Open reel tape versus direct-cut vinyl: two versions of Chasing the Dragon’s superb ‘A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald’ go head to head

August 18, 2017

Audiophile record label Chasing the Dragon has been causing quite a stir with its superb quality direct-cut vinyl albums. Earlier this year, the label also began to release master tape versions of those albums, taken from simultaneous recordings of the exact same live studio performances. As a lover of both vinyl and tape, I couldn’t … More Open reel tape versus direct-cut vinyl: two versions of Chasing the Dragon’s superb ‘A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald’ go head to head

“Staggering”. The rambler is blown away by Open Reel Records’ recording of Eduard Kunz on master tape: “the greatest pianist I’d never heard of”

March 16, 2017

Eduard Kunz: Sonatas Beethoven Piano Sonata in C Major No.21 Op.53 ‘Waldstein’, plus Brahms Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor Op.5 Open Reel Records. They don’t call me the ‘rambling reviewer’ for nothing and this, dear reader, will be no exception. But stick with me and you may well be handsomely rewarded, because there … More “Staggering”. The rambler is blown away by Open Reel Records’ recording of Eduard Kunz on master tape: “the greatest pianist I’d never heard of”

New Ballfinger M-063 reel-to-reel tape player: exclusive report for Mono & Stereo

February 7, 2017

As reel-to-reel tape continues to capture the attention of audiophiles and music lovers around the world, a number of companies have mooted the idea of re-instating production of tape players to meet the needs of this re-emerging market. To date, however, no new machine has actually materialised and so those of us who crave the … More New Ballfinger M-063 reel-to-reel tape player: exclusive report for Mono & Stereo

Reel-to-reel review: Greetje Kauffeld & Band – ‘On My Way To The 30th Analog Forum Anniversary’ from STS Digital

February 2, 2017

Don’t let the name of Dutch high-end recording label STS Digital confuse you. Yes, they’re called ‘Digital’ but even so, they produce vinyl records and reel-to-reel tapes as well as CDs. While we’re in clarification mode, let’s start with a brief explanation of the name of this particular album, which is also a tad unusual. … More Reel-to-reel review: Greetje Kauffeld & Band – ‘On My Way To The 30th Analog Forum Anniversary’ from STS Digital

Talking tape: ‘Thelonious Monk Live in Milan’ from Open Reel Records

September 23, 2016

As an audiophile, your love of music is almost matched by your passion for great sound and so sometimes you come across a recording that leaves you cold musically, but involves such hi-fidelity recording wizardry and a sound so divine, you just have to have it. More often, you discover a piece of music that … More Talking tape: ‘Thelonious Monk Live in Milan’ from Open Reel Records

Master tapes of original Star Wars soundtracks and more: latest releases from Horch House

January 11, 2016

Star Wars fans are in for yet another treat… ever fancied hearing the master tapes of the original film soundtracks? Now you can, thanks to a recent deal struck between Sony Music Entertainment and master tape copying experts Horch House. Austria-based Horch House was created for the sole purpose of bringing the magic of original … More Master tapes of original Star Wars soundtracks and more: latest releases from Horch House

‘That happy feeling’: Horch House master tape copies win over reviewers

December 14, 2015

Bert Kaempfert’s album, ‘A Swingin’ Safari’, was recorded in Hamburg’s Polydor Studio in 1961/62. At 50+ years old, the original master tape isn’t quite what it used to be. But now, thanks to master tape experts Horch House, this aged recording has been brought back to life and faithful copies of the ‘refurbished’ master are … More ‘That happy feeling’: Horch House master tape copies win over reviewers