Another brand new, modern R2R deck is on its way… check out a preview of the Thorens TM 1600 at the Munich High-End Show 2019!

May 8, 2019

The renowned Swiss analogue hi-fi brand Thorens, known for its excellent turntables, has recently announced that it is working with none other than Ballfinger to launch a brand new reel-to-reel player, designed for home use. The machine is due for launch in summer 2020 with a limited production of 100 units. Its estimated price will … More Another brand new, modern R2R deck is on its way… check out a preview of the Thorens TM 1600 at the Munich High-End Show 2019!

R2R goes mainstream as the ‘return of reel-to-reel’ is heralded in the UK’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper (hint: the rambler may have given them a tip-off!)

May 7, 2019

“It began with vinyl, and cassettes closely followed. But now reel-to-reel tape decks have joined the analogue revival and are making a comeback, as musicians reject new technology for the ‘unbelievable’ sound of the classic machines.” So writes journalist Laura FitzPatrick in this weekend’s Sunday Telegraph, a national newspaper with a print run of around … More R2R goes mainstream as the ‘return of reel-to-reel’ is heralded in the UK’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper (hint: the rambler may have given them a tip-off!)

Tape operating level aka ‘reference fluxivity’: what’s it all about (and why should you care)?

April 25, 2019

So, I’ve been investigating the subject of tape operating levels. Or, to use the more technical-sounding term, reference fluxivity. I actually started looking into it a few months ago but it’s taken me this long to get my thoughts into enough of a semblance of order to write something vaguely coherent! Why? Well, it turns … More Tape operating level aka ‘reference fluxivity’: what’s it all about (and why should you care)?

Review: a classical musical masterclass from UltraAnalogue Recordings

March 25, 2019

About six months ago I penned my first review of a tape from Toronto-based UltraAnalogue Recordings, Shostakovich Cello Sonata & Elgar’s Salut d’Amour. To say that I enjoyed myself would be an understatement (have I mentioned how much I love my job?) and so it was only a matter of time before I went back … More Review: a classical musical masterclass from UltraAnalogue Recordings

Kicking off the Kessler collection: in which tape junkie Ken Kessler recounts his early forays into the world of pre-recorded reel-to-reels

March 7, 2019

Intrepid R2R junkie Ken Kessler didn’t always have a bountiful stock of tapes. Everybody has to start somewhere, after all. Here, Ken casts his mind back to the early days of his open-reel tape habit and recounts how he got started building up a collection of pre-recorded reel-to-reels. When Tim de Paravicini demo’d a mint … More Kicking off the Kessler collection: in which tape junkie Ken Kessler recounts his early forays into the world of pre-recorded reel-to-reels

Vivaldi in Venice part 2: a post-script from the rambler’s listening room

February 12, 2019

In 2018, hi-fi journalist Neville Roberts flew to Venice to attend the live recording of audiophile label Chasing the Dragon’s Vivaldi in Venice album. At home in the UK, Dave Denyer listens to the recording on copy master tape. Spoiler alert: “this is one of the most wonderfully captivating examples of the recording art I’ve ever … More Vivaldi in Venice part 2: a post-script from the rambler’s listening room

Vivaldi in Venice part 1: Neville Roberts discovers the joys and the challenges of making audiophile recordings of a live concert

February 11, 2019

Making a high-quality audio recording in a recording studio is one thing, but making a similar recording at a live concert has its own particular challenges. Neville Roberts flies out to Venice to investigate. I’ve been fortunate to be able to attend a number of recording sessions in recent years. The aim at each session … More Vivaldi in Venice part 1: Neville Roberts discovers the joys and the challenges of making audiophile recordings of a live concert

‘To the moon and back’: in which the rambler kicks back with Lyn Stanley’s ‘Moonlight Sessions’ and discovers a thing or two about CCIR vs. NAB equalization

January 16, 2019

Lyn Stanley: the audiophile artist Lyn Stanley is an American jazz singer with a difference. Well, several differences as it happens. The most noteworthy difference for me is that in her recording career, she focuses entirely on making audiophile quality albums. Other interesting snippets include the fact that she was previously an international standard ballroom dancer, … More ‘To the moon and back’: in which the rambler kicks back with Lyn Stanley’s ‘Moonlight Sessions’ and discovers a thing or two about CCIR vs. NAB equalization

“I always felt that cassettes were utter shite”: Ken Kessler treats us to a brief digression from the continuing saga of his reel-to-reel adventures

December 13, 2018

When an addiction takes hold, there’s no knowing where it might lead. Here, hi-fi journalist Ken Kessler’s love of all things tape takes a turn for the surprising… My name is Ken Kessler and I’m an addict… and this disease – a new-found love of tape – manifested itself in a strange way at the … More “I always felt that cassettes were utter shite”: Ken Kessler treats us to a brief digression from the continuing saga of his reel-to-reel adventures