Actual number of tapes??

NMMark1962

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Jun 29, 2013
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Hey all, is there anyway to see just how many tape recordings are available for purchase?? I am pretty much a classical guy, though tapes of Rush, Boston, CCR, The Eagles, Moody Blues,The Beatles and Elton John would be okay...There is a list of highly recommended tapes in the current issue of TAS but surely that cannot be the entire listing of whats available....or is it???

Also, what might be a killer sticky for this part of the forum is a listing of all the currently known tape dealers (well, those who sell prerecorded tapes) so that hard core newbies like me who are just learning about the glories of tape can have some resources....

Cheers,
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Hey all, is there anyway to see just how many tape recordings are available for purchase?? I am pretty much a classical guy, though tapes of Rush, Boston, CCR, The Eagles, Moody Blues,The Beatles and Elton John would be okay...There is a list of highly recommended tapes in the current issue of TAS but surely that cannot be the entire listing of whats available....or is it???

Also, what might be a killer sticky for this part of the forum is a listing of all the currently known tape dealers (well, those who sell prerecorded tapes) so that hard core newbies like me who are just learning about the glories of tape can have some resources....

Cheers,

If you do a search here you will find several threads detailing exactly what you ask
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
578
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Philly
Can you link the article?
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
578
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Thanks Bruce.

NMMark1962 can you post the TAS link?
 

NMMark1962

New Member
Jun 29, 2013
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Thanks Bruce.

NMMark1962 can you post the TAS link?

Evening,

What I read about tapes is in the current issue #234 (July/August). I just started reading TAS after a long hiatus so I am not sure what TAS' policy is regarding the reading/viewing of articles. Maybe once an issue is old (say, May/June) and the new issue (July/August) is out you may be able to view it as an archived report...The special report/article I am talking about starts on page 60 and is written by Jonathan Valin and deals with United Home Audio's UHA-HQ Tape Deck and the "New-Gen Reel-to-Reel tapes"....part of his report he refers to a "Select Reelography" and then proceeds to cover examples of several companies who produce R2R tape, like Opus3, The Tape Project (hideously expensive) and others...the tapes he mentions are classical, pop, rock, blues.....thus my question about the creation or the locating of an exhaustive as possible list of tape companies and the releases that are offered...I have to now curse Mike Lavigne for sparking this unhealthy interest in tape.....BLAST, as if wanting to buy a killer turntable was not enough, now I am getting interested in tape....CURSE YOU!!!! May you be forced to listen to Justin Bieber on scratched CDs (wait, i will apologize to any Bieber fans here)....

Sorry that until the current issue is "old" the only way to read it is to buy the magazine.....or, sign up for a free trial issue, get the current and then cancel the subscription....

Cheers,
 

Greg Beron / UHA

Member Sponsor
Apr 5, 2012
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The quick list off the top of my head of commercial Master Tapes is as follows.
I have contacted many more recording companies that are kinda on the fence about issuing their libraries on tape. I believe they want to see a bit more activity or probably sales from tape copies before they jump into the ring.
I have one new company with a great classical library and a great name in audiophile recordings that should be announcing their entry into the Master Tape arena soon, but I won't steal their press. The tapes will be available from Kevin Berg at Elusive Disc. There is also an operation in Germany that sells tape copies but I cannot recall their name.
Please post any additions to this list, or if I left anyone out.

Opus 3 : http://www.opus3records.com/

International Phonograph Inc. : http://internationalphonographinc.com/

The Tape Project : http://www.tapeproject.com/

Yarlung Records : yarlungrecords.com

Premonition Records : premonitionrecords.com

Ultra Analogue Recordings : ultraanaloguerecordings.com

Groove Note Records : Can't find a web site but the tapes are available from Kevin Berg with Elusive Disc.

Master Tape Sound Lab : http://www.mastertapesoundlab.com/MasterTapeSoundLab/Welcome.html
 

Asamel

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2012
578
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263
Philly
Thanks for posting Greg. Could you please post the details when that new company comes on line?

BTW Yarlung has recently released some new tape titles which I've ordered after this thread prompted me to revisit the web site.

Bruce in PA
 

NMMark1962

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Jun 29, 2013
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MANY thanks,

This is what I was referring to....something that could become a sticky and could have new links added to as perhaps new companies come in line to release new material...and if tape continues to grow and prosper we will see more new companies appear....more for the better of all!!!

Cheers,
 

NMMark1962

New Member
Jun 29, 2013
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sticky it is

This great news....'cause in JV's current article in TAS (for whatever it's worth) he states that there are apparently a number of companies who are considering jumping into the R2R business.....that would be indeed be delightful if we saw loads more tape come out...after all, how many of gazillions of miles of tape are there in the vaults of London/Decca, Phillips, EMI, DG, RCA, Columbia (sorry, that is the classical geek in me coming out).....need I go on???

Cheers,
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
This great news....'cause in JV's current article in TAS (for whatever it's worth) he states that there are apparently a number of companies who are considering jumping into the R2R business.....that would be indeed be delightful if we saw loads more tape come out...after all, how many of gazillions of miles of tape are there in the vaults of London/Decca, Phillips, EMI, DG, RCA, Columbia (sorry, that is the classical geek in me coming out).....need I go on???

