It’s always a treat to discover a new (to me) recording label that’s issuing music on open reel tape, so I was pleased to hear from Mikhail Mamonov, the founder of Smart Audio Recording Lab. Based in Kirov city, Russia, Smart Audio is a custom-designed recording studio that also operates as a tape label, releasing its … More Another tape label to add to the listings: Smart Audio Recording Lab
In part 1 of of this piece I introduced and reviewed The George Fludas Organ Quartet on copy master tape from Chicago-based International Phonograph Inc. Here, we venture behind the scenes at IPI to discover more about how the tape was made. I’m grateful to IPI’s Jonathan Horwich for sending me some notes and photographs … More The George Fludas Organ Quartet from International Phonograph: behind the scenes (part 2 of 2)
According to jazz critic John Corbett, “George Fludas is one of the greatest drummers ever to come out of Chicago, an impeccable swinger with imagination, class, moxie, and a clear sense of the full span of jazz tradition.” So, while there are several titles in International Phonograph Inc’s (IPI) collection that I’d been coveting, this … More “One of the greatest drummers to come out of Chicago”: The George Fludas Organ Quartet from International Phonograph (part 1 of 2)
One of the most commonly reported effects of pandemic lockdown is a day-to-day struggle with maintaining focused attention. And so, when researching some piece of hi-fi news, I sometimes finding myself meandering around the internet hopping from one link to the next like Alice bouncing down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. Sometimes the net result … More Scientists unwind the mysteries of ‘sticky shed syndrome’ and why baking damaged tapes renders them playable again
Produced using upcycled aviation grade carbon fibre for superior strength, durability and weight, RX Reels’ new tape reels won’t warp or bend – and they make your tape deck look about as good as it sounds. Kevin Root started saving for his first reel-to-reel tape player at age 13, but in fact it was another … More New carbon fibre tape reels from RX Reels combine high performance with good looks
Alena Baeva is fast emerging as one of the finest violinists of her generation. A protégée of the late, great Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, and of multi-award wininng Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa, she’s been described as a ‘magnetic presence’ and a ‘constantly fascinating sound technician’. I’ve been hooked ever since I first saw … More Discovering Alena Baeva with UltraAnalogue Recordings: part 3 – Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op 121
I’m delighted to report that I recently heard from Volker Lange, one of the reel-to-reel revival’s earlier pioneers. Volker was the main man behind the Austrian tape label Horch House, which he set up in 2014. Right from the start, Volker had some rather impressive successes in negotiating with the big labels to acquire the … More A warm welcome back to…. Horch House!
Each month, Hi-Fi News magazine raids its vault to bring you an article from its vast archive of features and reviews from yesteryear. The December 2020 issue ran a review from way back in June 1978, in which Martin Colloms put four ‘new’ top-quality open-reel decks to the test. Ah, those were the days eh. … More Vintage hits: Hi-Fi News reviews four ‘new’ open-reel decks (new in 1978, that is!)
Top hi-fi journalist and self-confessed R2R junkie Ken Kessler knows a thing or two about tape decks old and new, so if you’re in the market for a good secondhand machine, who better to guide to through the maze of what’s available. In a recent issue of Hi-Fi News magazine, Ken shared with readers his … More Revealed: Ken Kessler’s top 10 used open-reel decks
Hoist on my own petard, I closed a previous column (back in the early days of COVID-19!) with the words, “Next Month: The Surprising Sounds of A Crap Format”. Well, COVID-19 and back problems delayed the column in question, but here’s the essence of it: my own, odd, support of cassettes. Let’s not mince words. … More Ken Kessler’s surprising support of cassettes (and no-one’s as surprised as Ken himself!)
Dave Denyer: The Reel-to-Reel Rambler 