NEW MUSIC ON TAPES IN 2020:

- A Tribute to Eva Cassidy - Margriet Sjoerdsma – STS Analog T6111197
- Diamond Voices of the fifties vol . 2 – STS Analog T6111198
- Shostakovich Preludes & Fugues – Organ – Michiel Ras – STS Analog T611130
- Jazz masters vol. 7 – STS Analog T6111191

Tape available: as 15 IPS on CCIR OR NAB Equalization
• Tape Speed: a 15 ips, 1/4 -inch 2-track analog tape

NEW tape from STS Analog = Diamond Voices Of The Fifties - Volume 2 [Master Quality Reel To Reel Tape]

This second release of music sung by some of the finest female voices of the fifties including Julie London, Peggy Lee, Nancy Wildon and Ella Fitzgerald.

If you love the music of the 50's, this album is for you. As per usual, they have gone back to original recordings and woven their magic at the mixing desk (re-engineered by STS through their unique MW process) to produce some magical musical moments - 17 of them!
Re-engineered from the original recordings and re-engineered by STS through their unique 'MW process' to produce some magically musical moments - 17 of them!

Album: Various ‎– Diamond Voices Of The Fifties - Volume 2
Label: STS Analog ‎– T6111198
Format: Reel-To-Reel, 15 ips, ¼", 2-Track Stereo, 10.5" NAB Reel, Album, (CCIR OR NAB Equalization)
Country: Netherlands
Released: June 2020
Genre: Jazz
Style: Easy Listening

Tracklist

01 Frensi Eydie Gorme Dominquez Charles-Russell
02 Night and day Steve Lawrence Cole Porter
03 A lot of livin’ to do Nancy Wilson L. Adams/C. Strouse
04 Wives and lovers Vic Damone B. Bacharach/H. David
05 The boy from Ipanema Peggy Lee Jobim/Demoraes/Gimbel
06 Call me irresponsible Bobby Darin S. Cahn/J. van Heusen
07 Strangers in the night Wayne Newton Kaempfert/Singleton/Snyder
08 Snootie little cutie Bobby Troup Bobby Troup
09 Daddy Julie London Bobby Troup
10 Angel Eyes Jack Jones M. Dennis/E. Brent
11 Destination moon Dinah Washington Alfred/Fisher
12 Fever Peggy Lee J. Davenport/E.Cooley
13 French Poodle Sam Butera & The Witnesses Shaw/White
14 Hawiian war chant Ella Fitzgerald Noble/Leleiohaku/Freed
15 Sunday in New York Bobby Darin P. Nero/C. Coates
16 You’d be so nice to come home to Peggy Lee Cole Porter
17 Nobody but me Lou Rawls B. Myles

Tape available: as 15 IPS on CCIR OR NAB Equalization

STS Digital Ben Webster, 'Old Betsy' Tape (STS.T6111129)
Reviewed by David Denyer, T2T lover for David Denyer, August 2016
Following my initial STS Digital Ben Webster experience, which was more interesting than outstanding. I decided the only sensible thing to do was to buy the 15ips version which promised to be a genuine 1:1 master copy. So I ‘phoned Michael at Air Audio, the official UK distributor, and got out my credit card.
This is completely different experience. Firstly, the packaging is first class. The hinged box is really nicely made from very stiff, cloth-textured card. It doesn’t take up excessive shelf-space, looks great and provides good protection for the tape within. Although a spine label would be nice should I buy any more STS tapes!
Another improvement since my first experience. Inside the box various stickers and notes state the equalisation is CCIR, level 320nWb/m and that this copy master was made by playing the original master on a Philips EL 3501 feeding a bank of 6 Philips N4522 machines loaded with LPR 35 tape.
The next thing worthy of note is the reel itself – quite the nicest reel I have. The ‘NAB’ centre is precision machined from what appears to be black anodised aluminium, but may be some other material. The rear flange is black and the front flange silver – I understand gold is also available – and are flat as a pancake and completely concentric. This is the flattest, most concentric reel I have. Full marks to STS! One very slight niggle: the fancy ‘STS’ cut outs don’t provide sufficient view of the tape pancake to be able to clearly see how much is left. I like to see when the end (or the beginning as I always store my tapes ‘tails out’, and stop before the tape requires re-lacing. OK, two slight niggles. The tape (LPR35) is supplied without leader or tail although there’s a healthy fifteen seconds of tape before the music starts and plenty at the end. The first thing I did was to add leaders and tails. Slightly annoying but to be honest I usually swap what’s supplied anyway as I like a long leader and have my own preferred colour coding system.
So, how does it sound? Gorgeous, really good, a huge step-up from the 7.5ips version.

As I stated previously, this is a sublime album and now available in unbeatable fidelity – that’s what a true master copy provides – the absolute best version of that album there is, period.

So, for around £250 you can buy a genuine 1:1 master copy of a superb jazz album. That to me seems like a very sensible thing to do.

I don’t really know most of the rest of the STS catalogue but I’ll certainly be dipping into it should they add any other albums that get my mojo rising.

All STS CDs in the future will be releasing under STS Digital where LP Vinyl and Reel To Reel Tape under STS Analog name label, so there no confusion from the audiophiles that recording on vinyl and reel-to-reel tape is pure analogue.