In this time of madness & chaos, we need more 30 minute long *Techmoan* videos !

@oliverfasola19

4 жыл бұрын

Wiggysan Wiggysan longer the better I could watch him live just playing music and stuff man needs a tv channel

@thecaptain2281

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

@CoolKD2005

4 жыл бұрын

I would gladly take a 60min video :)

@Kae6502

4 жыл бұрын

Here, here!

@eNodeTG

4 жыл бұрын

12 hour live streams!

"The red ink on the metres has faded ... they probably got some sun". So the VU got some UV?

@SACWarrior70s

4 жыл бұрын

Ian Zamojc An hah....some humor!? You 'needled' us! Ouch! We got the 'point', in 'around (2) bout' fashion. Just "Capstanising in a PINCH!" I jusy love going to the movies to see 2 REELERS!

@afrog2666

4 жыл бұрын

I love puns

@afrog2666

4 жыл бұрын

@@SACWarrior70s Lol, like flipping a switch xD

@adamziolkowski2549

4 жыл бұрын

@@SACWarrior70s lol, vinyl and tape jokes

@crusader2.0_loading89

4 жыл бұрын

ROFL

I used to be a cabinet maker, making jewelry display cases. That Sony would be a piece of cake to fix cosmetically!

I know absolutely NOTHING about audio equipment but I watched the entire thing in one go with undivided attention. It is entertaining, educational and, dare I say, therapeutic. Keep it up , Mat & stay safe.

Thank you for being a distraction during this difficult time in the world. Stay safe

@coffeehigh420

4 жыл бұрын

here here!

@HoxaSound

4 жыл бұрын

And here too :)

@lawrencedoliveiro9104

4 жыл бұрын

Me, I would say “Hear, hear!”.

@sterlinsilver

4 жыл бұрын

And WHAT a distraction it is!

@filminginportland1654

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly! I had a zoom department meeting start during a techmoan video and my boss was like, ‘who’s the English man I’m hearing?’ He wasn’t sure if it was a recording or what. I told him his English accent gives me comfort during this, which for some reason he thought was funny.

That enormous clunk noise when Mat presses those buttons ♥️

@Tacsmoker

4 жыл бұрын

*sound that is not noise lol ;-)

@mxcrec

4 жыл бұрын

... is pleasing!

@yamahonkawazuki

4 жыл бұрын

indeed

@ScottGrammer

4 жыл бұрын

That's the sound of a tape transport made of real metal, not plastic or some other cheap material. In 2050, someone might just replace the electrolytic capacitors and rubber drive components in that Sony (or the Pioneer) and enjoy that fine "chunk" sound again as they play some golden oldies from 2020.

@Zadster

4 жыл бұрын

Early home VCRs were like that. *Clunk* so satisfying.

The music slowing down combined with taking off the reel at 3:30 was such a smooth edit, very satisfying :)

These are truly a piece of an art. They are so satisfying to watch, however the satisfaction costs.

I would've liked to see the recording made on the Sony played back on the Pioneer system just to see if at full volume it would've maxed the meters out there, either way it was a great video.

@JoeJ-8282

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I was thinking that exact thing.

@rods6405

4 жыл бұрын

Yep see my comment made today

@angusmcnaughton

4 жыл бұрын

Tones are the only way to get it right

@azcochise

4 жыл бұрын

Yup, same here.

@paulstubbs7678

3 жыл бұрын

I have seen the same thing, cassette recorders are somewhat more consistent, however the standard levels for open reel seem to be more manufacturer dependent.

A comment on the meters: If I recall my decks correctly, your Pioneer RT909 has dB meters, while the Sony has VU meters. It's an important distinction and they indicate two different things and operate completely differently. That could account for some of the discrepancy you noted. Keep up the great videos as long as you can, Mat. I'll do the same with the random stuff I'm making.

