The Tape Project, the "High End" and you.

How has the Tape Project affected your perception of the “high end” and how did it’s influence alter your direction in matters regarding your format of choice if is not open reel tape?
The influence of the Tape Project has definitely left a wake in the audio world. High end gear is now demo’d with these tapes and other companies refer to “master tapes” in ads. At the consumer end there was the rise in cost for compatible used reel decks and reel tapes.
For myself it seemed like a wet dream came true! Great art, real time duplications with SOTA electronics and materials made by people who care. There is a high cost of entry, particularly if you were not into the reel to reel scene and needed to acquire a reel deck (sometimes only to be used as a transport) and play back electronics.
I see this as being similar to the CD/SACD/DVD-A crowd who spend small fortunes on the latest digital electronic hardware or turntables that can cost from a small car to a luxury vehicle though less individually on their software.
ie. I’ve read here on WTB that Steve Williams chose a reel tape deck instead of a turntable.
This thread is by no means limited to Tape Project subscribers.

Thanks everyone for getting past my seemingly self congratulatory opening and feeling you could respond.

My reaction is also part surprise to the growing acceptance of analogue based open reel tape "sound" and for me this seemed highly unlikely from endorsers of both vinyl and and those digital. I expect my reaction to be, of course unique but may be parallel others.

There is no feeling on my part of vindication or triumph because my pet format was chosen as The Tape Project's way of producing recordings of SOTA analogue recordings . I do own digital playback components and enjoy that format in a separate sound system. It was aptly put in another thread by someone else that each format is best enjoyed independently!

My true source of elation is the availability of commercially made real time duplicated open reel tapes being made of source master tapes. I have been into the open reel scene for over three decades now and daydreaming/wishing for just such thing it was almost unreal (no pun
intended)! ;-) Not that much different from someone waiting for all there favorite recordings to be released on the latest in digital high resolution!

My initial interest in sound fidelity started as a kid in the early '60s. It was sparked by the difference in the tube based sound from our family's and our neighbours' televisions and console stereo and how they differed from transistor based components.
It seemed normal to me at that age to believe that tube was truer to the source (or however I interpreted my thoughts at that time), and may have naively assumed everyone felt the same.
Though, from what my ears told me that the next doors' Bert Kaempfert reel sounded better as a source than the same recording played through the same tube based console's speakers from an imported German LP.

The announcement of the upcoming release of TTP reels caused me to abandon a serious effort to upgrade my digital components (with it a commitment to buying premium SACDs and DVD-A discs) and focus my resources on the premium costing tapes and repro.
The loss of sales of some high end digital equipment shouldn't topple the industry but there would be might be less premium digital software and vinyl LPs sold as a result!

I have asked this question on this forum as it's membership seems diverse, from individuals involved in the audio industry each with their own unique experiences and to those like myself at the retirees consumer level.

It was not intended to be a TTP subscriber (I am, and a lower # than you Steve! >emoticon with tongue sticking out here< ;-) only thread nor a pro reel format thread. I am curious about points of view from those who may not be active with open reel but whose personal thinking or position on a reference for sound may have changed and what those changes may be since the introduction of The Tape Project.

One example could be from meeting yesterday a "young audiophile" born and raised on digital, consoled by buying 45 RPM vinyl reissues yet coveting TTP tapes despite never hearing an open reel tape let alone a 15 IPS two track!

Another would be my discovering this forum!