Staying in & testing out a Sony Reel to Reel
I’ve re-written this opening paragraph over and over but, well, you know how it is…so let’s just move on to the video.
This week I’ve been testing out a classic reel to reel. This is quite a long video, but for me at the moment I’m really in no rush. Some things just can't be hurried - they take as long as they take, if not longer. Patience seems to be the order of the day.
Take care of yourself,
Mat.
NOTE: Following feedback - I've re-edited a couple of things. A new version is embedded and linked to above. 4K is still processing.
Comments (79)
I'm thinking that perhaps one of the Audities posts would have been a better place to mention this but in any case, the label Section 9 appears to be releasing new titles on 5" 7.5IPS open reel tape. Looks like virtually all their physical releases have sold out thus far but their latest pre-order is still available at a mere $60! https://section9tapes.bandcamp.com/
Great review Matt, nice machine. I ended up getting an RT-909 a few years back and love it - that was my number 2. My number 1 was the Technics RS1500 but I could never find one in the UK for anything vaguely resembling a sensible price..
That was on my list too - well the RS1700 and the there was the Akai GX-747 - too many to choose from when you can just have one.
That crooked "Made In Japan" label is setting my teeth on edge!
Stay safe, Matt. Great video as usual; love that you went back to classic hardware. My favorite bits on this channel are you reviewing turntables, cassette decks, open reel decks, etc.
There’s never any grand plan to go in any particular direction...new or old. I just pick up the next thing that I’m feeling in the right mood to cover.
Thanks for the video. Here in Italy the situation is really really serious, and I have been locked in the house for 3 weeks now for the national lockdown, and I don’t know when the situation will be back normally, and when I work from home, I always have your videos in background. So thanks for the company, and stay safe!
It's a really sad state of affairs and I don't think some people here fully appreciate the severity of it yet. Best wishes to you and yours.
Stay safe Mat, from here in Florida staying in as well cheers mate, proud patron
Loved this walkthrough. The more I look at the prices of these things the more satisfied I am to enjoy them vicariously. :)
You forgot to do the ultimate test for tape recorder logic control: go from Fast Forward straight into Play mode and check if the deck completely stops the tape (and keeps it tight) before it goes to play mode. Other mode changes (rewind to play, play to rewind and play to fast-forward) are pretty easy because the deck would keep the tension on the tape naturally even if it doesn't do any delay between functions. But Fast-forward to Play can be a problem because if the brakes don't work as well as they once did, and the electronics just do a delay instead of checking the actual speed or tension, you might still get "tape salad".
Thanks so much, watching videos from your channel are even more of a welcome distraction atm. I know you're a perfectionist and I don't know how it would play on youtube, but I'd welcome a few more slightly less polished ones at the moment. Just an idea. :)
Truly wonderful! I've worked a lot with reel-to-reel machines (2, 4, 8, and 16 track) as a musician. And I agree, this IS the most beautiful piece of furniture you can put in a home. Now, when trying to get the levels right, I'd suggest you use a tone generator that produces a steady tone. That way it'll be much easier to make adjustments. And yes, a tape machine should always have its reels on to look right. :-)
An open reel recorder like this always was, and to some extent, still is, my dream fi-fi component. It has all the qualities of a record player but with even more things to fiddle with. As Michael Flanders wrote 'I never did care for music much, just the High Fidelity' - I assume you're familiar with Flanders and Swann 'Song of Reproduction'? It's easy to find on YouTube, of course. Great video, Mat - really wonderful to see you showing fully how it works and even opening it up. These longer videos are a real treat - especially in these stay-at-home days. Stay well!
I wasn’t aware of and hadn’t heard that song - so that was a very nice treat to listen to it this morning. Thanks for the suggestion.
Congrats! You have one of the most beautiful Sony R2R. I have 15 R2R , yep i'm a huge fan! I repair my recorders in my laboratory where I have everything I need (on my channel there are many videos about it) In case I can help you, with advice or something else, I'm here, (I'm literally locked in the house because of the coronavirus, I can only make videos for youtube)
I wish someone like you lived around the corner...I’d be bringing loads of things in to get checked over. This one is now getting stored until I can pass it on to my friends. While you’re here though - do you know of any methods for ‘re-inking’ the faded red part of the VU meter?
Looks like a nice machine! Probably could use some calibration for the VU meters, but that can be tricky even if you have the service manual, so don't do that if you're not absolutely sure what you're doing! I tried that with a Revox A-77, it works very fine now, but doing the calibration was not as easy as the service manual did make it look like... Although: the right VU meter seems to hang a bit too far to the left, when the machine is switched off, you could easily adjust that with the small screw underneath the VU meter. Sounds very good! Always nice to play around with, the robustness of the good old R2R machines :-).
