Ron’s New System
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
Really interesting reading, even I’m not into reel to reel at this point. Thank you microstrip.
All the best
/ Jk
After I irreversibly damage a few tapes I’ll be experienced.
I used to have a reel to reel deck, a decent mid 70s fully refurbished TEAC, that I used mostly to make live classical recordings with. I would play those tapes back but eventually I digitized them and ripped cds. I sold the deck because I found it difficult to get good pre-recorded tapes and not worth the hassle. Now I am reading here about baking the tapes periodically (I knew about this but I thought it was only needed for really old tapes) and other faffing about. I think I am glad I stopped at vinyl…which is already kind of finicky. Good luck Ron but I suspect you will only play tapes to impress the guests. The AS-2000 will likely be “good enough” 
Good luck Ron but I suspect you will only play tapes to impress the guests. The AS-2000 will likely be “good enough”
I lived with the original American sound AS 1000 turntable for over a month. The gentleman who designed that machine was a real genius. I compared that turntable to the AS 2000 in my own system. DDK improved the design and took it further. It is certainly “good enough“ and a destination product that can be owned and enjoyed for the rest of one’s life.
Here is a good guide for which tapes need to be baked.
4 hours is not enough. I usually bake for 6-8 hours and then let them cool overnight.
The issue you are going to have is that after you successfully bake the tape you should make a copy on the first play. If you don't have a 2nd deck for duplication then I hold off on baking them.
I used to have a reel to reel deck, a decent mid 70s fully refurbished TEAC, that I used mostly to make live classical recordings with. I would play those tapes back but eventually I digitized them and ripped cds. I sold the deck because I found it difficult to get good pre-recorded tapes and not worth the hassle. Now I am reading here about baking the tapes periodically (I knew about this but I thought it was only needed for really old tapes) and other faffing about. I think I am glad I stopped at vinyl…which is already kind of finicky. Good luck Ron but I suspect you will only play tapes to impress the guests. The AS-2000 will likely be “good enough”
My focus on a relatively small number of loved titles dovetails beautifully with my effort to achieve stunning sound from tape. In classical, I have literally all of my favorite pieces on high-level tape. In jazz I have seven or eight of my 10 favorites on high-level tape. In classical and jazz I can see literally a majority of my playback being on tape.
If tape goo is not an issue on my high-level tapes literally a majority of my playback of classical and jazz will be on tape. The A820 has such a luxury feel (it “gives good knob” as we say in amateur radio) that it’s a joy to use.
Respectfully, I feel some cognitive dissonance coming through your discussion of your history with tape. I just don’t think that a TEAC with generally available tapes is going to do the trick.
In order to make tape land at a consistently higher suspension of disbelief than the best vinyl of those titles one must, I think, use both very high-level tapes and one of the top machines.
But what the hell do I know? These are very early days in my exploration of tape.
The low level tapes I have consistently fail to beat 45rpm vinyl. The high-level tapes I played on Thursday were worth sonically — to me — all of this effort. And maybe an outboard tape pre-amp would elevate the tape to an even higher level.
Last edited:
Here is a good guide for which tapes need to be baked.
Thank you for this depressing list.
Doesn’t this list basically say that all tapes that or at least 20 years old are suspect?Go Ron go?!
To me it sounds that you live your life and having a very good and pleasent time with your reel to reel… even if not everything is exactly 1000% … What if you enjoy it anyway… -is not that good enough then or what…
I hold my thumbs up for you
!All the best
/ Johan
Thank you for this depressing list.
No. There are a ton of old tapes that are just fine. RVG recorded on Scotch 111. That tape still plays well.
Yes Sir? - you tell me… I like your approach to the issue. If I were you, I would just go for it and having a good time. If is doesn’t crash and burn - you’re definitely good to go..!!
With these big complex systems one can’t be 100% certain everything is top noch even if the gears you buy is brand new. It’s always something to fix or adjust… and that is hifi in it’s own right… don’t you think.
Me myself have a minor issue with one of my M-L Stage center speaker tweeter that gives me a bit of headache, because it giv some distorsion noice once in a while, and M-L does not have a spare tweeter anymore… so… that’s my problem here… if someone got one.. please use a rocketship and launch it to Sweden.. at once?, hahaha..
/ Jk
The recordings I made were with the best tape quality available. There were for sure there are better machines than the TEAC I had but I was recording live violin performances with good microphones and pre and the sound quality was superb.
If you are playing a tape 50 times you don’t have enough tapes!
And here I have thought sonically cleaning my LPs was a bit of a bother. Baking, cooling, copying… IMHO after all that, you better end up with an orgasmic listening session. And I don't mean just average orgasm either, but “if I died right now my life would be complete“ kind of orgasm.
And here I have thought sonically cleaning my LPs was a bit of a bother. Baking, cooling, copying… IMHO after all that, you better end up with an orgasmic listening session. And I don't mean just average orgasm either, but “if I died right now my life would be complete“ kind of orgasm.
Any newly purchased commercial tape does not need to be baked. We are talking about 50 year old stock.
Hahahaha…!!!And here I have thought sonically cleaning my LPs was a bit of a bother. Baking, cooling, copying… IMHO after all that, you better end up with an orgasmic listening session. And I don't mean just average orgasm either, but “if I died right now my life would be complete“ kind of orgasm.
That’s right, just shut it and play some psychedelic trance in surround sound at level that are inappropriate to most people and put some extra subs to that, and you can enter heaven with style?/ Jk
Insert basically every recording of renown and subtract the illusion of audiophile acumen bestowed upon X piece of equipment.
Thank you for placing this reminder of why I continue (mostly) reading this site. One needs to account for where and what has been left behind that has inestimable worth forming the solid base any peak of this high end pursuit must be supported by. Crevasses form and reform below making the impassible, passible. Hiding and revealing what the past has slowly ground up or preserved intact. Routes through this pursuit can be a real wonder of human triumph and discovery.
The main issue with tape baking is that known experts do not agree all the time and there is too much interesting information spread in audio forums and internet pages about this very diverse and extended subject.
There is not a book of truth on the subject, but IMO someone spending a large amount of money in a tape machine must either rely in a single source that should be obeyed
or invest some time researching on the subject to create his own way. Otherwise he will be turning like a weathercock. Another interesting conflicting comment: https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/reel-to-reel-and-baking.345414/page-2