Analogue Production Reel to Reel
Analogue Productions reel to reel tapes are probably the best possible way you can hear these albums short of listening to the actual master tape. At 15ips on 1/4 inch tape, a tape well recorded from a master tape copy can sound indistinguishable from the master tape. We also sell Analogue Productions releases on vinyl and SACD along with other reel to reel releases
Reel to reel tapes will convey whats on the master tape (the same format after all) without any of the limitations inherent on vinyl or digital. While Analogue Productions releases on other formats are some of the best sounding records available, records do of course have some inherent technical limitations. These include increased distortion when the stylus gets closer to the centre of the record (hence why their vinyl releases on 45rpm often dont go too close to the label) and the need to limit dynamic range somewhat to avoid the stylus moving too much or out of the groove. Reel to reel tapes do not have such limitations and unlike other mediums like digital, reel to reel tapes have huge dynamic range - so much so we couldn't believe the difference when we first heard their releases.
In addition to this, the process to master these is arguably closer to the original master - they are recorded on specially adapted Ampex ATR-102 tape machines with Flux Magnetic heads off a next generation tape of the original master. In contrast, vinyl of course has to go through several processes from lathe to mother to father to stamper, and then pressing a perfect record is very difficult. Analogue Productions press some of the best in the world, but still these can't compete with their own reel to reel tape releases. They aren't cheap, but they're highly recommended and for the ones we've heard, they're worth every penny.
