@johnmh1000

4 жыл бұрын

How cool is this - two of my favorite youtubers checking out each others channels!! Stay safe both and please keep the vids coming. (It's no good I've got to head over to Dallas now (virtually speaking))

@tomwilson2112

3 жыл бұрын

That’s not quite correct. dB is just a scale of measurement- specifically, the difference between two voltages or power levels. In the case of a recording meter, it is the difference between the ideal voltage for recording to the tape and the actual voltage received. What you are probably thinking of is VU vs Peak meters. A VU meter is basically an average over a short period of time (a few milliseconds.) A “peak” meter is an instantaneous measure of the highest level over the last second or so. Both meters should be calibrated to the same zero level - around 0.3v RMS. However, it looks like the Sony unit is calibrated to a higher nominal voltage, and it commits the worse sin of measuring the playback signal after the output level control. That’s not where you should be metering on a tape deck. The system should always meter the output signal after the pre-amp and before any output level or volume controls. In other words, the meters are basically useless when measuring output levels, but they are probably reasonable when measuring _input_ levels. My guess is that Sony and Pioneer have made different assumptions about the saturation level of the tapes and so have calibrated their meters to different reference levels. When being used by itself, it doesn’t matter as much, but if I was using that deck in a studio where tapes might get played on different units, I would absolutely build a calibration tape with known sound levels, then calibrate the recording and playback levels on those meters to a specific audio level on the tape.

@donthuis

3 жыл бұрын

@@tomwilson2112 Indeed dB is about comparing levels according to a log scale and defined electrically on a specified impedance. Even meters with needles moving around can be made to show real peak levels if the preceding electronics transform the detected peak levels to the right indication of the needle. Of course without such electronic measures "normal" VU meters would be too slow to follow short peaks. My Tandberg casseteplayer has needle type meters, while my Revox B710MKII uses LED-strips. Both are fast enough...

@jamiehardt3061

3 жыл бұрын

@@tomwilson2112 The Sony has VU meters in decibels and the Pioneer seems to have PPM-ish peak meters, also in decibels. The VU meters though will almost always register lower for most kinds of content because VU meters have 300 millisecond integration time and PPMs are like 5ms or just instantaneous, a VU meter is effectively doing a 300ms rolling average. VU and peak meters only agree on alignment tones or steady-state sounds.

@robertliskey420

2 жыл бұрын

Really interesting discussion on meters. I looked at a couple of my pro machines all in vu. My definition of pro 1/2 track full bias/eq pots screwdriver set of course right under the meters and (this costs $$) No connecting jacks other than xlr/balenced. Just a thought Happy New Year

Your technical & troubleshooting abilities excel - even without electronics experience. I also like your shirt! Hunkered down in New York - good luck everyone!

Another awesome vid! I love my cpu digital setup. But there is just something so aesthetically pleasing about the analog hi-fi equipment. With its vu meters, toggle switches and analog knobs. My parents had an RCA entertainment center in the 70's. Tv, Phono, Tuner and 8 track combo with left and right built in speakers. I loved it! As I grew up it grew with the times too. First using the line in to run a standard cassette. Then later with my first cd player. The old girl finally blew the picture tube somewhere in the early 90's. But the memories from my first 45's and Lp's right up through my teenage years were priceless. Mom just passed nine months ago. But the memories last a lifetime!

Lovely! I grew up with Sony reel to reel decks, so I appreciate seeing this.

Your channel is so very enjoyable to watch, thank you for all your hard work.

Thank You Mat for doing these videos. I am completely entertained with all your videos on older technology that we may not have known existed. I too was an extreme fan of hifi equipment in the 80's and really enjoy collecting the equipment and seeing it in action.

Look after yourself Mat, and may I thank you very much for your videos over the last few years, it's like having a brand new telly channel which always shows your favourite programs! Cheers mate, Nick.

Honestly didn't even notice this video was almost 30 minutes long. This is exactly what we need in times like this, a leisurely video on a lovely piece of equipment.

The sound of well-recorded tape is highly Desirable, these days. I'm not surpised the machines are still expensive.

@oliverfasola19

4 жыл бұрын

ungratefulmetalpansy Do Germans use weird English? Asking as someone with German heritage out of Canada

@oliverfasola19

4 жыл бұрын

Andrew Barratt just reel to reel tapes or cassettes as well?

