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Happy Birthday


Tarheel

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Things have been kind of slow here on general questions so I thought I would take the opportunity to wish my reel to reel a hapy birthday. I found the original invoice while going through some old paperwork today. My beloved Teac 3300S is 34 years old today! A little background. I bought this deck new from one of the audio warehouses that sold items wholesale back in the old days. The only one I remember by name is Illinois Audio. I bought it because a friend of mine had one and it was a thing of beauty with those big ten inch reels spinning. Over the years I made a lot of tapes including live recordings at the historic Thalian Hall here in Wilmington. At some point the deck stopped working as it should and it was put into the attic.... the tape deck equivalent of the old folks home. Later I gave it to a friend who expressed some interest in bringing it back to life and it was forgotten. Years later I made the aquaintence of Bluesboy who had rediscovered analog and suggested I do the same. My first step was to buy back my reel to reel for 5 classical cds. I brought it back home and hooked it up to my Bose radio and found that it still worked and the tapes were okay as well. Next step was to get the Pioneer SX-1280 out of mothballs and hooked up the McIntosh ML-1C speakers.

Now my system is completely changed except for the Teac. Quicksilver Horn Monos have replaced the Pioneer....now owned by Mowtnbkr. A Quicksilver preamp was added. Bluesboy built me some LS clones with Altec 902s and 511B horns and Al built some special crossovers. I found a completely reworked Denon DP-1250 turntable with an ADC tonearm on ebay and added a Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge. A second Teac was added..... an X-10 also from ebay. Both decks were sent to Florida for a complete going through by Kevin Kaas, a former troubleshooter for Dokorder. Later a modified Jolida tubed cd player was added. I also bought a very minty Harman Kardon tubed reciever from a seller on audiogon. The HK is waiting for a pair of single driver speakers that Bluesboy is building.

Tonight I was listening to a reel compilation of Diana Krall and was awed by the sound quality that this little deck still produces. The cut "blvd of broken dreams" was breathtaking. 34 years old!!!! They just don't make things that way any more. Not Diana but my deck. Though Diana is very well built as well.

So Tape deck......happy birthday. Thanks for all the good times....you have seen me through Jim Croce and Joan Baez to Miles, Sonny and Coltrane and 34 years of my life. You are home to stay.

Tarheel

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Hey Dee....thought you would be out back grilling. Sitting here with two fingers of scotch and my laptop waiting for the tropical storm to come up from florida to give us a much needed soaking. Thanks for the birthday wishes. Have a great weekend.

Tarheel

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No she is watching Tom Cruise in Minority Report in the bedroom. I'm the one having fun. Turned on the amps early to warm up and they are sounding just fine. We still need to do that study on warm up time for tubes and if it makes a difference or if its just the scotch kicking in. Don't worry the bottle of Absolut is still in the freezer. I'm working on the Dalmore Cigar Malt tonight.

Tarheel

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Tar, you need to get with Bluesboy and get "Exile on Main Street" pumpin' on the Birthday Teac ! When I had a reel to reel, the choice was Teac or Akai, I went with Akai, glass heads, auto reverse,...............Sold it long time ago......Sorta' miss it.......Enjoy your Teac's Birthday...!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks Buck. We did record a Stones compilation about a year ago. As you know "Exile" is Bluesboy's favorite r&r album of all times.

We got the remnants of the tropical storm last night and it continues to rain this morning. I guess it may be a good day to stay inside and make another tape.

Hope all is well with you.

Chuck

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Must have "Sweet Virginia"....Classic Great Stones...Needed to boost my spirits after the Detroit Pist-ons went down, Exile does help...........

Things are getting better......can only look ahead to a good Summer and Fall.....Have a Teac birthday snort for me.............EH !!!!!!!!!!!

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Don't watch much pro basketball Buck....I think Rasheed Wallace plays for the Pistons...right? Any particular reason you like Detroit?

Just got back from Bluesboy's shop. He is building some single driver (Fostex) speakers and I was curious to see what they look like. He had the spray gun out and put some black paint on the pedestals. The speaker enclosure is Paduak....a very attractive wood. Can't wait to hear them.

Company is coming over to hear some music so I've got the tubes warming and looking for "Sweet Virginia". We will have a snort for you Buck.

Tarheel

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Yes, Rasheed does play for the Pist-ons, I like their backcourt, Billips, and Hamilton, although they didn't play well at all. Boston Celtic fan here, but not much to cheer for since Bird and Co. retired.............Lakers vs Celtics, Magic, Bird..great Basketball.......

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Thanks Phil....was having a little Dalmore or I never would have started a birthday wish to a tape deck thread. Its kinda neat to own things over many years that have so much personal history. Sorta like my 35 year old 10 speed bike that I still have. It was actually stolen from my house during a break in in 1984 and I spotted it months later and gave chase. My old McIntosh speakers doing duty as end tables in my music room are circa 1970. So many things now are so disposable and built accordingly.

Anyway.....thanks for your note.

Chuck

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