Sony TC-880-2 the 1975, 80 lb Legend - Monster Reel to Reel Recorder - KING SONY

[ionutvranceanu]

nice collection!i love it!

[static1994]

beautifully amazing!

[roetsj]

Great sounding Sony!,thanks.

[AKTV5]

Anybody remember the TC-854-4S. It was earlier than this deck with four conventional VU meters...15ips, 4 track record and playback, closed loop dual capstan. I had two of them I used with DBX noise reduction...amazing!

[mikeismad61]

I remember playing with one of these (or similar UK spec) machine at a Sony trade show – Great Barr Post House Hotel – and loving the way it operated with those backlit control buttons and the green and red LCD style VU’s – of course this was many years before LCD’s ! Stunning construction and a joy to use. The hotel is still there but sadly your about 33 years too late if you fancy popping in for a play.

ANYONE recall the Pioneer Express Trade Show (1970’s) ? If so please contact me !

[whotaughtyou]

SONY TCM-566V DIRECTOR CHAIRMAN RELATIONSHIPS NAME CD ACCURIST TURNTABLE TV TUNING LABEL

[Vinylrecordsneverdie]

That's a very nice deck! I never thought that type of VU existed during 1975.

[ppeterso22]

@Vinylrecordsneverdie : Consider it as not existing in 1975--it used some crazy innovative projecting system to make it happen and Sony didnt make that many. Apparently Audio Mag said the machine was listing around $2900 then, but in some markets i've heard it was closer to $5000 near the end of the retail run

[vangelisideras]

poderosas máquinas, una maravilla!

[Rockstar1974lol]

what do u think of the NAKAMICHI NR-200? do u think it is worth buying for a reel to reel deck... and what about just having the original dolby hooked up to it instead of b/c like on the nakamichi?

[ppeterso22]

@Rockstar1974lol : The Nak NR-200 has the cool factor and works very well, but is a little quirky to set up. You want to make sure that you reel to reel is aligned properly or your levels will be off btw tape and source. On most decks you take a tone generator (I use a fostex) and adjust the trim pots under the deck for "rec level" based on the sensitivity of the tape you're using. By original dolby do you mean type A?!!!! I think B does open reel some justice and C is darn near like dbx!

[newjerseybt]

Most people do not know that Sony reel to reel specs are outstanding. I had a TC-756 with 7 and 15 ips. The specs were as good or better than the Revox A-700 which I was thinking of buying at the time. Great S/N ratio, wow & flutter, distortion specs.

[ppeterso22]

@newjerseybt Yeah, I had a 756 4 track and it was a great machine (changing the capstan belt was darn near impossible tho'!!!) I have a Revox A700 (that I also love) and IMHO the Sony 880-2 can only compete w/FeCr tape loaded. They have different sounds--the Euro decks have a slight musical color to the sound. I put my Philips N4520, Sony TC-880-2, and Revox A700 head to head and, IMHO, the Revox placed first and the Sony and Philips tied a very close second.

[ppeterso22]

@newjerseybt Ever heard that Studer A807?! Whoa--unbelievable too! Revox/Studer seem to attack W/F with superior motor design and Sony goes for the Closed Loop Dual Capstan. Both measure very very very low on the Nak analyzer that I had--very low! The best decks i've heard in person were Sony TC-880-2, Revox A-700, Studer A807, Tandberg TD-20A, Akai Pro 1000, Philips N4520, and a hot-rodded Teac X-2000Rbl

[newjerseybt]

@ppeterso22 I can't recall even reading about the A807. I used to read Stereo Review at the time and I am surprised I missed that one. If I remember correctly, the Sony TC-880-2 was nearly impossible to get your hands on in 1975-6. The reason was the new TC-756 series just came out. I was disappointed it did not have 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15ips and one other feature, simul sync but the specs sold me.

[ppeterso22]

@newjerseybt I think the Studer A807 Didn't come out until 1999???--it's one of the last of the 1/4 track decks, like the Tascam BR-20, Otari MX-5050BIII; Yeah, Sony should have put the lower speed on there...the Philips n4520, Technics RS-1500US, and the Revox A700, C270, and Studer A807 all have 3 speeds.

[newjerseybt]

@ppeterso22 I had one problem (verifying specs) with the TC-756 when new. The bias adjustments were affecting each other. You couldn't adjust the left side without it causing a change on the right bias. I brought the machine to Sony thinking a miswire. They couldn't fix it either so they called in an Sony engineer. Amazingly the engineer found a defect during production. The coating they sprayed on the boards became conductive in megaohms. Washing the boards with isopropyl solved the problem.

[asdfvcf34]

Why is it peaking out almost to 15db red?

[ppeterso22]

@asdfvcf34: I was driving it as hard as I could to demonstrate the unbelievable headroom at 15ips! Noticed that it wasn't distorting? That was no super special recording tape, it was Hitachi UDO which is almost the same as Maxell UD (both were made by Hitachi). This machine can take just about anything that you can throw at it.