@FatNorthernBigot

4 жыл бұрын

@ungratefulmetalpansy my phone capitalised "desirable" for reasons best known to itself.

@FatNorthernBigot

4 жыл бұрын

@@oliverfasola19 a lot of studios record digitally and then put the individual tracks through a tape machine, to add saturation, a slight bass bump and warmth to a mix.

@oliverfasola19

4 жыл бұрын

ungratefulmetalpansy isn’t a noun a person place or thing? If so we capitalize them as well, not saying I didn’t find that capital weird myself. I just googled this to not look dump lol but wouldn’t that be an adverb? ( not a language expect myself )

Whether to publish a video, I am so glad you did. Reel to reel was a ‘must have’ for me in 1971 and I had a couple of machines in the day. I loved the machines then and now. Especially my TEAC A2300 machine.

Thank you for your quality work. Please take good care of yourself and your loved ones. Watching your videos helps bring peace and joy to a hectic and overbearing day filled it with overwhelming anxiety. A million thanks!

Thanks for the video, Mat! I want a reel-to-reel someday for myself, and your videos teach me a lot. I'm an old school technician from the old days, but retired from a totally different field. Lately I've been getting back into old tech that I owned myself back in the 70s and 80s. So far I have a decent turntable and cassette deck. I bought an old 8-track player at a garage sale and was able to repair it and use it in my "stack" of components. I have a feeling that this is just the beginning...

Matt/Techmoan thank you for your brilliant content. My thoughts are with you and others like you who are at risk at this time. Keep up the great work. Without doubt you are amongst the very best KZread content providers. If I was a Tech or music teacher I would have all my pupils distance learn by having them watch your back catalogue.

Very enjoyable (as always) thank you. This kind of thing is just the tonic that's needed at the mo. Keep it up!

Your videos always makes me think of the song, Sound of silence.

One of the best channels on KZread. Thank you for continuing to upload during this time of crisis. Stay safe.

1:20 - you sir are a gentleman and a scholar 👍

One of my favourite channels, always learning something from you in an entertaining way. Especially now, everyone needs a distraction so thanks so much. Look forward to the next one.

Frivolous? No, we need stuff like this more than ever! Stay safe! 👍

After your Reel to Reel - Most expensive format ever I bought my first one it was a Sony TC 280. Nice little unit to get started with the hobby.

Watching your videos has made me really start wanting a reel to reel player for myself. It's a format I totally missed out on, as cassettes were the main format in my earliest memories. There's something very endearing about reel to reel players, not to mention how connected one would feel to their music having to be so deliberate in playing it.

@trappenweisseguy27

2 жыл бұрын

I always wanted one but they were orders of magnitude more expensive than a decent cassette deck. The Technic’s models were the ones I lusted after but they were $1,600 in late 70’s money. I’ve never seen his Pioneer one before. It’s another one to drool over.

I had my eyes shut to hear the music, opened them and you had turned the light out, well played Sir

Keep safe Mat! And keep the videos coming please. For those of us confined to the sofa indefinitely, your videos are a welcome relief from the constant bad news we are receiving at the moment!

As usual a very interesting video, to be honest your relaxed style of infotainment could go on for an hour or more as time passes quickly just relaxing and seeing some old tech. Oh and you have the nicest toys too, that Pioneer tape machine is a work of art, dozens of buttons and brushed steel, delicious! As always thanks for creating :)

I imagine that the easiest would be to replace the sides with solid wood - that way you could also decide to go with ash, oak etc. to change the look.

@EeeeenSH

4 жыл бұрын

What a good idea!

@MrUlski

4 жыл бұрын

Sir Sim, Esquire fixed

@Wineman3383

4 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea, maybe something with a nice smooth grain to it, and myself would go with a gray to dark gray stain. I think that would look good, also you could play with the thickness of the wood to match whatever might be around the machine. Nothing wrong with a little customization.

@DavidFrankland

4 жыл бұрын

@@Wineman3383 You probably want to use MDF then: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fibreboard

@davidjgomm

4 жыл бұрын

@Csab Why?

