If you were going to buy 2-3 tapes, what would they be?

NorthStar

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Edward Pong

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Wow $5000+ for rare LPs !! BUT, that album started it's life as a master tape ! So that's why tape has the ultimate in sound. If you think what has to happen for a tape to end up as an LP, it's a miracle it can sound so good !!! BecUse of so many technology changes, it can really never come close to the master tape .... IMHO
 

Hi-FiGuy

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And people complain about the finickyness :eek: of vinyl. At only $450 a pop and looking forward to putting it in your oven later on to get that one last play.

I started to get a hair for R2R then started looking at tape prices and find no recording worth $450, regardless of format.

The CT1250 in my equipment list is the first home tape anything I have ever owned, excluding car tape decks. The only reason I have that is because it was bolted in the rack with the rest of the equipment.

I always made my tapes for my car at my buddies houses, just never got into the format.

Now I have heard R2R at Steves and Mikes places and it sounded phenomenal, but I intend on keeping up the trend of listening to tape at a buddies house! :D:p;)
 
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Hi-FiGuy

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But these links have nothing to do with sound quality, but are about rarity.

I certainly have made mental note and will be keeping my eye out.:D

If I find any of them I will sell them for the asking price, but would never pay asking price!:eek:
 

Edward Pong

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Jun 24, 2013
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The Hadron Collider! Wow wow wow Ed!

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As for the tape deck's maintenance and tapes storage...thx...it's back to when we were young and playing music tape cassettes. :b
By the way most of my commercial tape cassettes are unplayable today...with background music playing during silences!
...About one thousand of them. And when I was buying them I was paying roughly $10 each.
Blank tapes with my own music fare much better...with better quality magnetic composition...and construction too.

Ed, I have no problem with beautiful quality sound from beautiful music played on quality open-reel tapes, from hi-end turntables spinning quality vinyl, and from CD/SACD players and music servers playing hi-res audio downloads quality multichannel classical music from SACDs, and using the best DACs.

Today we can get music from various sources and @ various price points. ...Say, from free to $5,000+ for a rare album.
International music is available online and from various world tuning radio stations.

* I didn't realize that tapes can cost so much; roughly from anywhere starting @ $100 to $500...each!
That's more money than a hi-res audio (176/32) download @ $30.

I know; this is all relative...the world doesn't logically operates that way...logic is a luxury for the poor. ...Way of speech. :b
It's all good...and it's all sad @ the same time because most people will never experience the best sound there is on Earth.

__________

Music taste goes from chamber classical music (my bag) to Iron Maiden. :b

<<<?>>> The Hadron Collider...on tape!!!

Certainly, one cannot overlook the convenience of digital downloads, or digital in general... However, when I hear of $200-$500K+ systems, I assume these people would want the absolute best software to play on these systems.... then $200-$500/tape seems paltry compared to the hardware costs... I routinely have people ask me "how much is the shipping to so & so? (some far off place..) & never order a tape because the shipping is too much.... sad..

in fact, I think tape is the most cost effective way to get fantastic sound... certainly a reasonable, well setup deck can sound pretty good with a good tape... really, the only problem is a lack of software.... I'm trying to give the classical chamber music fan some choices...
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
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Locust Hill, Ontario
Recently a classical radio station in Toronto (CBC Radio 2) conducted a blind study of the preferred recording of the Prelude in Bach's 1st Cello Suite. They picked 8 recordings, some of very famous cellists & some not so famous & conducted a shoutout... Famous cellists included YoYo Ma, Rostropovich... Interestingly, Winona Zelenka who I recorded was also included... Her husband Ron recorded in digital while I recorded with tape... all 6 Bach Suites were recorded at my place over 2 years & are available on my website....

The label Marquis released Ron's digital recordings on CD & I released the tapes on UltraAnalogue Recordings...

After 2 weeks of listener voting, the 2 finalists were... YoYo Ma & Winona Zelenka ! The winner by almost a 2 to 1 margin was Winona - with our recording!!

I have the radio link, where the announcer talks about this & people's comments about the playing.... but do not know how to upload an mp3 file.... is that possible on this site??
 

NorthStar

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Certainly, one cannot overlook the convenience of digital downloads, or digital in general... However, when I hear of $200-$500K+ systems, I assume these people would want the absolute best software to play on these systems.... then $200-$500/tape seems paltry compared to the hardware costs... I routinely have people ask me "how much is the shipping to so & so? (some far off place..) & never order a tape because the shipping is too much.... sad..

in fact, I think tape is the most cost effective way to get fantastic sound... certainly a reasonable, well setup deck can sound pretty good with a good tape... really, the only problem is a lack of software.... I'm trying to give the classical chamber music fan some choices...

I perfectly understand what you are saying.

The other day I made an innocent remark regarding the prices of tapes...you deleted your post, and I deleted mine. I'll try to be more careful, even when using innocent humor, because I am not alone in these audio forums. I fully respect everyone.

Some folks are more privileged than others when it comes to obtaining the best music quality recordings from the very best medium...tape. I wish I was one of them...sincerely.
But it is an honor to know the people who are behind the best music recordings, and to know the people who can afford them. And I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart.
 
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NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
Recently a classical radio station in Toronto (CBC Radio 2) conducted a blind study of the preferred recording of the Prelude in Bach's 1st Cello Suite. They picked 8 recordings, some of very famous cellists & some not so famous & conducted a shoutout... Famous cellists included YoYo Ma, Rostropovich... Interestingly, Winona Zelenka who I recorded was also included... Her husband Ron recorded in digital while I recorded with tape... all 6 Bach Suites were recorded at my place over 2 years & are available on my website....

The label Marquis released Ron's digital recordings on CD & I released the tapes on UltraAnalogue Recordings...

After 2 weeks of listener voting, the 2 finalists were... YoYo Ma & Winona Zelenka ! The winner by almost a 2 to 1 margin was Winona - with our recording!!

I have the radio link, where the announcer talks about this & people's comments about the playing.... but do not know how to upload an mp3 file.... is that possible on this site??

With the internet today there is not much that is impossible; do your very best, please, to share a link with us.
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
I do not recall that , certainly I respect everyone's opinions about what's important to them.... We are all individuals! I was more responding to the comments about buying tape just for the sound & not content ... I guess I was just trying to say, content IS the most important thing for me as well , & my focus is really to present the best young artists who can deliver on that content, as well as record it well with tape...I have never thought anything you have said was ever disrespectful ! Really value passionate people like you!
 

NorthStar

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On page 3, post #28 (mine). It's not important, just an acknowledgement. I thought that I might have struck a sensitive chord, after your post went missing, so I deleted mine.
{Money is irrelevant and I had to readjust myself.}

And the content of your tapes, not only for the sound quality, is exquisite because it's real music; classical Music (chamber), played by young passionate artists.
I was emotive after seeing that performance on youtube, that you posted.
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
I think generally, people do not know how difficult it is to record this mainstream classical repertoire, especially Beethoven & have it sound engaging....

There is so much of it with very famous soloists, that people can buy..... But it is the music I'm most passionate about, that's why I pursue it.... even thought it doesn't make much business sense....
 

NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
24,305
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435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada

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