Reel to reel , is it real the hype!

@newtoncr

The Otari MTRs sound great, even with stock electronics - excellent transport as well. I have a 1/4 inch MTR12 and it’s a great deck.

If you really decide to get into R2R and "master tapes", I would advise that you buy TWO machines, the appropriate monitoring equipment and calibration tapes.

Every studio produced tape would have had line up tones at the head. To get the very best out of each tape, you have to learn how to adjust the playback (repro) to give you the correct level and a flat freq response. Learning how to calibrate both the repro and record side is crucial to getting the best out of a fabulous medium.

I have 5 R2Rs - a half inch Studer A820 and 4 x 1/4 inch machines - Otari MTR12, 2 x Sony APR 5000 series and a Studer A807/II.

I also have about 100 x 15 IPS 1/4 inch production masters (incl Beatles, Floyd, Doors, Peter Gabriel, Miles Davis, Nina Simone etc). I would not dream of playing these regularly through my machines - they are far too valuable and irreplaceable.

Hence, upon purchase I copy each master onto a) new RTM 1/4 inch tape stock at 15 IPS with Dolby SR and b) onto 192/24 high res with a Prism Sound A2D interface. I can then play the duplicated tape as much as I like. The original gets safely stored. It takes me an evening to do a single tape.

Without a shadow of a doubt, high speed R2R from a high quality recording is stunning. You need deep pockets and the willingness to learn. It’s a lot more hassle and far more expensive than digital.

Recording studios went to digital, as it’s far cheaper to make the music in the long run. A 2 inch 762m tape for recording the multitrack session (approx 16 mins at 30 IPS) costs about £350 or USD 500. 1/2 inch tape for the 30 IPS stereo mix down is about £180 or USD 250. That’s a cost, which up and coming artists can’t afford to pay.

Got the otari 10 today , 1/2 inch 2 track with flux magnetic extended performance heads .
I hear immediately more power and presence in the presentation… played doors la woman and it was very good.
will update more incl pictures once I get to collect and listen to more music .
Already  hearing about scammers in the industry who sell reels made from digital sources and charge an arm and a leg . Finding authentic sources sounds like a challenge 

level match against the excellent system you already have, gain is always addictive!
have fun.
enjoy !

I have two Otari MTR 10's both 1/4" 2 track machines all completely stock, I had Studers in the past but; after hearing my first MTR I sold the Studer and bought a second MTR 10.. They sound fantastic in my all bit horn low powered tri amped system. I have over 60 copies of Master tapes @ 15ips IEC and nothing sounds better!!! 
I have a Redpoint Model D TT with a Triplanar arm and Soundsmith cartridge and hundreds of first press albums from the UK, and the tapes just absolutely destroy all of my vinyl. I also have the Tape Project Tapes and they are better than any vinyl I have.... You can't go wrong with getting into R2R!!!!! 

@jsman interesting observation but my experience so far is a little diff. I got master tape copies including from tape project … once I level match my digital and analogue systems the diff is very subtle … dsd copies sound pretty indistinguishable from reel … pcm don’t sound so good but still close …500$ tapes have a charm but dsd digital through my system is very very close /similar . Building an authentic master tape copy library is a great feeling for sure.