Thank you for another awesome R2R video in these difficult times. It's a wonderful coincidence that I just picked up a TC-766-2 (the half-track 7.5/15ips version) this evening, it was meant to be! Take care and stay healthy.

I've been so anxious and this video was really nicely paced for that. Thanks Mat, and stay safe.

Lovely hearing the mechanics of the machine again! I used to operate a live/automated radio station. I did the live bits, had to load up the tapes and ad carts, and, even if doing something else, would always be listening for the solenoids that told me all was running smoothly. Hearing those sounds even brought back the memory of the scent of the tapes...

We used reel to reel in radio back in the 80's and 90's for recording and editing phone calls. Memories.

@nematube

4 жыл бұрын

So you worked in evidence manipulation and/or kompromat production?

20 years ago people visited the pub after work to unwind, today I like to flick to your channel with a good brew.

Thanks for sharing this. It makes so much fun to see these machines working. 👍🏻 keep up the good work.

13:35 “touching the tape” leader tape will assist you greatly in this. EDIT: Sorry you didn’t have a good experience with the Akai gx-625. I use mine almost daily. Fantastic deck.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

The blank reel didn’t have a leader.

@sawyerlightsey3709

4 жыл бұрын

Techmoan when I ordered a reel from ATR, it didn’t have leader either. I had to make a second order of some and splicing tape. I really wish they’d just ship them with leader already attached.

@BertGrink

4 жыл бұрын

I think it's quite common in the professional and semi-pro fields to see tapes without leader; after all, studio technicians were probably presumed to know all the precautions and pitfalls by the time they "graduated" to handling that kind of equipment.

@sawyerlightsey3709

4 жыл бұрын

BertyFromDK My statement is just from my own personal use. I can see how in a studio with editing and splicing that leader isn’t necessary.

@BertGrink

4 жыл бұрын

@@sawyerlightsey3709 I understand; for home use, where a tape is often used many times for multiple recordings, the leader is certainly a bonus as it tends to prolong the life of the tape, whereas in a studio, tapes tended to be used once and then archived, and a new tape would then be used for the next recording project.

Now that Pioneer is the ultimate in retro-hi-fi, and the black ones I've seen on eBay look as if they could be made today. The Sony looks awesome too.

4 жыл бұрын

@ungratefulmetalpansy You're ignorant.

@JamesT65

4 жыл бұрын

@ indeed if all.machines are maintained they are all good. The pioneer is a behemoth in its class, I know I have one that would put any technics to shame, my comparison is my Studer A807.

@williamjones4483

4 жыл бұрын

@ungratefulmetalpansy For its price range, Pioneer performs quite well. However, if you want to go down that road, Technics sucks. McIntosh is the real deal.

@RCAvhstape

4 жыл бұрын

I miss the 80s PIoneer logo. I used to have car speakers with that logo on them. Looked as cool as they sounded with a Blaupunkt radio.

@benjammin2020

4 жыл бұрын

I really like the woodgrain. Somehow I always end up with akai gear. I like it though. I think that since Also stopped making consumer electronics, people don't recognize the brand, therefore they put it on Craigslist rather than eBay. On another note, always have a look on local selling sites, because the customer base is a lot smaller.

Please keep up the videos, the world could be coming to an end outside but I would be right here in my room watching your videos, you, LGR, Big Clive, and EEVlog. Those are my everyday watches, there are others, but because of you guys I have no need for tv anymore. Thanks for what you do.

I very much enjoyed every second of this video . i have a very special soft spot for reel to reel tape machines.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

I have never needed a reel-to-reel tape machine, but I still want one. After this video even more so :)

@williamwilkinson9572

4 жыл бұрын

Like many hobby's they can take hold of your life for a long time.

@paulstubbs7678

3 жыл бұрын

I had one for similar reasons, but after getting into digital audio recording on a PC, I realised the space it was taking up could be put to better uses, so I sold it to an older bloke who was most happy.

Great video as always. One small thing- the reel size switch adjusts the torque of the spindle motors, not the tension arms themselves.

@donmoore7785

4 жыл бұрын

That makes sense. Good observation.

