This was SUCH a fun one. What I love the most is just hearing your perspective. It’s silly how some people think everything has to be perfectly logical, as though any human being is or should be above feelings and passion and personal affection for things. Good for you embracing your humanity in defiance of the naysayers. Enjoy yourself! It’s fun watching someone who is enthusiastic about something like this.
Awesome ! The bit in the vid where you are admiring the tape deck in awe when it's playing is just priceless. I suspect a lot of reel to reel lovers totally understand that satisfaction. I've certainly felt that way with the tape machines many, many times, and even after many years, they do not fail to please. They ARE beautiful. Congrats on jumping into the world of reels............ :)
I went through almost exactly the same thought process around two years ago, I ended up getting ... an AKAI 4000 DS ! and I love it. I deliberately bought one that didn't say it had been refurbed as I knew I wanted to do it myself anyhow, even though it was fully working. Good thing is parts are generally pretty easy to get for these. A strip down, new belts, lube, adjust spindle slip and yes clean & demagnetize heads! - not hard - just keep the thing away from tapes and motors! and away it went, just have to agree with everything you say about the process of operating it is just somehow so nice. Tapes are expensive Tapecity is about the only place to get new in the UK £28 ish for lpr35 48min each way at 7 1/2. BEWARE old tapes - Some may shed their coating, literally falling off in flakes - no major damage to the machine but heads need a real good clean after and tape is unplayable. Tape can stretch and expand or shrink with temperature (and humidity I think) maybe timing problem? also tape tension looks like yours could be a little tight with the swinging arm right up at the top. Power switch just determines if its always powered or swinging arm switches it on and off (auto stop when in rew or ff). Use the pause lever and start button when recording to avoid the playing when switching. Let me know if there's anything else you have trouble with I've all the service manuals and some stuff I created when tweaking mine. Thanks for all the Vids.
Tape issues happen mainly due to misadjutsments on mechanical side. Poeple do not put enough care for it. They worry nly when tape stops tbut even worse is when tape is pulled too strong. I have a bunch of old ampex , shamrok , Scotch which I had to refurbish due to sticky problem but later after some even 10 years are working with no issues. But I had even to improve original transport. Unfortunately many R2R producers made them to operate in vertical position but were not provided with enough good automatic pulling in transport because it is too requiring . In my opinion it is safer to have horizontal playing R2R beacuse it assures automatic pulling forces. Studio recorders were horizontal BTW this recorder has up to my memory FX glass heads and it is exceptionally important.
Loved the intro defending the continued use and exploration of tape machines... and I look forward to seeing your journey (although I think you are describing a user interface problem when it comes to your interactions with your computers that can be solved eventually as tech evolves and develops.....)
Welcome to the world of r2r! There’s no going back. They sound so organic. And real. You just can’t get the warmth and quality that those machines give audio from digital audio. I thought vinyl sounded good, but the audio from r2r… just stunning! Great video.
Congrats! Beautiful machine! I have a Teac 4 track and I love it ! I am also looking for a two track like yours!They really are so much fun! Loved your video!
It was your willingness to try without fear of potential failure that gave me the courage to start into Eurorack! I say follow your passions! Good on ya Robin!
congratulations! I really follow your initial reflections on how alienating computers, menus, etc. can be. There is somehow more equality in the meeting between and analog hardware and human. I love your drive to seek creative impulses!
It's a tape machine and a time machine too (transports you back decades at the turn of a paddle). I inherited my ex-father-in-law's Akai GX-4000D and beautiful it looks too! Perhaps this is just the inspiration to spin those reels? Wonderful video Robin.
When I was a teenager in the 80s I bought a couple of HUGE (maybe 10kg each?) surplus reel-to-reel machines from what they used to call a "Language Lab" where kids would practice speaking and listening with headphones on. They were big, grey, steel boxes that you fixed into a large desk. I had the time of my life learning how to cut and splice 1/4" tape, making loops and so on. Very happy times indeed, and a lot of learning happened. 👍🏼
I recently bought a standard cassette deck (compact cassette) to bounce tracks to/from for that analogue, potentially compressed sound - including the possibility to incorrectly adjust bias or worse (for example purposely destroying tapes) for that warbley, wow & flutter, dropout induced mayhem. Perfect for adding some retro effects to otherwise pristine modular synths. I think with a reel-to-reel recorder you have many more creative opportunities. Enjoy!
