US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s coverage of, and support for, reel-to-reel currently beats that of all other hi-fi magazines and webzines that I’m aware of, largely thanks to reviewer Jonathan Valin’s passion for all things tape – and indeed his ear for excellent sound in general, which he rightly identifies as reaching its pinnacle in the form of a high-quality copy master tape played on a high-quality tape deck.
In recent years, Valin has ensured that a good selection of decks, including vintage, hybrid and brand new models, have been well covered in the magazine’s various annual product awards. So, before I say anything else, I’m going to raise an end-of-year glass to him, with a big ‘cheers’ for playing an active part in the continuing growth of the reel-to-reel market. Long may it flourish!
That said, I somehow managed to miss a tape deck review feature that came out this summer (sorry, my bad!). In case you missed it too, I’m flagging it here, albeit a good few months after publication.
The deck in question is the Metaxas Papillon, and Valin’s opening line is an attention-grabber whether you’re a tape fan or not. For any and all devotees of the high-end audio experience, the line “A new standard in source components” is bound to pique your interest for sure!
The next interesting point is the source of the deck’s name. ‘Papillon’ is French for butterfly and here it refers to the shape of a ‘bridge’ inside the deck that supports the tiny rollers and mechanics of the tape path, this design having been borrowed from a detail found in watchmaking.
According to designer Kostas Metaxas (and if you’ve met him you’ll know he’s not a shy man), the Papillon aims at “challenging the notion that we’ve been able to extract all the information from magnetic tapes.” I guess that’s what you call laying down the gauntlet!
If you’re familiar with the Metaxas brand (full name ‘Metaxas & Sins’), you’ll either be wowed by the visual impact of their uniquely bold and brazen product designs – or you won’t. These products are no wallflowers. Valin is clearly in the former camp, warning readers that “one glimpse” of this “thing of staggering beauty” is all it takes to trigger “an instant irresistible urge to purchase it (or for those on a budget, to steal it)” – even before you’ve heard a note.
The Papillon is also a thing of staggering size, having been conceived for both professional studios as well as for home audiophiles – those with substantial listening rooms and budgets. (If you love the design but lack said space and budget, there’s always the portable Metaxas Tourbillon).
Like the Tourbillon, the Papillon’s design borrows from Swiss firm Stellavox’s 1960s output circuit, now heavily modified by Metaxas, who “knows its foibles inside and out”.
Valin’s review is suitably detailed on what goes into the design, build and functionality of the Papillon, making for a fascinating read. He assures readers that this is not, as its external appearance might suggest to some, “a trophy product” and that “its stunning good looks are the least important things about it”.
Valin focuses his listening tests around his beloved Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper on 15 ips (I’m with his there, what’s not to love) – and unpacks some noteworthy details about how and why this is his ultimate test album, revealing about as much (or as little, as the case may be) as it’s possible to reveal about any given tape deck’s capabilities. Again, whether or not you’re in the market for this or any other deck, and whether or not you’re a Beatles fan, there’s some really interesting stuff here for audiophile ears.
There’s also an interview with Kostas Metaxas, in which the designer unpacks several aspects of the tech ‘hows and whys’ of his design.
In summary, Valin reports that the Papillon will be among his nominees for a Product of the Year 2026 Award, being “one of those components that not only changes the game, it changes the playing field.”
He also affirms that the Papillon is “the best source component I’ve heard”, which, since he reviews some of the world’s best hi-fi kit for a living, is saying something!
If, like me, you don’t have the resources to shell out for a Papillon, you might (like me) now have had your interest sufficiently piqued that you’ll be looking to at least grab a listen or two at a trade show. It’d seem rude not to, right?
You can find more details about the Papillon at www.metaxas.com and read Valin’s review in full in the July/August 2025 issue of The Absolute Sound. https://www.theabsolutesound.com/?r3d=tas-issue-361-july-august-2025#
Dave Denyer: The Reel-to-Reel Rambler 