09 — As vinyl music sales reach their highest level in decades, a German company is reviving the reel-to-reel tape deck machine, bringing back a technology that dominated the industry for decades.
Is reel-to-reel obsolete?
Because digital audio recording technology advanced over the years, with development of cassette-based tape recording formats (such as DAT) and tapeless recording, digital reel-to-reel audio recording is now obsolete , also because no new metal particle reel tapes for digital audio recording are manufactured today – ...
Why is reel-to-reel so expensive?
Reel-to-reel tapes are preferred by some music enthusiasts for a variety of reasons, most notably, they are much closer to the original master tapes than a vinyl record. ... Reel-to-reel is also more difficult and expensive to produce .
Why do people still use reel-to-reel?
Reel-to-reel audio plays a much higher speed than a more modern cassette tape ; however these speed and tape widths provide a higher quality fidelity, or sound. Though these cassettes, due to their size, sold at higher prices, they have been the choice of audio lovers.
Is reel-to-reel making a comeback?
While reel-to-reel is making a comeback , it still barely moves the needle. Schneider, who says he has the capacity to produce about 200 machines a year, seeks to sell 20 to 30 players this year and about double that next year.
How long do reel to reel tapes last?
Most organizations say magnetic tapes, such as reel-to-reel, should last around 20 years . But some people on online forums state they’ve had tapes lasting more than fifty years due to safe storage.
Can you reuse reel to reel tape?
Reel to Reel Warehouse is the first company to certify and sell refurbished reel to reel tapes. ... We know you can reuse tapes and that many can perform as well as new!
Are reel to reel tapes worth anything?
Most of what you’ll find is flea-market quality. If they’re AMPEX professional recording studio reel to reel, e.g. AMPEX 440 2-track or bigger, then yes.... these are worth upwards of $2500 . With professional recorders, you can still buy AMPEX 456 1/2 inch, 1′′ and 2′′ mastertape.
Are reel to reel tapes double sided?
Since the format uses the entire area of tape to record the two tracks, it offered the best sound quality. ... Similar to half track stereo in that it records only two tracks simultaneously, this format uses a quarter of the tape for each track in order to record on both “sides” of the tape.
Is reel to reel tape a serial access?
The storage capacities of tape cartridges are now so great that reels of tape are not used in new computer systems. ... Having to read through all of the files/records that are stored before the file /record you want to access is known as serial access.
Is reel-to-reel good quality?
By writing the exact same audio signal across more tape, reel-to-reel systems provide a greater fidelity than audio cassette. But (there’s always a but, right?), R2R’s better sound quality comes at the cost of much, much larger tapes, which in turn paves way to less convenience and more expensive media.
Does reel-to-reel tapes sound better than vinyl?
The verdict: tape sounds better than vinyl . ... The real vinyl killer turns out to be reel-to-reel tape.
What are the advantages of reel-to-reel?
- No change in sound from the beginning to the end of a reel like an LP.
- Not having to deal with acoustic feedback. ...
- (Albert brought this up) True stereo bass.
- No mistracking, no matter how good the cartridge. ...
- Can be closer to the master tape or original tape.
What is reel to reel tape made of?
The tape is composed of magnetic particles, binder, and a base of either acetate, paper, polyester, or PVC . The quarter-inch size, which was the standard width of open reel tape until the 1950s, is the most common open reel tape width, particularly among amateur recordings.
How long does a 7 inch reel last?
While not always the most reliable indicator due to some of the previous factors, but when all else fails and where reasonable the reel dimensions are something to base an estimate on. Perhaps a 5-inch reel is 30 minutes, a 7-inch reel 60 minutes , and a 10.5-inch reel 90-120 minutes.
How do you store reel-to-reel tapes?
[Tapes should be stored like books on a library shelf – on end. They should not be stored laying flat.] Use high quality reels or cassettes, boxes/containers, and accessories. Return tapes to their containers when they are not in use.