When I was a teenager in Australia for a while, I had a couple of different R2R recorders. Mono, with valves in, big, with levers you have to shift. In 1977 in Melbourne I could just wander around junk shops and see them for nearly nothing. Where it all went was a kind of Frippertronics arrangement (with appalling S/N ratio, they were old and crappy) and other than that, a considerable amount of tape splicing. I learned tape splicing and that was about the most fun I’ve ever had in music concrete and experimental music (ie, take a short bit of tape, cut it out, reverse it backwards, splice it back in). Lots of fun. As they were mono, the heads only had one track so you could flip the tape over to play it in reverse. In future years I lusted after a TEAC A3440 (friend of mine had one by then) but to be honest, they were expensive whereas mine were pocket-money junk, and also the A3440 needed a meter bridge, mixer, and a four-channel DBX processor to handle the tape noise. All those fancies were put on hold until the 90s when I bought a Tascam 424 (still have it in the attic). It sounded good, had built-in DBX, but I had to forego the physical access of the tape as it was inside a cassette, so no more splicing (as much) and no tape loops, delays, frippertronics and fun - just the boring process of tape recording and doing it properly or not at all. PS a friend of mine here in London has that Akai R2R you have. He also has a vast collection of 8-track tapes and 8-track decks (once you go to a deck, the quality is immense). He’s really into all the historical media stuff more than I am.
Good direction - Robin! Two R2R here - a 4 channel TEAC and a 2track Revox B77. They both need regular cosseting and cleaning - but wonderful combination of mechanical and audio expertise. . Keep the content coming - we should maybe have a R2R rally! Happy to help with any maintenance - I have the required kit such as demagnetiser etc etc.
Very relatable content. I was chuckling at your self deprication around the pie-in-the-sky romance of the whole thing. I also had a whale of a time when I borrowed the school four-track on weekends in the 90s and then going to a studio with my band to record on 16 track tape with our arrangement and track plan all worked out and rehearsed. The only thing we used a computer for was to run the master out into it to create digital masters to go on to CD. Then DAWs came along and they're absolutely incredible, but there really is something about the pure musicality of just playing something through and recording it to an analogue format. And you're right, you do then get stuff finished because you can't twiddle about with it. I drew the line at going back to tape because I've created too many vintage challenges for myself already, but I've found a great compromise. I have two vintage mixers with gorgeous EQs that drive and saturate in a beautiful way. I plug any FX I need into the auxiliaries and the stereo performance goes into my computer where it's captured. I can't edit or mix afterwards, that's it. Done. It's so liberating. I've done a whole album which I'll release when I'm less busy. Anyway, very enjoyable Robin. I was very much with you.
That is also my way - all tone EQ, volume EQ , settings and FX is done in my recordings on analog side and then complete recordiing is recorded else to tape or digitalized to store on HD and then on CD - eventual applicable corrections after are to balance of channels and general volume only . And my recordings equal to best done by recognized music producers When I experimented on digital side after digital was recorded it was by ear less surprising . . You may see and listen some my recordings done with average class 3Head R2R and many with PC on my chanell which are - unfortunetely those here are sounding quite simple. Now I use better R2Rs - Uher (1/4 band widith ) or Bang& Olufsen (1/2 band widith) . I came to conclusion that I do not need tape speed more than 9,5 cm/s - tape has so much potential that I made for fun one organ recording at 2,3cm/s, many at 4,5cm/s and I enjoy them too
You did fantastic getting hold of that machine. It will make you even happier to know that Pink Floyd mad a demo tape for a radio station using the akai 4000ds mk11. I owned one in the 70's and gave it incredible abuse! Trying to look after it of course, taking it to bits and oiling all the moving parts under the silky silver front panel. I took it all over the place to mates houses into my garden up a tree, yeh the akai mic that came with it had a short lead, so it also had a few knocks and bruises but didn't damage the machines quality at all. This brilliant machine is a wonderful editing tool in itself. If you put the deck into record mode on pause you can gently move the spools in the reverse direction which will erase, so if you want to cut something out just turn the spools while in tape mode and you will hear the stuff just before it gets erased. Handy when I used to record the top 40 on the radio, I would clip of the bit where the dj introduced the record and talked to within a nano second of the record beginning, to discourage people from recording from their radios I think? Maintenance on these reel to reel machines is basically exactly the same as a cassette deck but easier cus you have more access to the heads. Nothing needs adjusting once set up azimuth etc unless someone has been fiddling with the heads or a new type of tape is being used, then the bios should be adjusted if need be to suit the tape. I use to use the 3/3/4" setting for the tape sound for the same reason you said, nice and bright and crisp although you can adjust the pots inside the machine to sound more or less exactly as the source. the wide range switch never did anything for any tape I found? Anyway I am sure you will get a lot of enjoyment from this silky dream machine you have.
