Really a real reel to reel?
A look at the ‘RCA’ Reel Media Center. This was an early 2000s retro inspired music system which blurred the line between nostalgic novelty and fully functional device.
I enjoyed exploring this one - it’s really quite ingenious how they made it work.
My aim is to fast-track this one for a public release on Saturday and I’ll bump the boring bluetooth speaker video you saw last week to another date.
I hope your week has gone swimmingly so far.
UPDATE:
Extra section added at 22:36 to answer the most commonly asked question with a demonstration.
UPDATE 2
Due to encoding issues with the second version I’ve re-uploaded the video (yet again). I also took this opportunity to add in a section I’d previously discarded. It shows a fruitless attempt to play a cassette on the stock mechanism. There seems to an unanticipated degree of interest in this side of things.
Comments (116)
I laughed out loud when I saw the inner cassette mechanism and how it was "adapted"! Very clever! Pity we can't have affordable modern real reel-to-reel players.
I've read about this device years ago but there was never much information to be found. So thanks for the video. I remember someone tried to add more tape to the reels since they aren't nearly as full as they could be. But it didn't work because the motors are too weak for a full reel.
Very cool, actually. I DO think it would have been better if it had the proper size tape but it certainly is an interesting novelty item. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Mat - have you ever seen this toy: Tape Talk Hand Crank Cassette Player 😅 https://ibb.co/74mW809
Now that the image has loaded - no I haven't seen one of these before.
Ouch, was dismayed by how easily you lifted that out of its box... You’re right, it’s tat in every sense of the word, but has a certain appeal (for folks with lots of space)
It does look really cool, I await the new retro minidisc player to appear someday 👀
Random comment: you probably already know, but the U.S. has our Thanksgiving holiday weekend, starting 25th. So if someone wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving..."you too" is acceptable response.
You know, six hours of recording isn't too shabby. You couldn't get that on a cassette tape with the maximum would be 120 minutes. I enjoyed this video very much. Thanks Matt.
And those 120 tapes were thin, the tape was weak and sounded a bit inferior.
Really enjoyed this, Mat. As soon as I saw the Patreon email, I wondered how much functionality this thing would have and how the designer(s) went about making it work. Definitely wasn't disappointed to find out along with you! I love that it's basically a cassette mechanism wearing an old timey hat.
It has a bit of a feel of one of your props - I could imagine repurposing a personal cassette recorder into a reel to reel computer tape storage cabinet.
I’m knew this was a normal cassette deck when you mentioned the tape size. I wonder if they upgraded the motor to accomodate the extra weight and pull needed?
Blown back = http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41j2h4Bd79L._SX300_.jpg
What a weird thing. And a brilliant video to cover it.
It goes to show that people could do all sorts of odd things with tape. Like make a 6 hour cassette.
I was relieved by the fact that Eminem was indeed NOT produced by the mentioned brand cemetery company
I'm an XTC fan, and all I can think about now is their song Real By Reel.
Really interesting, I wouldn't mind owning one myself to be honest.
A reel :-) use for this would be to make the ultimate mix-tape for background music at dinner parties etc. Trying to get into the mindset of when it was designed I didn't get a CD burner until 1999 and that was the first one I saw for under £100 so putting a load of CDRs in a CD changer would be beyond most people. Cassette changers were rare. Any changer would have annoying gaps and clunks. Computers were noisy and had small hard drives.. For some people this might have made more sense than you think twenty years ago. That and the fact that the rotating reels have visual appeal.
The reels certainly kept rollin' rollin' rollin' ... (How's that for a dated reference? 😳)
I kind of love that. I wouldn't want one, but I really appreciate the effort they've apparently put in to designing it.
It comes across to me, that you really enjoyed making this video.
I like anything that surprises me in a good way - it’s all too rare nowadays.
I totally forgot this toy that is not completely a toy from RCA, saw it back then on Tapeheads. Nice find! Way better than the Klipsch bluetooth speaker
I love the idea of sort of a functional toy version of a desirable vintage thing. Like, I'd love to _play_ with a reel-to-reel recorder but my level of interest falls way short of spending huge money on a machine that hits all of the fun spots and functions properly. I'm wondering how much fun I might have building something with all of the visual and tactile appeal of a reel-to-reel (big, turning wheels, lots of lights, meters, and piano switches) but is completely just a Raspberry Pi reading the buttons and generating the output.