@John2Ward

4 жыл бұрын

Yes: I noticed that, and confusion between capstans and pinch wheels/rollers as well.

I have one of these machines,unfortunately it's not usable as of yet. It was a gift and I'm happy to have it.The sad part of the story is that it sat on a shelf in a garden shed for many years...Amazingly it powers up and functions.I've had it for 3-4 years now and this video has inspired me to get it down and dig into it...I made new side panels when I got it(far as I got) Then,it went to the wayside.Thank you for the nudge. It should be running in my system soon...

Agreed with previous comments. Nice calming video. Keep it up ! It might be the only interaction people have over the next 3 weeks.

God bless you my friend. You’re one of the best KZreadrs imho and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. In fact my top 5 youtubers are all Brits haha. Must be the BBC effect. Stay safe and healthy

3:04 - "You are listening to Seeburg FM. The easy choice!"

I always find your videos soothing for some reason, I'm sure lots of people appreciate that more than ever right now, be safe out there, cheers man.

Thank you Mat, please carry on making great videos and we will carry on watching them. It's a modern circle of life.

Regarding the meters, it's possible the previous owner had the playback level set to full at all times, but didn't want the meters on the front stuck in the red all the time. You can use the little flat head adjustment screws on the front of them to adjust them back up to their correct level! (haven't finished the video yet, just in case you end up doing this anyway!)

A reel to reel machine with handles? My brain: I like to move it, move it.

I just came for the shirt and got a half hour video about some amazing piece of tech as a bonus. Well done and thank You very much.

You sir, are a legend amongst men. Stay well.

I found a wonderful place in Nelson, Lancashire that repair reel to reel machines, Wilkinson's Hifi.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

That’s really good to know - thanks for the info.

@mikeos1

4 жыл бұрын

@@Techmoan I can strongly recommend a guy named Geoff Kremer, in Bexhill-on-Sea. Find him here. www.servicesound.com/

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

With things like these you really need to be within driving distance - a trip with a courier will do them more harm than good.

@SteveBrookfieldmusic

4 жыл бұрын

@@Techmoan luckily, I'm an hour away from Nelson. But I would drive anywhere in the uk to drop something this fragile in person.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

I’m under 40 mins from Nelson - but Bexhill on Sea - that’s a ten hour round trip.

I, like you, have some hearing loss but am fascinated with your coverage of all this retro tech. I don't have anything but CDs and now a Sony NW-45 that I picked up after watching your review and getting interested in lossless media like FLAC, etc. That leads me to the next question, do you think lossless digital sounds better, the same, or not as good as a reel to reel (assuming the highest settings like 15 IPS, etc., and whatever else you can do to optimize it)? Or is it more for the love of the format and the nostalgia of former times? And to you reel to reel hard core fans that will inevitably read this, please don't go off on me. I've never heard one live and I'm just looking for an honest opinion. Thank you, Mat, for another great video. From Boston, best regards and stay safe.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

It's a difficult one to answer because often the stuff put out on hi-res has been cleaned up, remastered or is in some way more suited to getting the special treatment. A quickly thrown together mid 90s pop album might not benefit from hi-res, but a specially recorded acoustic number with a wide dynamic range might do. Some people prefer tape as they want the best quality while keeping things analog. You've probably seen my video about the 15ips 2 track tapes - but if you haven't it delves a bit more into this world. kzread.info/dash/bejne/Z398tdxyd8yTeaw.html

Thankyou for this video Mat, this brought back happy memories for me listening to Pink Floyd with my late father in the late 70s on his Akai reel to reel. Stay safe

Huh..i never seen a reel to reel tape player before. This is new to me! Tech has come so far. I want one!

Hey Mat - Havent finished yet and I think there are screw adjustments in those 2 holes below the VU meter. Its so you can set the level

@terrysouthwood4757

4 жыл бұрын

That would require complete calibration using a signal generator and oscilloscope. I wouldn't recomend just tweaking by ear.

@LiveeviL6969

4 жыл бұрын

I do believe those are only for zeroing the meters, not necessarily the overall level.

@AvroVulcanXH607

4 жыл бұрын

Don't they just set the zero position?

