What TAPE SOFTWARE do you have on your REEL to REEL?

S

Steve

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Time to blow the tape trumpet and start a new thread.

Opus 3 Sampler Vol I to Vol IV (4 tapes) direct from analogue master tapes IPS15 IEC eq on RMG SM 468 approx. 30min playback each.

Fabulous transfers, dead quiet, black as digital with clean heads. The blue meters zero out. I can't do that with vinyl. The analogue playback is what I would call tactile. Close your eyes and you can touch it. Probably the best sound I have heard from my system.

Studer A810 vs Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement. Tape wins CLEARLY and QUIETLY. The best 45rpm vinyl comes close with the big sound of the GFS but low generation tape transcends all other sources including the GFS. Yes the stock Studer sounds better.

Also makes me reflect some about my loudspeakers... Why the hell would I consider an upgrade? They are 15 years old now. I pray they keep going strong, because the magic is there and tape really shows what they can do.

I also think tape reproduces lower frequencies more accurately than vinyl can offer.

I don't know what level system wise you have to be at to get appreciable enjoyment out of tape, because it is not cheap. Running at approx. USD$500 plus international shipping per hour of software playback, the value proposition may not be there for some. At the equipment level that I am running, it is definitely worth it. If you have a better rig, then you've heard only a fraction of its performance capabilities.

Back to the tapes, they are all fabulous. Tape IV is probably the best overall, but I am listening out of order & Tape I currently playing is also awesome. Love the American honky tonk piano and big bass in the background.
 
I have the first three of the Opus 3 Samplers. It is definitely the place to start with Opus 3 tapes. They give you an excellent sense of the wide repertoire of the label. One small correction. My understanding is that the Samplers are not taken directly from the original masters, since they each are made of tracks from many tapes. However, you can buy dubs from the original masters from Opus 3. They have limited the number of dubs that they are doing up to 50 each, so the master does not get worn out. I bought 10 of them ($500 each which contain 2 reels of up to about 30 minutes each in length). Spectacular sound, even better than samplers.

I have been an Opus 3 fan since the late 1970's when Harry Pearson first included one of their albums on his TAS Super Disc list. I have to check, but I think I have about 40 of their LP's that I have collected over the years. IIRC, all of their releases were recorded on analogue, so if you get one of their tapes (or the tracks from the samplers) that were only released as CD or SACD, the tape dubs come from an analogue master, not digitized.

Larry

PS - This has been covered in other threads, but other sources of great tape material include Tape Project (the granddaddy of the recent boomlet in 15ips 2 track tape releases), UltraAnalogue (Ed Pong), Yarlung-Sonorus (Bob Attiyeh), IPI (Jonathan Horwich), Lutz Precision (the Oscar Peterson tapes), and others.
 
Don't forget Groove Note (think a few here purchased one or two of their tapes), Fone or Hemolia Records either.
 
Larry, could you tell us what Opus 3 tapes you have. Or at least what you think are the best?
 
Look what I found on my doorstep yesterday:

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Bruce, got my Canned Heat and John Lee Hooker set yesterday also. Looking forward to listening this weekend. I'm a classical fan, so these are all new artists to me! Larry
 
Asamel said:
Larry, could you tell us what Opus 3 tapes you have. Or at least what you think are the best?
Click to expand...

I have mostly classical releases. However, one that I really like and others do also is

Eric Bibb Rainbow People

Five of the classical tape albums I really like are

Mozart/Brahms Clarinet Quintets
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Stockholm Guitar Trio
Stockholm Guitar Quartet
Horn and Organ Recital

Larry
 
I'm just getting started, so I have some from Elusive Disc and the Tape Project. What I would like to know is where we can find tapes online? Can we get a list going?

R2R is amazing!
 
You guys are making me jealous with all of this tape talk.

I have some 7" and 10,5" R2R tapes that I acquired and some that I made from the 80's. When I play some of these back the heads gunk up real fast depending on how the individual tape was stored. Most were wrapped in plastic and stored in cool dry basement. Some were not wrapped and those are more of the disasters.

Has anyone here heard of "baking tapes" to bring them back to life. I know this sounds absurd but the guy at the R2R tape repair shop recommends this for certain tapes. When i asked him for more specifics he would only say google it. So for you old hands here, is there any validity in baking tapes and keeping the iron oxide from shedding off the tape? Or is this a hopeless cause for those tapes in question?

Thanks.
 
Mike said:
I'm just getting started, so I have some from Elusive Disc and the Tape Project. What I would like to know is where we can find tapes online? Can we get a list going?

R2R is amazing!
Click to expand...

I think Myles has a list of everyone who is currently selling tapes.
 
Mike, there is a sticky on WBF in the RTR subforum with this info. Myles likely has it as well.
 
tunes said:
Mike, there is a sticky on WBF in the RTR subforum with this info. Myles likely has it as well.
Click to expand...

Great. Thanks! Before hearing it, a friend of mine was so critical of the cost of the tapes. He's now heard it and is asking where he can buy one! LOL!


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