Analogue Productions Tape Dubbing and Your Favorite Album

[Zeotrope]

I have a brand new album on tape from AP, Beethoven Sonata in G Major. It's a beautiful recording made by David Wilson of Wilson Audio. I bought the album on vinyl about a year ago and just added the reel tape.
Unfortunately, Tape B was recorded with the L-R channels reversed and probably out of phase! It's obvious, because I can compare with both the vinyl and Reel A, and the liner notes are very clear where the instruments are positioned.
Nothing is perfect and companies make mistakes, so this is not a problem. What IS a problem is that AP is refusing to pay for return shipping. Can you believe it! You charge $500 for an album and make the customer pay for a defect. Unbelievable!

I am waiting to hear back from Chad but it they don't reverse this unacceptable policy, it will be the last AP album I buy.

 

[Zeotrope]

Review: https://www.stereophile.com/content/recording-february-1984-beethovenenescu-violin-sonatas

 

[Bruce B]

When I did the tape transfer it was perfect.... someone screwed up!! Hopefully you can get it sorted out.

 

[Zeotrope]

I’m sure it was. I guess it was mixed up when the tape was copied.
I’m not going to pay to ship it back though. I’m actually surprised they are arguing with me over the cost to ship it back from Canada…

 

[astrotoy]

I'll take a listen to my copy of the tapes. I bought it when the tapes first came out seven years ago, so your copy was most probably dubbed more recently. Larry

 

[astrotoy]

I just listened to my tapes of the Beethoven/Enescu - both have the violin on right (from listener perspective) and the piano in the center left. My tapes were purchased in 2017, when the first set of ten albums were released.

You might have some luck with Brian Roth (brian2@brianroth.com) who is responsible for the ATR-102's at Acoustic Sounds.

Larry

 

[Zeotrope]

Thanks Larry. Note that the violin should be on the left of center. This is detailed in the notes on the back cover of the album:

The listening notes states that the violin should originate just to the right of the inside edge of the left speaker.

My A reel is like this, but the B is flipped, with the violin on the right.
I have the vinyl album and both sides have the violin on the left.

 

[A-Line]

I've purchased some really hard to find classical LP's from Acoustic Sounds and have been very pleased with their service and the quality of the LP's considering that they were used but extremely well cared for. I have never purchased a pre-recorded analog tape from anyone.
I've not purchased from them since 2010.

I hope that you get your issues sorted out with them.

 

[Zeotrope]

Thanks. My disappointment is in how they are handing it, not that the error was made. Mistakes happen, how they are handled makes all the difference. It’s an opportunity for the company to engender or destroy loyalty.

 

[A-Line]

Thanks. My disappointment is in how they are handing it, not that the error was made. Mistakes happen, how they are handled makes all the difference. It’s an opportunity for the company to engender or destroy loyalty.

Well the issue is with the tape that they sold you.
They should pay for shipping and any other expenses associated with your purchase.
It's just good business and it's just the right thing to do.

 

[Zeotrope]

Well the issue is with the tape that they sold you.
They should pay for shipping and any other expenses associated with your purchase.
It's just good business and it's just the right thing to do.

Exactly. The fact that they are even arguing it is incredible.
I have purchased about 25 albums on tape so far. I had an issue with a Chasing the Dragon tape - they sent me a return label no questions asked, and they are much further from me than AP is.
One of the Hemiolia reels was warped. They offered to send a new one at their cost without asking for the defective one back (I declined, but it was a nice gesture).

 

[Zeotrope]

They agreed to collect the tape at their cost and to make it right. I’m going to reward that with another order.
What’s your favorite R2R album from AP?

 

[dminches]

A Love Supreme

 

[astrotoy]

Hope

 

[astrotoy]

Thanks Larry. Note that the violin should be on the left of center. This is detailed in the notes on the back cover of the album:

My A reel is like this, but the B is flipped, with the violin on the right.
I have the vinyl album and both sides have the violin on the left.

Thanks. I relistened to the tapes as well as my copy of the vinyl. Turns out my left hearing aid wasn't working well. With it properly adjusted the violin is in the correct place. Larry

 

[Zeotrope]

Great, so violin is left of center on the Enescu tape too, right?

 

[adrianywu]

I have a brand new album on tape from AP, Beethoven Sonata in G Major. It's a beautiful recording made by David Wilson of Wilson Audio. I bought the album on vinyl about a year ago and just added the reel tape.
Unfortunately, Tape B was recorded with the L-R channels reversed and probably out of phase! It's obvious, because I can compare with both the vinyl and Reel A, and the liner notes are very clear where the instruments are positioned.
Nothing is perfect and companies make mistakes, so this is not a problem. What IS a problem is that AP is refusing to pay for return shipping. Can you believe it! You charge $500 for an album and make the customer pay for a defect. Unbelievable!

I am waiting to hear back from Chad but it they don't reverse this unacceptable policy, it will be the last AP album I buy.

I bought this tape when it was first released. My tape B does not have this problem, and so it must have been an issue during the batch transfer. I have had two issues with AP tapes. The first was with the Power of the Orchestra. One channel had a drop out that lasted about 30 seconds near the beginning of one tape. I made an MP3 of the section and sent it to Acoustic Sounds. The employee did not know what to do, and after consulting with Chad (and that took weeks), they sent me a replacement tape. I only had to pay for postage, and I did not have to send back the defective one. The other issue was with Gentle Ben. I received two tapes of side A, even though one was labeled side B. I had to send that one back to receive a replacement, and pay for postage both ways. On another occasion, the tapes were sent in the wrong packaging (I think the tapes were Daphne et Chloe, but the packaging was for another title). Since I was a subscriber for the whole series, they sent the other title with the Daphne et Chloe packaging and I swapped the two.