Messages

16

General Discussion / Re: TTP and the UHA HQ R2R on The Absolute Sound web site

« on: February 02, 2010, 12:40:28 PM »

Important Clarification:
The UHA HQ Tape Deck that is being used in this review is no longer a "Tascam".
The only part left of the original deck is the tape path.



This particular UHA Phase5 deck is optimised for the best playback possible. Producing the UHA-HQ decks has taken over two years work by several very talented people to complete. We first showed at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest October 2009 where the deck playing TTP Master Tapes received the "Best Source Component" of the show from Jonathan Valin. Impressive considering there were literally thousands of source components at the show. Over the two plus years of development the UHA-HQ design objective has been constant; make the best possible sounding deck in a one box wife acceptable (consumer sized) unit.

The deck being reviewed by Jonathan Valin has a new handmade playback tape head that was made specifically for this head block and this machine. The preamp boards are a completely new design built to optimise the performance of the new HQ head using the finest electronic components available. Internal shielding has been used throughout the deck, even new single crystal copper double shielded wire has been used. Every detail has been examined in these decks right down to the power supply modifications, and premium input and output connectors.
We are also preparing to send Jonathan the new Phase6 deck soon. The Phase6 is an all out assault on 15ips IEC playback and record also featuring the new UHA HQ Record head, our statement deck.

No, this is not your fathers Tascam.

17

General Discussion / TTP and the UHA HQ R2R on The Absolute Sound web site

« on: February 02, 2010, 10:19:26 AM »

Guys,
Important news:
Jonathan Valin Executive Editor of The Absolute Sound magazine will be reviewing The Tape Project tapes and the United Home Audio UHA-HQ R2R in an upcoming issue of The Absolute Sound magazine. 

Mr. Valin is currently in possession of 4 Tape Project tapes (with more going to him when available), and a United Home Audio UHA-HQ Phase5 tape deck. I spent the weekend with Jonathan and personally set the tape deck up for him in his listening room, while there I covered all the basics of operating the deck. Jonathan has had some experience with R2R so covering both listening to, and recording on R2R was easy. I can tell you that he is a prolific listener; the two days I was there we listened from late morning till after midnight! No wonder the man has been a reviewer all these years, he likes his job. I can also tell you that he was very impressed with both the tapes and the tape deck and I assume there will be a very exciting review forthcoming.

Jonathan has started a blog on The Absolute Sound web site about all this, do check it out!
http://www.avguide.com/blog/the-ultimate-source-component

You may find some comments made by people on the blog have varying degrees of accuracy, or just don't hold up based on your listening experiences with TTP tapes. I seriously doubt that the naysayers on the blog in spite of all their theoretical evidence have ever heard a TTP tape. So you may want to share some of your actual listening experiences with your TTP tapes. There are almost 4000 hits on the blog, so I would say it is pretty popular; however a title like "The Ultimate Source Component" should get some interest.