You really have to hear this: Jerome Sabbagh’s ‘Heart’ from Analog Tone Factory

Last summer I stumbled across an emerging New York-based tape label, Analog Tone Factory, run by saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh. Having checked it out and penned a brief introductory blog on what I discovered, a couple of months later I ordered one of their tapes, Vintage, and wrote a review. The review was glowing and the … More You really have to hear this: Jerome Sabbagh’s ‘Heart’ from Analog Tone Factory

Introducing: Swiss tape label Triston Masters, from Jürg Schopper

There are few things I love more than discovering a ‘new’ (i.e. new to me) source of music on reel-to-reel tape, and then sharing my discovery with you folks here on The Reel-to-Reel Rambler. In true rambling man style, it gives me a great excuse to delve into the details and the back-story, and to … More Introducing: Swiss tape label Triston Masters, from Jürg Schopper

Review: Tibor Varga 100th Anniversary from Swiss label Triston Masters

I came across this one pretty much by accident – or, depending on how you look at things, by one of those roundabout, serendipitous routes. I’d been in conversation with Horch House’s Volker Lange about various things, and happened to notice that he’d taken on distribution of tapes from a Swiss ‘ultra-purist’ label called Triston … More Review: Tibor Varga 100th Anniversary from Swiss label Triston Masters

“Why tape still matters”: DJ Kerri Chandler’s new documentary on touring Recording the Masters’ factory

Depending on your musical tastes, you may or may not know American DJ and record producer Kerri Chandler. Either way, he’s often referred to with adjectives like ‘legendary’ and ‘pioneering’, having been one of the key movers and shakers in house music for some 30+ years. These days, he refers to tape as his ‘most … More “Why tape still matters”: DJ Kerri Chandler’s new documentary on touring Recording the Masters’ factory

United Home Audio’s Ultima Apollo tape deck wins a Product of the Year Award 2025 from The Absolute Sound

Greg Beron of United Home Audio’s Ultima5 tape player won in 2023 and in 2025 it’s the turn of his $55,000 Ultima Apollo deck. The Absolute Sound’s Jonathan Valin writes that it sounds completely different from any of his earlier Ultima decks, with its entirely new EQ circuit and a beefed-up gain stage. The Awards … More United Home Audio’s Ultima Apollo tape deck wins a Product of the Year Award 2025 from The Absolute Sound

Better then Black Friday: The Audiophiles Clinic big tape deck sale!

Here’s a brilliant opportunity for anyone in the market for a tape deck. It may be ‘Black Friday’ today but that’s not what this is – the date is pure coincidence and besides I suspect this is a far better deal! Petronel Butuc of The Audiophiles Clinic is selling off a large proportion of his … More Better then Black Friday: The Audiophiles Clinic big tape deck sale!

Revox acquires Horch House

This just in from the folks at Revox and Horch House over in Germany: “In the last 15 years, Horch House has developed into the world’s leading company within the analog master tape industry. The brand Horch House, headed by Volker Lange, stands for an uncompromising approach towards quality. “Recently, Revox announced the return of … More Revox acquires Horch House

RX Reels sale now on

If you’re a subscriber to Kevin Root’s newsletter over at RX Reels you’ll know this already. If not, read on. “While we can’t change the global economy, we can do our part with some sale items,” says Root in his latest mailout. There are 4 types of sale items currently on offer – details below. … More RX Reels sale now on

Introducing ‘purist’ label Base2 Music – with a review of Bach’s Suites for Cello on tape

Based in West Sussex, UK, Base2 Music is likely one of our more niche creators of reel-to-reel recordings – so I guess that makes them almost a niche within a niche, in mainstream terms. The benefit of going super-niche is of course super-specialism and so, as a lover of musical recordings that are superbly well … More Introducing ‘purist’ label Base2 Music – with a review of Bach’s Suites for Cello on tape

Revox launches brand new B77 MkIII tape deck and Analog Master Tapes Collection

Around this time last year I ran a blog about Revox offering newly-refurbished editions of their classic B77 MkI and MkII tape decks. In the year since then, there have been some even more exciting developments in the pipeline, which have now finally come out and hit the headlines… (In the meantime there was of … More Revox launches brand new B77 MkIII tape deck and Analog Master Tapes Collection