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Author Topic: retail prices on reel to reel tape  (Read 8659 times)

Offline Ben

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retail prices on reel to reel tape
« on: October 07, 2008, 10:50:43 AM »
Some of my ebay tapes came in yesterday and I am playing 'Ceasar Plays'.
None of this 'played on a baby grand'  this is the real pianio. In the other box
was a leaflet 'The worlds greatest artists are on RCA victor 4-track "Living Stereo"
reel tapes. I am guessing the date of recordings is 1964 ish. Back then a Candy
bar was 5 cents. Today it is about $1.00. a 20 to 1 increase.

Popular artists 7.95
Classical artists 8.95/10.95
Original Cast 8.95/12.95
Classical artists 14.95/21.95
I suspect they all are 7 1/2 ISP tapes  7 " reels.
Footnote: all on RCA'S red seal magnetic tape.

Even back then tapes where the elite of music.
This would place a tape $8.00 tape at $160.00.  This
seems high to me, but it does show good recordings are
not cheap.
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Offline ironbut

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Re: retail prices on reel to reel tape
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2008, 06:21:01 PM »
I love checking out those old catalogs and info that come in some of the tape boxes. The style of illustration really takes me back. A bearded guy smoking a Canadian style pipe (long shanked) leaning back listening to reel to reel tapes in his Eames lounge chair,.. Oh, wait a minute! That isn't my memory, it's Doc's.
But seriously, in the 60's those reel to reel tapes were the elite source material just like today.
Be sure to check those RCA's to see if they're acetate (lots of the Red Seals are) and if so, treat them a little more gently. Even though they seem to exhibit a higher level of hiss, they can sound fantastic.

Here's a question for those who have collected a number of acetate tapes. I have quite a few now and even unplayed ones have little or no print through. Has anyone else noticed this?
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Offline Ben

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Re: retail prices on reel to reel tape
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2008, 10:26:38 PM »
Oh wait, I thought doc was in the chair smoking that pipe. Maybie on the cover
of 2009's TTP release. :)  But looking at the tape/record covers they sure do say
a lot for the feel of the music inside. Now I can understand why we are waiting to get the covers just right. In hindsight I notice how we went from "Balanced Acoustic",or "living stereo" on the covers to just 7 1/2" Stereo tape. I am now glad I put my $$$
in two good channels of sound, rather than shake the sofa - 5.1 stuff.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 10:28:13 PM by Ben »
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Offline bobschneider

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Re: retail prices on reel to reel tape
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2008, 08:59:38 PM »
According to The Inflation Calculator http://www.westegg.com/inflation/ $7.95 in 1964 dollars is the same as $52.62 in 2007 dollars.  Makes $32 LPs or SACDs look cheap!
Bob Schneider

Offline Ben

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Re: retail prices on reel to reel tape
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2008, 09:39:58 PM »
My 5 cents still will not buy a candy bar, no matter how I look at it.
Sigh ... This rings out to about 35 cents. The calculator was exactly what I wanted.
A dynaco kit amp cost about $99.95 around 1964. That is about $650 today.
When you think of it, a push pull tube amp a great mid-fi design. Only with the SET
amps of the last 15 years has audio made it back to hi-fi.

PS. it is the $30 DVD players, and the $32 DVD that worries me.
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Offline docb

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Re: retail prices on reel to reel tape
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2008, 10:06:54 PM »
Quote
Oh, wait a minute! That isn't my memory, it's Doc's.

I was just smoking my Sasieni Royal Stuart (a Four Dot second) Canadian the other night. Canadians do rock, and I am slowly trying to shift my modest pipe collection (I only smoke about once a month) over to include more of them. But I haven't sat in a real Eames chair since I went to a shrink after my divorce 24 years ago. With that big headrest they aren't so hot as a listening chair, but man are they comfortable when you're cryin' the blues about how your woman mistreated you.

Not mine but pretty much like it-

« Last Edit: October 08, 2008, 10:09:48 PM by docb »
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
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Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project