Back in 1998 to 2012, I had the job as a production master tape librarian for a record company. We went through sticky shed with Ampex 456/499 and various 3M formulations about 80 percent of the time when were transferring analog master tapes to digital Pro Tools archive masters, which we transferred to 96/24 or 192/24 PCM files to send to mastering engineers for vinyl or CD mastering. We had to "bake" the tapes and we had one shot to do the transfers. We had some masters that came from Europe on EMI and Agfa tape, that didn't have the sticky shed issue and were a breeze to transfer.
What a great video. I loved it. I've never owned a 10.5" machine so all the various spooling arrangements were completely new to me. I could have listened to more of the Miles-John tape you played at the end.
To our UA-camr: How do you think about the problem of archiving music for several centuries with analogue technology? Imagine the great recordings of the 20th century shall be available in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th century and so on. Analogue technology like tapes has the problem of degrading over time. Digital only needs a proper backup on a new hard disk before the old one starts to deteriorate. But what is for sure is that the tapes in this video sounded great, even over the speakers of my Mac. I understand your passion for analogue technology and it's absolutely right to go for it! :)
That is a very interesting topic. I did a video discussing about this and other related topics: ua-cam.com/video/5eWsj9WFPYs/v-deo.html Apart from that, we really lucky dogs. In just a few more decades the only way to listen to true analog will be the records coming from the analog tapes. The PVC of records will last centuries but the tapes will be too fragile. Clearly, digital is the only alternative, for now. I also did a video on the future of recording and playback for the fun of imagining how it will be: ua-cam.com/video/XsJZnZ65OJw/v-deo.html
Friend of mine practically gave me a Tascam 32 from 1983 it's a 2 Channel recorder producer I thought I needed a 4-channel but after seeing this I think I'm going to be pretty happy with it once I put the new belt on and cleaning up good video thank you!
Been recording a lot of my own productions in recent years and in my opinion, the best new production tape in existence is ATR Magnetics master tape. I've compared it with Pyral SM900, Quantegy 456, Maxell 35-90 and 35-90b.
Thank you for explaining why the recording Tapes I order alway come wound counter clockwise. Now that I understand why and it makes sense I will redo my collection. Thank you for all the great information.
Very interesting video series. I've learnt a lot about tape and tape machines so far. I'm not an audiophile, being quite happy to listen to 320Kbps AAC's and MP3's on my computer, but my only reason for having an interest in tape is actually as a retro/lo-fi recording medium and for realistic tape effects to include in my music, for which purpose I have recently bought some micro and mini cassette dictaphones (very lo-fi), a normal cassette dictaphone with variable speed, a normal stereo tape recorder, which turned out to be very good, as a reference deck, and a few hundred cassette tapes in bulk, planning to re-record on old ones for poorer sound quality - again for special effects. While I was in the middle of doing that, a reel-to-reel tape machine came up for sale locally on eBay, so I now also own a reasonably well-maintained mid-60's Lafayette consumer portable tape recorder, which even came with its original microphone, which is great, and playing back the piece of tape that came with it, I really liked the sound of it, even through its built-in mono speaker. And I just love using it, its mechanics, the sound of it when it is switched on and when the motor is running. If I find myself using it a lot and want to upgrade some day, I'll have got a lot of useful advice for my next reel-to-reel purchase from your videos. I might budget for a Nagra if I save up for a few months.
Hi Hakon, thank for sharing your journey. I perfectly understand your use and perspective. Well, if you are planning to get a Nagra at that point you are facing a major upgrade in quality. I had the best portable Nagra player, the IV-S. If you do not plan on recording on the go, out and about, but at home and/or studio DO NOT get a Nagra, unless we are talking about the Nagra T, one of the best studio recorder ever made (and extremely rare and expensive).
@@anadialog Thanks for your comment. As you suggest, I may not opt for a Nagra if I decide I will never need to take it with me anywhere. Portable devices do of course have the added advantage of taking up little space when not in use, and I don't have too much of it available, so that is also a consideration. I'll see how I get along with my Lafayette for now and if it inspires me to take reel-to-reel to the next level.
@@hakonsoreide I understand. There are also cheaper and still portable reel to reel solutions like the Sony models. Also, remember that machines like the Nagra IV-S, unless you have an adapter that costs more than the machine, accept o only small reels...and that is a pain in the a$$!
@@anadialog I hadn't even thought about adapters. In conclusion, I probably shouldn't make any decisions until I know a lot more about it, I guess. I need to watch more UA-cam videos.
When I ran a company called Teletape in central London we used to stock everything from Sony, to Studer / Revox and Technics, and some Akai thrown in for choice. I have a friend who worked for a production company and he said they used a Narga studio machine. Vangelis Liked Revox John Entwistle like Technics. You pay your money and make your choice as they say. Jeremy Travis Formerly of Teletape London.
Very informative video, thnx! You should make a list of affordable reel to reel tape recorders for beginners or musicians/composers who wish to start working with tape.
I have bought around 20 used BASF tapes and they all work well. I also bought 10 new NOS BASF tapes and they are all perfect. But I have bought Sony, Scotch and Ampex too, but they all have been garbage with the "Shed/Sticky syndrome" , I had to remove the tape and trow it away to keep at least the reel!
On the Boston: Third Stage album, they noted inside the gatefold jacket that one of their original master tapes became so sticky, the tape machine shut-off with a literal "BANG!"... so as a solution, the tape had to be run between two pinched fingers, coated with petroleum jelly to add the necessary lubrication--as it ran through the machine!
Great machine! I have an A810 and I made a few videos on r2r. I also suggest a great solution for your problem. Check it out (the video is in 2 parts): ua-cam.com/video/GqWh41NT1Cc/v-deo.html
It was a fantastic video! I have a question regarding "stycky-shed", what do you think of ART magnetics tapes? I bought some of them and they look like old Ampex tapes but they leave small (like coarse dust) parts of them in the machine ... the sound is very nice!
I have an AMPEX tape left over , It is brown god knows why , cost £10 , started scweeking months after . Its not my type of music but the tape played at the end realy did sound spot on !
As I am long time using reel to reel machines, in my opinion using "Pancake" reels and the tape is in open, mostly are suitable for professional people that they go every day from 9:00 to 5:00 working in the studio. From morning to the evening they work on this machines and tapes. Other than professionals, I think the only one to use is the regular one being plastic or metal. For people who are Amateurs also like me, why should we go to risky thing. The tape can get loose and loose and then you cannot bring it back to its original shape. Thank You.
Hi I like your video very very good and interesting. I have one question, I used to many decks .I have Technics RS-B 85 and Rsb-727 . The best deck Technics RSB -100 . What do you think to rsb-85 deck? Another deck Akai - gxc 750d and Aurex toshiba-pc-x88ad . Thanks All the best Csaba
I have an Otari MTR-15 and think its the best deck in the world, you briefly display this deck in your video but don't say much about it, everything I could read says it beats the Studer in every way hands down, it would be nice to see you compare these two decks
Hi Dave, n8ce machine! As I said the late Otari machines are very precise and automatic, but the overall sound of a Studer or Telefunken or a Nagra, especially the early models, is something apart. Don't take my word for it. Check around. Yes, I would love to do a comparison.
Hi, Guido. Great video. Sadly, I have to make do with my Otari MX-55N. One small quibble: NAB means "National Association of Broadcasters." The word "American" is not part of it, although it is an American association.
I have a question regarding 4 track vs. 2 track. Im sorry if you made already a video in the meantime about it but is the 2 track with 15ips speed superior to a 4 track with 15ips? Thanks for the answer and explanation.
Hi ! I found a video to explain how can I calibrate my Akai GX- 4000D , in details with tones and the exact point in the main board to make it . Thank you ! Great videos here with precious informations !
