Ken Kessler

Ken Kessler brings you his definitive guide to buying reel-to-reel tapes, new and secondhand

For any format, whether new or revived, it is the availability of pre-recorded music that determines its health. That's why the LP came back like gangbusters, and the otherwise-hugely-impressive Elcaset withered away. When it comes to the growing interest in reel-to-reel tapes, three routes exist for feeding the machines, and each has its adherents, while many users will adopt all three when building up a library.

This month, we review: T Rex, The Box Tops, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Monkees.

This month we review: Dire Straits, The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five and Clear Light.

This month we review: The Band, Quentin Collins All-Star Quintet, The Grateful Dead and The Rockin' Ramrods.