Reel to Reel time

[Wardsweb]

Broke out the old Teac X10R and after a little maintenance, I'm spinning tape.

 

[Rope]

What model TT is the Kenwood just left of the Reel to Reel, 550/650?

Rope

 

[Botch]

:handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:

"I love waking up to the smell of warm Ampex in the morning" - some guy.

 

[Wardsweb]

What model TT is the Kenwood just left of the Reel to Reel, 550/650?

Rope

KD-550 table with the arm off a KD-750

 

[Rope]

Looks to be a clean piece. Stupid question, did you rebuild it?

Rope

 

[Wardsweb]

Looks to be a clean piece. Stupid question, did you rebuild it?

Rope

I did make a new armboard, as the one that came with it had been slot cut for an SME arm. The Kenwood take a round hole. All in all, a nice direct drive table that gets the job done and is more forgiving than my Clearaudio.

 

[Rope]

Back in the the day DD tables were the pure shyt. Now everyone runs the opposite direction when DD is mentioned

I own a KD 650 with an Ortofon MC in the closet. Can't bring myself to go through the vinyl ritual every time I listen to an album.

Rope

 

[Deleted member 133]

Back in the the day DD tables were the pure shyt. Now everyone runs the opposite direction when DD is mentioned

I own a KD 650 with an Ortofon MC in the closet. Can't bring myself to go through the vinyl ritual every time I listen to an album.

Rope

Ah but "the ritual"...

Not that I'm much of vinyl fan myself but...

After the turntable / tonearm is all properly set-up / calibrated, just remove the record and place on turntable; start it spinning; apply Zerostat; apply discwasher brush (I long ago ran out of fluid); re-apply zerostat; cue to desired track; lower tonearm; listen.

By chance I got to go through the routine last night with my grandson. See he's something of a fan of Johnny Horton's "Sink the Bismark" but he's only ever heard it played off his Dad's iPhone. So I pulled up my copy of Johnny's Greatest Hits and spun it up for him. Shoulda seen his eyes light up and the smile come over his face when we got to hear "the real thing!"

ps. I went through my share of belt and DD turntables in my day. (The AR77XB was a favourite - that I ended up trading for a great Phase Linear amp that I still use today - but I digress.) Today a very good Yamaha DD is what I use (with Stanton 681EEE cartridge) - suitably isolated on slabs of granite separated by rubber. On the rare occasion that I spin a disc (like last night), the combo performs perfectly.

 

[Deleted member 133]

...and back to the OP...

Wards,

Any issues with old tape? Still sound like it did in its day?

Jeff

 

[Zing]

...and back to the OP...

Wards,

Any issues with old tape? Still sound like it did in its day?

Jeff

When Wardsweb tells you that it does indeed sound as good (or better if you're one of those analog aficionados) and then you decide to start seeking out R2R players, let me know. I know where you can pick up an immaculate Teac X-1000R.

 

[scubabob]

Which has higher record -> playback fidelity, high speed open reel like this example, or Hi-Fi VHS VCR?

 

[Orbison]

Which has higher record -> playback fidelity, high speed open reel like this example, or Hi-Fi VHS VCR?

I read years ago that the vcr was better due to the design & operation of the head. IIRC, It had to do with the way the tracks were recorded at an angle across the width of the tape. Also, I think the slower the tape speed, the better the recording quality.

I'm sure Ward will correct me if this is not the case.

 

[Zing]

Which has higher record -> playback fidelity, high speed open reel like this example, or Hi-Fi VHS VCR?

I read years ago that the vcr was better due to the design & operation of the head.

I think it was the size of the tape that made the difference. VHS tape is about 3/4" whereas consumer reel-to-reel tape is only 1/4". Greater area = more information. More information = better sound.

 

[Botch]

Also, I think the slower the tape speed, the better the recording quality.

I'm sure Ward will correct me if this is not the case.

I'm not Wardsweb, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
The opposite is true; faster tape speed, higher fidelity.

Did VHS tapes carry analog signal? I thought it was digital. :think:

 

[Botch]

...just remove the record and place on turntable; start it spinning; apply Zerostat; apply discwasher brush (I long ago ran out of fluid);

Jeff, I've always used distilled water in my Discwasher brush bottle once I ran out the first time. I've also never had a Zerostat, I used a product called "Permostat", by Stanton, and it worked well.
I just had to check, I still have 1/4 bottle of that stuff left, it's gotta be 26, 27 years old!

 

[scubabob]

Which has higher record -> playback fidelity, high speed open reel like this example, or Hi-Fi VHS VCR?

I read years ago that the vcr was better due to the design & operation of the head.

I think it was the size of the tape that made the difference. VHS tape is about 3/4" whereas consumer reel-to-reel tape is only 1/4". Greater area = more information. More information = better sound.

I remember VHS HiFi having an effective 200 IPS tape speed due to the nature of the spinning head and the diagonal striping pattern of the recorded material. With that kind of speed, it should be superior to everything, including CD. I've always wondered if it never caught on for technological timing reasons (Minidisk? recordable CD?) or if it was fundamentally flawed in same way (tape quality issues?)

 

[Zing]

I remember VHS HiFi having an effective 200 IPS tape speed due to the nature of the spinning head and the diagonal striping pattern of the recorded material. With that kind of speed, it should be superior to everything, including CD. I've always wondered if it never caught on for technological timing reasons (Minidisk? recordable CD?) or if it was fundamentally flawed in same way (tape quality issues?)

I may be wrong but I think the speed issue only relates to noise (as in the faster the speed, the less noise). Granted, less noise in a given recording will increase its sound quality too but my point is, if you could get 1/4" tape to record at 200 ips and compare it to the same recording on 200 ips VHS tape, I think the VHS will sound superior.

 

[Botch]

I've always wondered if it never caught on for technological timing reasons (Minidisk? recordable CD?) or if it was fundamentally flawed in same way (tape quality issues?)

I do remember that the tape is actually pulled out of the shell, and threaded around a couple heads before going back into the shell. Don't know if that's the reason it didn't catch on, but with all the moving parts in the player and the flexing of the tape, I'm glad it didn't. I expect to be able to play my CDs the rest of my life. :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Lone Stranger]

I also am curious about the format on VHS. If it is analog then would there be issues with wow&flutter? I have heard that VCRs were not the most speed-steady machines.
I used to own a very old portable open-reel tape deck when I was a kid. It was tube amplified mono deck manufactured by Wilcox-Gay. I never heard of that brand before. I got it at a garage sale. It did work but the amplifier was noisy.

 

[heeman]

Let me rewind to the 70's and 80's, If the brain cells are functioning proper (???), there is a balance between the tape density and the speed for optimum performance.

To slow, and the tape will get saturated; to fast and there may be drop outs due to not enough room on the media (tape) as it passes over the heads?

I think I have it right............ :teasing-tease: