Reel to reel to borrow. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

terrybull · 7th Jul 2023, 10:36 am

I have a friend who has some quarter inch audio reel to reel tapes of his late father and has nothing to play them on. Is the anyone in the Nottinghamshire area can lend us a tape recorder to listen to them. I can transfer them to digital assuming there’s a headphone/line out socket.
Thanks.

Edward Huggins · 7th Jul 2023, 1:50 pm

Are the original tapes 2 or 4 track? The lender iill need to know.

Nickthedentist · 7th Jul 2023, 2:18 pm

I can't help, but have you got any idea what the original machine might have been, i.e. half or track, mono or stereo, 3.75 ips or something else etc.

paulsherwin · 7th Jul 2023, 2:56 pm

A stereo 3 speed 4 track recorder should be able to play any likely tapes acceptably well, though it would certainly be helpful to have more info as a simpler, more basic machine may be adequate.

What is the reel size?

terrybull · 7th Jul 2023, 3:00 pm

The answer to these questions is we don’t know what they were recorded on. It is most likely that they were made on a basic domestic tape recorder with nothing fancy. I’m not sure of the reel size. He didn’t say and I haven’t seen them. I’d guess 7”. He currently on holiday but I’ll see if he picks a message up.

paulsherwin · 7th Jul 2023, 3:46 pm

The reel size is important because many smaller recorders can't take 7" reels.

terrybull · 8th Jul 2023, 11:04 am

I guessed wrongly. The reels are 5” NOT 7.

paulsherwin · 8th Jul 2023, 11:08 am

That would be typical for 1960s domestic use. The very common BSR TD2 deck has a maximum reel size of 5.75"

Radio Wrangler · 8th Jul 2023, 11:55 am

speed is less important, it can always be fiddled with audacity once digitised.

For a domestic machine expect 3.75 inches/second as most likely. 1/4 or 1/2 track could easily be either. 1/4 track machine will play 1/2 track tapes, just remember to turn them over if the sound you want is reversed. But a 1/4 track machine playing a 1/2 track tape will be a little worse in signal/noise ratio and edge defect drop-outs.

David

Uncle Bulgaria · 8th Jul 2023, 12:12 pm

I sent a family tape to Timvintage of this parish who produced an excellent digital copy. That might be an option - send them to someone who's set up for it rather than trying to find the matching machine without knowing how the tapes were recorded. Your friend can then have the files to listen to, and get a machine once they know what format the tapes are in if they have the reel-to-reel bug.

7th Jul 2023, 10:36 am	#1
terrybull Octode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 1,784	Reel to reel to borrow. I have a friend who has some quarter inch audio reel to reel tapes of his late father and has nothing to play them on. Is the anyone in the Nottinghamshire area can lend us a tape recorder to listen to them. I can transfer them to digital assuming there’s a headphone/line out socket. Thanks.

7th Jul 2023, 1:50 pm	#2
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,343	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. Are the original tapes 2 or 4 track? The lender iill need to know. __________________ Edward.

7th Jul 2023, 2:18 pm	#3
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,871	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. I can't help, but have you got any idea what the original machine might have been, i.e. half or track, mono or stereo, 3.75 ips or something else etc.

7th Jul 2023, 2:56 pm	#4
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,990	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. A stereo 3 speed 4 track recorder should be able to play any likely tapes acceptably well, though it would certainly be helpful to have more info as a simpler, more basic machine may be adequate. What is the reel size?

7th Jul 2023, 3:00 pm	#5
terrybull Octode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 1,784	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. The answer to these questions is we don’t know what they were recorded on. It is most likely that they were made on a basic domestic tape recorder with nothing fancy. I’m not sure of the reel size. He didn’t say and I haven’t seen them. I’d guess 7”. He currently on holiday but I’ll see if he picks a message up.

7th Jul 2023, 3:46 pm	#6
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,990	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. The reel size is important because many smaller recorders can't take 7" reels.

8th Jul 2023, 11:04 am	#7
terrybull Octode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 1,784	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. I guessed wrongly. The reels are 5” NOT 7.

8th Jul 2023, 11:08 am	#8
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,990	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. That would be typical for 1960s domestic use. The very common BSR TD2 deck has a maximum reel size of 5.75"

8th Jul 2023, 11:55 am	#9
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,915	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. speed is less important, it can always be fiddled with audacity once digitised. For a domestic machine expect 3.75 inches/second as most likely. 1/4 or 1/2 track could easily be either. 1/4 track machine will play 1/2 track tapes, just remember to turn them over if the sound you want is reversed. But a 1/4 track machine playing a 1/2 track tape will be a little worse in signal/noise ratio and edge defect drop-outs. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

8th Jul 2023, 12:12 pm	#10
Uncle Bulgaria Nonode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 2,341	Re: Reel to reel to borrow. I sent a family tape to Timvintage of this parish who produced an excellent digital copy. That might be an option - send them to someone who's set up for it rather than trying to find the matching machine without knowing how the tapes were recorded. Your friend can then have the files to listen to, and get a machine once they know what format the tapes are in if they have the reel-to-reel bug.