[asdfvcf34]

@ppeterso22 How many DB of headroom does it have at 15 IPS?

[ppeterso22]

@asdfvcf34 What's the symbol for infinity? LOL! I'm not sure but you can max it's meter system out with FeCr tape w/ little saturation

[GrantDavidGreenham]

open reel is unbeatable, everything is taking a step backwards, this to mp3, ? concord traveling at twice the speed of sound , apollo moon landings, most of it in the 60s ! i use a fostex r8 and when you master it on to 24 bit cd ,there's a clear difference. love reel to reels.

[ppeterso22]

@GrantDavidGreenham : Amen--love the R8--can't believe I sold my R8--i miss it!

[electron1100]

This was Sony at their best stunning machine

[ppeterso22]

@electron1100 : Yes it was. Last night I removed the bottom panel to adjust the record and playback levels and was shocked that the feet were very heavy! Almost like they were chiseled from a chuck of steel. This deck was an example of Sony pulling out all the stops!

[700gsteak]

I'm searching for this to buy. is the -2 important in the model?

[ppeterso22]

@700gsteak : Sorry for the delay, haven't been on the Tube in a while. All of the 880's are 880-2's, the 2 means 2 Track play, 2 track record, but it also does a 4 track playback thanks to a 4th head. If you wanted quarter track record near TOTL, you had to go with the TC-765 (top speed 7-1/2) or older 756 or 788-4 (both w/ top speed 15)

[Ziplock74]

there's no way we could ever know the sound quality by watching a video of it in compressed, digital audio. it's something you have to witness in person. still, thanks for uploading.

[ppeterso22]

@Ziplock74: No problem! Yeah, but, take my word for it, this thing screams way up in the Hz!--Some say 40000HZ or more--but I can't hear that high tho'

[vincedog3]

love the mighty Sony 800s! great video!

[ppeterso22]

@vincedog3 Thanks!

[grabngonuts]

a masterpiece, daul capstan is the way to go

[Ziplock74]

i drooled

[btown2011]

i wish i could find one for sale!

[hepcan63]

yes yes

[hepcan63]

I want to buy my sorrow if you have received the appropriate price ISEE Greetings

[hepcan63]

but yes I want to receive or sony tc 765 sony 880-2-be friends have got them from the tape reel bi want to sell Do you need

[TheG3ueq]

Tried mine with some Behringer C-3's awsome, saw one in Germany went for £6000..phew!

[samoged]

One was sold on Ebay yesterday

[samoged]

These machines cost 550,000 yen--at today's rate its $5,500 I think one could have bought a new car for that back then

[ppeterso22]

I insides of the machine are also a work of art!  I think it uses a Kirby vacuum cleaner belt from DD Capstan to slave Capstan...LOL!!!!

[TheG3ueq]

I was given one of these, have fully restored it, will never part with it, fabulous machine, use it with 2 ribbon mics for live music recording.

[ppeterso22]

Amen, to that--this is a keeper--along with my 60lb Philips N4520 that I can't believe the sound quality of either...

[karmabike1911]

no you need to purchase another one. :)

nice setup

[ppeterso22]

Hahaha!! Before i got this one, I can remember drooling over the 880-2's in the catalogs as a kid!!! I said, "I'll never find one of these reasonably..." So I wouldn't bet on me finding another one cheap!

[NeveCompressor]

I paid £100 for mine ten years ago from an exchange and mart advert! Bargain? I would think a serious collector would pay over £1000 for one of these now. It still doesn't touch a Nagra T audio though. That is the ultimate reel to reel. Especially at 30 IPS. No other tape recorder in the world can get as much mod on the tape.

[NeveCompressor]

Sony only made about 500 of these TC-880-2's and they were really expensive machines. Top of the range semi-pro tape recorder in their catalogue. Rarely ever seen for sale. I own one too. A perspex cover was an optional extra for this machine and that is extremely rare if you have one. Nice video music clip.

[ppeterso22]

Thanks!  I use it a lot--I always put it head to head with my HUGE Philips N4520 10"-er--and they both represent my best machines: leaves my X-2000R and Tascam BR-20 in the dust!

[hepcan63]

is die taperecorder te koop wacht op je mail

[ppeterso22]

Not sure I understand your comment, I tried to translate it. But my machine is not for sale. In reference to monitoring, I am monitoring off of the tape. Thanks.

[samoged]

@hepcan63 Do you wish to purchase one of these?

[hepcan63]

meyil ata bilirsin bana

[hepcan63]

hello slm Sony TC-880-2 Reel to Reel Tape Deck satılıkmı nekadar bana sat

[vincedog3]

wow I like this machine. good memories. I love reel to reels. I have 3 myself

[samoged]

@egeniusservices HI I HAVE 10195