Category: R2R decks

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

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

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

Audio distributor Absolute Sounds embraces the R2R revival & brings Metaxas & Sins’ duo of decks to the UK hi-fi market

August 31, 2022

Could R2R be about to enter the mainstream of high-end hi-fi? Wishful thinking perhaps, but a press release just landed on my desk that’s making me smile the smile of a reel-to-reel guy who’s enjoying seeing tape continuing to defy the modernist odds, as vinyl has already done big time. Absolute Sounds, the UK’s leading … More Audio distributor Absolute Sounds embraces the R2R revival & brings Metaxas & Sins’ duo of decks to the UK hi-fi market

The Denon DH-710F: Ken Kessler on Tim de Paravicini’s favourite tape deck

August 17, 2022

Following the sad passing of ‘the god of open reel tape’ Tim de Paravicini (pictured right) in late 2020, Ken Kessler penned a couple of guest blogs on Tim’s life and work: “I’m sorting that for Paul McCartney” and “He worked on machines for three Beatles”, which proved hugely popular. There probably wasn’t an open-reel … More The Denon DH-710F: Ken Kessler on Tim de Paravicini’s favourite tape deck

Fundraiser for Ukraine: donate and win R2R prizes – including a fully restored Tascam 32!

April 7, 2022

The good folks at RX Reels, ATR Magnetics and Reel to Reel Heaven are collaborating to raise much-needed funds to help the people of Ukraine. And, for every donation of $20, they’re generously offering you the chance to win some very nice R2R prizes: 3rd place: A ¼” 10.5″ blank ATR master tape with ATR storage … More Fundraiser for Ukraine: donate and win R2R prizes – including a fully restored Tascam 32!

“Too cool for school”: The Absolute Sound reviews the Metaxas Tourbillon T-RX tape deck

March 25, 2022

“In the world of high-end audio, there is nothing as intricately or as spellbindingly crafted as a reel-to-reel tape deck,” says US audio magazine The Absolute Sound (TAS) in a recent blog. I couldn’t agree more. And, “when fed a spool of pre-recorded tape [it] comes closer to recreating “the absolute sound” than any other … More “Too cool for school”: The Absolute Sound reviews the Metaxas Tourbillon T-RX tape deck

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

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

Analog Audio Design launches a brand new tape deck

August 16, 2021

Back in the pre-pandemic days (remember those?) it was mooted in various places (e.g. Stereonet, What’s Best Forum) that French company Analog Audio Design was working on a design for a new tape deck. Such announcements are always hugely exciting news – but then the world went a bit AWOL and, I’ll be honest, my … More Analog Audio Design launches a brand new tape deck