Oh bloody hell, what have I started now! My Misses is going to kill me!

[twelvebears]

Can I just say that you two are no help whatsoever!

I'd actually love a vast and random selection of retro stuff all wired up and glowing. And where it will live in the new house, there's scope for a floor to ceiling tower of shelves.....

Fortunately Susy's a bit of gadget freak herself, so as long as it look cool and doesn't cost too much, I'll be OK.

Actually, I think she'd quite like a nice big R2R machine......

[Spectral Morn]

Can I just say that you two are no help whatsoever!

I'd actually love a vast and random selection of retro stuff all wired up and glowing. And where it will live in the new house, there's scope for a floor to ceiling tower of shelves.....

Fortunately Susy's a bit of gadget freak herself, so as long as it look cool and doesn't cost too much, I'll be OK.

Actually, I think she'd quite like a nice big R2R machine......

Until you have to rearrange the room to accommodate one...., as I have. Mine is on top of a Clearlight table that sits a bit across the window, on the other side on the table is the PC monitor. Mrs D S takes a look at it and says "its blocking the light a bit"....which IMHO it isn't but....I lay it on its back but that won't work as you need to be able to see the displays etc...and whats the point of having a lovely R to R you can't see... So its upright again (its not that tall).

By the way does a R to R sound better upright or on its back ? I think threading the tape might be easier if its up right (haven't done it yet)...in fact I have still to have a listen or record. You need so many accessories except there not really accessories, they are necessities, before you can start. The last bits came via the post today.

I think Werner's picture of how his system used to be(Link http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3207), looks like the ideal lay out, but I can't do that....oh well.

Five years ago, as I moved from Vienna to Tyrol, I sold my Thorens turntable, my Revox A 77, my DAT recorders and my complete vinyl collection.

Regards D S D L

[hifi_dave]

I find it easier to wind the tape on a reel 2 reel with it laying on it's back. However, they look so much better standing up with the obligatory 10.5 inch NAB alloy spools.

[hifi_dave]

Sod - I forgot the smiley.

[Barry]

I blame Nick (Beechwoods)....

A fellow audio-freak at work (who's Dad is even worse... Mmmmm should get them both to join AOS actually) happened to mention that he was going to give away 'an old tape deck' to a charity shop and I just couldn't help saying 'Oh really? I'll have it'

Why? Why did I feel the need to do that? OK, as it happens, the free, old tape deck was a Technics RS-BX747 which is not bad as a freebie, but the trouble is it's starting to lead me down a whole new dark path which now has me watching a variety of items on eBay, including various blank cassettes and worse still, reel-to-reel machines....

I can already see our new house filling with audio junk and we haven't even moved in yet!! This is the trouble with moving from a flat to a decent size house. It's given me scope and space for picking up 'bargains' because I've now actually got somewhere to put them.

No doubt tuners will be next.

Is there any way to stop this or is it already too late?

No Steve, sadly you have placed your foot on the start of a very slippery slope - there is no going back!

However, you can take comfort in the fact that several AoS members are inveterate collectors. I, for example, have four turntables, eight tone arms, about a dozen cartridges, five preamps, five power amps, three R2R machines, two cassette decks, two tuners and two sets of speakers. If you think I'm crazy, King (kcc123) has a very impressive collection of decks, arms, amplifiers and 33 cartridges!

No there is no cure! - Welcome to the asylum!

Just stop when you get to 11 tape decks, otherwise you'll be obliged to change your username to 'Twelve Decks'

[Barry]

Too late You are doomed.........


Yes.....it all Nick's fault. I have still to work out how I will explain the presence (hopefully later today) of a massive Akai GX headed R to R machine thats on its way to me (+a pile of tapes). I have had to rearrange the system and how its laid out(photos to follow), and this to fit one R to R a Revox B77mk2. Now theres tape buying, leader tape buying, editing tape buying, head demag buying, cleaning fluid buying(had that already), Tape control switching input, output expander buying, NAB adapters buying, Metal spools or plastic spools considering then buying, 10.5 reels uuuuuuuuuur.............it goes on Oh yes and 60 mins of tape (New) costs about £20+ after VAT and P&P And all of this and I have no money...I am mad no doubt. I have justified it by the thought "that sometimes you are in the right place at the right time and not to get something at that time means you might never" that argument doesn't really hold water, but there you go works for me.

