Is Reel to Reel Worth it to you at $450 or $500 a pop?

caesar · Jan 5, 2018

Tape is great. I would kill to have some of the tapes they play in the MBL room at the shows. But those tapes are a collection of various great and fun recordings by great artists. And they are not available to most mortals.

And obviously, value is a subjective thing, but paying around $500 for a tape seems steep compared to a record or an SACD. You can get an artist's entire boxed set on vinyl for the price of a single tape. God bless those who can afford them, but even if you can afford it, you may not like all the songs on the tape.

What do you think?

Mike Lavigne · Jan 5, 2018

caesar said:
Tape is great. I would kill to have some of the tapes they play in the MBL room at the shows. But those tapes are a collection of various great and fun recordings by great artists. And they are not available to most mortals.

And obviously, value is a subjective thing, but paying around $500 for a tape seems steep compared to a record or an SACD. You can get an artist's entire boxed set on vinyl for the price of a single tape. God bless those who can afford them, but even if you can afford it, you may not like all the songs on the tape.

What do you think?

well....er....I have about 125-150 2-reel 15ips 1/4" and 1/2" albums I've paid $300-$500 each for. I collected them mostly from 2008--2012, and a few since then. right now, i have no agenda to add more than a few more titles as i have no need for depth, just maybe another iconic title or two. something i will play often that really matters to me.

I would compare it to a really fine wine, or rare, special scotch.

it's not the meat of my listening, more the cherry on top.

alternatively; one could have another collector car, or add another fine watch to a collection. or maybe another spinnaker for our 40 foot sailboat.

some here might have multiple amps, or turntables, or cartridges, or even systems.

what is the need for any of those things. we entertain ourselves as we can.

Steve Williams · Jan 5, 2018

I'm with Mike

For me tape is like having a top shelf desert wine when everything else has been consumed. Bring out the tape and everyone's appetite is stimulated once more

Folsom · Jan 5, 2018

I have yet to be impressed by it. Maybe when that happens I'll get the craving for desert.

rockitman · Jan 5, 2018

Yes !

Steve Williams · Jan 5, 2018

Not sure how to respond to that Folsom.

My last tape was Ed Pong’s most recent. I know nothing about classical. I do love great music of all genre. Ed’s last tape as was the previous set amongst the best recordings I’ve ever heard. Marty visited several weeks ago and listened to the tape. Marty is extremely knowledgeable about classical music. He said it was the best violin recording he had ever heard.

NorthStar · Jan 5, 2018

I'm with Mike and Steve and Christian on that; what we love is priceless, our journey on Earth is priceless, we can't compare the blue sky surrounded by the snow peak mountains with SACD, ...figure of speech.

I collect things that have a meaning in my heart and soul, regardless of price; some say it's crazy...who are they to criticise things of the heart and soul, a music format of passion and joy.

And, what's money got to do with it.

Bonus:

Happy New Year!

dcc · Jan 5, 2018

Definitely worth it providing you have a full up to spec tape deck. I've come to a point where I don't want to continue collecting LPs and limit my purchases to tapes.

Folsom · Jan 5, 2018

Steve Williams said:
Not sure how to respond to that Folsom.

My last tape was Ed Pong’s most recent. I know nothing about classical. I do love great music of all genre. Ed’s last tape as was the previous set amongst the best recordings I’ve ever heard. Marty visited several weeks ago and listened to the tape. Marty is extremely knowledgeable about classical music. He said it was the best violin recording he had ever heard.

I've only heard tape at shows. The worst was MBL. But I don't blame the tape for the bizarro MBL sound.

dminches · Jan 5, 2018

I have a good number of safety master copies and with few exceptions they sound better than my LP version. Now, there are tons of variables in doing the comparison so nothing is absolute, but a good quality tape, even "just" 1/4" can often sound better than the LP. My RTR equipment is higher end than my turntable so I am sure that has something to do with it but even those here who have uber phono setups seem to feel that their reels "beat" their LPs.

