Many of us retain a memory of the analogue recording era from our experiences with vinyl records and tapes. Since the 1950’s professional and amateur recording has captured, or constructed, musical performances on time continuous analogue electro-magnetic tape, often producing startlingly life-like playback. Consider for a moment the works of John Coltrane, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix or Can had their performances been sampled direct to 16 bit Digital Audio Tape raw for computer processing. We celebrate the riches of reel-to-reel tape in providing the dedication and respect it warrants.

As listeners our compact disc library titles are often augmented with demo, alternate, and live recordings, commonly processed. The initiatives of Reel Recordings are built on a foundation of respect for the integrity of musical performance and recorded sound, and are developed in full cooperation with each artist for their wishes towards the presentation of their recordings. In tandem we offer music that is at once time-honoured and timeless.

The technical reasons qualifying the unique successes of analogue audio are many and scientific, as are those for the successful characteristics of the digital medium. The key to a superior remaster lies within experienced discernment and remedy of frequency and level imbalances. Our minimalist chain of tonally neutral Hi-End components incorporates vintage tube buffering and real time analogue to CDR production master burns. In opposition to the anonymity and excesses of conventional studio remastering, our approach lends a natural listening experience.

Reel Recordings exemplify an alternative vision for Compact Disc production. Custom Digipak designs reveal the source tape, relevant details, related photographs, alongside a disc manufactured and glass mastered in real time (x1) for ultimate accuracy. Sidestepping current corporate and cultural conventions, music cared for by us will not be sonically compromised for computer downloaded MP3 purchase. Our presentations stand singularly for your audio playback system. Available for your discovery ~ a celebratory series of historical sound snapshots documenting superb musical performances.