There’s been some discussion over the years on the AK and Tapeheads forums about these. Nothing ever nice. I was quite blown back on how good it works, relatively speaking. I had a running eBay search for one for a while to play with and then just decided it would never be worth the shipping costs. I quite enjoyed the video and seeing how they’d adapted the cassette mechanism. I would assume that if someone actually used one of these, the strain of the larger reels would wear out the mechanism pretty quickly. Quite fun.
For some reason Tapeheads blocked my IP so I'd have to use a VPN to access it. As a result I gave up accessing it.
When you said it's an actual reel to reel recorder I was like "wait a minute, isn't that box a bit small??". Would be nice to see it next to a real reel-to-reel.
They come in all shapes and sizes. It'd be small next to a 10.5" reel machine, but not altogether silly looking if next to a 7" device and it's bigger than my 5" machines like the Uher.
I love the offhand "if you have a Nagra SN..." line.
You can imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t mentioned it. (Engage caps) - “WELL ACTUALLY...”
I'm amazed! You summed up my thoughts precisely. I am impressed by the idea of using a standard cassette deck as the basis of the tape system, that is clever and not what I was expecting at all - very ingenious! By pressing a cassette mechanism into service, unlike 1/4" reel to reel, the tape has to be wound with the magnetic coating on the outside, which is not immediately obvious. I'm pleased you mentioned it's stereo because I was wondering about that. Again, they could have saved money and complication by making it mono, but chose not to do so. What a strange device! I appreciate your final remark also, what do you do with it now? It's of no use to anyone who knows about audio; no use to anyone who wishes to play old tapes; you cant swap recordings with a mate, either! The best use will probably be background set dressing for a 1960s period movie or something.
If I ever manage to move into a proper studio - I’ll be sure to stick it on a shelf behind me for decoration.
Techmoan at his best. Thanks Mat.
It would be a fun experiment if you take a tape from a regular cassette tape and spool it onto the reels since it uses standard cassette mech (if I am not mistaken). So much for being "an unusual format".
See 22 mins in.
Amazing how they used the basic tape mech to do all this, have to give it to them for making the most of what they had. Doesn't even look too bad.
Actually a pretty cool device
Way cool. I would have loved one of these when I was a kid.
Probably not worth the re-encode hassle, but there’s some weird video compression artifacts from 6:08 going on about 30 seconds
Very interesting video, as always! While I suspected that they were using 1/8" tape because compact cassette heads were easier/cheaper to get ahold of, I didn't expect it to use a full cassette mechanism! Also it looks to be a notch above the infamous Tanashin mechanism, as this one has "soft" controls. BTW you mentioned that the optical encoder wheel was used to detect the end of the tape, but it's probably also used by the digital counter.
Very true
Thanks for the video Mat. I am curious what the wow and flutter is on this deck, I wonder if you have a W&F CD to record from. I am still saving up for a four track reel to reel to play some proper tapes from record companies my uncle gave me. His reel to reel was thrown out years ago. I dream of a four track with auto reverse. 1 7/8 to 15 IPS is my goal. Best wishes.
Unless I'm reparing something I don’t tend to check wow and flutter on old devices or weird rare one offs because it just is what it is, and knowing what it is on my machine probably wouldn't help anyone else. By that I mean you probably couldn’t find one of these. If you did you then need to find the tapes and more importably the special reels if you wanted to thread your own tape - but then even if you did manage to find what you needed - your W&F results would very likely differ from the ones I got based on the state of your machine. For example two identical cars should achieve identical performance when they leave the factory. Twenty years later it's very unlikely they'd match up any more. I do W&F tests on new devices though because it helps a potential purchaser to know how well a new device performs out of the box. Then again even with this one any W&F test would be flawed as there’s no calibrated W&F test tape. So I’d need to record a 3Khz test tone on the device and then play it back - that would compound the results as we’d have layered one test on top of the other. I suspect it's not great though - the mechanism will have a negative effect. There's a reason people like Maxell used to go on about how great their tape shell was - it's plays a big part in the results.
