Who might want an open reel tape recorder?

**Roscoe** · 30-11-2021, 09:29 AM

I have a Sony 7" tape recorder that, while it is still in reasonable condition and works, I no longer have any use for it and in particular, nowhere to store it.

I thought that MOTAT might have wanted it but they said that they have enough open reel tape recorders and do not want any more.

It's a great machine - even if a bit worn - and I do not want to dump it but that is looking likely. I know that there is a firm in Onehunga that takes old electronic gear so I was wondering if that is where to take it.

Does anyone know of somewhere like MOTAT that might be interested in taking it?

**1101** · 30-11-2021, 09:50 AM

Put it on trademe.

If its a stereo recorder (not a portable) there will be alot of hifi nuts keen to buy it
Its like some old turntables, can sometimes sell for silly $ .

**1101** · 30-11-2021, 09:59 AM

$330 bid on this old Sony
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...1&bof=FiZMyacv

$300 bid for this old Akai
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...1&bof=vvSgQ4dj

**Roscoe** · 30-11-2021, 11:44 AM

Thank you 1101. I would not have thought that something of that vintage would realise such a price. That is why I was offering it to MOTAT.

Someone asked - on that link you posted - is it valve? I would have thought that if it did have valves it would be much bigger.

I will put it on Trade Me as you have suggested.

**paulw** · 30-11-2021, 03:46 PM

About 3 years too late. When I last moved I sent about 50 Real to real tapes to the tip because I couldn't find a working tape deck. Mostly stuff I had recorded in the 1960s and early 70s. I'll have to go back to the future.

**gary67** · 30-11-2021, 05:10 PM

We still have a reel to reel it was SWMBO's Dad's and now sits on our unit next to the TV, amp and CD player.

**Agent_24** · 30-11-2021, 05:49 PM

Vintage audio gear is usually always in demand!

**1101** · 01-12-2021, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Agent_24

Vintage audio gear is usually always in demand!

the hifi nutters seem to think some completely obsolete 1950's tech sounds better .
It doesnt

**Roscoe** · 01-12-2021, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by 1101

the hifi nutters seem to think some completely obsolete 1950's tech sounds better .
It doesnt

It's 1960s. I bought it second hand about 67.

The technology is pretty good and recording music at 7 and a half ips reproduces quite well - anything slower and one note in the music tends to blend into the next note - but slower speeds are fine for speech. The main drawback is the speakers. When I was using it I put it through my amp and decent external speakers, or listened with a good pair of headphones. The reproduction was very good. Of course, if you want excellent reproduction, you need to record at 15 ips which most broadcasters used - the faster the speed the more information you could capture and therefore the better the reproduction.

But technology has moved on and it is now possible to download or stream any music you like from places such as You Tube, so, apart from the hi fi nuts, that is fine for most people. You just need to understand that most of the online music is compressed (mp3 for example) so the quality may not be up to your standard.

**Agent_24** · 01-12-2021, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by 1101

the hifi nutters seem to think some completely obsolete 1950's tech sounds better .
It doesnt

Who cares? If someone will pay for it...

Anyway, there's plenty of modern stuff that sounds garbage. Cheap speakers, low bitrate files, low quality gear.

I'd prefer a 1950s HiFi system and tape/vinyl to a 128k mp3 played on $5 computer speakers!!