Question: is it advisable or okay to use pancake reels when the recorder is in a vertical position? Second, where can you find AEG-DIN pancakes? They look very vintage. Thank for the video.
It's dangerous. It can come off. If you're careful it can be done. I do it regularly. You mean where to find tape in pancakes? If so, RTM sells them at a good price.
@@meshplates The plates can be found sometimes on ebay or reverb. I am sure someone is also making them from scratch. The hubs are fantastic, they are made from a company in Poland. The link is in the video description.
there is another solution to sticky tape syndrome that always works but requires great care. with the deck in fast forward mode, using a cloth soaked in methylated spirits, run the cloth along the oxide side of the tape for the entire length of the tape. clean the tape path after, and repeat the process to take the excess methylated spirits off the tape.
Nagra was also standard in recording the sound for TV. The Reporter had Nagra and microphone, the camera man a 16 mm camera, both were quartz synchronised (technology exists since the 1960's)
Germany has the standard to have the Ferro oxyde layer outside, as known from compact cassette and not inside, as known from home reel to reel recorders.
Such a great set of videos! 👌 I wonder if from your experience using pancake reel vertically is safe? Blank tape is much cheaper this way, but I don't want to put my deck horizontally.
Nice video :) I want to buy a Revox b77, but i recently found an Akai 1000 PRO , which is very rare and nice. However, the Akai is NAB standard and doesn't have a switch to choose NAB or IEC. It has an Equalizer switch , but it just has the 3 speeds i can select. Most of recent audiophile recordings and not only use IEC... so that makes me lean towards the Revox, although the specific Akai is a collector's piece, great sounding, just the EQ is NAB :( What are your thoughts on that? thank you so much
Thank you very much for the very informative, well-thought and well-presented videos...I have a Lyrec PTR-1 FRIDA MK1 recorder though always wanted a Studer A807 or A810...food for thought...How would you compare the portable Nagras IV-S (and even the Stellavox machines or even my FRIDA) against the "desktop" Studer workhorses A807 & A810 and Telefunken in terms of playback quality, reliability but also parts availability? Grazie!
Hello Christos, Thank you for your compliments and comment! Well, I checked the specs of the Lyrec and it seems superb! A very nice machine with Dolby HX Pro, not bad at all! I never heard one so I cannot comment on that. Just a few years ago I had a Nagra IV-S, a piece of art but absolutely inferior, in my opinion, to Studer machines and other high quality brands as Telefunken-AEG, Otari, Sony etc. The Nagra is fantastic if you need high quality on the road, otherwise it is a bad choice. Plus, you need an adapter that costs more than the Nagra itself in order to play reels larger than 7" (which means all, except for pre-recorded tapes). Stellavox implies the same issues, only that Nagra is a better sounding Machine. If you want a 'desktop' solution (i.e. non-portable) and you like Nagra, obviously Nagra-T is the way to go! Just one last thought. If you (insanely ;-)) decide to buy a Studer, try going for the big guys. What I mean is to leave aside the A807, which has a much weaker transport. Better wait and spend a little more and reach out for a A80, if you have the space, or a A810. Even better an A820 or A812 but those are really too expensive ion my opinion if you don't have at least a recording studio. Bear in mind that if not fully serviced, in most cases these machines do need a good check-up by a professional. For example, the A810 has a battery issue and if it is not properly replaced it will give you issues 100%.
Thank you very much, very helpful answer...and between an A810, an A80 and a Telefunken, in terms of sound quality...is Telefunken the way to go with an M15? (seems difficult to get an "affordable" valve-based solution these days !!!! :), Also, would you be tempted to by-pass the stock playback electronics and adopt an external head amp solution (like tape project or similar)? Grazie!
Hi again, well don't take only my word for it but the Telefunken M15 for playback (not recording) is one of the best sounding machines out there (not the M15A). The good news is that they cost 1/3 of a Studer (say the A807 or A810). Valve? Well then you should look for the holy grail of reel to reel machines the Studer C37 or the Telefunken M10, in good condition probably the best sounding machines on the planet! Look, I had the same idea, use a modern pre.amp directly attached to the heads. After listening to a lot of pros I must admit that they are right....do not do that! The engineering of these machines is amazing and highly complex. A simple external pre-amp (look at the circuit blueprints) cannot compete. A good idea though, is to make sure the original electronics are in perfect condition, starting from the heads. That is the best thing you can do instead of upgrading...
Thank you very much...last question...!! It seems neither the M15 nor the A80 have an NAB/IEC-CCIR switch (i believe they are only CCIR machines)...If this is correct, how do you play on them a tape from the US (e.g. "tape project" tapes) to their best sound given that US use NAB (when these machines have only CCIR)?..! Grazie!
That is a very good question! M15 and A80 can have both equalizations if they have the related commands (i.e. the VU meters etc.) otherwise they are set to one specific curve. Remember that CCIR is better than NAB. If the commands are not present, a standard for the M15, you must ask which equalization the machine has (usually CCIR because European). The A80 usually does have its commands (the black 'bridge' with knobs on top of the machine) and a equalization switch meaning that you can use both NAB and CCIR. Obviously you can play all tapes on all equalization but it is better to choose the proper curve otherwise you will be losing some frequencies and introduce some distortion.
Very thorough and informative review. It complimented Part 1 very well. I was wondering what ever happened to Tandberg and Tascam master recording machines? Were they any good? Although you may have planned to do this already, please make a video on cleaning and maintenance of the reel to reel tape decks. I am hoping you have a good source for rubber roller cleaner and rejuvenator (quality products are so very hard to find). Also, do you ever find it necessary to demagnetize the heads on your machines? Enough questions. Now it is time to go and watch it again (and again). Ottimo presentazione! Grazie mille!
I just got a tape recorder. What does the SOS button do and the Start Push button do? Thar same with the EQ button. It doesn't have a manual. Also what is the best setting for the Output knob?
SOS could be Sound on Sound, so when you press that button you can record over the existing recording eg; a vocal over the band track. But be careful SOS also wipes some of the high frequencies off the band track, experiment with it first.
Ampex sticky shed tape can be baked at 150F for several hours and it will firm up the coating long enough to make a good duplicate. All Quantegy tape was good and the very last Ampex tapes were good.
Very nice and informative video for the tape people. I am a bit sorry you forgot to mention the two very best master recorders from Stellavox and Lyrec. But whatever. You also forgot to mention that what you call the very best Studer, the A816, was actually the AEG Telefunken M20/21 made into a Studer after Studer took over AEG Telefunken. Even though you claim that the Telefunken M15 & 10 should be better soundwise than the M20/21, you also claimthat the Studer A816 is the best master recorder ever. That's contradictions. But that does not change the fact that your video for sure is great and informative for non-experts. You also have a calm rethorics, very usable for the viewer. ;-)
Hi Lars, thanks for your comment. What you report is not correct actually. The Studer A816 was based on Telefunken M16, not M20/21. Even so, it is obvious that Studer reworked the project it's not a simple rebranding. Moreover, I said that the M15 is one of the best machines for playback while the Studer A816 was the LAST best recorder. In fact, I claimed that my overall favorite on the list is the A820. Cheers!
So you have a 30 ips player? I want to buy one for recording gigs, but there's a problem, a question circulating the internet- does it cut off frequencies below 40 hz? (some say you should record rock at 15 ips because 30 can seriously chop away the low frequencies). Are those extra low frequencies lost, or are they just quiet? Maybe an experiment if you have a 30 ips player- record frequencies below 40 hz and see if they're quiet, or just not there. I hope they're just quiet as you could probably boost the eq when cutting to vinyl
Yes, they do say that but I am not sure it. It all comes down to the machine and tape quality. In any case 30ips requires too much tape. Stick with 15ips and you will have great recordings without spending heaps of money and a wheelbarrow to bring your tapes along!
