If playing a vinyl record isn't enough hassle

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Rhino is now selling albums on reel to reel  to make it even more of a hassle

 

https://store.rhino.com/en/rhino-store/special-edition-shops/reel-to-reel/?pdshow=true&eml=2025October10/6909709/6134371&etsubid=223450362

 

[BigRedX]

Probably better sound quality though….

 

And you can always tape over it if you get bored of the album you bought.

Edited Saturday at 07:40 by BigRedX

[Hellzero]

At that posh price, they'll surely sell very quickly... 🤦🏻

[Bassassin]

That may well be the single w@nkiest thing I've ever seen, musical or otherwise.

[Gank Bass]

Mmm delicious cork 😂

[three]

I saw something similar a couple of days ago and was quite surprised at the revival of the format - I think this was some sort of classic album and taken from original masters - about £1200.  I was aware that there's a very strong market for Studer and Revox machines (prices have increased dramatically in recent years) but the release of pre-recorded open-reel does seem strange - I imagine there's a small but (affluent and) enthusiastic market.  Personally, I don't really miss the hiss of open reel machines or the crackle of vinyl.  

[Rosie C]

 

13 minutes ago, three said:

Personally, I don't really miss the hiss of open reel machines or the crackle of vinyl.  

 

Oh, I love it! I have a turntable and a valve amp'd reel to reel, although I only use the turntable for listening to music. I actually like the hassle, and it's made listening to music an activity in itself rather than something I have on in the background.

 

[floFC]

7 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

 

… although I only use the turntable for listening to music.

 

As opposed to what? Making pottery?

 

😋

[Buddster]

I'd be amazed if the 'original flat analog master tape' was in any state to be used to copy from after 50+ years

[Hellzero]

Next step, the wax cylinder!

 

 

Enjoy the sound of noise...

[ped]

Absolutely ridiculous. I want one. 

[Rosie C]

2 hours ago, floFC said:

As opposed to what? Making pottery?

 

😋

 

Well played @floFC !  I meant I don't use the reel-to-reel for listening to music 

[Rosie C]

1 hour ago, Buddster said:

I'd be amazed if the 'original flat analog master tape' was in any state to be used to copy from after 50+ years

 

I think if it's been properly stored, and been wound the right way, then it can still be good. I watched this YouTube video recently of someone who'd bought a reel-to-reel recording from the Sergeant Pepper master and Abbey Road helped him play and digitise it...  

 

 

 

[Grahambythesea]

oh those happy days of taping off the radio and the tape snapping and getting caught round the spindle. I’ll stick to CDs thank you.

[42Hz]

3 hours ago, Rosie C said:

 

Well played @floFC !  I meant I don't use the reel-to-reel for listening to music 

Neither would I ever use a r2r for making pottery. But a turntable ... maybe 😁

[Buddster]

4 hours ago, Rosie C said:

 

I think if it's been properly stored, and been wound the right way, then it can still be good. I watched this YouTube video recently of someone who'd bought a reel-to-reel recording from the Sergeant Pepper master and Abbey Road helped him play and digitise it...  

 

 

 

Very interesting video. 

Brings back memories of working with those 1/4" Studers, doing a line up of the multitrack machines everyday. 

Yes I agree, it's possible, but they would have to be very well looked after. 

[Dan Dare]

Once you've bought your reel to reel tape, you can have weeks of fun trying to find a machine to play it on that isn't either knackered or uber expensive.

[Stub Mandrel]

My reel to reel is in the loft. I wonder if it would work if I cleaned it up.

 

Only been up there about 45 years...

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 19:30 by Stub Mandrel

[SpondonBassed]

12 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

Rhino is now selling albums on reel to reel  to make it even more of a hassle

 

https://store.rhino.com/en/rhino-store/special-edition-shops/reel-to-reel/?pdshow=true&eml=2025October10/6909709/6134371&etsubid=223450362

 

 

 

 

 

That's like, so_____ cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My reel to reel is in the loft. I wonder if it would work if I cleaned it up.

 

Only been up there about 45 years...

Cleaning won't be sufficient, the capacitors will collapse on themselves and the motors will burn.

 

It could be fun, but the smell is awful.

[Rosie C]

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

Once you've bought your reel to reel tape, you can have weeks of fun trying to find a machine to play it on that isn't either knackered or uber expensive.

 

This is mine - an early 1960s Philips 4-track. 3 speeds, magic eye etc. I have several tapes of my grandfather playing guitar. I tracked down the exact same model they were recorded on, to give me the best chance of getting a decent playback. It feels very strange plugging it into an audio interface and recording into Logic Pro. It is working right now - I bought it from a YouTuber who'd serviced it, but for how long I don't know, so I don't use it for anything.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 22:03 by Rosie C

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Cleaning won't be sufficient, the capacitors will collapse on themselves and the motors will burn.

 

It could be fun, but the smell is awful.

 

There are strategies 

[itu]

Next step is to buy a Sony PCM-3324, or -3348, a digital r2r. I have seen one, once. 

[Hellzero]

There are 3 different models at the moment on Kleinanzeigen in Germany:

 

https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/sony-dash-pcm-3324-digitale-tonbandmaschine/2770799789-172-9399

 

https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/sony-pcm-3324s-24-spur-digital-bandmaschine/2421553558-74-7482

 

https://www.kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/sony-pcm-3324a-professionelles-digitales-mehrspur-tonbandgeraet-/2974919996-172-4564

 

[Huge Hands]

Are they 1/4" tape?  If they're like the ones in the OP's photo. then surely you would need to buy studio quality machines like Studer etc with those big locking hubs?

 

My dad was into reel-to-reels in the 80s and had some pretty professional looking domestic models. but they all had the small 3 prong hole in the middle like @Rosie C's example. 

 

Not that those full size reels would fit on Rosie's machine! 

 

I wonder if they do adaptors for the centre?

 

Not that I am planning to go down this rabbit hole of course!  It's a long time since I tried splicing tape on a Revox B77!

 

EDIT - I just clicked the link and saw how much they were - definitely not!

Edited 1 hour ago by Huge Hands