Author: Dave Denyer

David Denyer PR & the reel-to-reel rambler

An “incredible” new tape with a difference: Chasing The Dragon allows listeners to compare recording techniques of Mendelssohn’s Octet

March 11, 2022

by Neville Roberts A new tape with a difference from the British audiophile recording company Chasing The Dragon! Mike Valentine, the brains behind the Chasing The Dragon audiophile recording label, is frequently asked about the best way to record music and the differences between various recording techniques. Of course, he has his own definite views … More An “incredible” new tape with a difference: Chasing The Dragon allows listeners to compare recording techniques of Mendelssohn’s Octet

“I’m sorting that for Paul McCartney”: Ken Kessler remembers Tim de Paravicini as a “true god of open-reel tape”

February 28, 2022

Part 1: Time after Tim – The Hi-Fi Years by Ken Kessler It’s still sinking in: I can’t quite fathom the world of hi-fi without Tim de Paravicini. It’s not just the massive contribution he made over a half-century. For many of us, it’s personal, as Tim was a mentor to many. Indeed, I turned … More “I’m sorting that for Paul McCartney”: Ken Kessler remembers Tim de Paravicini as a “true god of open-reel tape”

Talking tape: a new series in which I do my rambling on video… on Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me from Analogue Productions

February 9, 2022

Over the past few years I’ve posted a handful of reviews and chats about various audiophile vinyl albums on my YouTube channel. I kept meaning to do the same for tape but each time I did a listening session, my notes would end up turning into a written review which I’d post in the usual … More Talking tape: a new series in which I do my rambling on video… on Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me from Analogue Productions

New from International Phonograph Inc: Jimmy Smith Trio live in 1964

February 4, 2022

Stop press! I was just finishing off my review of International Phonograph Inc (IPI)’s  Ravi Shankar Live in Luxembourg when an email from IPI landed in my inbox with an irresistible offer… a rare tape of great musicians that few will ever hear, and at a very reasonable price. Here are the details. Jimmy Smith … More New from International Phonograph Inc: Jimmy Smith Trio live in 1964

Hidden gems: Ravi Shankar Live in In Luxembourg from International Phonograph Inc

February 2, 2022

It’s been a real joy to watch the market for, and the availability of, music on tape expanding in recent years. The drivers of this expansion, as already discussed at length elsewhere on this blog, tend to fall into two main camps. First, there are the labels who are acquiring licences to issue master copies … More Hidden gems: Ravi Shankar Live in In Luxembourg from International Phonograph Inc

New from Analogue Productions: John Coltrane’s ‘Love Supreme’ and ‘Ballads’ on tape

January 19, 2022

You may be way ahead of me here, but I just made a very cool discovery – purely by accident while watching a couple of YouTube videos! The first one was the livestream event hosted by Analog Planet below, in which Michael Fremer and Mike Esposito duke it out on the subject of vinyl, specifically lacquer longevity. … More New from Analogue Productions: John Coltrane’s ‘Love Supreme’ and ‘Ballads’ on tape

Another tape vs. vinyl experiment: in which I enlist the ears of a friend to see if she’s as bowled over as I am by The Band’s ‘Stage Fright’ from The Tape Project

December 21, 2021

You might be wondering why there hasn’t been a review of anything from The Tape Project here so far, given that they were arguably the first label to start issuing classic albums on tape and should probably be credited with playing a key role in the R2R revival. Well, it’s not for want of being … More Another tape vs. vinyl experiment: in which I enlist the ears of a friend to see if she’s as bowled over as I am by The Band’s ‘Stage Fright’ from The Tape Project

Analog Audio Design now taking orders for new TP-1000 tape deck

December 1, 2021

Back in the summer we got wind of another brand new tape deck on the way, from French company Analog Audio Design. In an earlier blog in August I promised to find out more and report back. So, here we go… a Q&A with founder and designer Christophe Martinez, perfectly timed to coincide with the … More Analog Audio Design now taking orders for new TP-1000 tape deck

Back in the day: Ken Kessler continues to mull over the history of pre-recorded tapes

November 19, 2021

There’s a history lesson in music, sociology and economics in open-reel tape. Ken Kessler takes us on a tour. Musing about reel-to-reel users of the Golden Age of Pre-Recorded Tapes, based on the evidence provided by the 2,200+ tapes I’ve acquired, I stand confused. The dichotomy between skilled enthusiasts and clumsy oafs is, I suppose, … More Back in the day: Ken Kessler continues to mull over the history of pre-recorded tapes

The price of decks, Dark Side of the Moon and pirates: talking tape with Russia’s Stereo.ru

October 28, 2021

As part of my recent virtual visit to Smart Audio Recording Lab in Kirov, Russia, I also ‘met’ (virtually) with Dmitry Alexandrov who blogs for the Russian website http://www.stereo.ru. Dmitry, who in ‘normal life’ (as he puts it) is an architect, wanted to put a few R2R questions my way and of course I was … More The price of decks, Dark Side of the Moon and pirates: talking tape with Russia’s Stereo.ru