Anyone heard one of these compared to other reel to reel decks. Are there issues to worry about. Are parts available. Do they sound as good as they look???
Thanks
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Rex, have you found out a price for the machine? According to Reel to Reel Rambler from a few months ago, the price was upon application - depending on how you want it configured. An earlier prototype - much more sculptural than the current model was listed as $55K in Robb Report in 2018. In the company literature, the owner, Kostas Metaxas, stated that he bought his Stellavox (his inspiration for this machine) for $50K back in the mid '80's - the price of a home in Australia. Not sure whether that was Aussie dollars or not. I think he was setting some level of expectation that it wouldn't be cheap.
Hello Larry. A friend of mine looking for a machine was smitten with it. I keep telling him to find a good Studer. He wants new with good support and parts for repair available. I don't think he knew it was 50K. He will be bummed to know. My Otari is working fine for me. I'm falling into a tape or 45rpm rut. Lesser quality is not cutting it as much anymore.
The Ballfinger is a full size machine, while the Metaxas is a small form machine, more like a Stellavox or Nagra. I think they are the only new machines on the market (Thorens was working with Ballfinger on a new machine, but I don't know whether that went anywhere.) The Ballfinger is cheaper than the Metaxas, at $20K to $40K IIRC depending on what features it has. Others may know of other new machines.
The Ballfinger is a full size machine, while the Metaxas is a small form machine, more like a Stellavox or Nagra. I think they are the only new machines on the market (Thorens was working with Ballfinger on a new machine, but I don't know whether that went anywhere.) The Ballfinger is cheaper than the Metaxas, at $20K to $40K IIRC depending on what features it has. Others may know of other new machines.
I believe the Ballfinger is only 1/4 inch however. I emailed them a year or so ago about placing a potential order, and they said something about perhaps coming out with 1/2 inch head later. Any news on whether Ballfinger is still 1/4 inch only?
Manufacturing & Repairs of Stellavox Pro - State-of-the-art Professional Reel Tape Recorders. Sepea Audio supply refurbished units as well as new production units and broad range of accessories.
Thanks. When I first heard that Metaxas was looking at producing a tape recorder, I went to their website to see what products they had produced. They were all quite striking in appearance - looking as much like sculptures as audio equipment. That was true of their prototype tape recorder. The one in production looks much more conventional in appearance. I also noticed that the prices of all their equipment were very much in the high end range. So their $USD50K+ pricing is both consistent with their other productions and their previously estimated pricing from the 2018 Robb Report article.
If you haven't seen the Robb Report magazine, its focus is the top 1% (more like the top 0.1%) lifestyles of the rich and famous. It was supposed to be Michael Jackson's favorite magazine.