Messages

1

Flirting With Twilight / Re: Flirting-First Impressions

« on: November 27, 2012, 09:00:33 AM »

i got my 1/2" copy of this a month or so ago; but my 1/2" Studer has been down for motor rebuilds. last night, with a little coaching from Fred Thal, i switched out my 1/4" headblock and bearings and guides on my 1/4" A-820 with the 1/2" heads, bearings and guides (it took about 10 minutes and was embarassingly easy) and listened to 'Flirting With Twilight'.

i agree with all the other comments.

in 1/2" this title is really warm and rich sounding. big and bold. very intimate and involving. i do not have the 1/4' for comparison. i was not familiar with Kurt Elling and did enjoy the music. great sonics!

good job guys.

this 1/2" tape has me anxious for the next title in 1/2". this was the first 1/2" tape i've played with my new amps and new speakers and it does set a new reference for me.

2

Flirting With Twilight / Re: TP-021 shipping

« on: May 14, 2012, 10:09:37 AM »

now that i'm getting Series 3 in 1/2" i'm at the end of the line. :(

at least the 'line' is now moving. :)

3

The Sermon / just got delivery notice for a tape...."The Sermon"?

« on: October 05, 2011, 05:35:18 PM »

looks like another one is here....i assume TP-020 "The Sermon" will arrive tomorrow. and then Series 3 starts.

i'm looking forward to it. thanks.

Mike

4

Events / Re: A big thank you to Mike Lavigne

« on: August 16, 2011, 12:35:55 PM »

Mike was kind enough to invite the Pacific Northwest Audio Society to his lovely home and stunning listening room last Thursday. He was also kind enough to allow me to demo a couple of Tape Project tracks. We got to do a side by side comparison of the same Nat Cole track on his 1/4" A820 and his 1/2" A820. I won't do a big sales pitch for the 1/2" tapes here, suffice it to say that Mike will be getting his Series Three tapes in 1/2".

Mike is the consummate host and master of ceremonies, making sure that everyone got some food and everyone got to listen to the software that they brought while keeping the pace rolling along nicely. Thanks Mike!

Dan,

thanks for the kind words. it was great that you and Eileen were able to attend the meeting. i know we've been trying to get you over to my room for awhile. thanks also for bringing the 1/2" and 1/4" Series 3 demo reels. the club enjoyed being able to hear them back to back to get a feel for the differences. even though i was sitting far to one side of the room, it was easily apparent the additional 'meat' of the 1/2" format. it's one thing to listen to a 1/2" tape. it's another thing to hear a 1/2" tape from a 1" working master where the 1/2" can really show what it can do.

after hearing about one minute of the 1/2" right after hearing the 1/4", i turned to Dan and told him i wanted to upgrade my series 3 to 1/2". he smiled at me and said "you should hear the 1 inch." Bastard! :^) now i have to explain that to my wife.

i'm excited to look forward to the Series 3 in 1/2".

5

Tape Tech / Re: Tape width vs. Tape speed...........

« on: July 02, 2011, 12:42:53 PM »

Paul,

thank you for the primer on tape speed and tape width; it's exactly what i needed to hear too. i've heard great things about 30ips; but isn't there also a head EQ and head length issue to play 30ips ideally? if the heads are optimized for 30ips does that fix some of the trade-offs?...or minimize them at least?

i just fell into a Studer A820 1/2" machine. i'm hopeing that you find the opportunity (soon?) to make me a couple of 1/2" Tape Project titles. Dan said it would be awhile until it would work out for a few logistical reasons.

i'm mulling over which 2 titles to choose (and if i fall in love which additional 2. :))

6

Nojima Plays Liszt / got shipping notice an hour or so ago.......

« on: June 28, 2011, 06:18:39 PM »

.....for TP-019, Nojima Plays Liszt. i could have it tomorrow, or Thursday at the latest.

i heard a couple of cuts off this at our local audio club meeting a month ago and was very impressed. this might be a new 'best' based on that listen.

i've been 'jones'ing' for this title ever since it was announced last year. i love the CD, and the Lp.....if you don't have it, is outstanding and essential. great performance, and great recording.

and there is nothing like a full tilt boggie concert grand to challenge a system.

i cannot wait!

7

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: What hardware are you using?

« on: March 15, 2011, 10:18:49 PM »

I can't tell a lie...

I just don't know where to start...

ok Ki. we are all going to hold our breath until you list all your tape decks (including those in transit to you).

:)

8

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: New title added to Series Three!

« on: March 08, 2011, 08:44:08 PM »

We are very pleased to announce that we will be releasing Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays in Series Three.

We have long wanted to include something from Nat King Cole, one of the all time great singers in American musical history. The difficulty is not just to choose from such an iconic body of work. It's also complicated by the fact that much of his defining work was recorded before the stereo era, in fact most of it before the HiFi era. We give a grateful tip of the cap to subscriber Philip O'Hanlon, who pointed us toward this gem. In 1961 someone had the great idea of putting these two together. Cole loved Shearing's piano playing (and since Cole was a great pianist himself that's no small compliment.) And of course everyone loved Cole's singing, including Shearing. The joy they had in collaborating clearly made it on to the tape.

