Reel to Reel Machine for 15 ips playback

chauncey OP

Did you buy half track tapes?

that's two tracks forward, wider tracks, twice the magnetic material for signal than 4 track's narrower tracks. The deck would need to have 1/2 track heads, cannot play 4 track.

15 IPS, is similar to wider tracks, in that the faster speed gives you twice the magnetic material for the signal (length). The machine needs to be designed and maintained to handle the weight of a full 10-1/2" reel of tape, and the precision of all of it's mechanisms to maintain stability at that speed, no easy feat.

I gave away the few 15 IPS machines I had (don't record anymore), and went with 7-1/2 IPS to allow me to buy pre-recorded tapes at reasonable prices.

Yes, 15 IPS is better, however 7-1/2 IPS is good enough to be the best sounding source in my system.

'good enough' is always a compromise, but not having many pre-recorded tapes to listen to is also a compromise.

chauncey,

I understand it is a 1/4" wide tape. the question is, how many tracks are recorded on the tape: 2 or 4?

here's a listing:

says 1/4" tape, does not specify 2 track forward or 4 track auto reverse, like a standard 4 track stereo tape, i.e. the pre-recorded ones I buy at 7-1/2" ips. on 7" reels.

no info, I presume 4 track stereo, auto reverse.

IF discogs is correct, then you need a deck with 2 track heads. I would verify with Acoustic Sounds directly. That is the professional/better sound setup. I just cannot imagine not saying so in the tape’s description.

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There may be a deck with selectable heads, someone like Mike might know. That would be ideally flexible.

perhaps a deck can be switched from using a 2 track head (wider tracks) and another separate 4 track head, presumable two forward, two backwards, which is why you want auto-reverse.

That’s probably a pipe dream, perhaps make room now to fit two decks if you ever get into pre-recorded 4 track tapes. That machine would need a 7-1/2 IPS option.

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I had a 2 track deck, (play only) with selectable optional heads.

Original 2 track stereo tapes 1956, came in two recording methods, requiring different heads.

’in-line’ tapes: the left and right signals were aligned horizontally/vertically, (’in-line’. quickly became the standard). left signal directly above the right signal, allowing a single 2 track stereo head, record/play one direction only.

’staggered’ tapes the l/r signals were recorded staggered 3/4" apart horizontally/vertically. i.e. they did not align vertically.

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thus the l and r heads had to be either ’in-line’ (single head, two stripes)

or ’staggered’ 3/4" apart.(two staggared heads, one l signal; other, 3/4" away r signal.

My deck had an inline 2 track stereo head, and a separate single track head 3/4" further along. record staggared, play staggered.

switch would select either both track’s of the stereo head for in-line;

or switch to 1 track from the 2 track head, other track from the separate head 3/4" further along to play staggered heads.

Jason,

15ips 2 track stereo has to be awesome. I have only heard 15 ips 4 track (narrower tracks)

OP has the budget, why not. That's why I mentioned two decks, one 2 track, other 4 track auto-reverse.

I collected around 500 pre-recorded 4 tracks, years ago, they were costing around $8. in those days. I sold about 100 of them on eBay, will sell some more, just need space.

Of the $450. 2 track tapes OP is considering, some content he/you truly like will exist, and then many 4 track tapes that exist of artists/content you really like will never be issued on 2 track format. 

I often wonder why more members here (and most audiophiles I know personally) do not have Reel to Reel. If you want great sound, 4 track pre-recorded tapes at 7-1/2 ips will definitely sound better than your/my wonderful Vinyl. (lots of affordable content)  

One of the reasons is the content is limited by the era, there is no content for what young people grew up listening to. Yes, they can collect classic rock from our/my era, but not enough incentive to get into tape.

I have some 1/4" 2 track stereo tapes inherited from my uncle (with the Fisher President II, which had the in-line/staggered tape deck in a drawer). They are 7-1/2 ips. They sound even better that the 4 track pre-recorded at the same speed, thus the best source I have.

However, these are all classical, even if I like some classical, those are famous, but not my selections, so I gave my 2 track machine away. I'll probably sell the 2 track tapes.

You can manage to play a 2 track tape on a 4 track deck, just to hear the content. However, not for full fidelity. One track gets picked up ok, and the other track just partial overlap on that track of the head. So you adjust the volume, turn one track down, turn other track up, nothing special sounding about that. But, I can check the tapes before I sell them that way.

Despite what people fear, these tapes are 50, 60, the 2 tracks are 67 years old, and they have strong signal strength, no bleed thru, no shedding, no more s/n than when they were new. Often brittle ends, I put new leaders on both ends.

Of the 500 I bought, I think only 2 were problematic.