Speaking of cassettes and reel-to-reel...how did I do with my recent acquisitions? Both indicated they work well; we'll see. Still on their way. 😉 https://ibb.co/sHXPwfL https://ibb.co/rwy96v3
If they're both in decent nick and fully working the prices seem fair. Looking back I wish I'd got a D5M rather than a Pro 2 now. But I only really understood which model did what after I bought mine and researched it for the video.
What an cool odd thing! Thanks for this! Did the Aux inputs work okay? Looks like there's most of a DJ mixer on there? It's got a crossfader and everything. Interested in how the monitor switch works. Looks like you could plug a couple extra devices and make (super long) mixtapes.
Yes the Aux ins work as expected. I didn't really mess about with the monitor switch but it works exactly how you imagine given the labelling.
Ahhh! The York branch of Past Times!
I needed a pic but the only ones were owned by Alamy. I knew York had one on a street that Google would have driven down, so used Google street view and went back to 2008. I'm sure there's a better street view image of a shop somewhere but I didn't want to spend all day looking.
What a strange machine, I really do have respect for the people who bothered to make it functional at least. Could this be used to play some of those otherwise dead Hipac tapes?
It could - but once they've been transferred to a reel that'd be the last way they can be played, which would be a shame. Part of the appeal of the Hipac is the small cart and the box art.
Good to see you cheerful about a device again. I like how they removed the functionality of a cassette player to make the reel to reel. 😂
Just had an idea. The scene where you unscrew the back cover had many jump cuts in rapid succession. For future scenes like that, you could cut the sequence so that the powered screwdriver noises plays a little tune! 😃 If you've ever watched Steve1989MREInfo, one of his many gimmicks is to stir drinks with a "musical spoon". An example: https://youtu.be/ZATnoezZi1g?t=283s So, the same gimmick but with your screwdriver. All done in post, of course!
I doubt I'll see as many screws in one panel again - but I'll bear it in mind.
And there I was fully expecting you to stick the compact cassette on and press play when you had the front cover off. Looks like it would’ve worked too.
It's been added to the updated version above due to popular demand. I don't get it - but hey I'm happy to please.
This video was probably the best use this device could ever have hoped for..! I had happily forgotten that plastic junk like this existed. But, when you detail the creativity that went into the design it suddenly became fascinating. Loved the video. Will still steer well clear of this kind of gadgets, though. 🙄
Very weird. Too bad they couldn't at least have it run at 2X speed or something so that the recording quality could be better than standard compact cassette.
That would make sense…although looking at the tape path it could have a potential to lead to disaster - it’s a bit questionable as it is.
Another amazing video! I’m with you - I’m just in total appreciation for what it is
This thing looks completely bonkers yet I still kinda want one (maybe because it's completely bonkers?). BTW nice to see you back in the conservatory. Is this a one off?
I needed the room to get the box in frame without getting a load of other stuff in shot.
Thank goodness you weren't "blown away" and "thrown off"! Nice thought of how reel to reel players might have been cost reduced if they were around today. Clever use of a cassette mechanism.
One of my favorite videos in a minute, I just loved this product. I think it's the best kitchy knockoff of them all. Reel passion went into this thing. You know, a legendary cassette deck that only exists in trade show pictures was supposed to do a similar thing - play the cassette tape outside the shell. This is different in that it spools the tape on reels. I read about it on Tapeheads.
A very interesting way to go backwards in terms of the physical format. It would be like hacking a CD player to read vinyl :)
Brilliant little hack of a thing you've found there, Mat! I share your sentiments on it exactly.
At the beginning I thought: "A new R2R format? That's stupid", then you said: "it's cassette tape in there" and I thought: "they used cassette components, especially the heads, as those are still available". I really had to laugh when you took off the cover and revealed the whole cassette mechanism inside 🤣. Yes, I also really appreciate the job they've done! I guess you should put it on a visible place somewhere in your studio, or it might fit together with the "Wall of MD players"? 😉
Hi Mat, that was great!!! Nice to see that it actually works! About what to do with it: Why not set up an auction among your Patreons to raise money for a selected charity? I'm sure lots of us would be willing to take your excess equipment off your hands for a good cause! (and Mrs Mat would no doubt be glad that the house was being cleared out a bit!!)
