Vinyl not the only analog revival - new reel to reel announced

Very interesting. Their new player looks cool, but I think you are correct - it will be expensive!

Trying to bring my revox b77 back to full performance at present, as would like to try one of these master tapes. First  problem I have is somehow one of the brass spigots that hold the tape guides has been snapped. Parts minimal cost but looks like almost a complete dismantle and rebuild to get to the back of the head block to change, which is probably a step too far for someone as technically inept as me! Don't want to spend much money on it until I have it working reasonably well to see how it can hold its own in my current system.

One post I read pegged the Project R2R price point on par with a high quality MC cartridge - circa $4-5K. Anyone already owning a quality R2R deck (as well as a catalog of tapes to play) could have their existing player revamped for far less. Those without a current R2R deck - well why would they dive in?

Yes they advised me yesterday that the mid point of that range is their target price point.

Afraid logic isn't something I associate with hifi! I was so pleased you posted yesterday, and spent most of yesterday smiling at the prospect of a nice new machine. I am certainly interested as keeping a 40 year old revox upto spec is very expensive and becoming more and more difficult, plus due to aging components, the performance can deteriorate very very quick, especially when not used for a little while.

For a possible replacement for my machine. For a slightly upgraded but inferior Tascam machine, UHA charge in excess of $10k, which when shipped to the uk with vat and import duty will likely be more like $15k, so  I don't think their targeted price will be bad, and I was surprised it was this low. My concern is they manufacture strictly to the price point at the expense of balanced outputs etc.

Certain you are right that if not using r2r already, I'm not sure why you would start now, especially as I think this is to be a playback only machine. Buying used tapes off auctions is likely to wreck the machine pretty quick, unless spend a lot of time maintaining, and c.$350 for a new recording should put most off.

Thanks again for you post - they also have some interesting vinyl which I might check out!

At the 2015 Wigwam show last year one exhibition stood out better in SQ than any other:

The ability to do your own recording is part of the fun of owing one and I don't know many people who would invest in one of these new machines which can only do replay, if that is t be the case. Also, these "new recordings" do not come cheap - check out Tape Project for examples.
We had a vinyl resurgence and people started investing in new TTs not the other way round.

Thanks Debs. What a wonderful photo. It knocks all that boring/soulless digital hardware into a cocked hat. Lovely 'hands on' music-making machinery.

John.

Tony2011 posted:

these "new recordings" do not come cheap - check out Tape Project for examples.

Just had a look . I had no clue what an album on new R2R tape costs. I slapped CCR's "Willy And The Poor Boys" into my cart. With tax & shipping my cost would have been $515. Buy ten of these albums and the cost of the deck begins to look like a bargain in comparison.

BTW - I saw another guesstimate for the Project R2R at $11K plus upgrade options for the output connection. Still, given the cost of a new album, probably not cost prohibitive if you're in that market.

There's a Hi-fi shop in the Puget Sound area that refurbishes then sells R2R decks in the $750-$1,500 range. It'd be interesting to have a listen to one of those to get some perspective on what it's all about. I had cassette and 8-track tapes back in the day, but my commensurate TT set-up at the time always trumped the tapes. Too much hiss for me and Dolby took too much away from the sonics. My younger brother still listens to our old 8-tracks on the deck we bought in the mid-1970's for $90. Nothing but a single button on it to switch between the four tracks.

I think the recording function can be added in modular form.Really weired not having any V.U Meters on it though.The heads are new though.You could probably get a Revox B77 or PR 99 in really good condition for half the retail price. It does look nice though.

Joe, the Tape Project tapes are indeed expensive, but then if you want the very best then I guess it carries a commensurate price - and believe me, the TP tapes are without any doubt superb. 

However, those of you lucky enough to be Stateside can have fun with R2R, and great sound too, for a fraction of the money; keep your eyes peeled for 7 1/2ips pre-recorded reels, either the early 2 track or the later 4 tracks.  They can be a bit hit or miss, and condition needs to be spot on, but the best of them, when played back on even a relatively modest R2R such as the popular Sony TC-377, can be a revelation.  Reels that are particularly good are many of the Verve, Capitol, Atlantic and Columbia ones all recorded on Ampex tape.  For those of a Classical music bent, the early RCA Living Stereo, London, and Mercury reels can be lovely too.  Only drawback is that the Ampex tape was quite hissy and also had a distinctive mid-forward sound to it which makes everything sound very live and exciting.  When combined with the typical Reel strengths of a large spacious soundstage, it gives a sound that may not be strictly accurate, but it's really lovely all the same, and a world away from todays digital offerings, or even the vinyl reissues.

p.s. Avoid the 3/3/4ips tapes; some are OK, but the drop off in sound quality is considerable.

Just as a matter of interest Revox have quoted me €2450 for a completely overhauled, and one year guaranteed 7.5/15ips 2 track b77, which would be a direct replacement for mine. Probably more than getting mine serviced, ( last full service 10 years ago cost £650 and would expect silmilar again at least, especially as fixing the broken bit looks like almost a complete rebuild), but at least would have the guarantee that would be at full spec. 

If anyone wants to blow the dust off their old B77 I can recommend Rod Thear at Thear Tecnology in Bedfordshire. He services broadcast equipment and sets up machines in recording studios. He and his team really know what they're doing and he's one of the very few who can reapply the old Nextel coating to the case. My B77 two track had a complete overhaul including new heads and capstan. Not cheap but at 7 ips it sound wonderful recording a live broad cast on R3 from my NAT01. It sits quite happily in my system which also includes a fully loaded LP12 and an  NDS. The B77 is a lovely piece of retro and even looks great with the power off. Next step will be for Rod to refurbish a high speed machine for me although at 15 ips they eat tape!

Ravenswood10 posted:

If anyone wants to blow the dust off their old B77 I can recommend Rod Thear at Thear Tecnology in Bedfordshire. He services broadcast equipment and sets up machines in recording studios. He and his team really know what they're doing and he's one of the very few who can reapply the old Nextel coating to the case. My B77 two track had a complete overhaul including new heads and capstan. Not cheap but at 7 ips it sound wonderful recording a live broad cast on R3 from my NAT01. It sits quite happily in my system which also includes a fully loaded LP12 and an  NDS. The B77 is a lovely piece of retro and even looks great with the power off. Next step will be for Rod to refurbish a high speed machine for me although at 15 ips they eat tape!

Ravenswood10.. Thank you for this post any chance of some pictures?

regards Graham.

Hi Graham

the are a couple of pictures on the Tom Tom Audio blog. James who delivered my NDS a few weeks back couldn't resist taking a few pictures!

Ravenswood10 posted:

Hi Graham

the are a couple of pictures on the Tom Tom Audio blog. James who delivered my NDS a few weeks back couldn't resist taking a few pictures!

Very very nice Mark...

Machine looks good. Might try your suggestion. Interesting re. The coating on the case. The case on mine went sticky a long time ago and it's a swine to keep clean.

My machine has always been serviced by Brian Reeves the Uk Service specialist for Revox, but might make contact with your man.

Suggest you will find a good step up in performance when move to 15ips. Yes they eat tape, especially 2 track machines, but well worth it and most of the master tapes currently being released are recorded at 15ips. 

I had my 2 track B77 15in serviced by a chap in Bournemouth who has regularly been servicing R2Rs for years and he did a fantastic job. I don't think you have to spend a fortune on a good used R2R  or to have it serviced but,  as Richard always says, caveat emptor.

My dealer arranged an unused Sony tc765 I bought for nostalgic reasons (my first bit of hifi back in the mid 70s was one of these) to be rebuilt and I think it might have been by your chap in bournemouth - did a great job. 

I came to Thear through some service receipts supplied with the machine. He also services the huge multitrack Studers and Otaris. He was also a mastering engineer - so you could say he knows the process from end to end. I had a couple of unfortunate experiences with so called experts including one who fitted the wrong value capacitors and another who poured inspopyl alcohol down the motor spindles as a service aid totally forgetting that the bearings must be greased!

Two closer up pictures from last years 2015 Wigwam Show  [same exhibitor as photoed in above post]

The sign reads: 

LODGESOUND vs THE REEL BBC

Sources: ¼" STUDER A80 / NAGRA T  - ½" SONY APR-5003

QUAD 405 MKII + ROGERS LS5/8

MUSIC FIRST AUDIO - CLASSIC PRE AMP

Very nice! Lest I forget RMG (French company I think) makes some excellent new tape based on the old BASF formulations. My machine is biased to RMG 911.  I also use US brand ATR - not cheap though!). 

RMG is available from a couple of on-line sellers including one via Amazon.