Tandberg 9100X reel to reel tape player

[Greg.]

I've just inherited a Tandberg 9100X, together with about 50 recorded once only Maxcell tapes. I know nothing about this player and wonder what I've actually got. It certainly looks quality, but what is it's value and is it a good piece of kit? Any information from you knowledgeable ones on this will be gratefully received.

Best wishes,

Greg

[petercom]

Very nice deck, three motors and, I think, four heads with full mixing facilities. Tandberg's claim to fame was the X which stood for Crossfield recording, a patented technique which claimed to extend hf response but never showed any benefits in any of the technical tests I read.

There was a 2 track and 4 track version, the 2-track, as usual, was better but the 4-track was more common. Not really a sought after piece of kit, though, so value not too high.

[John Caswell]

Hi Greg,
If required I have most of the service info on this as it was the pre-cursor to the TD20A. If the heads are in good condition then is a superb machine which vied with all the top decks of the time.

John aka Dr John

[Greg.]

Thanks Peter and John. It seems to be in very good condition. It's been unused for a few years but stored properly. I'll see how it works and come back John if I need any service information.

Best wishes,

Greg

[Paul Barker]

Good luck m8, my Revox has been collecting dust so long, when something really good was on the radio and I wanted to record it, I spent the whole length of the program tring to load a tape, didn't finish fumbling in time. Haven't taught myself to use it since either. Dunno what went wrong, I always was able to use it back in the day. Too many brain cells have died off between then and now I suppose.

All these anbalogue freaks, don't you know back in the 80s some one invented the compact disk, pure perfection, even corrects scratches.

Never could afford one myself, just have to struggle on with my Revox and my Garrard I suppose.

[Shane]

One thing a decent reel to reel gives you is the chance to do some live recording.
I once took a Revox A77 I used to have to a church in Plymouth and recorded a local choir singing Faure's Requiem with a simple crossed pair of Sony electret mikes. The result was a recorded ambience the like of which I have never heard from any other source. The walls of the listening room really did dsappear. Unfortunately the choir was ****, but that didn't seem to matter. It was still an amazing listening experience.
Greg, if you can afford a couple of half-decent mikes, you have to give it a try. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve.