Author: Dave Denyer

David Denyer PR & the reel-to-reel rambler

Metaxas Tourbillon T-RX tape deck wins a Product of the Year Award 2022 from The Absolute Sound

March 28, 2023

Rewind just a few short years and who knew there’d be a category in US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s Product of the Year Awards for ‘Open Reel Tape Machine of the Year’. Seems like tape is well and truly back on the map! Okay, so there isn’t exactly a huge pool of contenders, but … More Metaxas Tourbillon T-RX tape deck wins a Product of the Year Award 2022 from The Absolute Sound

Exclusive news! New tape release from Hemiolia: the seminal Getz / Gilberto

March 17, 2023

Oh boy. Bit of a scoop here folks. Not only do we now have one of my all-time favourite recordings – Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue – in its full sublime tape glory, but now another absolute jazz classic has just been released on 15ips 2-track tape. Thanks to Italian label Hemiolia Records having signed … More Exclusive news! New tape release from Hemiolia: the seminal Getz / Gilberto

The best version bar none: Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’ on copy master tape from Hemiolia Records

March 3, 2023

Cards on the table: this is one of my all-time favourite albums, so I’m going to get into some fairly extensive rambling here. What can I say, I’m excited! Yes, there have been many and varied reissues and versions of Miles Davis’ seminal 1959 masterpiece over the years. But it’s never before happened on 15ips, … More The best version bar none: Miles Davis’ ‘Kind of Blue’ on copy master tape from Hemiolia Records

RX Reels: Vote for new design prototypes (and… there’s a whole new R2R product on the horizon)

February 27, 2023

If you’re signed up to RX Reels’ newsletter, you’ll know about this already. If not, here’s the deal… right now, you get chip in to the design of some seriously high quality reels! RX Reels’ Kevin Root is getting ready to produce a few new designs, and he’d like you / us to help him … More RX Reels: Vote for new design prototypes (and… there’s a whole new R2R product on the horizon)

New from Chasing the Dragon: custom-made reels for all master tape copies

February 21, 2023

Chasing the Dragon is a UK-based niche audiophile label that makes superb quality recordings on reel-to-reel tape only, which are then released as master tape copies as well as in various vinyl formats (direct cut, audiophile and binaural) and on CD. Chasing the Dragon’s Mike Valentine has just announced that all of their master tape … More New from Chasing the Dragon: custom-made reels for all master tape copies

New from Ballfinger in 2023: M-051-MR Master Recorder, M-063-H6 deck & an upgraded M-002-P

February 8, 2023

Christmas may be well behind us now, but if a brand new tape deck is on your wish list, then Ballfinger is set to bring you tidings of  comfort and joy in the coming year… The German brand, one of just a handful of companies manufacturing modern tape decks, is set to release a brand … More New from Ballfinger in 2023: M-051-MR Master Recorder, M-063-H6 deck & an upgraded M-002-P

John Coltrane’s Blue Train: Hemiolia’s new master tape copy vs. Blue Note Tone Poet’s vinyl release

January 16, 2023

Regular readers may recall that back in November I posted in great excitement about an announcement by Hemiolia Records that they were planning to release some ‘Holy Grail’ albums on tape. Well, the excitement just got even bigger – because I have the first three titles!! One of them is an all-time favourite album of … More John Coltrane’s Blue Train: Hemiolia’s new master tape copy vs. Blue Note Tone Poet’s vinyl release

Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak & Mendelssohn: new master tapes from UltraAnalogue Recordings

December 9, 2022

I had an excited message from Ed Pong of UltraAnalogue Recordings the other day. Ed sounded like he was on the kind of high that you only get from those peak musical experiences (you know the ones!) – and with good reason, since he’s just finished making several new master tape recordings of a stunning … More Beethoven, Schubert, Dvorak & Mendelssohn: new master tapes from UltraAnalogue Recordings

straight2tape – a brilliant new concept of real, up-close-and-personal, music events

November 30, 2022

‘Being there’ One of the phrases I use most often when reviewing tapes is, I’m afraid, a rather hackneyed one: “it’s almost like being there” (or some variation on that theme). I make no apology for it, because this (for me) is without doubt the most soul-stirring aspect of tape as a format for enjoying … More straight2tape – a brilliant new concept of real, up-close-and-personal, music events

Metaxas & Sins Tourbillon T-RX reel-to-reel tape deck gets a Golden Ear Award from The Absolute Sound

November 21, 2022

“Alongside the UHA SuperDeck, the Metaxas Tourbillon T-RX is the highest fidelity audio component I’ve auditioned,” says US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s Jonathan Valin. Considering Valin auditions the greatest hi-fi kit from around the world for a living, that’s high praise for sure! Each year, The Absolute Sound’s reviewers are asked to select those components … More Metaxas & Sins Tourbillon T-RX reel-to-reel tape deck gets a Golden Ear Award from The Absolute Sound