I was hopin' you'd chime in Beck...
That was the exact answer I was lookin' for.
Unfortunately not. EE reel-to-reel is the same as type II cassette like TDK SA or Maxell XLII, so the bias and equalization curve would both have to be recalibrated.
I figured this much.
It would have been a nice option at the time. You can see what high bias tape can do at only double speed on cassette portastudios, so imagine 4x speed using high bias tape.
This is pretty much what made me think of it.
That's always the rub with analog tape. You've got people like us that simply want to record with it and we're competing with audiophiles trying to acquire it like it was made with gold instead of cobalt.
I feel this pain as well. Every time I go searchin' for some NOS Maxell...the prices get higher and higher every time I look. I can actually feel the anger boiling inside me when I see these people on _bay who are cleanin' out storage units and estates...putting these crazy prices on tape.
I can remember about 3-4 years ago before every kid and their brother started wanting that analog warmth for a front end to their DAW...these prices were not as high as they are now.
I was able to buy a type II chrome cassette NOS for the price of a dollar or less...as well as purchasing NOS reel tape at very reasonable price.
Now most _bay sellers are raising the price of tape because they feel tape is something of yesteryear and that it has become somewhat rare.
Even the prices of metal take up reels have exceeded a ridiculousness that I'd rather not see.
The same goes for almost any old analog effects units. A couple years back they were priced fairly,...but now they are almost reaching the price they were dubbed when new.
Sometimes I get so angry at some sellers prices that I tend to send them a little message to give them a piece of my mind. I know they have the right to tell me to get ****** and they could set any price they desire...but I feel it is my duty to let them know. Most don't even answer back anyway.
All of this is so very frustrating.
If you had a lot of EE tape it might be worth the time to recalibrate everything, but for a couple reels or something it's a lot of time and trouble. IMO the 388 sounds pretty good anyway using Quantegy 457 & 407, Scotch 207, or Maxell XLI 35-90B. You've got plenty of good tape choices, but not EE.
I do have a decent amount of EE tape but not enough to make the changeover worth it.
The Akai GX-747 & GX-77 were kicked down to me by my father years ago with 2 boxes filled with EE and Maxell XLI 35-90, UD 35-90.
At least I can put it to good use with those decks.
And you are right..my 388 does sound perfectly good with Quantegy 457 & 407, Scotch 207, or Maxell XLI 35-90B.
