Shows
Press Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 28: Buying A Reel-to-ReelThis is an audio version of a presentation I deliver at Hi-Fi shows and to interest groups. It covers:ApplicationReels sizesTrack layoutTape speedsReversable machines EqNew or used machinesSupport the show
2024-12-2036 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 27: Why Gen X Are Loving TapeReece Beard is a final-year student at Salford University in the UK. I thought he would make a great interview as to why GenX, Millenials and Gen Zeds are going back to the analogue tape format.You can also hear why it's good that a machine doesn't record sometimes and how I trashed an MRL alignment tape. Support the show
2024-08-3129 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 26: In Conversation With Dan Labrie of Myriad Magnetic - Part 2In part 2 of this two-part podcast we talk to Dan Labrie owner of Myriad Magnetic.Dan has been involved in professional analogue recording technology since 2010. He began his career replacing switches and capacitors on an Amek console at a recording studio in Detroit. As a result of working for analogue tape pioneer Mike Spitz, who owned ATR Services and the tape manufacturer ATR Magnetics, he has gained valuable experience in, not just the machines, but also in the tape they record and play.Support the show
2024-02-1622 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 25: Iain Is Interviewed on Local RadioI have been meaning to do this for a long time, a bit more about me and my experience, so you get an idea of the person behind all of this. I did an outline of my background in Episode 1 but there is nothing like being interviewed and answering those, sometimes tricky questions, that get you searching the depths of your memory to answer them.I was asked to appear on Darren Harte’s radio show on Harborough FM, to talk about the resurgence of tape. Darren is a client of Reel Resilience , I have serviced his cas...
2024-01-0734 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 24: In Conversation With Dan Labrie of Myriad Magnetic - Part 1In part 1 of this two-part podcast we talk to Dan Labrie owner of Myriad Magnetic.Dan has been involved in professional analogue recording technology since 2010. He began his career replacing switches and capacitors on an Amek console at a recording studio in Detroit. As a result of working for analogue tape pioneer Mike Spitz, who owned ATR Services and the tape manufacturer ATR Magnetics, he has gained valuable experience in, not just the machines, but also in the tape they record and play.Support the show
2023-04-2922 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 23: Who's Going To Fix These Machines? - Part 2The resurgence of reel-to-reel, whilst great, has brought with it a few myths and misnomers and, shall we say, less than best practice in using them. In part 2 of this 3 part mini-series on supporting reel-to-reel, Iain Betson of Reel Resilience discusses with his guests, Rob Brinkworth and Gary Hedge, about looking after the audio format we love. Support the show
2023-03-0727 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 22: Who's Going To Fix These Machines? - Part 1In the 1960s to 1980s, when tape recorders were in regular use, there were many people to fix them. Half a century down the line, the number who now do this has reduced for many reasons. So who's going to keep these recorders running for the next generation to enjoy? In part 1, of this two-part podcast, Iain Betson of Reel Resilience is in conversation with Rob Brinkworth and Gary Hedge, two UK based people who do just that. We talk "Guinea pigs", Fostex reliability and why a hit making studio of the 1980s hated their Studer A800! Su...
2023-01-3128 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 21: Talking About the PR99, A700 & The B67Part 2 of my conversion with Rob Brinkworth. In Episode 20 we talked about Rob's collection of Revox A77 and B77 machines and we carried on talking about the other recorders in his collection too, so I thought it would be a shame not to hear it. One of the models we spoke about was the successor to the B77, Studers attempt to bridge the gap between their consumer, Revox badge products and the professional Studer line-up, the Revox PR99.Then we got onto the "fun" of owning a Revox A700 and comparing it to its Studer bro...
2022-03-2028 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 20: The Revox A77 (and a bit about the B77 too)It’s rare you can use the term game-changer in the world of reel-to-reel, In the genesis of the format developments came organically, with perhaps only the discovery of AC bias, to radically improve the recorded audio quality, being worthy of that title. But in terms of actual machines that title must go to a product introduced in 1968 by Studer under it's Revox brand name: The A77. 3 heads, 3 motors and tape handing that could match some professional machines. In this episode of Press Play> we talk all thing A77 (and a bit about its successor the B77...
2022-01-1243 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 19: Why MCI? Part 2This episode is part 2 of our two-part look at (Sony) MCI tape machines - I am told, by those with minds immeasurably superior to mine, that there is no difference between those machines badged with the Sony or MCI logo. We talk to Graham Nystrom of Rope Room Studio based in Astoria, Oregon (www.roomstudio.com). He has an MCI JH-24, or nearly one, because as you will hear, it’s a both a work in progress and a labour of love to get his machine up back up and running. Our next webianr on an asp...