I noticed the slight imbalance later - so I adjusted it with a screwdriver and they’re both zeroing the same now...but beyond that it’s now someone else’s project. I’m just the intermediary in this one.
As always - a great video Mat. This brings back a some memories for me. A friend of mine had a reel to reel deck we used to create a mix tape for a big 1989 New Years Party we were hosting. Pretty sure it was a Sony TC-730 but I really don't remember. In the age of CDs (at the time) using the reel to reel for party music was a cool aesthetic. I had never used a machine like that before and have not since. It was a great (and obviously memorable) experience. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Hey Mat, I was wondering if you know if SDAT is a real format? Apparently it stands for Super Digital Audio Tape or Stationary Digital Audio Tape but I can't find any reference to it.
The way I understand it is that R-DAT uses a Rotational head and S-DAT uses a Stationary head. So this means that DCC (Digital Compact Cassette) is S-DAT.
Something very satisfying about having crisp mechanical controls like the Sony and Pioneer have. I do woodworking as a hobby and that edge veneer is easily replaced. You can buy rolls of real wood iron-on veneer. Simply cut to size and use an iron to melt the glue on the back and adhere the veneer to the substrate. A special tool is then used to trim the veneer and get nice clean edges. Anybody can realistically do this themselves.
I still have my Technics RS-1506 R2R which needed a full replacement of all the capacitors on all the boards. They do die slowly and gracefully over time but after 40 years the caps Technics used leak. Now it’s all done, it’s as good as it was new ! I agree, many R2Rs are a thing of beauty and still sound amazing ... especially using the new formations of tape like ATR MDS-36 at 15ips.
I'm also looking for a 10" model, but the prices, or the fact loads are "parts only" does put me off. I do have a Phillips 4307 7" machine, but wish it played at more than one speed. It's only a 3 3/4" model. I often find the tapes in charity shops, mislabelled as CD boxsets.
Have you ever explained that the left reel rotation during playback is backwards from the take up reel?
One day, after I become rich, I am going to buy you an Otari MX-5050 - then you will have baddest reel to reel there is!
Awesome video! My favorite color is silver, so this R2R machine fit perfectly in my pocket and taste. And now seriously - did you get anything else from the generous donor?
I’ve got a couple of small items, but they aren’t video worthy. My friend Andy who kindly brought this machine half way up the country to deliver it accepted some of the other things I couldn’t use, like a large pair of speakers and a high end, but early generation Minidisc home deck. I’m not sure if he’s going to pass them on to others.
Love those. I have a Teac A-6300.
Amazing video. Talking about people selling things stupid prices there someone trying to sell 8 track quad of dark side moon on eBay start price £350.
One thing I meant to mention - but it slipped my mind at the time (there’s no autocue) is that someone wanted £70 for two Sony branded rubber spacers - about 10p worth of rubber.
Great video, Mat. And I love the longer ones, regardless of the subject. Usually.
I loved this video. Additionally, I wanted to just say that I will watch a hour long video of you "blathering on" as you put it without hesitation, so I will always watch a 15 or 30 minute video. You do great work!
Well thanks for that - it seems whatever the length, the average view time is always 50% - so I’ll just keep making them as long as they need to be to fit the content.
Very nice, Mat. I had a pair of Sony TC 377s - but I always wanted a Revox with 10.5" NAB centre spools. :-) By the way, as soon as you made that clunking noise I said "Flywheel". :-) I'd be replacing all those meter bulbs with LEDs, too. That's a really nice machine; I am certain your friends will love it. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Yes if they replace one bulb they’ll have to do the lot for them to match. I think he’s capable though and I’ve just learned he’s good with the woodwork aspect, so it’s ideal.
With all the nonstop doom and gloom news at the moment, I was thinking the other day that a long Techmoan video fiddling about with a old tape deck would be a great antidote. You delivered just the right tonic at the right time. Thanks and keep well.
What a magnificent machine, and what a generous donor!
Your R2R videos are always a favorite, and this is another one to add to that list. Similar to what someone said earlier, it's nice to enjoy machines like this via a video as its quite the expensive and fiddly hobby to get into. Thank you for the work you do in bringing us these videos and sharing your interest in vintage tech! Also, I'd be interested to hear more stories about your interactions with people who contact you after seeing certain videos related to their field/industry. Maybe a small recurring segment in the Patreon update videos? Cheers and take care!
I think I prefer the look of your Pioneer one too. If I ever end up buying a reel-to-reel, I'd just like you to know it's all your fault.