@welshwench4217

4 жыл бұрын

Great job as always Mat, thank you .. The VU meter holes are just to zero the meters.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

*There’s a bit more information about this in the video description text box.*

Another informative video, will there be a follow up with any more stuff from the chap from Sony? Stay safe Matt.

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

This is really it - the other things (bar a couple of small items) weren’t something I could use and have gone to other people.

So back in the mid-80s I would record vinyl to reel to cassette tape. The sound quality was out standing and the best I have ever heard to this day (Prince, Rick James, Quincy Jones...Stevie Wonder etc). My cousin who was my goto for sound (and her reels) showed me the process and boy was I happy with the outcome. Like studio quality sound from vinyl to the reel (all the good filter settings) back to a good tape (Sony something but the higher quality ones).

Loved this! Stay safe and healthy Mat, and we'll be happy for whatever you're able to put out in the coming weeks

You should check out The Vinyl Guru. I feel like youd love her....

@ChristinaGina

4 жыл бұрын

Mademe X She’s way more “out” there than Techmoan which isnt bad but i just checked her out and subbed. Good channel!

@floransyousif2854

4 жыл бұрын

Ok, ill check her out!i like that YT name already! VINYL FO LIFE!!!!!

@mademex7941

4 жыл бұрын

Florans Yousif haha yes! I just discovered her and I feel like the way they are boutbaudio is the same. She said she had a reel to reel top so total kindred spirits.

I love that the first thing you see is the broken light bulb. OCD rules! 😉

I own that exact machine in pristine condition. I would spend the coin and have that cleaned up, new belts, capacitors, led lights installed, new sides. That is a solid machine you got there.

Reel to reel is so satisfying of a concept. All analog, no cassettes or caddies. Any simpler like a wire recording and it wouldn't be recognizable or convenient.

I miss the puppets , they really finish a episode and do the moan of the tech. Thank for the videos

@lawrencedoliveiro9104

4 жыл бұрын

That table where he sat the Sony unit, that was the one they sat at.

6:59 I wonder how many of the non-British (or younger British) viewers know the origins/significance of "other brands are available" as an aside comment?

@kaitlyn__L

4 жыл бұрын

I'm 25, and I get it. But maybe I'm not "younger" anymore...?

@RustyPetterson

4 жыл бұрын

Haha, I wondered that too! It doesn't even make sense in a KZread video really but it made me laugh. It's still very much a thing on the BBC - Radliffe & Maconie say it all the time.

@pierdeer

4 жыл бұрын

I know about it from other british KZreadrs, like Ashens would joke about it and say "Wait, I'm not the bloody BBC"´, so I assume that's what the british TV channels would say to stay in line with Ofcom regulations and make sure nobody thinks they're being paid to show the brand? :)

@kaitlyn__L

4 жыл бұрын

@@pierdeer yeah, specifically the BBC bc it has more neutrality mandated than the commercial channels. Though sometimes the commercial channels still black out logos and say the thing if they haven't been paid, to try and encourage product placement money >.> "we're not doing it for free!" etc

@RustyPetterson

4 жыл бұрын

@@pierdeer Correct!

Loved every second of watching this. Love to hear you talk sense. I have an AKAI GX 255 and also a TEAC X-10R

These machines are so majestic!

People watching this in ten years will be like "Why can't he leave the house? Is his wife really that controlling?"

@PixelatedH2O

4 жыл бұрын

@@aserta Payback from China??

@Syncopator

4 жыл бұрын

Once they figure out that this kind of "social distancing" campaign is great help in avoiding climate disruption & the inevitable sea level rise (people not travelling as much, so we're not burning as much fossil fuel), they may decide we should keep doing it. Apparently, the pollution level has already dropped significantly in China.

@PixelatedH2O

4 жыл бұрын

@@Syncopator Yes, let's just destroy human culture and civilization. I agree about the environmental benefits but this isn't the real answer.

@shippy555

4 жыл бұрын

I don't think Techmoan's intentions, when he mentioned the virus, was to be starting a whole debate on it, on his channel! Let's leave it nice and revert back to the very point of the video's subject. Please. Thanks.