HI I'MLOOKING FOR AN AKAI 400DS2 SERVICED. I LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU THINCH IT IT A GOOD RECORDER OR THERE ARE SAME SIMILAR TO CHECK FOR BUY? MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME
I have two questions upon watching the video: 1. Is there a such thing as reel-to-reel player that plays per-recorded music without recording features? 2. Is there a model that is capable of playing all 3¾ ips, 71⁄2 ips and 15 ips reels?
Hello, 1) yes, but they are rare. For example thetmre are the ABI players that are related to Tekefunken. I had the same idea once but I rapidly changed my mind. 2) of course thete are. Ny Philili0s N4520 is a 4 track that dan reproduce alk speed as well ad my 2 track Studer A810 in the video, which can even reproduce 30ips!
I'm looking to buy one of these to play pre-recorded music only. Could you recommend some brands or models that are capable of playing all 3¾ ips, 71⁄2 ips and 15 ips reels and with no unnecessary recording features?
Hi Sean, you should start from here: ua-cam.com/video/EnUhGjc_Er8/v-deo.html Although this is a 4 track machine video at the end I suggest a few models, most of which have the capabilities that you are look8ng for. Don't look for non recording machines. There are very few out there and they cost just as much as othet models but of lesser quality. Plus it is more difficul to sell them back. These machines ate borne as recorders. Other solutions are artificial, hence bad quality or solutions....difficult to service too...
Great video, but before playing a production tape or master tape you should calibrate the playback levels to 0dB at 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz so that the EQ of the playback is as intended and with a A810 it's easy
Yes, that is the ideal solution outfit should be performed with the tones at the beginning of the recording, which in fact I have in most cases. In any case the playback is still very good and I do not want to scare people away from the hobby. The recording process is already too difficult for a newbie...
@@anadialog yes you're right, all the science around magnetic tape recording is pretty scary. Specially if you want to properly record. MRL tapes with reference tone at desired magnetic flux becomes then a must have. Tape op is a great magazine where I've found a lot of good advices for using tape as a master recording medium
I was just checking my AKAI GX-630D and noticed that the NAB adapters needed to be mounted differently to the machine depending upon whether you were using metal or plastic 10.5" reels. This is due to the thickness of the plastic reel sides being thicker than with the metal version. Do all reel to reel players have this option ??
Hi there, no! If I understood correctly, that is a special feature. In other cases you need one or more spacers like a rubber washer that allows to position the two reels perfectly alligned. This problem takes place also among two metal reels or a pancake and a reel depending on how the tape is wounded abd as you said the thinkness of the flanges.
Yes, on the AKAI GX-630D, one would naturally think that the right thing to do was align the white lines on the NAB, with the dot on the wheel that one is going to mount it on. However, that allows the NAB to be a tad bit closer to the wheel that it is mounted on, and this allows further room to be available for one side of a thicker plastic 10.5" reel. Thus for metal reels, you have to avoid the dot whenever adding the AKAI NAB's. Just thought I would mention it in case other old folk like me, who own a AKAI GX-630D, had forgotten all about it.
Something I have seen no real proper comparisons of are the speeds compared to quality, with say a look at the waveforms and spectral analysis of the same recordings, could that be something you cover?
@@anadialog I have one person who can send it over to me. I don't know if that's safe, wont a tape recorder break pretty easily? I read everywhere that. so much can break. Also if theres too much noise you can't use it for live-sets. I just don't have any experience with these and feel like I won't be able to tell the difference between a good unit and a bad one or one that will become very bad soon
Ciao Guido siccome sono venuto in possesso di un Revox A77 MKIV hispeed 2 tracce stavo pensando se potesse valere la pena riversare dei bootleg che ho in file FLAC ad alta risoluzione nei nastri tramite appunto il Revox. Io però come computer ho “solo” un portatile con un uscita hdmi e jack 3,5 mm; che mi suggerisci di fare?
Ciao Fabio, dunque se usi l'uscita cuffie viene un troiaio, la cosa migliore è prendersi una scheda audio o convertitore con ingresso USB (dovresti avere and un output USB). Un topping usato non dovrebbe costare troppo e avresti una conversione di alto livello, aspetto fondamentale che il PC/Mac non offre.
Ummm... I know almost nothing about these recorders, but I need one. My band wants a reel to reel to run our tracks through it to add analog compression to them before routing the tracks back into the computer (or "the box"). We kinda hate digital for audio. haha ...but there's nothing we can do about where the world is at these days. We don't have a huge budget, and for our purposes we shouldnt really need much. The $300 range (or less) is where we are at and I see a lot of them on eBay in that range. I just don't know what to buy. You probably operate far above our pitiful budget, but was wondering if you had a recommendation or advice on what to look for. ?? Thanks very much
@@anadialog Thanks for the reply. We have 16 digital tracks, but we can move them around. So digital is kinda unlimited. On the reel deck, It would take a while for us to run each separate track through, but as long as we can record a track to tape and then play it back to digital we can get it done. I'm considering the TEAC A-3340S if I can find a deal.. Is that any good?
Ok, now I understand. I thought you wanted to record directly on tape and then digitalize...that would really give the warm saturation you are looking for. The Teac is good but its a 4 channel. I would look for a good 2 channel. The quality is much higher plus 4 channels are useless for yoyr purpose!
@@anadialog Thanks : ) Any recommendation on a 2 channel that's in our budget? Ampex? Telefunken? ...I know that there is a pretty large variance in quality in any brands range, but it's tough to narrow down on old gear. I've seen Telefunken for under $300... just no idea if it's a good model or not. ...or would just about any reel deck be OK since they all do the same thing??
Those are excellent brands at yhat price range can't be fussy and things are pretty much the same...it depends more on the actual condition...Teac is ok, also Tascam, there are lots of Akai models are those are very good...
I got a bunch of special high quality copies of master tapes from a fried who decided to sell all his collection...one of the best moments if my life!!!!
@@anadialog But you doesn't store the tape on a platter. You store simply tape on the core, secured by some clear duct tape on the leader (the same type, you use for editing).
Hi there, you need to calibrate your machine for a specific tape in order to get the maximum out of it. That is something very difficult to do by your own. Talking of brands the best is Recording the Masters SM900 or or ATR Magnetics Master Tape...
Yes, all the pro machines have balanced outputs. Just connect them to the two inputs of your amp, balanced or unbalanced. In the second case you need a special XLR to RCA cable. All these machines have built-in preamps so the output is already at line level.
I really like using XLR’s, is it the referred method? BTW your room inspired me to get a R2R. If I ever get it hooked up should be lots of fun... thanks
It impacts very much, which is why it is better to keep new tape in plastic bags. Older tapes may have fungi, bacteria or other problems and at that poit plastic would just worsen the issue. They usually reccomend an environment of about 40% of humidity for about 65F degree (18.34°C). Here are the ranges of these average numbers: www.tri-magnetics.com/stor_recomm.htm
Well, a 2500 feet reel (762m) that is a normal amount of tape on a 10.5" reels, on 30ips can record 16.7 minutes! Now it is clear why 15ips is the right compromise and studio standard.
