Reel to Reel information, user tips and tricks...

The motors are coming apart? I’ll look I have two. I’ve had to tune them up. But for the most part I’ve never had problems. Yea motors are available. Not new, but recon. I can take a peek too. Why would they come apart? Not following you. The speed switch. Not sure, I alway was a 7.x guy. 10.5 in reels. some 7.x that are pres. I’m trying to remember, we use to make some really nice playback rigs, and recordings with that rig. The BII with RCA direct playback and a modded onboard SS pre for recording.. It was a lot of fun. HiFi, pretty good quality, tinkering with the bias on the playback.

LOL was it colored? Oh heck yea.. Sure was nice though.. You can dig some sound out of tape.. it’s fun..

All my stuff is stereo, BUT I’m hearing a 3rd head added some way? Still stereo... L/R but a 3rd head. I just can’t figure. 1/2 inch tape maybe. The 3rd head is summation for playback? Trinaural by recording? 3 channel?
3rd speaker?

Yup, I’m that guy.. I like Macs 3 channel analog better than any of them.. For 3 channels..Serious sound trickery going on there. James B of Ampzilla SST Trinaural analog 3 channel, sounds pretty good.. Again I like the Mac better..

Regards

That phono stage option you're doing is The Bomb! Saw how that works. Taking the signal right off the playback head direct to the phono stage, bypassing whatever was in the tape deck in favor of a much higher quality gain stage with- the really cool part- adjustable EQ. Insane! Never heard of that before but what a great idea!

Elliott Newcomb on here is a serious tape guy. I had a chance to listen to his rig and it was awesome. He will chime in eventually.
BTW, nothing to laugh about with tape, it's what everything was mastered on till digital came along. Digital is just a lot easier, no splicing or any other stuff.

BillWojo

" Digital is just a lot easier, no splicing or any other stuff."
Absolutely correct, however visually, R2R is so much cooler. 

There are those that say there is no need. Mine was set up 25 years ago. I had a a Military Roberts 770 and the Otari MX50/50 BII. 4 or 5 of us had the head covers milled.  I used a Manley modified photo stage. This was before the guy passed. It had something REAL close. I'm pretty sure it was point to point to. Same deal though, PS being in the same chassis. They fixed it by design, in lue of a filter. I though it was rather nifty.. Decware is the same way. The longest wire in the signal path is only 2 inches long... Hard to receive interference with that short antenna!. :-)

Uses my favorite valves to at a reduced voltage, so a longer life too. 12AX7 and 12AU7. 5 valves total for possible rolls..

I like RtR perfect NO, fun oh heck yea. I like it all. 

Now to find a source for some humpty dumpty heads. There used to be some hand made around.. Red sock Green Sock guy... X-File type

I think it's just a switch flip or two to get back to LP use. Might need a Decware switch box.. We'll see.

It's, ANALOG..

I'm Jazzed..

Regards