@UltimateAlgorithm

4 жыл бұрын

@@aserta very likely some of us survived, I mean this is not the first time humankind dealing with a global pandemic.

Can you not just swap the side panels for now, that way the damage would be at the back...

@alekchodorowski8929

4 жыл бұрын

It looks that you can switch left with right with no problem. Good idea!👍

@compzac

4 жыл бұрын

There appears to be a wood support piece on the behind, i didnt notice if it was just on one side or both, but id imagine its probably a sticking point to just flipping the pieces

@Techmoan

4 жыл бұрын

*There’s more information in the video description.*

Very nice system....thanks for your video. Love seeing great older machines

Thanks for taking the time to make this video, I like reel to reels. I have a TEAC 4300, 7 inch reels. It's heavy and built like a tank. Great sounding machine and has auto reverse as well. I just have to get the brakes adjusted. Shortly after I got it, I had it in fast forward and pressed stop. SNAP! Busted a perfectly good tape! Stay healthy over there!

More leisurely look videos mate! Churn out prolific content. It’s time to totally wipe out and utilise every idea you have. I’m sure you’ll gain hundreds of thousands of subscribers in the process.

The overlay at 15:35 is the kind of quality post-production that keeps me coming back. Well done, sir.

Thanks for your prompt reply. I saw how some of the machines arrive at your place. I'll be very scared to loose a 1000ZXL. I repaired, serviced over 2900 various machines, but only ever tuned repaired two(2) 1000 ZXL's. I understand that you must be very busy. I would now also understand that you might not be able to get one because they are so rare and expensive- i did my research.... I watch all your videos, and i see how lovingly you restore-repair those electrical monsters. Carry on your good work please...Re

Very good of you to pass it along. I still have dad's RCA SRT-301 that I would like to work on one day. Cheers from Austin.

I’m new to reel to reel, bought my first deck this week won’t TC-377, beautiful conditioning and fully functional in original box. I’ve since bought loads of stuff to about £100 on rubber restorer, new belt set (can’t have enough belts), super-lube grease, I’m going to use sewing machine oil, managed to make a couple of new friends and long conversation with folk I’ve bought 7” old tapes from. I’m amazed (but shouldn’t have been) with the impact of different tapes, managed to get 5 TDK LX35 tapes recommended by a chap who had recorded 10 hours of music per week from the radio back in the 80’s & 90’s on R2R and has now sold hundreds of his tapes and got rid of his machines….I’ve joined forums blimey how am I going to find the time. I’ve realised that it the process of getting ready to listen to music I love, I love putting on a record, cleaning it, setting on the platter, etc etc, and it’s like meditation and generates peace in my noggin…so how have I lived this long with out tape machines I have no idea. Thanks for the video one of the TC-377 would be perfect but may be you’ve done one already. Also, I’m interested in what you think about tapes ?!

A very nice example of a consumer version high-end 10.5" R2R deck. As a R2R fan since I was 12 (I'm 60 now) this one was always my favorite Sony unit as so many of their earlier home decks were 7" decks. This one raised the bar in tape stabilization with it's unique modular head/tension dual capstan block married to a robust series of drive motors controlled with a nice large touch button logic control. It has three motors but if I'm correct only the reel motors are direct drive and the capstan module is belt drive as it the tape counter (which we have actually seen). With two capstans I can see why they are much simpler to power by belt rather than synchronizing 2 motors or building a direct linkage between the two capstans to a motor shaft. I think the design is pretty cool and should be easy to get to most things, like belts and such, that need service. I'm surprised the belts on the unit are in such good condition. This alone would indicate not just quality belts but a unit that was kept in a decent climate controlled space.. The Pioneer 909 is still a winner for me however as it was about the most beautiful R2R ever made for consumer use if not quite as impressive as the hulking Technics 1500 units with the isolated loop tape system and analog meters. Getting this for free and passing forward for the same is a sign of very good man indeed. A truly high-performance collectible consume deck the owner should get many hours of pleasure from.

