Analogue Audio Tape Recording: The Resurgence of the Reel

[@poofygoof]

As of this video posting, MRL has completed their office move and is in the process of resuming manufacture and shipping of calibration tapes. Tape is fun to use. It can be a great PITA when something is broken, but when it is working it is fun. It's tactile, it smells good, it forces a pace to the workflow, and there's no undo so you just have to keep going. The audio quality (or "affect" if you like) is just one dimension of the tape experience. All my 1/2" tape from ampex and 3m has gone sticky to varying degrees. I think I have reels of SM900 and SM911 that were OK when I put them into storage a few years ago, but everything else will need to be baked if I want to transfer it. Compact Cassette is right-sized for handling by hand, and more convenient from a handling standpoint than CDs. New XDR cassettes I've recently purchased sound great on my mid-80s aiwa deck. It's a pity that decks manufactured today can't meet or beat maintained decks that are now decades old. (AES meeting with mic noise issues... just proves they can affect everyone no matter your experience level.)