First, a “non”-mea culpa: I do not claim to have single-handedly caused the Open-Reel Tape Revival, though one or two wags have blamed me for its resurgence, at least in part. I’m a participant, observer and chronicler, but not without being the target of brickbats for proselytizing so much about the format in Hi-Fi News, my regular pulpit. I’m getting on readers’ nerves. But something is in the air for us open-reel devotees...
Recently, my sanity and/or hearing were questioned by a reader with a résumé so impressive that I wanted to crawl under a rock: he is no less than a polymath best described as a composer/scholar/conductor/lecturer, and clearly one who adores digital technology. I picked myself up, slapped a mint copy of the Melachrino Strings Play the Music of Jerome Kern on RCA tape via my Revox A77 Mk IV and uttered to myself, “su*k on this, professor.”
Better still, during the same week, a golden-eared visitor who distributes $500 LPs in the UK came by for a listening session. He agreed with me. Open-reel tape doesn’t merely slaughter every other format: it eviscerates them, chews them up and spits them out. So, I shall carry on extolling the superiority of the format despite it sharing the accessibility and relevance of Daguerreotype photography, spats, or View-Master 3D slides, my crusade emboldened by two recent occurrences.
I certainly take no credit for the two most important changes since the last AudioJumble in March 2025, but they have – if remotely, accidentally or maybe not at all – resulted in a plethora of open-reel tape decks turning up at the world's largest hi-fi flea market. They have certainly called attention to open-reel tape outside of the hi-fi community. Thanks to the support of Rhino Records, which recently announced its third pre-recorded reel-to-reel tape, the Grateful Dead's Workingman's Dead, and Revox’s return not just to the manufacturing of tape decks with the new B77 Mk III but also in creating a massive catalogue of pre-recorded tapes, the Open-Reel Tape Deck Revival is almost a mainstream affair.
No, I am not expecting it to achieve anything like the renaissance of the vinyl LP revival but, my goodness! who would have thought even three years ago that there would be a brand-new open-reel tape deck on the market besides the rather obscure Ballfinger and Metaxas units, and especially from a well-known brand? Add to that a major record label joining the open-reel fold, Rhino Records being the premier reissue label, while Revox’s own catalogue of pre-recorded tapes numbers over 100, and from artists of which you know. Following the norm for new pre-recorded tapes, both Rhino and Revox, like Acoustic Sounds, etc, issue theirs in 15 ips/2-track form.
As the images below show, the AudioJumble held on March 8th at the K2 sports complex in Crawley, mere minutes from Gatwick Airport, was bursting with open-reel tape decks in various states of condition and at price points from under £100 ($132) to a peak of £1,500 ($2,000 or so) from what I could determine. If someone wanted to get into reel-to-reel tape and couldn’t afford a Revox B77 Mk III, Ballfinger or Metaxas, this was the place to be. I left with another deck, a Tandberg in clean condition, joining a recently-acquired Ferrograph Series Seven and a Revox F36. I think maybe it's time for an intervention?
Two for the price of one, £100 ($136) would get you a pair of rare UK-made Fi-Cord portable tape recorders, which were Stellavoxes built under license from 1958-1969.
As I own nine decks, I had to resist this absolute bargain, a clean TEAC X-300 for £279 ($377).
A bomb-proof classic: a Ferrograph Series 6, the first British stereo reel-to-reel, circa-1966.
American nostalgia: a Zenith "Stereo" for £100 ($132).
A bit scruffy-looking, but this linear-tracking Revox A790 turntable in "fully working" order is a gift at £200 ($264).
I'm a Radford fanatic, so imagine the willpower I needed to summon to resist these bargains at £50 and £75 ($68 and $101).
One vendor offered a rare Ferrograph F307 Mk II integrated amplifier for £130 ($175), to match with one of their tape decks.
You have to ignore the food wrappers and look behind stuff to discover super rarities like these Lowther pre-amps.
Perfect for the open-reel newcomer, an Akai 4000DS Mk II for £120 ($164).
Sigh...a TEAC X-2000R for £800 ($1082).
A mere £145 ($196) would secure this Akai 1721L.
TEACs were plentiful, including this A-4010 for £200 ($264).
Loved this superb Goldring-Lenco GL75 turntable in a deluxe plinth.
Near-mint, super-clean high-speed 2-track Revox B-77 with "Mickey Mouse" dust cover, a steal at £1350 ($1827) in this condition and with original box.
The perfect place for finding new-old-stock tubes.
It pays to look under tables, where a Toshiba and two Sony reel-to-reel decks could be found.
Occasionally, rare vintage US components turn up at the predominantly British AudioJumble – I was tempted by this Fisher X-101C Stereo Master Control Amplifier, aka preamp.
Sony, Akai, Grundig, Ferrograph – I stopped counting when the vendor said he had more at home.
This stunning Sony TC-640 was on sale for a ridiculous £200 ($265) – again I was tempted.
Rumored to be a pain for finding spare parts, but this Philips N4504 was so clean it might not be a concern.
Not sure if much Beam Echo Avantic equipment made it to the US, but they produced highly regarded, fondly remembered units like these mono and stereo integrated amps, with a choice of copper or black front panels, around 1958 – 1960.
Another of the AudioJumble's outrageous bargains, a Ferrograoh Series Seven 1/4-track deck for £300 ($406).
All images courtesy of Ken Kessler.
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