Keep up the excellent stuff!! - really enjoy watching this stuff. I am currently a Brit in Algeria on an oil field, so this stuff keeps me going. All the best to you and your family.

Just discovered the awesome world of reel to reel decks the sound is captivating down this rabbit hole l go great video thx

Many thanks for taking the time to produce this video

Back in around 78, my father repaired a friends Akia "Portable" reel to reel for us to tinker with. We used the amp to help with a school dance, we used it to record our bluegrass band, and I used to carry it around on the handlebars of my bicycle... (Remember, it was "portable"... It was 3 foot tall and 18 inches wide although it seemed more like it was 6 foot tall and 3 feet wide to a child in middle school ;-) It always amazed me how durable the tubes were in that machine!!! I had several accidents while transporting the machine and I never once damaged a tube :-) Thanks for the trip down memory lane Mr T.M. & stay safe!!!

I can't wait to tuck into my Roberts 771X later this year and give it a thorough once-over. It worked well when I last used it (aside from some scratchy pots) but it's been sitting in the basement and the inside is filled with the remnants of a mouse nest. The recording you made on the machine played back **beautifully.**

Please carry on, make as many videos as you want to, and be a sanctuary in a sea of madness! Thanks Techmoan, you really are a star!

Hi, spent years repairing these old decks and enjoyed every moment. Brings back memory's , remember the pioneer esp was a nice deck that had a logic problem. Most 3 motor decks were built real well.

In my late teens, a kind neighbour gave me his old (valve amplified) reel-to-reel which I used to record Alan ('Fluff') Freeman's Radio 1 Saturday afternoon _Rock_ _Show_. ("Greetings, music lovers!" "Not 'arf!") As a teen with very little disposable income for LPs, his show was an invaluable source of untold musical riches and education.

That looks very much like the tape deck my friend had in the late 1970’s. I was always impressed by the quality of it, nice looking piece of kit.

Lucky people who got that beautiful machine, thanks for great videos, and greetings from Copenhagen Denmark

Mat, great video. All the better for it's leisurely attribute! Hopefully more of same please....you're needed more than now in these isolation afflicted times!!! Brilliant.

My father had a 7 1/2" Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder from the mid 1960s, which I "inherited" from him when he upgraded his equipment in the early '80s. I used that thing for over 10 years. I would record my vinyl onto tape so I could play it multiple times without wearing out the vinyl. I was also in a band during the late '80s and early '90s, and we'd use it to record ourselves, because it had such a high quality compared to anything else. At some point in the mid '90s, I moved houses and it got damaged... I never bothered fixing it, and it eventually got thrown out. I wish I'd kept it -- it'd be worth a great deal today.

Enjoyed the video. I have one of these machines. Boy is it heavey and does it sound good. I got mine about thirty years back second hand for £100. Yes £100. I didn't really know what it was worth and the owner asked me to make an offer so I did and he said ok. My wife does not like it but I think it is a thing of beauty and as they say, a thing of beauty is a joy for ever. It sure is to me. Thanks for the video , I'm glad I came across it. Cheers Ray

You inspired me to fix up my grandpa's old player! We have a bunch of unmarked reels and I played a few, turns out most are 7½ ips Elvis and Niel Diamond and Four Seasons! It's great! Thank you!

Thank you. Reely great content and I have lived with your sunshine popping in... phew! 😁 👍

Seeing interest in the reel to reel tape player to me is very exciting. At a time in which record players and records are coming back just because the interest is high enough to warrant companies to produce them gives me hope that eventually the same may happen to the reel to reel as well. As a kid in the mid 70’s into the early 80’s this piece of equipment brought hours upon hours of entertainment. Thank you Matt for your interest in this as well. Your channel is among my top 5.

I liked the big old sony Reel to reel machine you demonstrated, I guess a machine without the reels reminds me of a bird without feathers.

Nice - we had a Sony touch control reel to reel of mid-70s vintage - TC-850. It looks like the VU meters are jerky on playback versus line monitoring and record. Videos from YT creators like you are *very* much appreciated during this stressful time. They are entertaining like usual, but also stress relievers and a distraction. Thank you for what you do, always!