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RE: Couple of points.

Posted by Inmate51 on June 7, 2017 at 10:24:23:
"So why am I and most of my audiobuddy friends spending so much of our listening time with tape these days? Can't be just the hypnotic effect of those spinning reels, since one of the guys has his system so situated that you can't see the reels.

And there's no problem finding blank tape or recorded tape or tape machines if you know where to look. Ebay has more than 12,000 listings on any given day. Most of the tapes are dreck but there are enough that aren't to keep the tape fanatic's juices flowing.

Oh, and the prices have steadily headed skyward, so the niche must be getting ever so slightly more substantial every year. And more and more new-production tapes are appearing, along with at least the promise of new tape machines."

*******

Not to be harsh or rude, but personal anecdotal experience isn't the same as a consumer trend. You and your personal friends are a small group with a special interest. There are "pockets" of similar folks around the world, but I don't see "non-audiophiles" buying reel-to-reel tape decks as a growing consumer trend.

With regard to available blank tape: A 10.5 inch 2400 foot reel of new blank tape is in the area of $60 (the last time I bought it, 10 years ago).

With regard to pre-recorded tape, the fact that there are "12,000 listings" on ebay on any given day would indicate to me that these tapes are being sold off in droves - by people who already own them. What is the typical selling price?: 50 cents or a dollar a reel? And let's not forget that high output tapes from the 1970s to early '80s are unreliable due to "sticky shed".

New "audiophile" recordings: I'd be interested to know how may hundreds or dozens of recordings were sold in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Got any stats?

********

Inmate51 wrote:

" My perspective is that maybe a few more aging audiophiles are buying RTR decks to relive their more youthful past, but that doesn't make it a consumer trend."

:)