Tape Trail Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Tape Trail ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

RE: Reel to Reel: Best sounding format ever?!??!??!!!!!!!!!

Posted by mikel (A) on February 27, 2008 at 21:53:23

In Reply to: Reel to Reel: Best sounding format ever?!??!??!!!!!!!!! posted by joeljoel1947 on February 27, 2008 at 21:04:45:

thanks Joel, for your comments. they speak to my quest. since the mid-90's i have been a 'format-junkie'......meaning i have been vary curious about which format "at it's best" is best. starting with redbook, i dived into vinyl back in 95'.....and then SACD in 2000. i always tried to have the SOTA digital gear and eventually ended up with SOTA vinyl gear too.

i found that "at their best"......vinyl easily beat redbook and even SACD.

i was always curious about RTR but the really good software was 'unobtainable'......and how could one figure out which RTR hardware had top performance?

along comes 'The Tape Project' with 15ips 1/4" master dubs and some coherent info on hardware choices.

i have invested in some RTR decks and have done some preliminary comparisons with my vinyl. so far the RTR has not quite measured up to the best of vinyl......but i'm not done. another few months and hopefully i will be able to answer this question for myself.

with vinyl you do hear every upgrade as you move up the food chain......so it is hard to come to any comparison 'truths' unless you have really gone most of the way. i'm trying to find out how good RTR can sound.

BTW; i have used 'Time Out' for format comparisons for many years. i own 4 redbook versions of Time Out, the SACD, the Classic 33, a couple other 33rpm pressings (not the original) and the Classic 45rpm. i have heard the Original 6-eye. the Classic 45rpm stomps the others easily......much more alive, more immediate, more texturally complex, and more vivid.....while having greater ease and flow.

it would be interesting to compare the 45 to the 7 1/2" 2-track. so far; i've not heard a 15ips that can compete with my 45's. (i do expect that to change once my RTR machines are optimized).

i do think that 'for the dollars' with optimal 7 1/2 ips 2-track (4-track is very inconsistent) tapes and the right RTR deck......the sound is likely very hard to beat by anything else anywhere close to the cost. you would need to spend big bucks on vinyl to beat good RTR.

mikel

Edits: 02/27/08 02/27/08 02/27/08

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---