2021-07-0323 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 18: Why MCI? Part 1This episode, and the next one, of the Press Play > podcast is all about MCI tape recorders. I put the word out on the Facebook groups that I wanted to talk MCI tape machines and studio owners Thomas Yearsley and Graham Nystrom replied they would be happy to hook up. Both Graham and Thomas are great speakers and passionate about their MCIs so, with so much material, only two episodes could do the subject justice. This episode sees me in conversation with Thomas, owner of Thunderbird Analogue Studios in Oceanside, California about his music, studios and...
2021-04-2820 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 17: A New Reel-to-Reel from ThorensIn this episode we introduce the fourth new reel-to-reel machine to arrive on the market. Thorens show their confidence in the resurgence of reel-to-reel by the launch of the TM1600 player. Gunter Kürten, CEO of Thorens, talks about why he wanted the Thorens name on a reel-to-reel , who the machine is aimed at, why it costs what it does and, the question most asked, why a player only.https://www.thorens.com/en/thorens-news-infos/231-high-end-2019-thorens-tm-1600-%E2%80%93-high-end-tape-machine.htmlSupport the show
2021-01-0917 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 16: The Beatles on TapeAndrew Morton runs the website Parlogram Auctions. A site specialising in the sale of rare and collectable Beatles memorabilia. An Englishman living in Austria, Andrew has an encyclopaedic knowledge of anything Beatles and has made a personal collection of all the studio albums of The Beatles that were released on open-reel tape. In this episode we discuss not only those tape-based albums, but also the band's use of tape in the studio as a creative tool.Support the show
2020-12-2224 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 15: Getting Into Reel-to-ReelIn conversation with Stuart Blacklock on buying an entry-level reel-to-reel machine. Stuart has been a guest on Press Play before, and it's with good reason we welcome him back. He is a man with a wealth of reel-to-reel experience and, as you’ll hear, a tape machine collection to match. We discuss machines to consider buying when first getting into the reel-to-reel format: What's affordable. What to look out for. Pros and cons. What it will cost. Also in this podcast is exciting news of a webinar Iain Betson of Reel Resilience will be running in late January 2021 on ho...
2020-12-1238 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 14: The Kostas Metaxas Interview - Part 2Kostas Metaxas of Metaxas & Sins: This episode is part 2 of our two-part chat with Kostas Metaxas of Metaxas & Sins. We’ll hear about the TRX recorder, move onto discuss the new limited-edition product Papillon 15 and then about his beautiful pens. We will also hear, straight from the designers mouth, the answer to the question so many ask when they see the these new recorders: How much are they?Support the show
2020-09-1428 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 13: The Kostas Metaxas Interview - Part 1Kostas Metaxas of Metaxas & Sins: Despite the resurgence of the tape format, few people, or companies, have created a new tape-recorder. Kostas has not just done this once, but twice. First with the TRX recorder, positioned as a replacement for Nagra and Stellavox field recorders, and later with the Papillion 15, a studio based, or high-end audiophile, product. In part 1 of this two-part podcast Kostas takes us through his early years in hi-end hi-fi and music recording, to the story of how the TRX, and recently the Papillon, came about.Support the show
2020-09-0223 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 12: Talking Heads - Part 2Tape heads: It all stops with a head when the audio is recorded on to the tape and starts with it on replay. Fortunately magnetic heads for audio recording are still manufactured by at least three companies across the World. Press Play > talks to two of them. In part 2, of this two-part podcast, we talk to Federica Galantino and Andrea Babuto, of Photovox Technology of Italy https://www.photovoxtech.it/. We talk head re-lapping, toll machines on subways and why cassette deck owners should be worried.Support the show
2020-08-1116 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 11: Talking Heads - Part 1Tape heads: It all stops with a head when the audio is recorded on to the tape and starts with it on replay. Fortunately magnetic heads for audio recording are still manufactured by at least three companies across the World. Press Play > talks to two of them. In part 1, of this two-part podcast, to Peter Van Rompay, of AM Beligium http://www.ambelgium.be/en and in part 2, to Federica Galantino and Andrea Babuto, of Photovox Technology of Italy https://www.photovoxtech.it/. We talk head re-lapping, butterfly heads and toll machines on subways and roads. Support t...
