Will RTR be around in 5 years?

[Andre Marc]

ok thanks.

btw, i'm with you on SACD and dsd. it's absolutely wonderful. IMHO, YMMV and all that stuff.

agree..with ANY format YMMV.

I also think high sample rate, 24 bit PCM can be stunning as well. I am not a format absolutist, which I see much of around here.
I like all flavors.

 

[NorthStar]

Zenith

Haha
Check this out -- informative illustrations with clarifying examples: http://www.danalee.ca/ttt/appendices.htm#tapeheads
Scroll down to Tape Heads and Tape Tracks

Cool link; bring back fond memories indeed. ...Just like a vortex.

 

[c1ferrari]

Cool link; bring back fond memories indeed.

Cool, Bob

I just spoke with John Austin, Sprague Magnetics/CA, and discussed zenith, height, tangency, and wrap adjustment, for a Studer DIN/butterfly headstack I'd just sent him.
It was marvelous to have the illustrations/explanations from this source available as it enabled me to communicate with John with a modicum of competence

 

[NorthStar]

When your desire is aroused on getting back to a R2R tape deck, you know that you are on the right tracks; the zenith. :b

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

That is an amazingly over reaching generalization that is strictly your opinion. That is the equivalent of some one saying that the quieter the music,
and the smaller the scale, vinyl fails due to the surface noise etc.

No, they're not equivalent, as there would actually be some objective truth to the latter. "Fail?" Fail is a big, judgmental word. But noise is more audible when there is less signal to mask it. That's just the simple reality, and I don't have to have ever written a review to understand it.

Tim

 

[Ki Choi]

To answer the original question...

Reel to Reel format will be around not only next 5 years but 50 years and beyond (IMHO...)- even long after most of us are gone.

So as long as there will be next generation of audiophiles with common interest, desire, and drive to get as close to the "real thing" as possible in pursuit of the audiable perfect illusion, there will be analog tape format and need for R2R machines. It was the number one reason why I got into tape.

 

[tony ky ma]

I don't know how long will it last but what I am sure is after listen to Ed's master tape then you will know how close to the real. and Ed is welcome who like to have a try when he is near our area
tony ma