom line is, what was good yesterday might be "squat" today, you can go up the ladder, but never back down.

orpheus106,112 posts04-18-2019 1:25pm
Gusser, I'm looking forward to hearing about your results. Taking all things into consideration, 7.5 is the best (recording) speed.

Hello All,
My apologies for the late follow up.  A family member passed away and it's been a rough road to recovery, but time heals all wounds and getting better every day.  Music is a universal tonic and has helped to ease my loss significantly through new musical discovery and distraction.

So,.. on to the comparo. 

Well, I received my 15ips master dupe.  Please, don't laugh (much) at my choice of albums..In the defense of my choice I offer the following points.......
Point 1.  it has relevance as I am a bassist and the bass player in this band (Deon Estus) is exceptional and prominent in the rock/pop scene of the 80's.  .
Point 2. the band I was in at the time covered a few of the tunes so I am intimately familiar with the music and know it quite well.
Point 3.  I now have 3 different media sources to compare... the cd, the LP and the 15ips master dupe.  The CD and LP being purchased new back in the day at 80's prices.
Point 4.  The vendor had a springtime sale with free shipping from overseas.      

The album?  Wham!  Make it big....

Ok...I'll wait for the snickering to subside............................

Before I started the comparo of the Wham album, I played a 7" demo tape graciously included by the seller.   I did not recognize the song (still don't know the name of the title) nor the band so had to inquire to the seller who it was.  Much to my surprise, it was Boy George and Culture club. (yup, more pop. Sorry) The bass (a fretless) was so rich and powerful.  Strings, guitars, all instruments were dynamic..Voices .felt like I was in the studio with them. I was in awe...So now my appetite has been whetted (sp?) for the main event comparo.

I loaded the cd into my Cambridge Azure CD player, the LP on my VPI Classic 3 tt and the 10'5" reel (Side A, tape 1 of two tapes) onto the Otari.  I started each one in sequence then sat down with the Yamaha A-S2100's remote in hand.  

To cut to the main take away...The amazing revelation in all this?  I paraphrase Harry Westfield of VPI turntable fame when he described his then-new belt driven Avenger Reference multi-tone arm capable TT, comparing it to an Ampex ATR-102, which he uses extensively as a reference source when designing and testing his TT creations.  

"I am very pleased with the results. I have compared many 45 RPM records to 15 ips 1/2 track tape masters on a Mike Spitz modified Ampex ATR-102, and will not shy away from saying it is 95% direct drive sound for a lot less money and a lot easier repair or replacement."

Again, I paraphrase, and the quote and how it relates to this comparo is a bit of a stretch.  BUT.  That is Exactly how I now feel about LP's (if they are mixed properly and pressed using quality vinyl with high-end lacquers) as compared to a Master dupe....  The 15ips master dupe was amazing in all categories.  BUT, the LP, regardless of the fact it was a 33 1/3 rpm version, rather than a more dynamic 45 rpm version that Harry would have used (fairly sure they didn't make one), has 95% of the Dynamics of the tape.  

But oh, what that extra 5% means to my ears!  Both the Tape AND the LP were so dynamic and revealing, I would have been hard-pressed to differentiate between the two in a blind test comparo.  However, the better sound quality of the tape is undeniable.  Using half of the 1/4" tape's real estate for increased bandwidth provides sonics far superior to any of my 1/4 track tapes.  No doubt.  And the science backs up the audible results

Now please remember I have only listened to the tape once, and only side A. The tape may exceed the LP quality by more than 5%, but only more extensive listening will reveal that.  

The CD?  The mixing engineer should be publicly flogged... absolutely horrible.  Yes, it was produced when CD's were in their infancy and there are some outstanding CD's out there, but this is not one of them. After this comparo, this CD will be stuck far in the back of the CD storage unit, probably never to be played again, unless another comparo is required.  

It was great fun toggling between the 3 sources with the yammie's remote.  And yes, if I could afford $200 (on sale, free shipping from Russia, or the $450+ charged by a USA provider) on a regular basis, I would embrace this media with open arms...but alas, the discretionary income is not there.  Even buying 5 tapes at a 20% discount for $1000 plus shipping is a bit much.  I would prefer to save my pennies for a multi arm capable TT now that I know that my aging ears just can't tell the difference between a high quality audiophile LP and the Master Tape dupe.   

Another benefit of this comparo?  I can say with conviction, the Otari purchase was worth every penny and Master Tape dupe's provide the ultimate in quality listening to the well-heeled R2R owner and music aficionado.  I have heard the two media's side by side, and I have come to the conclusion that LP's can be, as Harry says, 95% of the Master Tape Played on an  Ampex ATR-102, IF the TT is well designed and the LP pressings are of high quality.  So I will save the thousands of $ I would have spent on master tape dupes and save for a multi tonearm capable TT in which to play my growing LP collection.  I will also add a mono tonearm/cartridge to the mix so I can play my mono Beatles LP set the way it was meant to be played (sounds weak when played with a stereo cart).  And a select number of tunes from the LP's will then be recorded with the Otari.  I will continue to purchase master dupes from my overseas provider when funds allow.  I am hooked, without question.  But that part of my collection will grow at a far slower pace than my LP collection.

As Orpheus 10 does, I will use my coveted Otari MX505Bii2 to play the Wham tape and record only my favorite selections from my LP collection at 7.5 ips onto recording the masters SMI911 tape as a compilation collection.  Yeah, I could do it digitally if I had the gear, but something about those 10.5" reels turning at any speed just makes the experience so much more enjoyable,.... similar to the feeling I get when I see the reflection of my bright blue LED tt light projected on the ceiling of the spinning disc when I play an LP.  I have nearly 5tb of hirez music files compliments of an audiophile friend that can be accessed somewhat easily via my SSD ASUS laptop connected to one of 3 stand alone multi-terabyte hard drives, but I get the most joy out of playing R2R tapes, without question, with LP's a close second. 

I am all the wiser as a result of this comparo.  I can now say been there, done that, gonna buy the t-shirt, But I am certainly not an expert. If I have left any important info that would be helpful to those considering entering the ranks of purchasing a capable R2R and pre-recorded Master Tape Duplicates, Please post your questions, and I will do my best to answer them. If not, then perhaps our board members can fill in the blanks I created.  IIRC, isn't that what the OP was looking for?  I am hopeful he (and everyone else) found this comparo helpful. 

Happy listening.
gusser



 

First,I want to offer my sincere condolences for your loss, it's a numbing experience we have all been through.

I enjoyed reading your post, it tracked with my own experiences, minus the master dupe tapes (too rich for my blood). I also concur with 7.5 IPS for recording records.

Always a joy to read about another R2R enthusiast's happy experiences.

Thank you for your kind words Orpehius.  It was my mom and she is missed. She did not suffer and we are thankful for that.

Glad you enjoyed my detailed post.  Perhaps a bit too detailed for most.

Well, here is part 2.  And unfortunately, it doesn't go well...

I played the B side of the Wham tape last night.  Side A has the better songs, with the exception of Careless Whisper, the highest rated song on the album.  It's also the last song on the B side.

About 2 minutes into the song, I heard an abrupt bump in the left channel, then, a brief drop out, then a return to normal fidelity.  5 seconds later, a repeat of the same occurrence, but less severe.  The rest of the song was artifact free.  Such a disappointing discovery after what was a wonderful experience up to this point.

I have reached out to the vendor.  I will make a video recording of the defect and forward to them.  I am quite sure the noise does not occur in the LP or Cd, but I will do a comparison tonight to be sure.  I am only speculating as I am far from being an expert, but I would guess there is a defect in the tape where the artifacts occur.  The rest of the recording, both A and B tapes, are stellar.  Pity.... How the vendor handles this will determine the longevity of my interest in this format.

Stay tuned.
Happy listening.
g

I reached out to the vendor and they promptly responded, offering to replace the defective Side B tape.  They are a husband/wife team and she assured me her Husband listened to the master tape and confirmed the master is perfect, so the audio artifacts occurred during the duplication.  They are sending me a replacement without proof of the defect.  She did ask if I wanted it shipped now or with my next order.  I deferred the order as I want to see if the replacement tape is perfect as it should be before ordering more.  My next order, when funds allow, will be a 5 tape order which provides a 20% discount, but I am a long way from placing it.  As I mentioned earlier, the $1000 can be better spend towards a dual tonearm TT at this time.

Note:  Since it's the holiday weekend and I didn't have to worry about sleeping late today, I took the time to compare the LP and Tape's B side.
As a result, I would change my rating a bit and rate the LP at 90% in sonic quality compared to the tape.  I noticed the signal was not as strong as Side A was, referencing the VU meters on my Yamaha A-S2100.  This may be due to Side B of the album was not as good as side A, which may have been an early indicator that the Side B dupe was defective.  The lacking signal strength of Side B would be less noticeable when played side by side with the LP.  However, the comparo disproved this, sounding pretty darn good, comparable to the Side A comparo I did almost a month ago before traveling for work

The one thing I did differently this time was I matched (as closely as possible) the signal strength of the Phono Preamp (Avid Pulsus) to the Otari using the VU meters on the Yammie.  However the same could be accomplished using the VU meters on the Otari, switching from "source" to "tape".  Even though the two signals were very close, the Tape STILL provided better sonics AND a higher signal level... amazing what that little tape can do.  I remain impressed, and although I previously stated I would pursue increasing my LP collection settling only for high-quality pressings in both stereo and mono, as well as be on the lookout for a dual tonearm stereo/mono capable TT, I was reminded how good 15ips tape really is!  As funds allow, I may pursue adding to my collection of master tape dupes, but as Orpheus10 stated, that he only records on tape his most select LP's, I would only purchase a very select number of Master Tape dupes, and those would be very special albums. 

One thing I should mention about LP's on my system... the VPI Classic 3 with the Avid Pulsus phono preamp is a formidable combo.  I cite as an example:  I am a big fan of the Rick and Morty cartoon series.  Granted, it is a bit vulgar at times, but any cartoon fan can appreciate the imagination that goes into this series.  One thing fans of the show have come to appreciate, is the music soundtrack of the first two seasons i quite good... in fact, audiophile good!  As a birthday present, my daughters gave me the Collectors edition of the series soundtrack.  I decided to play LP #1 of 2 after the Wham tape.  Well, I was absolutely stunned at the sounds that emanated from the Goldenear Triton 1's...  Every song was crisp and clear, with the bass thumping in my chest like a second heartbeat during the more techno numbers.  Sub-bass slides were smooth and effortless for the VPI TT.  I had it in my mind that LP's were somewhat restricted in bass reproduction due to limits in the groove to be able to accommodate the shape of the bass frequencies in the groove structure.  ???  Well, this LP recording proves to me that is a bunch of hooey.  I would assume (probably shouldn't do that) that this LP was recorded digitally by the contemporary groups the contributed to this album and that the digital version was cut into a lacquer, skipping the master tape step. If the LP is so limited, how could such wonderful sounds come out of that lowly piece of vinyl?  In this situation, IF there was a Master Tape of this LP, it is beyond me to imagine how much better a tape version of this LP could be any better.  As I stated before, an LP properly mixed and mastered, pressed on quality vinyl by a quality lacquer is hard to beat, being trumped only by the Master/Safety Master of the original recording.  Perhaps the next test should be a side by side comparo of the Rick and Morty LP to the included MP3 download?  Nah, we already know MP3's are a lossy format, far too inferior to even the LP, let alone a Master Tape.  Besides, this is the reel to reel forum... please forgive my digression.

The bottom line, referring to the OP's initial inquiry:  The Otari MX5050Bii2 is a worthy deck to play Master Tape duplications and is certainly worth the cost of admission if you can find one that has been refurbed properly and has not been abused.  If you are in the market for one, let me know and I will put you in touch with my Otari guy.  

happy listening,
gusser

Gusser, I owned an Otari before, but it was 4 channel; if it had been two track I would still have it; they're the most impressive deck for the money; approaching the Studer in many ways.

In regard to clean bass in speakers, that's a lot dependent on crossover design and the quality of capacitors in the crossover; evidently your speakers have both.

Yes Orpheus10, the Otari is an excellent deck.  So is my Technics RS-1506, but it cannot record in 1/2 track mode, only 4 track in both directions, which is what I needed it for at the time of purchase.  The 1506 is also in need of a recap and good refurbishment as she is showing her age.  The Otari allows me to continue to explore the 1/2 track world in both playback and recording.  I have a TEAC X1000R as well (refurbished nicely by a gentleman in Colorado) for 4 track playback duties.  It also has autoreverse, which I've always wanted in my 4 track deck, but is limited to 7.5 ips.  Granted, the TEAC isn't nearly the decks the Technics and Otari are, but being an R2R tape head, it was well worth the cost of admission to be able to play my small collection of band and FM music tapes I acquired during the 80's and early 90's.