Its a disease of that there is no doubt...... Full write up of the Dalek Supremes tape adventure when I figure out how to do it....that bit goes there ummmmmmmm? Oh yes and that bit of tape winds round that....AHHHHHHH.... Sound ?


Regards D S D L

Now what is all this? When I were a lad we didn't bother with all that namby pamby stuff like leader tape - just used a foot or so of the magnetic tape! Splicing tape? - what's wrong with Sellotape?

Correct sized take up reels? Well once I had to do some recording using a 7" spool of tape but realised that I only had empty 5" spools to hand. No time to go out and buy one - so what did I do? Allowed the tape emerging from the capstan wheel to gently fall into an empty waste paper bin. When I finished the recording, I simply swapped the now near empty spool onto the right hand side and replayed the tape, so the tape was spooled nice and evenly, this time being gently drawn out of the waste bin. No damage was done to the tape and the recording was a good one.

I can almost see/hear Nick cringing over this , but the anecdote is, I swear, true. Needless to say I, did go out later to buy an empty 7" spool. Honest Guv.

[Spectral Morn]

I find it easier to wind the tape on a reel 2 reel with it laying on it's back. However, they look so much better standing up with the obligatory 10.5 inch NAB alloy spools.

I am afraid I succumbed to the magic of Revox silver alloy NAB adapters...you know the extra bits you bolt onto the NABs....boy they look sexy.

Two winging there way to me from Italy as I type. I always knew joining flea bay would be a huge temptation.


Regards D S D L

[Spectral Morn]

No Steve, sadly you have placed your foot on the start of a very slippery slope - there is no going back!

However, you can take comfort in the fact that several AoS members are inveterate collectors. I, for example, have four turntables, eight tone arms, about a dozen cartridges, five preamps, five power amps, three R2R machines, two cassette decks, two tuners and two sets of speakers. If you think I'm crazy, King (kcc123) has a very impressive collection of decks, arms, amplifiers and 33 cartridges!

No there is no cure! - Welcome to the asylum!

Just stop when you get to 11 tape decks, otherwise you'll be obliged to change your username to 'Twelve Decks'

Hi Barry

What R to R machines do you have ?

What do you feel about the question of standing them up or laying them down ? Do they sound better one way or the other ? Are they easier to use as hi-fi dave finds on their backs

By the way Dave what type of R to R do you use/have ?





Regards D S D L

[Beechwoods]

Certain machines were designed to play one way or the other... others don't mind. My Sony and Tandberg's can be sat either way.

I've never tried doing a sound test, but I suspect that upright is better because gravity is acting equally on both 'top and bottom' of the tape, whereas on it's back, it may cause the tape to drift (of course these forces are tiny, probably imperceptible, but if we can hear the affect of clean mains contacts, or a different type of fuse it might be audible!).

[Spectral Morn]

Now what is all this? When I were a lad we didn't bother with all that namby pamby stuff like leader tape - just used a foot or so of the magnetic tape! Splicing tape? - what's wrong with Sellotape?

Correct sized take up reels? Well once I had to do some recording using a 7" spool of tape but realised that I only had empty 5" spools to hand. No time to go out and buy one - so what did I do? Allowed the tape emerging from the capstan wheel to gently fall into an empty waste paper bin. When I finished the recording, I simply swapped the now near empty spool onto the right hand side and replayed the tape, so the tape was spooled nice and evenly, this time being gently drawn out of the waste bin. No damage was done to the tape and the recording was a good one.

I can almost see/hear Nick cringing over this , but the anecdote is, I swear, true. Needless to say I, did go out later to buy an empty 7" spool. Honest Guv.

Hi Barry again....

I just like to have all the right bits when I am new to something. Now all here....I have still not used it yet. I guess I am afraid of mucking something up.

I discovered the issue of only having one Nab adapter when I thought about the transfer of tape from one spool to another. I got one empty spool and it was a cine type (fine)with the Revox, but if I got NAB types I would need another NAB adapter...so I had to buy two(first purchase on E-Bay). I now have spare metal spool as well.


Regards D S D L