SOTA reel to reel players

Hi Pedrillo, that's a loaded question- the answer is that a table is better if you have direct-to disc. Otherwise, tapes **stomp** on LPs.

IMO, the best tape machines will have an all-tube signal path. You can set up almost any transport to work with tubes, using the signal directly off of the tape heads, although finding the tube preamp is a bit of a trick. The Bottlehead forum is a good source, and we have set up some of our preamps with tape EQ also.

Sticky tape does not need to be a problem!

Old tape can be 'baked' at 150 degrees for about 30-40 minutes to get rid of the sticky/shedding issues. It can then be used for years before having to be 'baked' again. You can leave it on the reel as long as the reel is metal.

'Baking' the tape chases the moisture that it has collected over the years out of the tape. It takes a few years for the moisture to collect in the tape again.

You can prolong the storage of tape by keeping it in a sealed plastic bag, in a box away from direct sunlight and high humidity. A little packet of 'Silica Gel' to absorb moisture in the bag is a good idea.

Jj2468, if treated with care, old tapes can have excellent fidelity even if made in the 1950s.

Ken, I use a sort of commercial timer oven for making pizzas, which works extremely well since it takes a while to warm up. I've also used my oven at home, and just block the door slightly so it can't close completely- I've had good results with that too.

It seems like it might be a bother, but you only have to treat a tape this way maybe every 5-6 years or so. I'm glad I didn't throw out the old tapes for my Mellotron :)