Re: [ARSCLIST] The Tape Project

[carlstephen koto <cskoto@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I hope Jeff won't mind my answering Charles but, Im a subscriber to  
the Tape Project as well. I've followed it's progress from inception  
and have had the pleasure to demonstrate some of the tapes at a few  
audio related gatherings.
To begin with, the Tape Project isn't your typical reissue company.  
It's more a labor of love than a business. There are three partners  
in this , Paul Stubblebine ( a Grammy winning mastering engineer  
considered by many to be one of the best alive), Dan Schmalle ( audio  
equipment designer and head of the Bottlehead Corp. specializing in  
tube driven audio equipment) and Michael Romanowski (mastering and  
recording engineer ).  They are all purist in views of sound  
reproduction.
The project is rooted in the need for an audio source which is beyond  
reproach in it's reproduction for the demonstration of high end audio  
gear at shows such as CES. The very best reproduction systems  
(statement products) have evolved to the point that the source  
equipment and media have far too much influence on the character of  
the sound. One $100k speaker system might sound very similar to  
another $100k speaker system down the hall if they both use the same  
$40k CD player. At this level, the differences aren't really which  
system is better,.. but which is more suited to a potential customers  
taste (or preference to inevitable compromises) and choice of music.  
And what if the listener prefers vinyl records to digital sources?   
The customer is forced to listen "around" the source which is hardly  
a good way for the speaker builder to showcase the results of, in  
many cases, years or even decades of work on this one design.
It's always been said that the sound of master tapes are the closest  
to sounding like the performance itself. Those of you who have worked  
in a studio setting can attest to this. It is, in fact, shocking how  
much of the original sound is lost in just generational degradation.
So, back to the particulars of the Tape Project. Master tapes are  
chosen first for the music of course (which subscribers are able to  
influence the choice of) and the Paul Stubblebine listens to the  
master to decide if it is in suitable condition. A  running master is  
made which in turn is duplicated in real time to four slave 1/4"  
machines. Decisions are made on the position of devices such as  
analog faders which are hard wired into the signal path. I have  
personally witnessed more than an hour to decide the best placement  
of one device by ear. These four 10.5" , 1/4" tapes are the ones that  
go to the subscribers. They're wound on custom reels (two per 45 min  
album) and placed in heirloom grade box sets. Each reel is laser  
etched with individual serial numbers "owned" by the subscriber it's  
to go to.
The tapes are recorded 1/2 track, 15ips. Each subscriber is issued a  
test tape that is made on the same machines the music tapes are so  
each subscribers machine can be aligned and calibrated to the exact  
measurements as the machine that will make the tapes.
Well, the Project has grown from just being for audio insiders to the  
general public like myself. But the original idea persists. And  
that's to do everything posable to make these tapes with no  
compromise. If that requires extra expense or designing/building  
something new and delaying release, so be it. As Yoda says " there is  
no try".
My deck is a Technics RS1500 isolated loop home deck that's been  
heavily modified. The main change is the bypassing of all internal  
reproduction electronics. I've wired the heads directly to an  
external custom reproduction amp. It's an all tube design (designed  
and built by Dan Schmalle) with shunt regulated power supplies,  
constant current sources for each output tube and microphone level  
NOS tubes. The heads are hand wound extended response heads custom  
made for my deck by Flux Magnetics. The tape path has been modified  
with teflon and aerospace lubricants to reduce tape flutter as much  
as is practical ( actually, I guess nothing about this could be  
called practical!).  Other subscribers have different machines from  
consumer decks like mine, to $20k+ modified full studio machines that  
were and remain, the state of the art (Ampex ATR 100, Studer, Scully,  
MCI)  which are also in various stages of upgrades and modernization.
So, how do the tapes sound,.. aside from the usual things that  
audiophile talk about  (  frequency extension that just seems to go  
on forever, such fine detailing that very low level spacial cues that  
construct the evidence of the recording venue are seamless and  
continuous, snap and even dull thumps are textured as they should be,  
pianos sound big and full, vocals are clear and palpable), there is a  
life to the sound that even on the best vinyl sources are just hinted  
at.
I'm certainly not rich or bored. I've had to make lots of sacrifices  
to keep up with this and would do it again in a second.
I hope this has answer some of the questions you have about the Tape  
Project.
Steve Koto
On Dec 9, 2007, at 5:34 PM, Charles Lawson wrote:

> Jeffrey Kane writes:
> > I have a subscription, the first two
> > tapes have been enlightening.
>
> Okay, I’ll bite.  How have you been enlightened?
>
> What are you playing things back on?  (Full details, please.)
>
> Chas.
>
> --
> Charles Lawson <clawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Professional Audio for CD, DVD, Broadcast & Internet