I blame American TV shows of the late 1970s. Lee Majors Is the true mastermind behind this reel to reel obsession.
This is the first video I watch in SD from you. YouTube just lowered the bandwidth here.
That might be because I've just re-uploaded it again - or is this a measure being taken to share out the network capacity. I'm still in HD here.
Probably stupid question, but can you use these in a horizontal position?
No, not stupid. Some R2R machines are designed to be used in either horzontal or vertical - you could also get stands that held them at an angle - somewhere half way between the two. I don't think this Sony is suitable for horizontal use though - the wires at the back would get crushed and the feet would stop it laying flat.
First of all, love the shirt! I sold these machines in the late 70’s and even though I wasn’t much off a Pioneer guy, I always liked the RT-707 and RT-909 and own a couple today. The only other 10.5” reel machines I have are ancient ConcerTones that are about as large and heavy as a baby grand piano. They have wooden take up reels! I found it odd that the output level control had any effect on the meters. It’s been my experience that output controls are post-meters, so the meters can more accurately display actual tape levels. Those controls look just like the Sony elcaset machines, so I guess it’s no surprise the brochure was for both types. Did I mention that I like the shirt?
Clothes are very difficult - shirts can't have any kind of pattern that would moiré on camera and given that a good 97% of shirts have cross patterns on them, I have to shop creatively just for 'video clothes'. That wired remote suits the Elcaset much better than the reel to reel - the button shapes mimic those on the EL5 & EL7.
Just got my morning coffee and saw your post, easy now, I'm in Vancouver. Had a rough night, my stepson woke me at 3 in the morning to let me know his refrigerator in our basement suite wasn't working. We need to gut it and move everything to our fridges. I'm asking him a few questions to determine if it is really necessary, when it comes back on again... Still took an hour to get back to sleep. Anyway, feel horrible, but I digress. So glad to see your post. It's a real treat. Especially these days where I'm stuck at home most of the time. I started tearing apart an old 80's boombox yesterday and this is just what I needed to inspire me to go all the way down to the belts and springs. With your videos, the longer, the better and, as always, thanks for posting.
If my sleep got interrupted like that I'd be weird all the next day. Rather you than me with the Boomboxes too - they really didn't design those things to be repaired. I've got a couple that I could really do with opening up...but I'd have to put aside a couple of weeks and a bottle of whisky.
The longer the video the better in my book! :)
I'm glad you say that - I keep seeing complaints from people who say that they don't have time to watch a 15 minute video. If they were so busy what are they doing on youtube?
Hi Matt, I think I have told you in the past I was they buyer manager of a shop called Teletape and I was based at Marble Arch London. I was also a Sony main agent among other brands including Technics and Studer Revox and others. Sony at the time only had competition from Akai among domestic machines. When Hi Fi started to go nuts in terms or the number of really expensive high end equipment that Sony got left behind to some degree. When people like Vangelis or John Entwistle came in they were never going to buy a Sony. Teac and Tascam entered the market they brought 15 IPS and multi track recording to a fine art. I have a Technics RS1506 which has 3 speeds and brilliant tape handling. I have been looking for a TC766-2 for a long time. I have the matching Amp Tuner and Cassette deck. I also had a EL7 Elcaset but it got stolen. Thanks for your great videos they take me back to when I was a young man and things we're fantastic.
Yes the TC 766-2 definitely seems to be the best one. 15ips and 2 track recording with 4 track playback. The head switch being under the head cover. According to the buyers guide it was only $100 more than the TC-765 and with 2-track recording, the lack of reverse play isn't really an issue. I think if this had been a TC-766-2 or a TC-R7-2 then the Pioneer might have been replaced. There was one more machine further up the Sony range in 1977 though - the TC-880-2 weighing in at a monstrous 36.5KG (80.5lb) - listed as a pro machine, but with the same 2/4 track capabilities of the TC-766-2
Nice video. There's probably nothing wrong with the VU Meters. The Sony is just calibrated differently from your Pioneer. The Pioneer may be calibrated for 185 nWb/m (nanowebers per meter) and the Sony for 320 nWb/m or even 514 nWb/m. 514 to 185 would be a difference of about 9dB. Consumer devices were often calibrated for lower nWb/m and studio equipment much higher. This means that the tape is recorded louder but as long as the tape and the preamp in the device can handle it you have a lower noise floor. There are probably web pages which can explain this better than me. Have you tried to play the recording of the Sony on the Pioneer? The meters are probably at maximum if you do this. Also the Sony VU meters are all over the place because they are VU meters, your Pioneer probably has peek meters. Those make it easier to set the recording lever but in my opinion VU meters look nicer because you can actually see the rhythm of the music.