At 54 years of age I still use the reel to reel format. I was introduced to RtoR as a toddler. My parents had a console stereo with a Sony tape deck. My ears were weened on analog tone. From then on I was hooked . I was given my first reel to reel for Christmas 1980. While my friends were using albums, 8-tracks and cassettes, I was transferring albums to RtoR which gave the music a boost of sonic power. I hope you enjoy your experience with RtoR as I have through so many years. Cheers!
Great, great, great video , went through this myself but with an Akai tape deck, which I still use. It's all analog harmonics and saturation that you're hearing and it sounds great. When your deck gets tricky maybe opt for the electron analog heat to perform these duties. I found it added those things I was wanting to hear without the maintenance and with the modern tactile interface. thanks so much for creating this video and making the effort, Bravo to you old chap, will watch more, cheers, might even give the euro rack stuff a shot.
I found this exact tape recorder model some 20-odd years ago - put out for trash! I took it home, thinking it might somehow be beyond repair, but all it needed was a cleaning of the heads and transport, then it worked perfectly! Later I bought a Nagra IS very cheaply at a Danish National Broadcast (DR) flea market sale. These things are sturdy... - Good luck with your machine!
I know exactly what you saying, great story and a walk through memory lane a bit for some of us :) I think there was something we wanted back then, we wanted the perfect sound, digital hi-re! Then later we realise that the more real and close the recordings are to the performance itself, the more initimate and special they are, good old tape days, funny if you think that before CDs (digital recordings) no one was complaining about sound quality. Great video, thanks. And yes sound much better on tape even here on UA-cam, the tape recording was a little louder as well perhaps? Curious to hear ho they would sound at the exact same loudness level.
A real beauty your vintage recorder! I have a Sharp with line outs and aux ins. A system with speakers built in . Last time it didn't work as it should be. I will look at it this weekend.
I started off recording with exactly the same deck! It took me some time to figure out how to use sound on sound. Later I bought myself a tube driven Watkins Copikat echo, which added a special flavour with wow an flutter, and a little bit of distortion. And the smell of warm tubes and tar of the transformer, ahhh! Enjoy your Akai 4000 and the clunkety clunk of the transport mechanism!
This REALLY struck several chords … I’m re-exploring analogue (film) photography, and the parallels with the various aspects of going back to analogue-sound are striking … in their breadth and depth. Far too many to list out here, but they relate to “the investment of labour and effort”, “the slower, more deliberate use of time”, and the “less clinical, more ‘organic’ quality of the output”. I’d add, that today we have the unique opportunity to combine analog and digital workflows and effects, thereby opening up further channels of creativity and enjoyment.
Found a old Grundig Tape recorder cleaning out my dads loft that I use to record songs on as a kid. Weighed a bloody ton hope u don’t fall off your bike! Have fun.
Nice. I found my AKAI 4000DS MK-II in someones trash heap on the side of the road in the early 90s in full working condition. I used it for a number of years and recorded some great stuff on it before going digital. I just busted it out after 20 years and it still works! Be sure to play with the "sound-on-sound" function for some really cool delay effects.
Robin, an enjoyable video as usual. I've had a brief relationship with tape again after 30 years but maintenace and lining up is all too tedious. I've still got a Mackie 24 track HD system which negates all the tape issues but it's still a lengthy process. I totally agree speed and spontaneity are key factors for me now. I usually just record a stereo stem from the mixer and that's it. No multitrack, no editing, no endless pissing about. I rarely ever play it again anyway as I've always been a follower of something happening once in time and never again. Finally for me - the best thing about DAWless recording is you don't see any audio - ears only! BTW, can I say you look 10 years younger without the long beard. 😁
Congrats! It is a beautiful machine. You are likely already aware of this, but you’ve also just acquired an awesome tape delay effects unit. By far the most use I get out of my R2R machines, besides making 10.5” reel mixed tapes (impractical, expensive, but so cool feeling and amazingly good sounding) is for delays. You have a lovely three head machine with two low speeds that will give you fantastic results when you pump your modular rig through it for delay use. R2Rs are my favorite delays by far, for the sheer amount of experimentation they allow especially. Not to mention the great and gritty extra tape compression, etc, it imparts. Have fun!
