Casual listening decks - open reel - favorites?

leddy

leddy

Well-known member
I'm currently using a Pioneer RT707 for store-bought (4-track 7.5 ips / 3.75 ips) recordings. I have a Teac X1000R and 4010SL that need work on deck for similar duty. I use a Tascam 22 to play back any 2-track stuff.

Anyone use open reel for casual listening, not just recording? What do you have? What's been reliable and sounds good?
 
A Revox A77 sounds just great if it's in decent condition.
In addition it colours the sound nicely, even when just using it as a preamp.
 
Even with the heads needing a good adjustment, my Teac A-2340RS sounds great for pre-recorded tapes. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of those, and I don't exactly come across them on a day-to-day basis, so it doesn't get a whole lot of use.
 
Akai GX-77. I got this one new in 1986 or 87 and it still runs like new. Most of the Akai decks with the glass heads will outlast the owner if well maintained otherwise. It even sounds great for mixdown if you wanted. This is something I'll keep to pass down to my children.

I've got the rare black-panel like in this vid. Most are silver.

 
Another great one I have is the Realistic TR-3000. It was made for Radio Shack by TEAC and is basically an X-3, but with some features of the X-300 as well. I like the round buttons on the Realistic better than the rectangular on the TEAC. Everything else is the same or better.

 
WarmJetGuitar said:
A Revox A77 sounds just great if it's in decent condition.
In addition it colours the sound nicely, even when just using it as a preamp.
Click to expand...

Had a B77, it was built like a tank. Had some issues that made me sell it to someone willing to deal with them. It's on my list of decks to buy if I find a good one.
 
Beck said:
Akai GX-77. I got this one new in 1986 or 87 and it still runs like new. Most of the Akai decks with the glass heads will outlast the owner if well maintained otherwise.
Click to expand...

Those glass heads are intriguing.
 
leddy said:
Those glass heads are intriguing.
Click to expand...

For casual listening I'm using an Akai GX-210D which I think is slightly older than I am. It could do with being serviced and it's not biased for the SM468 reels that I got in bulk, but it looks like a pig to get into and/or align. The heads show no visible signs of wear.

Note that most of the 1970s Akai machines had a mechanical transport controller in the form of a cam shaft that has been known to shatter. In this age of 3D printing it may be possible to fabricate a replacement, but it's something you have to look out for. It could get interesting if it's possible to mate the GX heads with a more advanced transport.

Oh, supposedly the heads may crack if they're driven too hard, so don't overdo it :3
 
I have only owned an older Sony and a Teac A-3300SX. The Teac is awesome. Also built like a tank, or maybe an armoured personnel carrier, it's not quite as heavy as, say an Otari, but it has a nice smooth and quiet transport, sounds awesome.
 
My Tascam 22-4 and 22-2 do great for playback as well.

I was using the 22-4 for store bought tapes, but I have some 3.75 ips tapes so I need the RT707. The RT707 has some audible flutter that the 22-4 does not, but that may just mean I need new pinch rollers on the RT707...
 
I use one of my Otaris, I cobbled together a head stack that I put on my MTR-12 for pre-recorded listening fun. Only downside is I cant play anything recorded at 3 3/4ips.
 
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