2020-07-3133 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 10: Righteous ReelsThis episode of Press Play> very much deals with the visual, which may seems strange considering open-reel is a sound format, but pretty much since the visual media started, tape machines have made an appearance. Asthetically they have just got it – those big reels turning, the meters moving, the lights flashing. The guest interview this episode is a person who addresses the visual image of the tape recorder: John Farrar runs Righteous Reels based in Dalton, Pennsylvania https://www.righteousreels.com/ where he produces a range of, well, simply awesome aluminium reels for tape machines. You can find the lin...
2020-06-0527 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast From Reel Resilience - Ep 9: Talking MPU boards with Steve FensomeIt may seem crazy, but Steve Fensome took a working, and hard to find, Studer A810 MPU board and dismantled it. But it was all in the name of tape machine progress, because, as a result, he is now producing new MPU boards for the A810 and A812 models. https://studer-mpu-boards.com/ Listen to our conversation as he tells us why, and how, he did it and about an Aladdins cave of tape machines he found in Manchester, England. Support the show
2020-05-0533 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast From Reel Resilience - Ep 8: Rock, Blues, Classical & Polish Jazz on TapeWe welcome back past contributor Oleg Netchaev, of Open Reel-to-Reel (facebook.com/openreel2reel), to talk about the large range, and wide genre, of pre-recorded tapes he now distributes, and to the owner of one of those companies producing them: Polish jazz musician Adam Czerwinski of AC Records. (www.acrecords.pl)Support the show
2020-04-2437 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 7: In Search of Tape at The Bristol Hi-Fi ShowThe Bristol Hi-Fi show is one of the three big hi-fi shows in the UK each year. In spite of 30 years in the professional audio sector, this is Iain Betson's first visit to a consumer audio show. He went there in search of tape, be it open-reel or cassette. Although he found little in evidence, what he did find was a great deal of enthusiasm for the format and optimism that it's use is about to lift off greatly very soon. He also found that lacing and playing a tape is like making a cup of tea....listen on.
2020-02-2628 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 6: A Visit To Sound Mastering - Part 2A Visit to Sound Mastering - Part 2. In this podcast I continue my chat with Nick Robbins, Senior Mastering Engineer at Sound Mastering and his colleague Graham Sharpe. We talk special Studers, Ampex, recording formats prior to tape and Bing Crosby. Support the show
2020-01-1322 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 5: A Visit To Sound Mastering - Part 1A visit to Sound Mastering - Part 1: In this two-part podcast we are in conversation with Nick Robbins, senior mastering engineer at Sound Mastering, London. We discuss tape baking, when it needs doing and when not, mastering software and the transfer process. Support the show
2019-12-0136 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 4: This One Is About TapeOpen-reel or cassette, a tape recorder needs tape to work. Currently there are only two companies making new tape: ATR Magnetics in the US (www.atrtape.com) and Recording The Masters, or RTM, based in France (www.recordingthemasters.com). In this podcast we talk to Bette Spitz, owner of ATR and Theo Gardin, Sales Manager of RTM about their respective company ethos, the products they produce and why they love analogue audio.Support the show
2019-10-0425 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 3: Pre-recorded TapesIn this episode our conversation is with Olog Netchaev, of Open Reel-to-Reel and UK distributor of STS Analog's range of pre-recorded quarter-inch tapes, about how the market for such tapes has naturally grown alongside the increase in interest in reel-to-reel. Oleg also tell us of how he thinks new-comers to open-reel can be helped to increase their understanding, and thus enjoyment of the format.Support the show
2019-08-2623 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 2: A Conversation With a Tape-Machine-CollectorWe talk to Stuart Blacklock, well-known on the tape-recorder Facebook groups, about his staggering collection of tape-recorders. His passion for certain models and manufacturers and his desire to have a museum dedicated to tape. Plus we talk azimuth: What it is and why it's important to get right.Support the show
2019-07-1831 minPress Play > Dedicated to All Things Reel-to-ReelPress Play - The Podcast from Reel Resilience - Ep 1: A Bit About MePress Play from Reel Resilience is the podcast dedicated to all things tape and tape recorder. From cassette to open-reel and CrO2 to SM911. Each month we'll have an interview guest, tips on tape and tape machines plus what Reel Resilience is up to. This is Episode 1, an introduction Iain Betson, the face behind Reel Resilience: His professional background and his take on the resurgence of the analogue tape format.Support the show
2019-06-2019 min