Oops, I see know that you’ve already mentioned using it for a delay and looping. Thant will teach me to comment before watching the entire video :) Enjoy! (PS: in tape delay use, EQ is everything in terms of the kind and quality you get in Aux send feedback. Plus, you can use *both* your R and L channels as independent mono delays that can even feed into each other)
I have been searching for my parents’ old reel to reel because we used to jam out to it when I my sister and I were growing up! But my dad chucked it out😭 I hope you have fun with yours😎
Oddly enough my dad dig out my grandads tape machine from like the 1950s. It’s in a box in a corner where I put things that some day I might have the chance to fiddle with. But yes this Akai thing has been brilliant
I wish you good times & good luck with your R2R. I've 2, a stereo 15ips B77 and a Sony TC630, and I sometime use them, mainly as effects (tape delay, compression, saturation, hi-frequencies taming, etc) on a bus with sends and returns to the DAW, I use my 3 heads cassette deck this way as well. And no, this not ridiculous. It's romantic, undoubtly but not ridiculous.
Tape sounds fantastic when the machine is in fully working order. The problem is, people are selling recorders with worn out heads, cracked up pinch rollers, bad drive belts, all trim pots out of alignment, bad capacitors, and other electronic or mechanical issues. Welcome to the vintage analog world. You better take some courses in repair / maintenance, just saying. I know, because I own several machines, from small 2-tracks to huge 24-tracks. By the way, your machine sounds healthy so far. Good luck!
I’m a fan of the music now thanks, gonna have to get me some of that. I’d like to have a tape machine to mess around with too, I just can’t justify it. It is mesmerizing though, love old tech.
I’ve been working with a producer making our new songs on analogue a and tape. The way round this syncing issue is to send the output signal back to the DAW and you’ll have a perfect digital copy of the analogue sound.
Nice listen to hear you thoughts and goal in getting a reel 2 reel... I have one some years now and use it regularly (I found a guy nearby who is into maintenance these machines). Maybe it is an age thing to have this development of thoughts.... How I use is? Record my modular - play back on a slower speed an play over it - I just love it. Have some reel fun 🙂.
Hah funny you did this. I bought one a few weeks ago too :P In fact I have the stupid pinch roller on mine sitting in a shotglass full of alcohol so I can try to get the damn roller off to put a new one on....so welcome to the addiction, I guess? I have done recordings on mine, though it needs some tweaking, and it does what I had wanted it to. Gives me more of that juicy tape saturation but without quite as much "grit" of cassette (though I do like that sometimes). I found, hillariously, a damn reel to reel (an RT-707 in my case) cost LESS than a 3-head cassette deck and since I wanted to see about playing with tape delay as well, that was something I wanted to upgrade to. My current cassette deck is glorious but it's only a two head which makes doing tape bouncing a nightmare. But on the other hand...a reel to reel seems to be a nightmare in it of itself so I guess there's that! Has it been fun though? Abso-f'in-lutely!
Made it 10 minutes in before I had to subscribe. I was born in 96, and even though I always bought CDs when my favorite artists released an album, the vast majority of my engagement with music has been through an iPod, an iPhone, a TV, a laptop, etc. I played in bands early on, but why put up with other 14 year olds who don't take music as seriously when I can download FL Studio and have control over every aspect of the music? That decision sent me down a path of more than a decade of chasing my own tail with infinite plugins, infinite samples, infinite tracks available to use, the whole time becoming more and more disillusioned with creating music, until I gave up what had defined my entire life up to that point, and I didn't make a single track for almost 2 years. Things got dark during that period of time. But luckily I made my way back, thanks mostly to Koala Sampler, which re-introduced limitation and had me making tracks out of stuff recorded around the house. Organic. Spontaneous. Tangible. Now I'm close to daw-less, using gear that I bought for $75 or less apiece, and having more fun than I've had in years. If there's anyone out there considering leaving the digital world behind, I encourage you to do it. Not because analog has some "magic" to it that can't be recreated, but because music is a physical phenomenon. Life is imperfect, messy, and rarely what we envision it will be. Art should be too. I'll be picking up my first ever tape deck tomorrow, and I can't wait to start dubbing my own mixtapes. They're going to sound like shit, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm so grateful for this video, in which you articulated thoughts and feelings I didn't even know I had. It has helped me immensely on this cold December evening. Thank you.