It's beautifully recorded in the pop studio style of the day. The vocal is mixed out front, but if you were going to choose a vocal to spotlight... 

i happened to be fortunate enough to be in Philip's room at RMAF in Oct when Paul Stubblebine and Philip were listening to this tape (if my memory is correct......it could have been a different Nat King Cole).

it was very very nice. it's a particularly clear and vivid recording.

i think it will be an excellent addition to series 3.

9

Church Windows/Appalachian Spring Suite / Re: 1st Impressions for TP-014

« on: March 06, 2011, 11:17:25 AM »

added note; the art work says TP-003, not TP-014?? no big deal, and nothing to worry about, just FYI. the box says TP-014.

Oh that graphics guy is impossible to deal with. I will talk to him.

the Artwork was first class all the way, don't be too hard on 'that guy' (yourself).

Great to see you at the meet yesterday! 

likewise. your facility is really really nice. only outdone by your hospitality.

10

Church Windows/Appalachian Spring Suite / Re: 1st Impressions for TP-014

« on: March 06, 2011, 09:29:43 AM »

Reel 2, Copeland's Appalachian Spring. Original version for 13 instruments.

i planned on posting about it last night, but feel asleep about 5 minutes into reel 2......it had been a long day.....and Appalachian Spring is about as soothing as music gets.

this is a diifferent type of recording than Church Windows. this is a small (13 instruments) group and mic'd more intimately. the hall feels more intimate and there is less pin-point imaging but more rich tonality and emotion. live music does not have the pin-point imaging that some recordings have (and we audiophiles enjoy) and this is more like that. your brain does not care about trying to count the strings on the violins so you relax and let it wash over you. you are transported.

the piece reminds me more of 'Rhapsody in Blue' than classical. the liner notes call it American Populist classical. i love the piece. and listened to the reel three times this morning. better 'Sunday morning music' has not been written.

great playing, full rich recording, great transfer, a winner. thanks. i'll listen to this often for the pleasure of it. Church Windows is more the system demo piece.

11

Church Windows/Appalachian Spring Suite / 1st Impressions for TP-014

« on: March 06, 2011, 12:35:36 AM »

i attended a Headphone Meet (my first, i'm a headphone newbie) at the new Tape Project/Doc B Bottlehead World Headquarters in Bainbridge Island today; so i asked Doc 'is my Chruch Windows/Appalachian Spring tape ready?' 'what number are you?' he says. '34' i says. he walked over to the stack, found it and handed it to me.

i'm listening now to 'Church Windows'....reel one. about half way thru. i have the CD and a couple pressings of the 45rpm Lp for Church Windows....and the 33rpm Lp of the Appalachian Spring. all of which later i'll play.

Church Windows is demo tape quality in sonics. etherial, atmospheric and moody, ending in some spectacular dynamics that bloom and decay in waves and waves. as good as i remember the 45rpm Lp pressing being; it cannot match these dynamics, vividness and explosivness. this is alive!

my system has a pair of powered 15" subwoofers per speaker, decends below 20hz pretty handily, and really gets a workout here.

catchy tune? no. but it got under my skin in a good way and really filled my big room with flowing music. huge soundstage.

just listened to reel one for the second time. i enjoyed it much more the second time thru. maybe i heard it for what it is and not what it isn't.

very nice job on the transfer guys; thanks.

added note; the art work says TP-003, not TP-014?? no big deal, and nothing to worry about, just FYI. the box says TP-014.

12

Clifford Brown Memorial / Re: Getting ready to ship

« on: December 15, 2010, 06:41:15 PM »

now you're talking!!

i've been looking forward to this tape....it could arrive Friday night. i appreciate the bonus tracks.

thanks for getting this one out before the New Year.

best regards,

Mike

13

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: What's shipping next?

« on: December 13, 2010, 01:07:21 PM »

are we gonna see the Clifford Brown before Jan?

Mike

14

Events / Re: Bottlehead and Tape Project open house October 22nd, Bainbridge Island

« on: October 22, 2010, 02:34:03 PM »

Doc,

best wishes on your Open House tonight.

i tried to move things around with my schedule to be able to get downtown to catch an early enough ferry to make it but it's not going to happen.

have fun and congrats on the new diggs.

cheers,

15

Suggestion Box / Re: More on Large Band Jazz

« on: August 17, 2010, 07:58:38 AM »

if you're going to try and do an Ellington big band, i'd rather do one with better sonics to begin with; such as 'Blues in Orbit' or 'Jazz Party In Stereo'. or maybe Basie's '88 Basin Street'. all those are phenominal recordings and performances. the first 'Big Band' recording needs to have superior sonics so as broad a spectrom of Tape Project members as possible will enjoy it.....'Big Band' can really get 'in-your-face' agressive when the recording is less than pristene. you sorta need to 'get' big band first to enjoy those more vintage recordings.

and the first big band Tape Project tape must be stereo.