Come on you guys, you can't tell me that unless your tapes are brand new ($$$$) or tapes older than several years were always stored in a very stable temp and humidity controlled room that you're not finding globs of oxide build up on your heads-and especially on the tape lifters during fast wind modes. The more oxide particles peeled off the tape the more frequency response and dynamic range you lose-permanently. Many years ago Sticky Shed Syndrome broke my heart when I discovered bad oxide shed with almost any tape from my collection played on my Ampex ATR-102 machine. Even if you VERY carefully bake a tape there's no guarantee that it will not shed oxide even on a rebuilt and precisely tuned tape transport. And even if it does play without shedding for some passes, within a month it will almost always start shedding oxide again. That's why if the data on tapes really matters to anyone they spend serious money on an A/D converter and digitize their tapes as soon as they bake them. If I'm wrong about any of this please let me know.
@@anadialog Yes, I now recall that back then I used the machine's slower of the slow wind speed, 60 ips, but it did little to prevent oxide shedding. Except perhaps for the latest machines, designed and built over the last decade, very few machines ever were tape lifterless; a couple of the Studer models and maybe the few Stephens machines that were built. Also, maybe the Pioneer RT909?? Sadly, the final hope to virtually free tapes of SSS died with the apparent commercial failure of Rezerex, a process essentially perfected by Charles A. Richardson, Annapolis, MD. Richardson was an acknowledged expert on everything about mag tape and delivered a number of papers to AES. The prototype of his system debuted at an AES convention, circa 2012. Needless to say, it proved far to costly to target the audiophile market. Rezerex may not have even been adopted by the Library of Congress, Richardson's first intended target, or any of the major record labels.
from my experience. AGFA tapes are very bad nowadays because of end of age . you can't play a 1 minute without losing a frequency. too much dirt and sticky . you have to clean the tape several times . and even that you can't guarantee that the problem is solved. yes it is a master tape and high quality sound but the tape age is expired
wow that A810 is WAYYYY out of calibration for that tape - but i guess you knew that - those slate tones should be coming up at 0VU for all frequencies
19 cm/s on two tracks was the initial format, to cut cost, they doubled the tracks, set the speed to the half and so you could do in mono on 360 m about 1 hour of music.
Why bother to buy master tapes? You never get what music you want, you just get something that sounds better. Could you explain why this hunt for master tapes? For me at least, reel to reel isn't something about quality or looks, even if from my POV it excels in these categories, it's about the science behind it, how it works and what memories it brings back, same with vinyl, witch to me, sounds like crap (but i never really got into vinyl to get a decent machine) but i still like it. If you think about it, a technology from the 50's is better in some ways then our modern tech, that's a burn for digital. I believe that if you never hear something better then what you have, you'll never complain, as an example, my Hi-Fi is a Sony HCD-RG495 (although online it's found as MHC-RG495); it's the best thing i've ever owned and i am 100% happy with it... until i hear something better :) I own a modified Sony TC-377 (yes, i'm a sony fanboy), nice machine, but in a totally different category then your Studer machine, i record my own music onto it and listen it back. at 19cm/s (7.5ips) i can't hear any difference from the original, so that satisfies me. (Modified in a sense that i replaced it's circuits to work better, it can reproduce sigals up to 35kHz (of course no one would hear them), and up to 24kHz in 9.53cm/s, but 19cm/s looks cool) Yes, i know a master is a master, even if it's a master copy, but come on, is that "Master" label so important?
If you think that is fine, so be it, you will learn, when your most prized possession is turned into mangled plastic on a rewind. Have you ever seen what rewound circles look like when they wrap themselves together at 100 MPH and you watch a prized performance die due to your own wilful negligence? Avoid this
Yes, you are right. It's my Italian surfacing...I mispronunce a lot of terms unfortunately. Sorry about that. In any case, in English the most used term is probably "trident" in the end...
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Back in 1998 to 2012, I had the job as a production master tape librarian for a record company. We went through sticky shed with Ampex 456/499 and various 3M formulations about 80 percent of the time when were transferring analog master tapes to digital Pro Tools archive masters, which we transferred to 96/24 or 192/24 PCM files to send to mastering engineers for vinyl or CD mastering. We had to "bake" the tapes and we had one shot to do the transfers. We had some masters that came from Europe on EMI and Agfa tape, that didn't have the sticky shed issue and were a breeze to transfer.
What a great video. I loved it. I've never owned a 10.5" machine so all the various spooling arrangements were completely new to me. I could have listened to more of the Miles-John tape you played at the end.
Thanks!
To our UA-camr: How do you think about the problem of archiving music for several centuries with analogue technology? Imagine the great recordings of the 20th century shall be available in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th century and so on. Analogue technology like tapes has the problem of degrading over time. Digital only needs a proper backup on a new hard disk before the old one starts to deteriorate. But what is for sure is that the tapes in this video sounded great, even over the speakers of my Mac. I understand your passion for analogue technology and it's absolutely right to go for it! :)
That is a very interesting topic. I did a video discussing about this and other related topics: ua-cam.com/video/5eWsj9WFPYs/v-deo.html
Apart from that, we really lucky dogs. In just a few more decades the only way to listen to true analog will be the records coming from the analog tapes. The PVC of records will last centuries but the tapes will be too fragile. Clearly, digital is the only alternative, for now. I also did a video on the future of recording and playback for the fun of imagining how it will be: ua-cam.com/video/XsJZnZ65OJw/v-deo.html
Good work. Quite proffessional for a regular user, but very comprehensive. Excellent job.
Fantastic, these reel to reel tapes comments really broaden my horizon on open reels tape recorders, really.
Friend of mine practically gave me a Tascam 32 from 1983 it's a 2 Channel recorder producer I thought I needed a 4-channel but after seeing this I think I'm going to be pretty happy with it once I put the new belt on and cleaning up good video thank you!
Great news Joe, than you for sharing!
I love your videos the sound is amazing on that record you play for us great job explaining how it all works
Thanks Raymond!
Been recording a lot of my own productions in recent years and in my opinion, the best new production tape in existence is ATR Magnetics master tape. I've compared it with Pyral SM900, Quantegy 456, Maxell 35-90 and 35-90b.
Thank you for explaining why the recording Tapes I order alway come wound counter clockwise. Now that I understand why and it makes sense I will redo my collection. Thank you for all the great information.
Really informative series of videos, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Very interesting video series. I've learnt a lot about tape and tape machines so far.
I'm not an audiophile, being quite happy to listen to 320Kbps AAC's and MP3's on my computer, but my only reason for having an interest in tape is actually as a retro/lo-fi recording medium and for realistic tape effects to include in my music, for which purpose I have recently bought some micro and mini cassette dictaphones (very lo-fi), a normal cassette dictaphone with variable speed, a normal stereo tape recorder, which turned out to be very good, as a reference deck, and a few hundred cassette tapes in bulk, planning to re-record on old ones for poorer sound quality - again for special effects.
While I was in the middle of doing that, a reel-to-reel tape machine came up for sale locally on eBay, so I now also own a reasonably well-maintained mid-60's Lafayette consumer portable tape recorder, which even came with its original microphone, which is great, and playing back the piece of tape that came with it, I really liked the sound of it, even through its built-in mono speaker. And I just love using it, its mechanics, the sound of it when it is switched on and when the motor is running.
If I find myself using it a lot and want to upgrade some day, I'll have got a lot of useful advice for my next reel-to-reel purchase from your videos. I might budget for a Nagra if I save up for a few months.
Hi Hakon, thank for sharing your journey. I perfectly understand your use and perspective. Well, if you are planning to get a Nagra at that point you are facing a major upgrade in quality. I had the best portable Nagra player, the IV-S. If you do not plan on recording on the go, out and about, but at home and/or studio DO NOT get a Nagra, unless we are talking about the Nagra T, one of the best studio recorder ever made (and extremely rare and expensive).