I agree with you. I've always wanted a reel to reel. I particularly wanted a Grundig reel to reel. About nine years ago I purchased a Grundig TS 1000. I love the machine. When I was in my twenties, the cost was too prohibitive. There is something about the mystique of the reel to reel machine and its format. There is definitely a resurgence of the old formats. Such as vinyl, cassette decks and their tapes. Oh and I cannot forget the turntable. I still have my Sony CD player/recorder. I have an old Super VHS Toshiba VCR. The sound the VCR is outstanding. Back around 1982, I purchased a Sherwood Integrated amplifier. It finally gave up the ghost September of 2021. I would say I got my money worth. I wound up purchasing a tube integrated amplifier by Muzishare 7. I love it. So I just stepped in a new genre of the physical format. But I had to purchase a preamplifier to get everything under one umbrella so to speak.
Go for it! Tape does open up another world, which is noisier but simpler. I have a couple of Philips N4506’s with one set up as a tape delay. A MT4X does the multi tracking. I do find an old fashioned but new analog mixer makes life easy. Clean the heads, buy TDK or Maxell tape. Buying tapes secondhand often means you get some music already recorded on it, which you have never heard! Record as much as you can…☺️☺️ leave it on.
I got an Akai 4000DB brand new in the 70s, still got it. I was given an Akai 4000DS like yours in the 90s, which I passed on to one of my mate's 'musical' kids. Apart from all the 'Saturation' and 'Tape Delay' fun that you can have there is a unique sounding 'distortion' to be had by overdriving the pre-amps. You Have To be careful though. It is possible to blow the pre-amp chips; ask me how I know ... 🙄
You can record in a daw through your tape deck while live performance. You will have it digitally real-time and if it crashes you will have a tape and can load it in again
Being an old git ... grew up with these ... 2 track, 4 track, 8 track 16 track... Stockhausen time coming. Try and get a splicing block and spicing tape... and your joy will be immense. Also, get your isopropanol and cotton buds as well as a demagnetizer so you can keep it optimal. Ideally you need the manual so you can do some azimuth and bias set up etc. But this will be fun - and along with all your other toys such as synths and sampler you will really have a great tool. Enjoy!
Have fun! My first "instrument" was a Tandberg TD-20 reel-to-reel. I recall it was something like $1000 in 1980! (That would be equal to around $1 million today.) There is nothing more awesome than the 10" reels running at 3.75 ips. I still have it and all of my tapes (including one 10" reel with the entire Hitchhiker's Guide), but it doesn't run any more. There's a set of schematics in the case! But I don't have the skills to fix it unless I just get lucky. And I really don't have the room for the machine in my little studio. I think you are worrying too much about the trouble of running and maintaining a reel-to-reel. It's pretty easy. Very tactile. And you are underestimating the quality of the recordings. Yes, the S/N is high, but it's just tape hiss which is just another analog sound. (We spend hundreds on modules that intentionally create hiss.) The recording quality is better than almost any cassette (about equal to an '80s 3-head Nakamichi). Can you still get good blank tapes? I'm using a 1010 Bluebox to record my jams. It's very good for what I'm doing.
I have a number of mag tape machines, from clunky 8-track, to 4-channel cassette, to 1/4" tape and up to 1/2" tape (a Tascam 38). They don't all work well, but I grew up on little machines with 3" open reels of maybe 20 minutes a side. I learned how to play things backwards, and also the rudiments of tape maintenance. MY very first distortion unit was the mic preamp of an old tube-based Roberts tape machine. I'd plug my guitar into it, saturate the bejeezus out of it, and feed the line out to my guitar amp. Hey, if tape is good enough for Hainbach and Robert Fripp, it's good enough for me.
I keep reminding people that compression..."squishiness"... *IS* the sound of rock and contemporary pop music. Latecomers don't realize that limiting and compression were always a requisite for achieving optimal S/N ratios on mag tape without oversaturating the tape, a part of getting the most music on each side of a 33-1/3rpm vinyl album, and a necessary part of every AM and FM broadcast studio to achieve optimal sound within the limits of the transmission electronics. So the sound of saturation and "squishiness" is simply what we've grown up listening to, such that it becomes "the way things are supposed to sound", rather than being perceived as some sort of imposition on a pristine signal with maximal dynamics.