Nope. International shipping is a no-go. Can't be bothered to go to the post office, too complicated, and Mat's not in the business of selling things due to the overly complex personal tax returns regarding personal sales in UK. Did I cover it?
For some reason I was reminded of Chockablock when you rewound the tape. Chockablock had a lever as well.
If you'd lifted a real reel-to-reel out of the box like that you'd have put your back out.
Definitely not a one-armed task. Either that or I'm ripped (is that what the kids say?)
What an awesome device. And an awesome video as well! I was laughing out loud when you revealed the all to familiar tape mechanism hidden behind that cover.
I don't know if it's just because I'm an old fool, but I wonder who on earth would want such a peculiar device? If you're old like me (51), and that way inclined, wouldn't you want a real, 60s/70s reel-to-reel? Surely young people wouldn't want a fake reel-to-reel either? It's a niche-within-a-niche-within-a-niche. Mind you, I don't really see the point of buying a turntable and then spending cash on new vinyl 'ultra heavy xxx 500 gram super-digital micro-groove limited edition coloured picture vinyls' recorded from digitally mastered sources either. I only use my turntable to listen to my old records, or buy original records (within a year or two of release); usually either because the album (or 7") has sentimental value or its music you can't get digitally. But then so much of modern life confuses me!
If you understood the supposed appeal of this - then it's time to call it quits. No I don't get it either. As a weird novelty to make a video about, sure. But as a proper purchase back in 2004...nope.
The way they hacked that cassette deck into a reel to reel recorder looks like something I thought up before I got my first real reel to reel recorder! I hope you'll consider a follow-up video where you get a tape splicing kit (available new from e.g. https://www.splicit.com) and add some extra tape to your reel...
If reels were readily available (I'm sure they could be 3D printed, sans springs, in layers on a large enough printer), one could easily convert prerecorded cassettes into R2R tapes also. But why? Never mind. If you question why, there's no point in any of this!
Well dang, what a fascinating thing this turned out to be! Didn't expect an inside-out cassette system to work as well as this seems to, considering the sheer novelty of it. I used to sell so many of those gimmicky Polyconcept devices back when I worked electronics at Target back in the 2000s, and wow did we get a bunch of them returned before long. Never saw this one for sale though. You could tell me it was a modern Kickstarter project and I'd believe you, perhaps just toss in Bluetooth and/or USB and I could see this performing decently among the right subset of casual reel-to-reel likers.
I wouldn't be surprised if this prompts an entrepreneur to try it again on Kickstarter. Of course you don't even have to actually deliver anything nowadays so it's a lot easier.
Now that I've watched the entire video - this thing works far better than I expected. It's not a real reel-to-reel because it's not as heavy as the real thing. It's like a kid car that actually drives, but it can't go on the motorway. Someone should try to engineer it to play all types of reel-to-reel tapes. It's a bit frustrating that there is only a CD player along with the tape. I'm glad we got to see this item featured, despite your reservations about importing from the U.S., having to use power converters, and the worry it will be DOA. I imagine it just arrived? The universe is on your side - as it should always be - because the thing works. 👍 Edited: this also reminds me of 'It's A Wonderful Life' when the record player was attached to the fireplace spit to roast chicken.
My first thought was silver cover was that big because there was a regular tape mech underneath. I wasn't wrong!
Same here, especially after hearing the logic-controlled mech clunking around. But I didn't expect to see actual cassette reel spindles! 😆
Great video. Seemed a missed opportunity, if it was a reel to reel mechanism might have really sold. Love your diner jukebox must watch that video again
Mat, you never cease to amaze with the weird music devices you somehow manage to dredge up! I am simultaneously delighted and dismayed by this tape machine. It has so many great features of a 'proper' R2R recorder, but finding the inside is just a cassette player with rubber bands, and it takes non-standard reels is a complete let down. I would love to want one of these, but I don't. Well, actually, I do - but I would feel guilty having it on display because it's not so much faux as a parody. The fact it actually works, and quite well, makes it very hard to classify. A bit like that chap who has built and flies in a half scale Spitfire. It definitely flies, it looks like a Spitfire, and yet, it isn't one. A great video, as always - thank you!
It made me think of those 1980s kit cars that looked a bit like a Lamborghini but underneath were just a VW Beetle. In the end they don’t really scratch any itch. Clearly not a supercar either in looks or performance and a stock Beetle would have been more useful as a day to day runabout.
