Tascam BR-20 Reel to Reel - McIntosh Tribute - Limited Edition 1 of only 4

Free Shipping on *ALL* Electronics (Excluding Speakers, Contiguous 48 US States Only)

Due to the success of the "McIntosh Tribute" Technics RS-1500 and  RS-1520 machines, we decided to step it a notch and commission our friends at  J-Corder to build a limited run based on the legendary Tascam BR-20.

Only four examples will be built and this listing is for #1 of 4. 

The Tascam BR-20 is an audiophile favorite for many reasons.

 It's much later in design and production, right at the tail end of the format. Beautifully built using much more modern components. Super easy to service and calibrate with a logical and clean interior layout using cards instead of large PC boards. Knobs and pots are of the highest quality and the mechanical section is equally impressive. The motors and hardware run super quietly, about the lowest noise we've seen in FF/REW with the exception of our $50k Nagra T-Audio machine.

In addition being a high speed machine capable of 7-1/2 and 15 ips, it has facilities for both NAB and IES equalization allowing you to playback the highest quality modern re-issue recordings offered today.  

Best of all it has inputs and outputs in both RCA and XLR balanced configuration.  

This is a 1/2 track machine which utilizes all of the tape in stereo mode on one direction only. The highest configuration possible for a 1/4" tape.  

Cosmetically it was completely re-skinned to look at home atop of your beloved McIntosh system including an all new faceplate, meters, side panels, feet, etc.  

Mechanically it was restored to the highest standard, calibrated, and fully tested.

As close to new as you can get.  

Your purchase will include the machine, a pair of custom hub adapters with an aluminum wrench, printed manual, felt dust cover, and a pair of very high-quality aluminum take up reels that look the part. 

In addition we'll include a mix test tape on one of the included reels to get you started playing right way, professionally recorded right on this machine.  

General:
The Tascam BR-20 is a special machine by itself and a great alternative to the Technics reel to reel machines we sell. It's capable of 15 IPS and 1/2 track recording+playback making it super high-fidelity.

This particular unit was modified and serviced by J-Corder, which makes it even more special. 

When optioning this machine we went for a classic McIntosh livery with a black finish, green lettering, and blue meters. It looks stunning in person and would be perfect to match your McIntosh system. 

I've worked on many reel to reel machines over the years and this is one of my favorites in terms of build quality, serviceability, and functionality. Only to be outdone by some of the Swiss-made Nagra machines which is really saying something.

A quick look inside reveals super high-quality components, a clean logical layout, and easy access to all areas of the deck. Even the front panel hinges upward like the hood of a car to reveal access to all of the calibration pots. Sealed volume and record pots ensure you don't have to service them, just exercise from time to time. 

Included with this reel to reel will be two black take up reels as shown in our photos and a felt cover. It will be safely shipped in a custom box with custom internal packing.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Some small scratches on the corners of the unit, overall very good shape.

Ownership:
Second Owner

Connections:
RCA, XLR

General Sound:
Big beautiful musical sound with little fatigue.

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Specs:
Track system: 2-track, 2-channel, stereo system
Heads: 1 x record/sync, 1 x playback, 1 x erase
Motor: 2 x reel, 1 x capstan
Reel size: up to 10.5 inch reel
Equalization: NAB, IEC
Tape speeds: 7-1⁄2  15 ips
Wow and flutter: 0.06% (15 ips)
Frequency response: 35Hz to 22kHz (15 ips)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 72dB
Total harmonic distortion: 3%
Crosstalk: 60dB

Dimensions:
483 x 444 x 180mm (19" x 17.5" x 7.1")

Weight:
61 lbs.

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Testing Process:
First steps are performed to determine if the unit is a candidate for our full restoration process, or if it's just in need of a light service.

We perform a basic functionality test to ensure proper playback, fast forward, and rewind. We look for smooth operation of the motors, transport engagement, and associated rolling parts.

We then do an internal physical inspection to ensure the belts and rubber consumable parts are up to spec.

Internal components are checked to make sure there are no signs of heat stress or damage, particularly in the power supply section. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

A light service will involve replacement of belts and rollers, external cleaning of heads, mechanism and boards, and basic record and playback tests.

A full restoration will often include disassembly of the drive system and replacement of all consumable and wearable parts including pinch rollers, belts, brakes, and bearings. We then clean, lubricate, and re-assemble the drive and perform basic mechanical alignment to ensure proper tape path and head alignment.

Final calibration will involve adjustment of the playback, erase, and record heads, along with optimization of the bias for a specific tape type. We do this with the aid of a Sound Technology 1510A tape deck analyzer plus a Nakamichi T-100 Audio Analyzer with reference calibration tapes.

Final listening tests are performed while monitoring with our reference Grado HP-1 headphones and a variety of factory and custom reference recordings We find that there is no better system for critical listening on tapes than with headphones, especially when comparing a live feed to a recorded feed.