As far as bass response, the Triton 1's (non-reference) provide all I could ask for and more.  Granted, I have a ceiling to floor bass trap in the one corner and power is cleaned up by a PS Audio regenerator power conditioner.  (a big improvement in noise floor and sound quality when the PS Audio unit was installed) but the Triton 1's excel in bass reproduction IMHO and are a great match to my Yamaha A-S2100 integrated.  Needless to say, I am very happy with my "A" system as it now stands, with the Otari taking center stage, next to my recently acquired (and not quite set up) VPI Avenger Reference tt with dual 3DR wands and Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII ES stereo and mono carts. (2016 CES show leftover with 3 belt AC motor drive rather than the newer rim drive).  Did I overspend?  Probably.  But my source gear now allows me to sample 1/2 track master dupe recordings as well as any vinyl (mono or stereo) that I have the good fortune of getting my hands on.  Now all I need is the free time to enjoy the media.... C'mon retirement!!

Happy listening.
gusser

Ironically, I owned a TEAC X1000R, purchased it new; I really loved that auto reverse, and the fact that it worked well with EE Maxell tape. At that time I was into getting the longest play time. Since I did a lot of entertaining then, I liked to record what I thought my guests would like so I could enjoy everyone's company without bothering to put on new music.

It seems we've followed the same upgrade paths in regard to reels.

While watching the reels on my Technics 1500 spin at 15 IPS and enjoying the full dynamic range of Jimmy Smiths organ, accompanied by Kenny Burrell on guitar, I began to reminisce about my encounters with other tape decks.

It all began in the early seventies when the best stereo stores carried reel to reel decks. Through the use of "you tube", I believe I can share these memories more vividly.

There was a large appliance store that also carried stereo, and when my wife was shopping for washers dryers or whatever, I went to the stereo section that had one room completely devoted to reel to reel tape decks: Crown, Akai, Teac, Pioneer; these are the ones I remember, such beautiful decks and so many choices, both 10 inch and 7 inch.

I was like a kid in a candy store; I must have even had that look of wild eyed amazement that kids have when they enter a big toy store. I'll see what I can find on "you tube" to bring those memories back to life.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C40tfFHuHu4


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kLsllBO96c


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJcw2y1NcN8


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wgSZSuUvqw

Presently, I'm correcting something I stated on this thread. I recorded some vinyl at 15 IPS. Now I'm recording over that at 7 1/2. 15 IPS is reserved for live recording; there's not enough improvement for the added expense with records, 7 1/2 works just fine.

I agree.
I record everything at 7.5ips including streamed hires music.
Tape costs too high to use up at higher speed.

Apologies Orpheus for not adding my updated status over the last several months. Work kept me away from home for most of the summer. And my Avenger purchase was a bust, with horrendous bass feedback at all but the lowest listening levels. Long story short, I returned the Avenger (Since the Vendor nor VPI was able to resolve it) and purchased a mate for my Classic 3, a brandy new Classic Signature, which, IMHO is everything the Avenger is and more at less than 1/4 the price. (The intention with the Avenger purchase (a demo, not full msrp) was to be able to play mono and stereo lp's on the same tt)  My dealer set up the signature and sent it to me here in CT. I double checked the techs set up with Analog magik and a smart tractor. All looks good. The tech said she did not get any resonance, so I put on one of my fav lp’s, heard crystal clear music, so I turned the volume knob up.... then Vrroooom! Same bass resonance as the Avenger. The combo of cart and tonearm (Soundsmith Zephyr Mkiii ES and the VPI’s 3d) were present in both setups. My dealer has tried to figure it out but is at a loss.

Fast forward to the past couple of weeks... When my tech went on vacation, I decided to reach out to soundsmith as I am convinced there is a tonearm/cart mismatch. Surprisingly, the owner called me directly, giving me some standard advice and steps to take, which, of course, didn’t work as they were directed to mechanical resonance.  I have taken great pains over the last few years to purchase and assemble a rack that is resonant free, and has been perfect up until now, so I had my doubts it was a mechanical resonance.  Putting 4 70 durometer domes under the tt's 4 feet did absolutely nothing.

