Tape Questions

[Ken]

First question:  where do reel to reel enthusiasts find pre-recorded music?  It seems that the options and availability would be very limited.

Second question:  I have quite a large collection of pre-recorded cassettes, beginning from the 1970s and continuing pretty much until they were no longer commercially distributed.  What kind of playback quality (or lack thereof) could I expect if I found a Revox deck properly serviced (B710 or B215)?

[Doc B.]

Well, I find it in my listening room. I have about 500 tapes. In general there are two ways to go -

finding older prerecorded stuff on 7" reels at 7.5 ips and 3.75 ips quarter track that can be equal to, better than or worse than an LP version of the same recording

modern offerings on 10.5" reels at 15ips two track by various labels that have come about since we started the Tape Project in 2006. These tend to be superior to LP versions of the same recording, or at least offer a different seasoning to the same stew.

Regarding cassettes, same story. Some are quite good some are terrible. In general they don't stand up to good reel to reel releases. There are new cassette issues being produced. Nostalgia for old formats was quite underestimated and it has taken some time for the old manufacturing processes to get back up to significant output levels. But new pressing plants and to a lesser degree duplicating lines are appearing at a surprising rate.

[Ken]

Thanks Dan.  One hopes that what is being issued and re-issued on cassette is not digital recordings or remasters being transferred to tape

The Revox decks do show up on reverb and elsewhere online from time to time, so I'll keep an eye out for a good deal.  I think there may be a place in Vancouver that can service them.