Ballfinger is releasing new models of its reel to reel tape covers, which will go on sale later in May, as reported by Bloomberg . Ballfinger says that its tape covers are designed for professional use and are made of high strength aluminum. All the elements for recording are on the right, playback is on the left and the scroll functions are arranged in the middle. Ballfinger had previously shown one of his tape deck machines last year on an audio program.
The company will sell four different models of the cassette deck (M063H5, M063H3, M063H1, M063HX), and each will have its own unique characteristics. The machines are expensive start from 9,500 euros (around $ 11,400) and amount to 24,000 euros ($ 28,500). The high-end model M063H5 by Ballfinger is equipped with an editing system, three direct-drive motors and wooden side panels that come in black, white or walnut. Ballfinger says that with the exception of model M063H1, all machines can be completely reconfigured, which means machine parts can be easily replaced or removed.
"Digital media is great, but experiencing music is more than just listening to a sound file: it's sensual, they're coils that can rotate and touch," he said. Roland Schneider, the designer of the machine that spent six years developing the machines, Bloomberg . "When it comes to audio quality, nothing else in the analog world brings you closer to the experience of being right there in the recording studio than the reel tape."
Schneider says that it has received distribution applications for tape deck machines from more than 80 companies worldwide, including the US. UU., Dubai and Hong Kong. The new covers will be available later in May, the company says on its website.
This is not the first time that an old music playback device has come back. (We suggest that the reel-to-reel tape covers be the "new vinyl" in 2015). Vinyl has been a trend in recent years, while sales of cassette tapes had their best year in 2017 since 2012, thanks to the versions of Stranger Things and Guardians of the Galaxy [19659002].