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INVESTIGATION

Top 10 open-reel decks

Ken Kessler brings you his guide to the best secondhand buys...

hile it’s true I am obsessed you are finding yourselves with more All of these will play 3¾ips and 7½ips
with open-reel tape, I am time to exploit the joys that our sound pre-recorded tapes, all can handle 7in
constantly reminded – not systems were created to provide, and to spools (or 10in spools if so indicated)
W least via our postbag – that indulge in tweaking and experimenting. and all are domestic or at their most
‘getting back into tape’ is costly for both Raise your hands, all of you who thought, elevated, part of the grey area we call
hardware and software. There are no ‘What the heck, let’s A/B some Toslink ‘semi-pro’, like the Otari MX5050 [p35].
current decks being produced besides cables’. Either that, or you fi nally built
the Ballfinger at £15,000+, brand new your Lego Millennium Falcon. AMATEURS RULE!

pre-recorded tapes start at £200, blanks Recently, I’ve also taken to making I purposely avoided ex-studio/broadcast
ain’t cheap for those who want to record imaginary lists, triggered by something machines, heavy-duty professional gear
their own music, and buying vintage external, eg, which ten vintage cars like 800-Series Studers, because they are
pre-recorded tapes requires a sort of would I buy if I won either scarily expensive, often
fortitude akin to driving in the London- the Lotto. In that case, ‘A working worn-out because of true
to-Brighton veteran automobile rally. it was inspired by a workhorse usage during their
show about a guy who Sony TC-377 lifetimes, or both. And why
REALITY CHECK buys cars cheap and alphabetical? Because I don’t

Having lost myself in open-reel, I was then flips them after a can be found want to start a run on a given
losing touch. A slap upside my head rebuild. I’ve also been machine – eBay gets enough

came from reviewing the Quad Vena fielding questions from for just £80’ action from me. Here’s my
II Play [HFN May ’20] amplifi er, EAT’s many of you about list of safe buys for those who
B-Sharp turntable [HFN Jul ’20], the what used reel-to-reel deck to buy and – want to savour open-reel tape, and what
MoFi phono stage [HFN Mar ’20], and unless you have Ballfinger money – the you can expect to pay.

other affordable products this year; they choices are all secondhand. One last thought: I’ve been
proved to be a much-needed reality- assembling this list over the past
check. It’s not as if I am totally divorced MORE AMBITIOUS six months, and – vigilant as I am
from ‘real world’ gear. We examine our Default decks soon emerge, because the in following the market – I’m both
fair share of reasonably-priced kit at HFN, world is awash with Akais and Sonys at delighted and concerned about
if not quite rock-bottom items like £99- affordable prices, but I realised that you the growth in the ‘R2R Revival’. I’m
per-pair speakers. Indeed, I pride myself lot are more ambitious. Here, then, in delighted because it might inspire
in not being unaware of the components alphabetical order, are my ‘Top 10 Used manufacturers mooting the production

which 99.99% of hi-fi users own. Open-Reel Tape Decks’ [see also ‘From of new machines to speed up their
Even more of an opportunity to The Vault’, p128]. The provisos – with development. But concerned? That’s
get back to my reel-to-reel roots has one or two exceptions, which I’ve noted because prices are escalating like used
presented itself through the current – are that all the machines are of ¼-track Rolexes. Well, not that bad, but almost.
self-isolation situation. I imagine all of format, not ½-track professional stuff. I saw an Akai GX77 for $7700…

AKAI GX-4000D
This is one of the best basic decks I can think
of: plentiful, rugged, serviceable and relatively
gentle on your tapes. 7in spools-only, from
£100 for a beater, to £350 for a near-minter,
up to £500 boxed and cherished, or over a
grand for one so mint that you’d swear it was
new-old-stock. The Akai GX-4000D uses no
belts, only idler wheels which are becoming
diffi cult to find, though aftermarket, generic

wheels could save a machine.
While certainly easy to use, there is one
insufferable quirk in the ’4K – to change the
speed, you need to screw and unscrew an
adapter that changes the diameter of the
drive pillar that rotates the pinch roller. When
playing without the adapter, it resides on a
post under the head cover. Remember to
make sure there’s one with the machine!

34 | www.hifinews.co.uk | DECEMBER 2020