Cheers,

If your search www.positive-feedback.com, you will see that I covered a lot of the current tapes from The Tape Project, Yarlung, Opus 3 and most recently in the current issue, Premonition Records, International Phonogram and Opus 3.

In fact about 2 or three years ago, did a big piece on The Tape Project and getting started in reel-to-reel.
 

Greg Beron / UHA

Member Sponsor
Apr 5, 2012
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The Reel to Reel Consortium

Here is an idea I have been thinking about for a while...

The Reel to Reel Consortium would be a membership group of like minded tape enthusiasts that would work toward a common purpose, the proliferation of music on Master Tape copies.
There would be a membership list with names and contact info that could be of benefit to a recording company thinking about putting out Master Tape copies.
For example, let's say that a recording company was thinking of issuing a Master Tape copy of ________ recording (fill in the blank), if they could go to the Consortium and ask how many would buy this title? Or maybe they say we need this many to prepay for said title and we will make it for you. That eases the mind of the recording studio about the viability of issuing that title, they get it sold before they do anything at all. Maybe they list 10 titles and see what would sell before hand, whatever.

I just believe that when we are trying to get some gravity for R2R as a viable source in high end audio speaking with a unified voice has merit.
To accomplish this I believe the following would be needed.
1.) A web site that can be promoted to recording companies as evidence of the need for more music on tape.
2.) A Constant Contact subscription to allow easy email newsletter communication to the members.
3.) Advertising budget, if we took out a few 1/4 page ads in The Absolute Sound or Stereophile or ezines we can garner the attention of the magazines or ezines to say that we are here and we are a force for the proliferation of R2R.
4.) Reviews and press in general.
Yes to accomplish these 4 aggressive points there would need to be a membership fee, I guess that is the down side.

Remember to start with we already have some influential folks on the bandwagon.
Positive Feedback Online - Myles has done more reviews on tape and tape related stuff than anyone, plus David Robinson is a tape guy.
AVShowrooms.com - Peter Breuninger is a tape guy for sure.
The Absolute Sound - Jonathan Valin is a convert and has done two tape articles so far.
There are more of course, but you get the idea.

I talk to guys every day and at shows that are on the fence about expanding their audio systems to encompas R2R tape but want to see further movement before making the jump. If we had a Consortium that will establish a more active presence in high end audio for R2R and who knows we may start a snowball effect???
 

hvbias

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2012
578
38
940
New England area
Or even a Blogspot (free) blog about tape releases and news would be cool. There are some blogs like this for vinyl reviews, high res digital news, etc.
 

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
Here is an idea I have been thinking about for a while...

The Reel to Reel Consortium would be a membership group of like minded tape enthusiasts that would work toward a common purpose, the proliferation of music on Master Tape copies.
There would be a membership list with names and contact info that could be of benefit to a recording company thinking about putting out Master Tape copies.
For example, let's say that a recording company was thinking of issuing a Master Tape copy of ________ recording (fill in the blank), if they could go to the Consortium and ask how many would buy this title? Or maybe they say we need this many to prepay for said title and we will make it for you. That eases the mind of the recording studio about the viability of issuing that title, they get it sold before they do anything at all. Maybe they list 10 titles and see what would sell before hand, whatever.

I just believe that when we are trying to get some gravity for R2R as a viable source in high end audio speaking with a unified voice has merit.
To accomplish this I believe the following would be needed.
1.) A web site that can be promoted to recording companies as evidence of the need for more music on tape.
2.) A Constant Contact subscription to allow easy email newsletter communication to the members.
3.) Advertising budget, if we took out a few 1/4 page ads in The Absolute Sound or Stereophile or ezines we can garner the attention of the magazines or ezines to say that we are here and we are a force for the proliferation of R2R.
4.) Reviews and press in general.
Yes to accomplish these 4 aggressive points there would need to be a membership fee, I guess that is the down side.

Remember to start with we already have some influential folks on the bandwagon.
Positive Feedback Online - Myles has done more reviews on tape and tape related stuff than anyone, plus David Robinson is a tape guy.
AVShowrooms.com - Peter Breuninger is a tape guy for sure.
The Absolute Sound - Jonathan Valin is a convert and has done two tape articles so far.
There are more of course, but you get the idea.

I talk to guys every day and at shows that are on the fence about expanding their audio systems to encompas R2R tape but want to see further movement before making the jump. If we had a Consortium that will establish a more active presence in high end audio for R2R and who knows we may start a snowball effect???

By all means...LET'S :)
 

NMMark1962

New Member
Jun 29, 2013
116
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61
Santa Fe, NM
I would support any efforts to get more superb R2R tapes, especially recordings from London/Decca and a number of the old Solti/CSO recordings done in Medina and down at The Krannert Center with Decca's god of gods recording engineer, Kenneth Wilkinson.....Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps....sign me up please!!!

Cheers,
 

rad

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2010
169
44
1,585
Ohio
:):
I would support any effort as well...sign me up, emails, calls, petitions, we need more source material.
 

Edward Pong

Industry Expert
Jun 24, 2013
386
195
348
Locust Hill, Ontario
I agree it would be wonderful to have tape copies of all the famous Decca, & EMI recordings, but I'm sure the logistics & costs of licensing with these major historic labels puts this wish into the realm of fantasy.
 

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