Either way, you have to have both since there are way more LPs than reels available.

panreels · Jan 5, 2018

I have a small collection of reel tapes and most are the older 7 ½ “ 4 and 2 track prerecorded tapes but I do have a few of the new 15” ¼ tapes and I have found certain types of music really benefits on recorded tape and that is acoustic interments like symphony orchestra, solo acoustic or jazz bands sound much better on tape than LP or SACD but rock music doesn’t do as well on tape because it’s mostly distorted electric guitars or electric interments and usually sound just as good on LPs, so I think you need to be careful what music you listen to or buy on tape.

tony ky ma · Jan 5, 2018

It is hard to say worth $ or not, I just brought two pair of Hejiri inter connect cables back from Japan for my friend's request paid $6k but today you can only just pay under $2k for a 65" TV, tube amp came back after they completely disappeared and most Hi End market of today is tube amp again also in the second hand market which one will worth more money ? CD or vinyl ? I believe phono system's quality already reached to the top and hard to further more even put big money into still can go for just little bite but master dub copy is another level the only problem is hard to make new production of tape machine because of cost and quantity
tony ma

RogerD · Jan 5, 2018

I love my tape, but I also love my digital. In my experience tape is like a high maintenance girl friend...expensive and problematic. In my system I now play about 90 pct digital and I don't look back.

Nevillekapadia · Jan 5, 2018

I think as elaborated before by some of the tape owners. If you like it and can afford it then why not.

I don't think value comes here into the equation, as you will have only select titles that you feel are worth having on tape.

I enjoy all formats and if you look at source material, I think digital is the cheapest and that would provide one with the best value.

So if there was a title I was craving for on tape, yes it's worth the money if you have a decent playback system to get the most out of it.

Johnny Vinyl · Jan 6, 2018

You only live once and you can't take it with you, so yes. Trust me, if I had the means to get into it properly I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

NorthStar · Jan 6, 2018

Just for fun, and just because I was looking for a review of Blade Runner 2049 on 4K Blu-ray and that video popped out among others. I have no idea what the relation is between Blade Runner 2049 and open-reel tapes. When I search the internet on things of interests perhaps the data of my searches build my own profile and suggest a mix of versatility. It sure does when it's time to go shopping.

Anyway ...

There is nothing new there and nothing life-changing, it is just for fun.
We love when we play, nous sommes du soleil. ...YES

Pb Blimp · Jan 7, 2018

Is Reel to Reel Worth it to you at $450 or $500 a pop?

Certainly the "pops" are a lot cheaper on vinyl. For that matter the "clicks" are too.

Greg Beron / UHA · Jan 7, 2018

There is something I always discuss with my customers....

I ask, how many LP's do you have?
(forget the digital $$ for a minute)

I have 2000, or I have 5000 LP's, whatever.

OK just 2000 LP's at only $10 for fun, maybe you got great deals on them, but that is $20,000.

Now honestly how many LP's do you actually listen to on a regular basis? Maybe 50?

If you paid $400 per tape, I know many are less, that would be 50 tapes.

So you've spent the money to get into some great sounding tapes but you missed the target, best sound!

NorthStar · Jan 7, 2018

If someone wants the best, he/she can afford it, the music he/she likes is accessible more or less, everything else is relative. Get the tapes, get the best mastering LPs, follow the leaders...Mike, ...And be happy with the joys of what life has best to offer.

Even if you listen to your tapes only couple times, we won't have a second life after this one is gone.
With tapes comes great responsibilities. ...Reel-Man.

Skylab · Jan 9, 2018

Add me to the “it’s absolutely worth it” camp. I play tape as much as I possibly can. Sure, it’s cost me a healthy amount of money. But I like everything about Tape - the sound, the decks, the process of playing them...for me personally, it’s audio heaven.

Is Reel to Reel Worth it to you at $450 or $500 a pop?

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