What is a 1/2 track reel-to-reel?
1/2 tracks are typically 7.5 + 15 ips, but can be found at 3.75 + 7.5 ips. Reel size is also a variable. Most 1/2 track decks will take 10″ reels. if you are only going to play back tapes, there are 1/4 track decks with an extra 1/2 track play head.
Do they still make tape machines?
Studer, Stellavox, Tascam, and Denon produced reel-to-reel tape recorders into the 1990s, but as of 2017, only Mechlabor continues to manufacture analog reel-to-reel recorders.
Are old reel-to-reel players worth anything?
With the rare exception, generally not. Most of what you’ll find is flea-market quality. If they’re AMPEX professional recording studio reel to reel, e.g. AMPEX 440 2-track or bigger, then yes…. these are worth upwards of $2500.
What replaced the tape recorder?
Compact Cassette
The 8-track tape standard, developed by Bill Lear in the mid-1960s, popularized consumer audio playback in automobiles. Eventually, this standard was replaced by the smaller and more reliable Compact Cassette.
Is reel-to-reel better than cassette?
By writing the exact same audio signal across more tape, reel-to-reel systems provide a greater fidelity than audio cassette. But (there’s always a but, right?), R2R’s better sound quality comes at the cost of much, much larger tapes, which in turn paves way to less convenience and more expensive media.
Does reel-to-reel sound better than vinyl?
Even the most dubious critics find no ambiguity here. The verdict: tape sounds better than vinyl.
Can you convert reel-to-reel to CD?
Send your Legacybox kit, filled with old reel-to-reel audio tapes. We do the rest, digitizing your moments onto thumb drive, the cloud, or CD. Send your Legacybox kit, filled with old home movies and pictures.
Can you still buy cassette recorders?
Yes! Many manufacturers are still producing cassette tape players today, both portable and stationary. You can choose from different brands and models if you buy online.
How long can a tape recorder run?
At 15 IPS, that tape holds around 30 minutes of 24-track recording time (half that at 30 IPS). Compare that to a 2TB hard disk, currently selling for less than $100, that can hold many hours of multitrack audio, and you can see why running tape for every project is not an option for most of us.
Is tape better than digital?
Unlike vinyl records, cassette tapes absolutely do not sound better than digital. They sound tiny and have a low hiss in the background and will start to worble if you listen to the same tape over and over too many times.