Hi Aaron, The machine is as new can get. It was delivered to the person I bought it from just a few months ago. It was used to produce one CD and that was it, about 20 hours. It also came with a 1/4 inch 2 track head block that is still wrapped from ATR Services. The ARIA electronics were adjusted for both head blocks. I can't wait to hear the difference between the ARIA electronics and the stock ATR electronics I have on the other two machines. I believe your machine is the Frankenstein that PMR offers for about $28,000. It's good to know that they're others out there that need a mental adjustment:-) regards, ken Fritz On May 27, 2009, at 5:24 PM, Aaron Levinson wrote: > An ATR-100 series 15/30 ips 1" 2-track is the Rolls Royce of all > mastering decks. The heads may need lapping and I would make sure > the thing is biased correctly if you plan on recording with it but > that baby is insane. I would say the Studer may have it beat on > machining of parts but from a sonic standpoint that is just about > the finest solid-state beast ever made. Others may disagree but no > one will question its place in the pantheon of audio history. > > I mated the ATR transport with the legendary MR-70 electronics for > a one-of-a-kind Frankenstein that was imho even better, but for a > stock machine, unbeatable. > > AA > > > Danger wrote: >> I have had a lot of strange machine made in the past but never a >> 1" 2trk You might want to look up John French and see what he has >> to say. >>