Tape Project-Any reason so many tapes are showing

Disclaimer - I am a Tapeproject subscriber (series 1 and 2) and I do not consider selling my tapes!

But I accept hifi is a not a rational hobby - otherwise I would still keep my old ESL63 - ARC SP8 - D70 - Oracle system. There are many reasons for someone selling his tapes, but mainly the old "La dona (and the audiophile) e mobile". Our interests change a lot. As Don stated the fraction which appeared for sale at Audiogon is very low, and using google I could find that most of it sold fast at almost new price, something unusual with hifi items.

I purchased a few Tape Project tapes to see what all the hype was about. I'd say... they're O'kay. I wasn't blown away. I can make much better tapes in my own studio... but then again, I don't mass produce them like they do. I can take a day to prepare the decks, set levels, calibrate and make multiple runs to make sure the best copy is available. Most people that have heard these tapes were very impressed. As Mike says... if more people pull out their wallets and support ventures such as "The Tape Project", you'll see more mainstream releases. Money talks.

I'm glad to see the support for Tape Project. I just happen to notice in the last few weeks that the tapes were showing up and I never thought there would be a chance to purchase a few without a subscription given the very limited production run.

I'm technically a subscriber as I did take over another members remaining second year subscription. Just kind of back doored my way in to it

This was a great idea and I do look forward to year three's offerings. I will most likely sign up directly

Good listening

Ed

Times are tight and discretionary spending is way down - tapes are probably being sold because some people need the cash. As far as the quality of the TP tapes, they are superb (I am a first series subscriber)and the sound shines through on any 15/2 machine you play them on. You don't have to go crazy or spend lots of $$ with the playback unit. I mostly use an OTARI MTR-12 that I picked up from a NYC jingle studio for $250, had an EE friend go over it, and paid him $100. The machine may not have the pedigree, but the overall sound blows away most any SACD, CD, or vinyl I have.

Ed,

i think you are not alone in your perspective on Jazz titles. there are 'rock' guys who want more classic Rock, Jazz guys like you, and hard core Classical guys......personally i like e'm all and actually look forward to expanding my musical hoizons. there is no wrong perspectives on music choices. and people moving in and out of tapes is normal.....and that happens for many different reasons.

the following is a quote from DocB (Dan Schmalle) from the Tape Project Forum.

I'm not a member over there so I'll add my comments here and folks can take them there if they wish. Three sets of tapes is 1.5% of our total licensed production capability of 200 copies (of which we don't have very many Series One titles left available). I don't think that is a particularly significant fraction in terms of being able to determine why the tapes are being sold. The simple fact is the economic crunch affected a lot of folks - though we seem to be coming out of that and subscriptions are really up lately. Earlier in the year we had very remorseful calls from a few Charter subscribers who were in financial straights and who could not renew for Series Two, and I can imagine those same folks might be the ones who were selling their Series One tapes.

so the selling of a few tapes on the goN is pretty much a normal occurance.

the big issue here is that if we are serious about allowing RTR to develop as an 'ultimate' format then all us tape-heads must support The Tape Project as best we can until the musical selections expand enough to become viable. once there are 30-40 titles out there then more fence-sitters will join in and the momentum The Tape Project began can sustain itself. we need a larger core of people wanting to hear the best possible sounding tapes. we don't need 2000 people, but 500--1000 would be enough that the various types of music will be reasonably represented and a person can get into tape and have the music that they want.

i think we are damn lucky that a group of people made the commitment to create The Tape Project. there is zero chance i would have got into RTR without them. to me it enriches our hobby having licensed legal master tapes you can buy and listen to.

Mikelavigne-I hope you are correct about more audiophiles joining the tape arena. I feel the Tape Project is a great idea but do wish there were more offerings n the Jazz and Blues categories. I would join in a heartbeat.

If anything TP should allow a potential subscriber to chose ten tapes from all of their offerings and not limit a subscriber to a set group of ten. Hopefully as they ad more titles maybe this will be an option

For now I've been lucky enough to buy four titles I was interested in from the first set and assume a partial subscription for another five tapes in the current set offering. So far I'm very happy with everything.

Ed

A transfer of Miles/Blue in Blu-Ray is in progress. It will blow away the mix tape.

you are kidding, right?

there are many dozens of analog-digital threads (many of which i've been involved with) and the world does not need another one. OTOH when you are speaking of a digital copy of an analog tape being better than an Lp or master tape dub there is just no basis for that. Blue Ray of KOB might be pretty good, but no better (or maybe not as good) as the SACD of KOB.

i have a 15ips 1/4" master dub of KOB (not sure exactly how many generations removed from the master it might be). but it's better than the 45rpm reissue, which is way better than the SACD.

one must be drinking lots of PCM koolaid to assume the Blue Ray is going to be all that great.

i have a high rez server with 20+ high rez 176/24 and 192/24 files. i like them and they are a solid improvement over the redbook; but generally they don't measure up to SACD to my ears.

getting back to the question at hand; i agree that RTR in general, and the Tape Project Tapes in particular are not yet 'easy' and 'mainstream'. OTOH they do offer an audiophile fully licensed master dubs that will be the best sounding recordings they will ever hear. and to get more tapes (and more mainstream tapes) to the marketplace first intenders will have to support it. i like every one of the tapes so far once i listen to them. it's great music.

clearly it does not work in everyone's listening culture.

i think there are many more people getting into tapes than getting out of them. that is all that is needed.

I thought people were getting out of it because Ronco has come out with a similar program for much less, using 8-track tapes.

Because the music content being released on these tapes is not appealing. Sound for sound sake does not make sense. This is especially true given the typical cost to find and upgrade a machine. A lot of great music was done in three channel and mixed down, so on that typle of music there is something to be looked for. A transfer of Miles/Blue in Blu-Ray is in progress. It will blow away the mix tape.

I have a few reel to reel's and have found some 7.5 tapes done for broadcast to be outstanding, inspite of the source being vinyl.

Ironbut-I know what you mean. I come from the older school audiophile group. I do have vinyl open reel and cd/mp3 as all part of my two channel system.

The Tape project takes a more involved approch and a commitment with a deck that can play the tapes plus modding/maintaining the deck.

Between the deck the mods and the subscription you are forking out 5k just to get started plus another 2k a year or so for the subscription.

The good thing I'm seeing is that the tapes are holding a fairly good value for people looking to get out of the Tape Project.
I really didn't think people getting out of the Tape Project would be from a quality control factor.

Out of the number of subscribers, a few are bound to find any new (old) media not for them.

Aside from the obvious economic reasons, there's always stuff like the old spousal factor ("Get that freakin' thing out of my living room!") and disagreement with musical selections.

But, I think one of the main reasons is that reel to reel tape is not for the faint hearted. Since all the machines must be purchased used, and unless you have deep enough pockets to pay a tech to bring it up to spec, it requires a deeper commitment than any other media. In other words, it's not plug and play.
Folks who have spent a lot of time tweaking their vinyl systems are used to this sort of thing. But someone that's used to inserting a disc and hitting play are in for a rude awakening with tape.
For these folks, they probably would've sold off their phono systems too and I'm sure that happens every day.