Yes that's why I made sure to mention the tapes I received that had been recorded on the machine were low too - just seemed odd. Something I thought I needed to check out. Anyway it's all good, so no problems. Just wanted to show my workings.
Excellent. I love the reviews of the old reel to reels. After watching your earlier reviews I inherited a Pioneer RT909 that was my grandfathers and in stunning shape. Had to replace the drive belt (of course) and it's flawless. Then I recently came across a stack of old broadcast 2-track 10.5 inch tapes of "American Rock" and I found a Technics 1506 that had just been repaired. There's just something about playing classic rock on these machines that is soothing. :D I can't help think that as old as the Sony is and the issues with volume levels that there might be some old capacitors in the audio circuit that need changing. That's not a job I've ever done but it would probably increase the sound level and/or quality.
I'll leave anything like that to the new owners. At least it's working at the moment. I don't have anyone who could do it for me and I'd probably destroy the machine trying. They might have someone local to them - if necessary. It's funny how when you get a 4 track machine all you seem to find is unusual 2-track tapes, the same happened to me. I also have some broadcast;/syndication tapes for my 2-track, it's great when someone has already done the recording work for you.
Good vid Mat, very generous of you and the original donator. I also think the r2r look is superb but having neither the space nor a realistic use for one it’s great to get a fix vicariously through your vids.
It's a lot cheaper too.
Nice entry level explanation of R-R...but there is no way I would ever use those hubs you were fighting...luckily mine came with its Akai hub adapters...then a couple years later I got the nice Revox knockoff fancy chrome (looking) hub adapters...so nice.
They're rubbish - I leave the Revox attached to the Pioneer all the time, these Sony ones have to be removed every time the reel is swapped. Very inconvenient.
All the elements of this video came together splendidly to make something greater than the sum of its parts. The music, the lovely machinery and Mat's narration--each element in itself was cool, rhythmic and evocative.
A good soundtrack helps immensely. I think I need to use music like this more often - I liked the results.
Great video and great piece of kit. A bit of a shame that the power on/off button is a bit wonky. You didn't mention it in the review.
I didn't notice. I'll have another look. EDIT: -Just looked and twisted it a bit to the right and it’s straight now.
Just what I needed to distract myself from the huge amount of work I'm meant to be doing whilst I'm home!!! great video as always, hope you and the Mrs. Techmoan are well and safe.
Always wanted a reel to reel, browsing the catalogs back in the time looking at those beautiful machines I couldn't afford as a kid. Are the cassette tapes far thinner than reel to reel? If you doubled the size of a cassette reel so that it would play 3 3/4 inches a second it would only be maybe two inches in diameter or so. A ten inch reel at same speed should be able to play back for a day or two! :)
I'd guess the specs are somewhere - but yes R2R tape is thicker to cope with the physical handling and slightly rougher treatment from the machines. That's one of the things that Elcaset allowed - 3.75ips speed but in a much smaller enclosed format as the tape was more like video tape in quality and thickness.
In high school back in the late 1970s I had the pleasure of using reel-to-reel machines, at first an old 7 inch desktop model and later a 4-track TEAC for music. So this video was a 7 1/2 inch per second stroll down memory lane. (Insert high school joke where required.)
Ahhh the sweet balm of a new Techmoan - especially a nice reel to reel one! I've been spending my isolation getting reacquainted with old boxes of cassettes: loving that classic 1982 TDK AD sound, one of their finest vintages. Hope you and yours are keeping well Mat, sincerely wishing you all the best.
Emotional Matt. A stunning piece of kit and yet again an A1 video. Just make sure you take care of yourself. A&J
Fantastic video as always. Can I suggest removing the background music from the introduction? (If it was added in post.) The music is a bit distracting while you’re speaking. I initially thought it was being played by the Pioneer, in which case fair enough, but then you stopped the reel-to-reel and the music kept playing.
I really didn’t expect to get any complaints today, but when you’re right you’re right. I’ll do a re-edit.
Yessss!
Can you find me a tape to tape reel machine too! :D LOL
This was a bit of an anomaly - as well as a very fortunate coincidence. It's a nice feeling though to help to get things from where they're no longer needed to where they are going to be cherished.
Thanks. Perfect timing. Back to my business in China and in house isolation for 14 days... Have plenty of time to binge watch old s tuff too I think. Patience is my middle name right now... Stay safe everybody.
Long, short, whatever length you give us will be satisfying (stop that sniggering at the back).