Reproducing electron tube recorded master tapes on Uher 4200

Amazing sound.


Very big.


There is possibly nothing that can match the sound of a reel master tape.


Reproducing signal path is:


Basf PER 638 or SM911 tape - Uher 4200 at 3.75ips with its loud speaker or 7.5ips - Realistic disco mixer line in - Sennheiser HD580


Recording signal path of some tapes recorded before 2000...


Rock band playing in living room around 2 mics - the 2 Grampian ribbon 25/50Ω mics as blumlein pair - 2 Sowter 1:20 inoutbtransformer - Ferrograoh series 6 at 7.5ips - BASF SM911


Or


Piano and female voice at small mic distance - 1 Grampian ribbon mic - low primary inductance input (auto)transformer from a Grundig GSM-311? mic (see next post) - Grundig TK-14 (3.75ips)


It is scary how real recordings sound when they are made with just 2 or 3 (3 transistors seem to do the trick too) electron tubes from mic to tape.


The rock band sounds fabulous. Amazing treble cymbal detail and deep bass. Amazing mid smoothness on organ with Pleiades Leslie speaker.


The singing female voice made with piano and just one mic is thrilling. Big without bass heaviness, like a live radio show of a golden era.


As an hellenic saying goes "ολα τ' αλλα ειναι οδοντόκρεμες", "everything else is toothpastes".


Some of the setup details are tried to be remembered as there were not any notes inside the tape boxes. Just some naration on some parts of the tape.


Membrane bass absorbers were not known at that time. It is funny how knowledge has to be found to be read or passed on by someone else. (See BBC research department reports, Gilford, Linoleum bass absorbers etc. These recording could have been much better.