@@anadialog Thanks for your comment. As you suggest, I may not opt for a Nagra if I decide I will never need to take it with me anywhere. Portable devices do of course have the added advantage of taking up little space when not in use, and I don't have too much of it available, so that is also a consideration. I'll see how I get along with my Lafayette for now and if it inspires me to take reel-to-reel to the next level.
@@hakonsoreide I understand. There are also cheaper and still portable reel to reel solutions like the Sony models. Also, remember that machines like the Nagra IV-S, unless you have an adapter that costs more than the machine, accept o only small reels...and that is a pain in the a$$!
@@anadialog I hadn't even thought about adapters. In conclusion, I probably shouldn't make any decisions until I know a lot more about it, I guess. I need to watch more UA-cam videos.
@@hakonsoreide I made all these mistakes...so yes! ;-)
When I ran a company called Teletape in central London we used to stock everything from Sony, to Studer / Revox and Technics, and some Akai thrown in for choice.
I have a friend who worked for a production company and he said they used a Narga studio machine.
Vangelis Liked Revox John Entwistle like Technics. You pay your money and make your choice as they say.
Jeremy Travis Formerly of Teletape London.
Jeremy, were you just off Tottenham court Rd at all ? near Goodge Street, If yes I bought from you quite a few times.
I like pancakes, but sometimes I use waffles. Really, it's all about using REAL butter & REAL maple syrup while recording & playing on your own swing.
Very informative video, thnx! You should make a list of affordable reel to reel tape recorders for beginners or musicians/composers who wish to start working with tape.
Thanks! That is a good idea...will follow up on that!
@@anadialog Cool! I've been looking for a while now and getting the right information is extremely difficult. I'll be waiting for that.
You should make a video showing you entire reel to reel tape collection
I did think of this...but I needed some confirmation. Thanks for that! ;-)
What 7” machines are food? A run down of their technology features and points of interest as you did here.
Love this review!
Great video and very informative. I have various tape machines in a multitude of head configurations, ie four track stereo, two track stereo.
Thanks Harvey!
I have bought around 20 used BASF tapes and they all work well. I also bought 10 new NOS BASF tapes and they are all perfect.
But I have bought Sony, Scotch and Ampex too, but they all have been garbage with the "Shed/Sticky syndrome" , I had to remove the tape and trow it away to keep at least the reel!
I know, its a pity...
On the Boston: Third Stage album, they noted inside the gatefold jacket that one of their original master tapes became so sticky, the tape machine shut-off with a literal "BANG!"... so as a solution, the tape had to be run between two pinched fingers, coated with petroleum jelly to add the necessary lubrication--as it ran through the machine!
Cool story!
Excellent video, thanks a lot. I have a studer A812, and I am trying to get the AEG DIN adapters, but here in Mexico is a kind of difficult.....
Great machine! I have an A810 and I made a few videos on r2r. I also suggest a great solution for your problem. Check it out (the video is in 2 parts): ua-cam.com/video/GqWh41NT1Cc/v-deo.html
It was a fantastic video! I have a question regarding "stycky-shed", what do you think of ART magnetics tapes? I bought some of them and they look like old Ampex tapes but they leave small (like coarse dust) parts of them in the machine ... the sound is very nice!
Thanks! I am not familiar with them. A little oxide on the transport part when going ffw or rew is normal
I have an AMPEX tape left over , It is brown god knows why , cost £10 , started scweeking months after .
Its not my type of music but the tape played at the end realy did sound spot on !
hello from Tokyo. I recently got TEAC A-6700DX, I haven't played it yet though. Anyway your contents are really enjoyable!
Well get it rolling!!! :-)
ana[dia]log Yes sir!
As I am long time using reel to reel machines, in my opinion using "Pancake" reels and the tape is in open, mostly are suitable for professional people that they go every day from 9:00 to 5:00 working in the studio. From morning to the evening they work on this machines and tapes. Other than professionals, I think the only one to use is the regular one being plastic or metal. For people who are Amateurs also like me, why should we go to risky thing. The tape can get loose and loose and then you cannot bring it back to its original shape. Thank You.
Yes, its risky, but they are cheap and most master tape copies come in this format because of the pro origin as you said.
Hi
I like your video very very good and interesting.
I have one question, I used to many decks .I have Technics RS-B 85 and Rsb-727 . The best deck Technics RSB -100 .
What do you think to rsb-85 deck?
Another deck Akai - gxc 750d and Aurex toshiba-pc-x88ad .
Thanks
All the best
Csaba
Thanks! The 85 is a great deck!
Super awesome information!!!!!
Thanks!
I have an Otari MTR-15 and think its the best deck in the world, you briefly display this deck in your video but don't say much about it, everything I could read says it beats the Studer in every way hands down, it would be nice to see you compare these two decks
Hi Dave, n8ce machine! As I said the late Otari machines are very precise and automatic, but the overall sound of a Studer or Telefunken or a Nagra, especially the early models, is something apart. Don't take my word for it. Check around. Yes, I would love to do a comparison.
Yes have a shootout with Otari, Studer and Tandberg.
Hi, Guido. Great video. Sadly, I have to make do with my Otari MX-55N. One small quibble: NAB means "National Association of Broadcasters." The word "American" is not part of it, although it is an American association.
Yes, I was mistaken as others pointed that out, thanks!
@@anadialog :-)
We need an update to your two-track collection.
Heheh! One day!
@@anadialog just bought my own A810. How a video about maintenance?
P thanks for your continued videos. Here in Canada, NAB stands for National Association of Broadcasters.
I got mixer up it is National Association of Broadcasters but it is an American association, which set the standard for all countries.
Hi,
Thanks a lot for fruitful comments.
What about the Studer A 807?
Blessed 2023 and beyond.
Great machine as all of them. It has a more simple mechanism than others to make it cheaper. If you can try going A80 or above!
Excellent video - thank you!
I have a question regarding 4 track vs. 2 track. Im sorry if you made already a video in the meantime about it but is the 2 track with 15ips speed superior to a 4 track with 15ips? Thanks for the answer and explanation.
Yes, it is. Simply because more width is dedicated to the recorded signal allowing more information and dynamics.
hi 50c for 4 to 6 hours the 8 hours baking for 2 inch they get hot beware of ampex
reel the nab get small when baked
Hello,
Nice video. Do you have some tips to find master recorder like Telefunken M15, Studer A80/A816 & Nagra A80 ?
Thanks
Gotta hunt used online sites in Europe...hifishark.com is the best place to start!
Hi ! I found a video to explain how can I calibrate my Akai GX- 4000D , in details with tones and the exact point in the main board to make it . Thank you ! Great videos here with precious informations !
Congrats!!
Question: is it advisable or okay to use pancake reels when the recorder is in a vertical position? Second, where can you find AEG-DIN pancakes? They look very vintage. Thank for the video.
It's dangerous. It can come off. If you're careful it can be done. I do it regularly. You mean where to find tape in pancakes? If so, RTM sells them at a good price.
@@anadialog thank you 😊
Actually no I mean where do you find the AEG din pancake hubs and platters.
@@meshplates The plates can be found sometimes on ebay or reverb. I am sure someone is also making them from scratch. The hubs are fantastic, they are made from a company in Poland. The link is in the video description.
there is another solution to sticky tape syndrome that always works but requires great care. with the deck in fast forward mode, using a cloth soaked in methylated spirits, run the cloth along the oxide side of the tape for the entire length of the tape. clean the tape path after, and repeat the process to take the excess methylated spirits off the tape.
Nagra was also standard in recording the sound for TV. The Reporter had Nagra and microphone, the camera man a 16 mm camera, both were quartz synchronised (technology exists since the 1960's)
I had a Nagra IV-S...I miss it dearly!
@@anadialog I understand.
Germany has the standard to have the Ferro oxyde layer outside, as known from compact cassette and not inside, as known from home reel to reel recorders.
