Randy Hayno's posting in the 08.11.26 MMD about the bad effect of
automatic gain control (AGC) on player piano recordings made with
cheap equipment struck a familiar note with me.  I have been plagued
by the same problem in trying to find a relatively inexpensive tape
recorder for use in making band organ recordings.

All the cheap devices include AGC, which manufacturers seem to tout
as a plus, if they mention it at all.  Add to this the fact that few
recorders have decent built-in microphones and most of them don't have
any provision for attaching external stereo microphones.  It all makes
me wish I had never thrown away my old Roberts reel-to-reel tape deck.
As heavy and old-fashioned as it was, it worked!

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York