A dream came true - R2R.

For many years I was dreaming of R2R machines and tapes...but I was never being able to justified pull that plug...

i live in Israel and around here R2R with the highest approach is rare more than women's in to HIGH END... so not really second hand market for great machines, no friends that floating around and could help each other, no music on this format, and no confidence to perused this tip from a personal perspective as i read a lot through the years and got some realisations about service needed, money spending, and of course the "ice on the cake" the enormous amount of money to get a decent tapes with music...

As I grew with my audio system, I kept upgrading and got all my sources to the point that I like them to be... always looking behind my shoulder watching this area being discussed and growing (but not as much as we want it...) last year was listening to the TP1000 at the munich show, and almost purchased it on the spot, but did not, again... as i just ordered the same day my VYGER Indian signature and wanted to get it first.

Another year goes by, and another Munich show... this time i got the chance to listen to a lot of tapes playing courtesy of A.M.S room with Datzeel and Stenheim and a great performance by Jerome sabbagh through the day live and with accompany of the R2R tape...that was a really great experience and i told to myself i just need to f@#$ do it and think about it later


so, the French made machine was too much for me to start with but was impressed by it, decided it to be maybe for the future, and look for a more affordable but NICE machine for me to get it decent plus and then I can see if I am hooked...
So after a while I found mint condition, full services, butterfly heads, meters and everything STUDER A810... and decided to order it... while i am waiting for it to arrive from Switzerland, i started to buy some reels to get me started, to start, I ordered some of Jonathan recordings (IPI) as I read around here ppl like it a lot! and say it's one of the best.
also some AP of course as its one of the "easiest" to pick (also music wise...)
two from "Horch house" and one or two more...
I hope they will make a good start and I will enjoy myself immensely as I expected.


i was reading a lot of threads around this subforum and got some ideas for what you guys like and bought over the years (i was reading some posts from 10 years ago )
If there is any chance you can write some of the titles that wow you the most, or anything else you can share about it, I will very much appreciate it.


pictured will follow when my baby will arrive


thank you.
a.

LL21 said:

Congrats! When does it arrive?

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thank you!
hopefully in a few days! (finger crossed to Fedex gods)
tapes are already coming in... waiting for it

i am a very happy camper,
this thing sound very Very good, and i supposed i didnt scratch the surface yet with the A810 with his inner audio card... as compare to other here are playing with HIGH end machines, head amps, etc.
but, my initial experience for tipping my toes in those deep water was very good so far.

i bought some tapes from all around to start,
horch house,
AP
IPI
and others...
more to come, for now,
the AP recordings (got a few) are mind blowing good, but my feelings and appreciation goes to Jonathan from IPI.

what a man! such an awesome communication, service and recordings!
i bought 3 tapes from him to start...
and all three was just amazing sounding. clean, quiet and full of pure music delivery.
my thoughts there is some warmness to his masters compare to others that i heard, hope someone can relate?
also got his cook book and a CD he produced, very nice of him!

steve williams said:

Reach out to Ed Pong at Ultra Analogue if you want to hear well recorded classical chamber music. Ed is a member here

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thank you.
i very much like to.

Foxbat said:

Byrdio, I am very glad you are having great time!

Go slowly... the field is very uneven - there are masterpieces, but also quite a few duds.

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yes, i'm trying to get some feedbacks, but it seams not a lot of ours friends are talking...
its so expensive and i'm trying not to fall in to those...
already bought some (very) expensive tape that sound "so so" unfortunately. very dull and flat

thank you my friend.
A

Foxbat said:

People don't like say negative things in public forums, which is understandable to some degree... but that unfortunately creates the wrong impression that all tapes on that list of 900 or so are real gems.

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its ok, i can approached my PM if someone interest on helping the new guy on the block
no need to say negative things on public

and we are not naive, its very common to have a

thanks.
A

so, here we are several weeks after the 810 arrived and with it a relatively big amount of boxes that delivered almost every day (got a little crazy with it .....i admit) with tapes...

got to know some wonderful people around, and on this forum that was able and willing to help the new guy...
i got a chance to listen and to become familiar with some of the labels around (not all of them just yet, not even close.. but a few) and starting to get some ideas on comparisons between them and to vinyl of course.. i have a long way to go and even so there is a very limited amount of tapes available (v.s any format) i want a lot of them.

already got some IPi (Jonathan) tapes.... and more on order (what a wonderful man and recordings!)
AP of course (i LOVE THOSE THINGS! ) and more on order..
got the new Cathrine Russlle tape from Reel To Reel heaven - exceptional recording
some Horch house that left me a bit disappointed and i am very curios about them because they have such a large catalog and if its going to be like this... it will be a shame for my wallet to keep gambling on them....
if there anyone in here that got some of their tapes and think i should buy a specific very good one- please! im all ears.
ordered some Hemiolia tapes that should arrive any day, that im stocked to listen to! Kind of blue, blue train and some of their original recordings!
and a bunch of others of course.... still waiting for Ed from Ultra to get his new 300B pre amp upgraded to get the latest and best copys from him as he told me. and the list keep growing.

for now, the sound is amazing, organic and smooth. also compare to vinyl i can hear what everybody is raving about, but my Audiophile persona could not get away from the idea that a much more modern or some crazy High end front for those, instead of my beater A810 will sound a lot better, but maybe i'm delusional.
looking very closely on TP1000 to tell the truth as im living in Israel and couldn't get some of your guys special tech assistance to do so...

a