Hi, do you think tha revox pr99 and the studer a810 has the same sound and abilities of playback?
The Revox is an excellent machine but clearly the Studer is a pro machine at another level.
Fantastic!! Good stuff!
Such a great set of videos! 👌 I wonder if from your experience using pancake reel vertically is safe?
Blank tape is much cheaper this way, but I don't want to put my deck horizontally.
Thanks! It is risky. If possible, its just better to use a horizontal setup that is also why I got 2 machines.
@@anadialog Thanks, I got it. Closed reel for vertical placement and more convinience. True open reel of tape when it's horisontal.
Put it at 45 degrees like I do the Tandberg.
Very informative,eventually i will buy a Studer A810 or something but for now my Nakamichi DR-1 will do haha :D
😉
I normally see tails out as having red leader tape . . . . with white or yellow at the beginning
Nice video :) I want to buy a Revox b77, but i recently found an Akai 1000 PRO , which is very rare and nice. However, the Akai is NAB standard and doesn't have a switch to choose NAB or IEC. It has an Equalizer switch , but it just has the 3 speeds i can select. Most of recent audiophile recordings and not only use IEC... so that makes me lean towards the Revox, although the specific Akai is a collector's piece, great sounding, just the EQ is NAB :( What are your thoughts on that? thank you so much
Thank you very much for the very informative, well-thought and well-presented videos...I have a Lyrec PTR-1 FRIDA MK1 recorder though always wanted a Studer A807 or A810...food for thought...How would you compare the portable Nagras IV-S (and even the Stellavox machines or even my FRIDA) against the "desktop" Studer workhorses A807 & A810 and Telefunken in terms of playback quality, reliability but also parts availability? Grazie!
Hello Christos, Thank you for your compliments and comment! Well, I checked the specs of the Lyrec and it seems superb! A very nice machine with Dolby HX Pro, not bad at all! I never heard one so I cannot comment on that. Just a few years ago I had a Nagra IV-S, a piece of art but absolutely inferior, in my opinion, to Studer machines and other high quality brands as Telefunken-AEG, Otari, Sony etc. The Nagra is fantastic if you need high quality on the road, otherwise it is a bad choice. Plus, you need an adapter that costs more than the Nagra itself in order to play reels larger than 7" (which means all, except for pre-recorded tapes). Stellavox implies the same issues, only that Nagra is a better sounding Machine. If you want a 'desktop' solution (i.e. non-portable) and you like Nagra, obviously Nagra-T is the way to go! Just one last thought. If you (insanely ;-)) decide to buy a Studer, try going for the big guys. What I mean is to leave aside the A807, which has a much weaker transport. Better wait and spend a little more and reach out for a A80, if you have the space, or a A810. Even better an A820 or A812 but those are really too expensive ion my opinion if you don't have at least a recording studio. Bear in mind that if not fully serviced, in most cases these machines do need a good check-up by a professional. For example, the A810 has a battery issue and if it is not properly replaced it will give you issues 100%.
Thank you very much, very helpful answer...and between an A810, an A80 and a Telefunken, in terms of sound quality...is Telefunken the way to go with an M15? (seems difficult to get an "affordable" valve-based solution these days !!!! :), Also, would you be tempted to by-pass the stock playback electronics and adopt an external head amp solution (like tape project or similar)? Grazie!
Hi again, well don't take only my word for it but the Telefunken M15 for playback (not recording) is one of the best sounding machines out there (not the M15A). The good news is that they cost 1/3 of a Studer (say the A807 or A810). Valve? Well then you should look for the holy grail of reel to reel machines the Studer C37 or the Telefunken M10, in good condition probably the best sounding machines on the planet! Look, I had the same idea, use a modern pre.amp directly attached to the heads. After listening to a lot of pros I must admit that they are right....do not do that! The engineering of these machines is amazing and highly complex. A simple external pre-amp (look at the circuit blueprints) cannot compete. A good idea though, is to make sure the original electronics are in perfect condition, starting from the heads. That is the best thing you can do instead of upgrading...
Thank you very much...last question...!! It seems neither the M15 nor the A80 have an NAB/IEC-CCIR switch (i believe they are only CCIR machines)...If this is correct, how do you play on them a tape from the US (e.g. "tape project" tapes) to their best sound given that US use NAB (when these machines have only CCIR)?..! Grazie!
That is a very good question! M15 and A80 can have both equalizations if they have the related commands (i.e. the VU meters etc.) otherwise they are set to one specific curve. Remember that CCIR is better than NAB. If the commands are not present, a standard for the M15, you must ask which equalization the machine has (usually CCIR because European). The A80 usually does have its commands (the black 'bridge' with knobs on top of the machine) and a equalization switch meaning that you can use both NAB and CCIR. Obviously you can play all tapes on all equalization but it is better to choose the proper curve otherwise you will be losing some frequencies and introduce some distortion.
Try this on a Tandberg TD20A SE. the sound is good, but I think the Tandberg is better. At least to my ears.
Very thorough and informative review. It complimented Part 1 very well. I was wondering what ever happened to Tandberg and Tascam master recording machines? Were they any good? Although you may have planned to do this already, please make a video on cleaning and maintenance of the reel to reel tape decks. I am hoping you have a good source for rubber roller cleaner and rejuvenator (quality products are so very hard to find). Also, do you ever find it necessary to demagnetize the heads on your machines?
Enough questions. Now it is time to go and watch it again (and again). Ottimo presentazione! Grazie mille!
Dear Arikona, you are asking in fact about several future topics I would like to treat in future videos...stay tuned and thanks!
You can bet I will.
I just got a tape recorder. What does the SOS button do and the Start Push button do? Thar same with the EQ button. It doesn't have a manual. Also what is the best setting for the Output knob?
Tell us the model and brand...
SOS could be Sound on Sound, so when you press that button you can record over the existing recording eg; a vocal over the band track. But be careful SOS also wipes some of the high frequencies off the band track, experiment with it first.
Ampex sticky shed tape can be baked at 150F for several hours and it will firm up the coating long enough to make a good duplicate. All Quantegy tape was good and the very last Ampex tapes were good.
Yes...I wrote the exact baking formula patented by Ampex in the video...
Very nice and informative video for the tape people.
I am a bit sorry you forgot to mention the two very best master recorders from Stellavox and Lyrec.
But whatever.
You also forgot to mention that what you call the very best Studer, the A816, was actually the AEG Telefunken M20/21 made into a Studer after Studer took over AEG Telefunken.
Even though you claim that the Telefunken M15 & 10 should be better soundwise than the M20/21, you also claimthat the Studer A816 is the best master recorder ever.
That's contradictions.
But that does not change the fact that your video for sure is great and informative for non-experts.
You also have a calm rethorics, very usable for the viewer.
;-)
Hi Lars, thanks for your comment. What you report is not correct actually. The Studer A816 was based on Telefunken M16, not M20/21. Even so, it is obvious that Studer reworked the project it's not a simple rebranding. Moreover, I said that the M15 is one of the best machines for playback while the Studer A816 was the LAST best recorder. In fact, I claimed that my overall favorite on the list is the A820. Cheers!
Very informative. Superb
Time to Bake the tape. Not the cake, but the tape! 99c 4 ours in hour own risk 😋
So you have a 30 ips player? I want to buy one for recording gigs, but there's a problem, a question circulating the internet- does it cut off frequencies below 40 hz? (some say you should record rock at 15 ips because 30 can seriously chop away the low frequencies). Are those extra low frequencies lost, or are they just quiet? Maybe an experiment if you have a 30 ips player- record frequencies below 40 hz and see if they're quiet, or just not there. I hope they're just quiet as you could probably boost the eq when cutting to vinyl
Yes, they do say that but I am not sure it. It all comes down to the machine and tape quality. In any case 30ips requires too much tape. Stick with 15ips and you will have great recordings without spending heaps of money and a wheelbarrow to bring your tapes along!
HI I'MLOOKING FOR AN AKAI 400DS2 SERVICED. I LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU THINCH IT IT A GOOD RECORDER OR THERE ARE SAME SIMILAR TO CHECK FOR BUY? MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME
Go for a Pioneer, they are more reliable, robust and they sound great!
I have two questions upon watching the video:
1. Is there a such thing as reel-to-reel player that plays per-recorded music without recording features?
2. Is there a model that is capable of playing all 3¾ ips, 71⁄2 ips and 15 ips reels?
Hello, 1) yes, but they are rare. For example thetmre are the ABI players that are related to Tekefunken. I had the same idea once but I rapidly changed my mind. 2) of course thete are. Ny Philili0s N4520 is a 4 track that dan reproduce alk speed as well ad my 2 track Studer A810 in the video, which can even reproduce 30ips!
I'm looking to buy one of these to play pre-recorded music only. Could you recommend some brands or models that are capable of playing all 3¾ ips, 71⁄2 ips and 15 ips reels and with no unnecessary recording features?
Hi Sean, you should start from here: ua-cam.com/video/EnUhGjc_Er8/v-deo.html
Although this is a 4 track machine video at the end I suggest a few models, most of which have the capabilities that you are look8ng for. Don't look for non recording machines. There are very few out there and they cost just as much as othet models but of lesser quality. Plus it is more difficul to sell them back. These machines ate borne as recorders. Other solutions are artificial, hence bad quality or solutions....difficult to service too...
Great video, but before playing a production tape or master tape you should calibrate the playback levels to 0dB at 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz so that the EQ of the playback is as intended and with a A810 it's easy
Yes, that is the ideal solution outfit should be performed with the tones at the beginning of the recording, which in fact I have in most cases. In any case the playback is still very good and I do not want to scare people away from the hobby. The recording process is already too difficult for a newbie...
@@anadialog yes you're right, all the science around magnetic tape recording is pretty scary. Specially if you want to properly record. MRL tapes with reference tone at desired magnetic flux becomes then a must have. Tape op is a great magazine where I've found a lot of good advices for using tape as a master recording medium
I was just checking my AKAI GX-630D and noticed that the NAB adapters needed to be mounted differently to the machine depending upon whether you were using metal or plastic 10.5" reels. This is due to the thickness of the plastic reel sides being thicker than with the metal version. Do all reel to reel players have this option ??
Hi there, no! If I understood correctly, that is a special feature. In other cases you need one or more spacers like a rubber washer that allows to position the two reels perfectly alligned. This problem takes place also among two metal reels or a pancake and a reel depending on how the tape is wounded abd as you said the thinkness of the flanges.
Yes, on the AKAI GX-630D, one would naturally think that the right thing to do was align the white lines on the NAB, with the dot on the wheel that one is going to mount it on. However, that allows the NAB to be a tad bit closer to the wheel that it is mounted on, and this allows further room to be available for one side of a thicker plastic 10.5" reel. Thus for metal reels, you have to avoid the dot whenever adding the AKAI NAB's. Just thought I would mention it in case other old folk like me, who own a AKAI GX-630D, had forgotten all about it.
Something I have seen no real proper comparisons of are the speeds compared to quality, with say a look at the waveforms and spectral analysis of the same recordings, could that be something you cover?
Sure..good idea! Will do in the future...
Hi sir do you know someone that could fix my revox 215 tape deck I can't wait to buy me a wheel to wheel beautiful machine you have so cool 👍😎
Thanks! I know some people here in Italy and someone in Europe for specific things. Where are you based?
Just go solid state digital. It's a lot less hassle, and sounds a lot better, because of it's much higher fidelity. Nothing to rewind or fast forward.
I'm going to record dub techno on a akai GX 4400D is this a good idea or do you recommend another unit?
Hi there, why do you ask? What are your concerns?
@@anadialog I have one person who can send it over to me. I don't know if that's safe, wont a tape recorder break pretty easily? I read everywhere that. so much can break. Also if theres too much noise you can't use it for live-sets. I just don't have any experience with these and feel like I won't be able to tell the difference between a good unit and a bad one or one that will become very bad soon
Ciao Guido siccome sono venuto in possesso di un Revox A77 MKIV hispeed 2 tracce stavo pensando se potesse valere la pena riversare dei bootleg che ho in file FLAC ad alta risoluzione nei nastri tramite appunto il Revox. Io però come computer ho “solo” un portatile con un uscita hdmi e jack 3,5 mm; che mi suggerisci di fare?
Ciao Fabio, dunque se usi l'uscita cuffie viene un troiaio, la cosa migliore è prendersi una scheda audio o convertitore con ingresso USB (dovresti avere and un output USB). Un topping usato non dovrebbe costare troppo e avresti una conversione di alto livello, aspetto fondamentale che il PC/Mac non offre.
@@anadialog grazie mille Guido! In giro si trova molto per fare l’inverso (bobine a digitale) ! Sto vedendo un D30… potrebbe essere sufficiente ?
@@kappino alla grande!
Ummm... I know almost nothing about these recorders, but I need one.
My band wants a reel to reel to run our tracks through it to add analog compression to them before routing the tracks back into the computer (or "the box").
We kinda hate digital for audio. haha ...but there's nothing we can do about where the world is at these days.
We don't have a huge budget, and for our purposes we shouldnt really need much.
The $300 range (or less) is where we are at and I see a lot of them on eBay in that range. I just don't know what to buy.
You probably operate far above our pitiful budget, but was wondering if you had a recommendation or advice on what to look for. ??
Thanks very much
How many tracks do you need?
@@anadialog
Thanks for the reply.
We have 16 digital tracks, but we can move them around. So digital is kinda unlimited.
On the reel deck, It would take a while for us to run each separate track through, but as long as we can record a track to tape and then play it back to digital we can get it done.
I'm considering the TEAC A-3340S if I can find a deal.. Is that any good?
Ok, now I understand. I thought you wanted to record directly on tape and then digitalize...that would really give the warm saturation you are looking for. The Teac is good but its a 4 channel. I would look for a good 2 channel. The quality is much higher plus 4 channels are useless for yoyr purpose!
@@anadialog Thanks : )
Any recommendation on a 2 channel that's in our budget?
Ampex? Telefunken? ...I know that there is a pretty large variance in quality in any brands range, but it's tough to narrow down on old gear.
I've seen Telefunken for under $300... just no idea if it's a good model or not.
...or would just about any reel deck be OK since they all do the same thing??
Those are excellent brands at yhat price range can't be fussy and things are pretty much the same...it depends more on the actual condition...Teac is ok, also Tascam, there are lots of Akai models are those are very good...
very best
Could you tell me where you bought that Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet tape?
I got a bunch of special high quality copies of master tapes from a fried who decided to sell all his collection...one of the best moments if my life!!!!
Do you have a copy to sell to me?
Contact me privately through my email. You can find it in the info of my channel.
The biggest advantage of the AEG platter is, that the tape needs automaticly less space, you haven't to care for the right reel size.
They're platters but still large...
@@anadialog But you doesn't store the tape on a platter. You store simply tape on the core, secured by some clear duct tape on the leader (the same type, you use for editing).
@@robfriedrich2822 aha! I see, but you said platter...
My "P" doesn't respond well, have "ossibly" to change my keyboard.
hej , i have an Akai M-8 what do you think is the best tape to use for it ? thanks !