Weird, but actually really cool though! But indeed, what do you actually DO with it…
Love the title, and a great video. But do you consider it to be a new format? (Haha, a new for Mat)
It’s a questionable one…but on balance I’d have to say yes. I mean 1/4” tape is on a reel to reel, in a NAB cart, 8-Track, 4-Track, SabaMobil etc etc and they’re all different and distinct formats. So a 1/8” tape put on a reel that only fits on this one machine - it seems to qualify as a separate format if the others do.
Always enjoy your videos - but I *loved* this one! Good vibes. :)
I was expecting to see a stereo cassette head but the whole mech was a bit of a shock! Understandable though. Great video as always Mat
By the way, I'm pretty sure that with the mic. input and the mix fader, you could play a karaoke CD and record yourself mixed with the CD in not sound too bad.
Hmm, take TEAC reel cassette, remove tape, wind on the take up reel, record mix tape on this thing, wind on TEAC reel again and you’d have one heck a uniquely made mix cassette… Unfortunately nobody would know about that though..
When I was a Kid all I wanted was a stink bomb that didn't break in your pocket. Getting Serious though Mat I was also surprised at how good it sounded.
When I think back to those stink bombs - it seems amazing now to think that kids were once encouraged to smash tiny glass vials.
Mat, was the rapid-fire editing shown when you removed the back of the machine a nod to Alec of Technology Connections "twin brother" Robert Dunn, or just a coincidence? Doesn't matter since "all art is theft" anyway ;-D
I’m not familiar with that reference - I just cut it for length, but wanted to show the number of screws.
I am blown back (HE HE) by this Reel Media Center. I would love to won one just to display it.
When you did the direct sound from the CD and then the Tape I was quite surprised that the tape sounded that good. If you could string a good quality normal bias cassette tape on those reels I bet it would make a pretty good player. Plus with the Aux 1 & 2 it would make a decent centerpiece amplifier of a few components.
I was blown away too, but don't wanna buy one, but if I one day got one by suprise I would keep it, just for fun!
Whaaaaaat?! I just got to the part where you took the panel off and it's blown my mind! It's both genius and also absolutely stupid at the same time. Also, I'd recommend some clickbaity title like "worlds largest cassette player?" Or something, because in a weird way, it is just a huge tapeplayer!
That's a really odd one. Someone's clearly spent a bit of time thinking about how to adapt a compact-cassette mechanism into an open-reel setup. Surprisingly, as you've shown, it actually works. It's like an alternate history sci-fi artefact - what if cassettes hadn't become A Thing? Thanks for showing it!
Is it stereo?
Yes.
Just stream music ;p
You might think that you made an error in your mash-up of blown away/taken aback, but it seems an apt phrase to describe the effect of this delightful machine. As you said, it's not built using high quality components, but it was a somewhat ingenious use of "off-the-shelf" components. In coining the phrase Blown Back, you have inadvertently done the same thing by combining two things that don't necessarily go together into something new and interesting. Now, if you'd been Taken Away by it rather than Blown Back, well that sounds a bit more ominous doesn't it.
Taken Away sounds like a sad Disney movie (but it all works out at the end).
I like that you recorded the video in front of a modern wall that was wallpapered with fake (retro?) stonework!
Fake!? I thought all stones came on a roll. I can assure you though that no thought went into this, it was the only space large enough to shoot the box.
I haven't watched the full video yet, but I could swear I probably saw the exact same item and commented on here (somewhere) that it looked like something Crosley would make. Because of the CD player.
It’s very possible. I never like to announce what’s coming up next - just in case it doesn’t work out. I’ve learned from past experience, best to play it cool.
What a fascinating device! Whoever was tasked with building this really took their job seriously! Something like this is a real rarity among all the retro tat we see these days. I was totally expecting the typical caveats - mono, fake VU meters, ALDI-level audio quality etc
Volume knob design is almost like from Telefunken 203 from 1960's: http://xelectrical.com/images/7724.jpg !
I’m pretty sure the Telefunken would feel more substantial, but yep they definitely look similar.
Studer made in the past 1/8 inch version of their A80. I think it was meant to be used for quality control for C-cassette tapes.