Satisfied,it is not a mechanical resonance, we are now down to the unipivot needle being dull, which is so wrong since the tt is brand new, and the cup looks damaged as well. VPI is sending me a new needle and cup assembly (and the hydraulic tonearm lift assembly as this one is stuck). I will be forwarding the tonearm with cart, needles and cup to SS and pray they can resolve this without a big repair bill. But I need to hear it from a pro that it’s the 3d arm creating the resonance or the dealer probably won't act on a request for a different (metal) tonearm OR a less compliant cart... the cart is low compliance, the tonearm is low mass... A bad combo. I did a quick test to check my theory... I moved the aluminum 10.5i tonearm from the classic to the signature. Voila! No resonance. That arm has the original VPI/Soundsmith Zephyr installed. Never ever had a resonance issue.

So while I work at making tt woes to go away, I plan on recording some of my favorite LP’s onto the Otari at 7.5 IPS. The TEAC is working fine as well. I just love that auto-reverse!

Yes Orpheus, it does seem we’ve followed the same upgrade paths in regard to reels. :)

And thanks for the youtube links. I was a teenager in the early 70’s and was playing with old mono reel to reels that my Audio Visual department at high school didn’t want anymore. Had no idea there were so many other quality decks out there, until I got my 1506 in 1983. Quite a blast from the past for me.

And finally, glad to hear my plan to dub my LP recordings at 7.5 ips is still a sound plan. Now that the cold weather is here, time for some serious recording time. :)

Happy Listening.
gusser

Gusser, I just checked your post, and it warms my heart that you share in my passion for the reel to reel. When I went back to those "you tube" links that I posted, it brought back so many wonderful memories; that was a time when so many good things were happening, and there were many stereo stores to listen and dream of new purchases.

I just got some brand new tape from ATR Magnetics, and I highly recommend it. The price keeps going up but that's life in the fast lane.

What amazes me is the fact that after recording select music, I can listen to it over and over, hearing something new each time.


https://audioimpressions.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/long-play-tapespyral-or-atr/



We're in audio heaven, enjoy it.

@orpheus10 

Which tape did you get from ATR?

And thanks for that link, great article that I really enjoyed.

Uberwaltz, this is the one I got;


      https://www.atrtape.com/products/mds-36-tape-14-x-3600


I downloaded those 15 IPS tapes to the hard drive and then re-recorded over them at 7 1/2.   

I have a good set up for downloading because I've been doing it with vinyl.  I got very high quality results, I can't tell it from reel.  For sure you will get the same results as new tape when you record over once.

I'm thinking about making a tape, downloading it to hard drive, and then recording a new tape over that.  This way I get double duty from the tape with no sacrifice in quality.

If you have the set up for downloading vinyl, you can do the same.

Uberwaltz and Gusser, since our projects are expensive and time consuming, spare no expense in getting the most from your efforts.


Each time, before recording, clean heads and de-magnetize them. Be sure you have rubber-cleaner for your rollers; while you don't have to do it that often, make sure it's done, that will preserve your rollers.

One last thing; if you are ever lucky enough to get long green for a brand new machine, give it a second thought, here's why; when you record and playback on your present machine, the results are perfect, that's because you record and playback at the same speed.

Even if your speed is a little bit off, it will still be absolutely perfect. That's because record and playback are at the "same" speed no matter what that speed is.

If you get a brand new reel with perfect speed, and the speed of all those tapes you made does not match that speed; all of your old tapes will be "out to lunch". Something to think about.


We've got the best audio there is, enjoy it.

I am limited to 7" reels as only have my Pioneer rt707 and really trying hard not to purchase another deck that would handle 10.5" reels.

I do try to clean heads and demag once a week though.

On my Pioneer I do have a pitch speed control which I have used on some home recorded tapes I purchased which sounded just a tad off.

I actually record mostly from Qobuz hires onto tape at 7.5 ips and results are stellar.

Still working my way through a pile of Sony tapes I bought locally that were basically brand new and sealed. They can really handle deep record saturation right up high in the red.

It's an expensive hobby for sure compounded by my serious addiction to all types of media and replay equipment for same.