Hi there, you need to calibrate your machine for a specific tape in order to get the maximum out of it. That is something very difficult to do by your own. Talking of brands the best is Recording the Masters SM900 or or ATR Magnetics Master Tape...
@@anadialog ok thanx
Can you show a R2R connection to your amp? I can’t believe it is not on UA-cam. If it’s output to input I got that, is it that simple?
Yes, all the pro machines have balanced outputs. Just connect them to the two inputs of your amp, balanced or unbalanced. In the second case you need a special XLR to RCA cable. All these machines have built-in preamps so the output is already at line level.
I really like using XLR’s, is it the referred method? BTW your room inspired me to get a R2R. If I ever get it hooked up should be lots of fun... thanks
I Am glad to hear that! Yes, xlr is better....
Hello. Have you Reel to Reel vs SACD or DSD same file? Thanks
Yes, here: ua-cam.com/video/almdxI76DOw/v-deo.html
One of the units was a player for editing, no recording but a scissor.
How does humidity impact tapes, and how much humidity is too much? I understand that for records humidity keeps static in check.
It impacts very much, which is why it is better to keep new tape in plastic bags. Older tapes may have fungi, bacteria or other problems and at that poit plastic would just worsen the issue. They usually reccomend an environment of about 40% of humidity for about 65F degree (18.34°C). Here are the ranges of these average numbers: www.tri-magnetics.com/stor_recomm.htm
Thank you.
hi' im looking for studer 810 for sale do you know where i can find one?
Best place is hifishark!
how many minutes recording on the 30 inch per second?
Well, a 2500 feet reel (762m) that is a normal amount of tape on a 10.5" reels, on 30ips can record 16.7 minutes! Now it is clear why 15ips is the right compromise and studio standard.
What speed was that Miles Davis master tape? 15iips?
Yes!
so your sayin these are the org master tapes from miles davis ..real?
Nope! Never said that. I said that these are probably 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation COPIES of the original master tapes or production master tapes....
How do you pronounce cinematic? Try using the first half of the word in the same context.
Sorry, for the mistakes. I 50% Italian!
Wow you didn’t say ‘typology’ not once!
Come on you guys, you can't tell me that unless your tapes are brand new ($$$$) or tapes older than several years were always stored in a very stable temp and humidity controlled room that you're not finding globs of oxide build up on your heads-and especially on the tape lifters during fast wind modes. The more oxide particles peeled off the tape the more frequency response and dynamic range you lose-permanently. Many years ago Sticky Shed Syndrome broke my heart when I discovered bad oxide shed with almost any tape from my collection played on my Ampex ATR-102 machine. Even if you VERY carefully bake a tape there's no guarantee that it will not shed oxide even on a rebuilt and precisely tuned tape transport. And even if it does play without shedding for some passes, within a month it will almost always start shedding oxide again. That's why if the data on tapes really matters to anyone they spend serious money on an A/D converter and digitize their tapes as soon as they bake them. If I'm wrong about any of this please let me know.
In most cases, it is true. In fact it is better to use a soft rewind or fast-forward if possible...
@@anadialog Yes, I now recall that back then I used the machine's slower of the slow wind speed, 60 ips, but it did little to prevent oxide shedding. Except perhaps for the latest machines, designed and built over the last decade, very few machines ever were tape lifterless; a couple of the Studer models and maybe the few Stephens machines that were built. Also, maybe the Pioneer RT909?? Sadly, the final hope to virtually free tapes of SSS died with the apparent commercial failure of Rezerex, a process essentially perfected by Charles A. Richardson, Annapolis, MD. Richardson was an acknowledged expert on everything about mag tape and delivered a number of papers to AES. The prototype of his system debuted at an AES convention, circa 2012. Needless to say, it proved far to costly to target the audiophile market. Rezerex may not have even been adopted by the Library of Congress, Richardson's first intended target, or any of the major record labels.
from my experience. AGFA tapes are very bad nowadays because of end of age . you can't play a 1 minute without losing a frequency. too much dirt and sticky . you have to clean the tape several times . and even that you can't guarantee that the problem is solved. yes it is a master tape and high quality sound but the tape age is expired
wow that A810 is WAYYYY out of calibration for that tape - but i guess you knew that - those slate tones should be coming up at 0VU for all frequencies
Yes, my machine is calibrated for SM900 recording the masters tape. I can't recalibrate everytime for one playback!
red color on pancake core ( "Bobby" ) indicates 15"/sec (38cm/sec.) speed, not AGFA`s company colors!!! 7,5" will be blue!
Axel, I did not know that. Thanks for pointing that out. I will add this in the video description.
19 cm/s on two tracks was the initial format, to cut cost, they doubled the tracks, set the speed to the half and so you could do in mono on 360 m about 1 hour of music.
Why bother to buy master tapes?
You never get what music you want, you just get something that sounds better.
Could you explain why this hunt for master tapes?
For me at least, reel to reel isn't something about quality or looks, even if from my POV it excels in these categories, it's about the science behind it, how it works and what memories it brings back, same with vinyl, witch to me, sounds like crap (but i never really got into vinyl to get a decent machine) but i still like it. If you think about it, a technology from the 50's is better in some ways then our modern tech, that's a burn for digital.
I believe that if you never hear something better then what you have, you'll never complain, as an example, my Hi-Fi is a Sony HCD-RG495 (although online it's found as MHC-RG495); it's the best thing i've ever owned and i am 100% happy with it... until i hear something better :)
I own a modified Sony TC-377 (yes, i'm a sony fanboy), nice machine, but in a totally different category then your Studer machine, i record my own music onto it and listen it back. at 19cm/s (7.5ips) i can't hear any difference from the original, so that satisfies me. (Modified in a sense that i replaced it's circuits to work better, it can reproduce sigals up to 35kHz (of course no one would hear them), and up to 24kHz in 9.53cm/s, but 19cm/s looks cool)
Yes, i know a master is a master, even if it's a master copy, but come on, is that "Master" label so important?
The short answer is: FIDELITY
How get thes tape???
What do you mean Robert?
@@anadialog i looking for some rap music like (2pac) and some like (Rock)deep purple in rock and Pink Floyd the wall.
@@anadialog I collect it for collections, for passion
@@elektronickimordulec6497 check this video for some sources: ua-cam.com/video/gLHcFuhWdLI/v-deo.html
@@anadialog thanks !!!!!!!
A lot of those 'master tapes' are for cutting laquer, and wont sound as great as an actual 'master'
If you think that is fine, so be it, you will learn, when your most prized possession is turned into mangled plastic on a rewind. Have you ever seen what rewound circles look like when they wrap themselves together at 100 MPH and you watch a prized performance die due to your own wilful negligence?
Avoid this
I know this is 3 years old. The splices are normal.
The younger generation will look at reel to reel and cassettes as dinosaurs and their thing will be any form of digital like CD
or even more likely :high-end streaming...
Pancakes are only viable on horizontal machines, otherwise they are at risk of destructing Master pieces..........
HI i bake my tapes fill my oven up with them. i went over to zonal tapes i love otari mtr 10 12 units easy to etid tapes on
Good job Bob! Tell us at what temperature, which tapes and for how long!
Three fools and one decent copper
"If I Were A Bell!"
30ips, you bet!.
Just to let you know "cine" is pronounced like cine like in cinema.
Yes, you are right. It's my Italian surfacing...I mispronunce a lot of terms unfortunately. Sorry about that. In any case, in English the most used term is probably "trident" in the end...
Why use a digital camera and upload this digital signal to UA-cam 🤣
:-)
I will take my Otari MTR-15 over any Studer deck hands down
Look here: www.studerundrevox.de/info-wissenswert/wissenswert/tonband-vorlaufbaender/