What is the best Reel To Reel machine ever built?

interesting question. and one i've personally been trying to answer for 4-5 years. and i don't yet have the answer.

my first deck was a 1/4" ATR-102 completely redone by Jeff Gillman of Precision Motor Works. this deck also came with a 1/2" head stack.

then i acquired a pristene condition 1/4" Studer A-820 that was redone by Fred Thal.

then i added a very clean 1/2" Studer A820.

recently i purchased an Ampex 350 in traveling cases, which is a virgin and super clean, but in need of a thourough going thru, which Dave Dintenfass will be re-doing for me.

and lastly i've acquired a very clean Nagra T which should be in my room next week.

at various times all the above machines have been characterized as the best from one perspective or another.

currently i have one set of custom output electronics, the King Cello. i've also purchased a pair of Ampex 351 Mic pre's, which i'm planning on using with a transformer for the low impedence modern heads....once Dave get's those done. i'd like to add one more set of output electronics.

i've been 'told' that the Studer A-820, A80, and Ampex ATR-102 are the very best transports in terms of tape handling and speed accuracy. heads seem to be a matter of taste; different people view those differently based on a sonic compass.

many tape decks are judged by their native output electronics; which mostly are crap, with a few exceptions. some love the tubes, others not.

which one is best? as a machine and considering build quality; there is the Studer A-820 and then there is everything else.

just one man's opinion.

as far as best Reel to Reel machine ever built, i'll agree it does become a matter of personal preference. but there are some objective things that can be said. there is a difference between consumer machines, pro-sumer/broadcast machines, and master recorders. and only master recorders, where the build level and transports are not compromised, are really candidates for being the best machines. there is a reason that the master recorders were used in studios to make our beloved music.

this is not to say that a particular hot rodded broadcast level machine cannot have perfect heads and output electronics and sound better than nice master recorders.

i still own a stock Technics RS-1500. i owned a deParavicini modified RS-1700, which sounded great. but when i compared either of those to my Studer A820, either with or without the King/Cello.....there was a refinement to the music with the Studer which the Technics could not attain.

and when you look at the way tape is handled, my Studer A820's and ATR-102's simply are in another league compared to even broadcast machines. i think the Nagra T would also fall into that territory.

so talking about the best ever tape player you need to consider the build quality and tape handling mostly. heads and output electronics can be changed. i'd liken it to a turntable and arm in vinyl. yes, the cartridge and phono stage is important; but if the turntable and arm don't properly put the cartridge in the perfect position to do their job there is compromise.

and since all these machines are 25-60 years old; how do you objectively compare RTR decks that are in such variable states of repair and optimization?

as far as which master recorders are best, i have very limited experience. maybe Ki Choi would be the guy to have the most to say about that question. he owns almost every master recorder ever built, in most cases multiple, and is able to work on them too. i suspect i know his preference.

there is a RTR repair facility which does answer this question from a slightly different perspective. here is the question they ask. and here is their answer.

i'm not sure i 100% agree with them. but they know quite a bit more than me about the subject. and their answer is a bit self-serving.

i almost traded my Dobbins Garrard 301/Loricraft for a 220v 50hz C37 from Europe....but in the end i did not want to deal with the power converter issues. so i purchased the 'American' C37, the Ampex 350. which, like the C37 in Europe, has lots of parts available and has that tubed output. and i purchased an additional set of Ampex 351 output electronics to be able to use that too.

which is better in that light? C37 or Ampex 350/351? many different opinions on that. lots of great music was mastered on both.

i do think that neither of those machines are the 'one answer' for all tapes. and the tape transports of either are crude and abrupt compared to the A820/A80/ATR-102.

having never heard a Studer C37, or an Ampex 350/351 for that matter, i can't say whether they might sound the best for playback. in fact; those i know that have the most experience say to me that those 50's and 60's machines actually make the best live recordings, but more contemporary machines sound better for playback.

i do think that quality of transport matters to the sound. it's not the only thing, but it's part of the picture.

i think we will see more custom electronics coming to market as the RTR audiophile movement matures. also; perceptions of specific output electronics is extremely context driven. i've had many tell me that the King/Cello sounds wonderful in my system, but maybe not as good in other contexts.....and i've heard the opposite too.

so there is more than one viewpoint as well as method.

with 30-50 year old RTR decks there is such a wide variance of condition it is very challenging to be able to compare and draw any conclusive conclusions. and further you need to separate transport and tape handling performance from heads and output electronics. heads and output electronics can and typically these days are upgraded or modified to better the original limitations.

the UHA-Tascam has the output electronics and head part very up to date and refined. yet while it’s transport is good, and certainly optimized, it’s ultimately limited by it’s heritage from ultimate master recorder level transport. it can’t do 1/2" or 30ips.

i believe that the UHA-Tascam is the best plug and play current choice for tape decks. however; any shootout would be likely won by a master recorder like the A-820 or ATR-102 fully optimized by the right heads and output electronics. transport performance would push it farther. and if you go 1/2" then it would not be close.

i’ve heard a hot rodded ATR-102 with optimized heads and ATR Services Aria output electronics on 1/2" that was fantastic. don’t think that the UHA-Tascam gets into that league. but when you consider the value of that particular ATR deck likely exceeds $40k the UHA looks like a bargain even at top spec.