However... a VERY important question here is: is it properly calibrated?
Too many R2R owners simply start listening to their new toys, but the FIRST thing you should do is at least run a test tape and get the frequency plot.
Aging and shifting components can do all sorts of damage to the sound.
Calibration is what I am doing at this moment. Whomever did it before me did very good job, but there is no hard rule there, and you can get different sounds while still staying within the factory specs - people often forget that important fact.
For most consumer decks the tolerance is +/- 2dB, or something like that, which means you can have your highs 4dB above your middle frequencies, giving you brighter sound...
OR... you can have them 4dB LOWER, noticeably shifting the sonic signature.
Do NOT pass any judgment until AT LEAST that portion of the calibration is done.
On high caliber machines you should be able to keep the frequency response within +/- .5dB across most of the range.