That is a nice machine. One thing that is a little cumbersome with them, you have to clean the heads and if you're new to it, clean the heads, pinch rollers, and guides after each tape. If you need to know how to do it, use isopropyl alcohol, I believe 60/40 will be sufficient. Also you'll need a Q tip. Watch a tutorial beyond that point.
I had an AKAI 4000ds in the mid 70's and I'm pretty certain that's what you've got there. The time discrepancy must mean the tape machine changed speed between the time the recording was made and the time it was played into the PC. Not surprising if the machine had stood unused for years and was slowly warming up and settling down. I recommend you let it run for a while and then make a new recording and try again.
I seen a studer 24 on reverb for a great price im buying it next week there is a lot of great software simulators and outboard gear but I just rather have the real thing I had a tape machine years ago sold it and went digital now I’m going back to analog and staying there of course along with some great ad/da converters such as burl or prism sound conversion great video
Great video, thank you. Have you tried lowering the pitch to 432? I only record and perform in this tuning and gives me much warmer and pleasant frequency response. It has changed my entire music perception. Best regards!
Welcome to the wonderful world of head alignment and recapping. But hey that’s child’s play for someone who’s building a DD! Techmoan did a nice one on R2R’s: The most expensive music format (in the world).
Tape playback timing is always an issue. If you take a line from the tape that monitors the playback whilst recording to it there will be difference of the distance between the record & playback heads. From that you should be able to slide and be in synch which means you can blend the direct to computer recording with the direct from tape recording - using the tape machine as an effect. if you're not taking the signal from the playback head you won't get the tape noise, saturation (if you recording at high enough levels, at high enough speed) that the tape may offer. WIPING the tape before recording over it is a good move - you could degauss the tape or, easier, run the tape through on record with no input signal.
Way back in the distant mists of time when I was fiddling with this sort of kit, the guy that owned the reel-to-reel was convinced that you needed to run the tape completely onto the RH reel and then back again before starting to record. Perhaps he was out of his tree. Perhaps it was to try to prevent the tape slipping slightly --- which might explain why your playback was a couple of seconds quicker? It tensioned up a bit while recording?
The reason you probably have a problem with syncing the tape with everything else is the capstan flywheel is on a rim drive in these kind of machines, so speed isn't 100 percent perfect. A more professional deck would definitely fix that issue. It's impressive that it's that close from the beginning to the end. There's a tiny bit of WOW and flutter when it comes to tape. I'm not knocking it, it's just the nature of the machine. If it was digital tape, it would be right on because it's servo controlled.
I’ve been working with a producer and came up with the idea of outputting the tape signal live to the computer so you get the tape quality but no syncing issues.
Feel the same about computer recording, it just doesn't feel alive! I also have an akai 400ds, plus a Revox A77 and a Tascam 38 8 track. Mostly use the akai for creating and playing tape loops. Endless fiddling is the hobby for life
would it be better for him to use a stereo recorder as oppose to mono with just a left and right input.. would it make a differnce recording and playing back ?
I went through this …. And actually bought three tape machines including a Fostex X28 … which is the only one still working whose belt or transport hasn’t stopped working … and I multitrack record simultaneously to a DAW and record the tape out of the whole performance on one or two tracks …. Still on the journey
@MoltenMusicTech I Don't know if anyone has said This yet, but here it goes: It would turn of if the lever before the takeup reel would be down. That turns the motor on or off as far as I can remember. Even if it is turned off. Funny to see somebody so happy with a reel to reel recorder. Don't get me wrong, I would be too! The one that I have doesn't work anymore...
i like that Akai tape compression. how much dB+ did you puch it? i like to be in the region of 6 to 8 dB plus, it's there magic things starts to happen. i use technics, kenwood and luxor 1970/80's tape decks & tascam 246, yamaha mt3x, and fostex x28s cassette porta studios. no compressor between mixer and tape, just full on to tape. tape emulation plugins are great, but how fun is it!? good talk on why you use this obsolete technology too. push that old Akai over the edge in the next video please... +12dB or more 😂
About the sync thing. Could it be that when you capture the tape to computer you are running at CD sample rate of 44.1KHz and when you record the video the sound is captured at 48.0KHz which is more common on Video formats? I mean, that could explain why the tape capture is running slightly faster when imported? I mean. It sounds strange that the machine would alter the speed based on wether it is recording or playing back. I have very little personal experience with these machines in general. But I am fairly certain that the pinch roller that pulls the tape over the read, erase and record heads have no clue which is active. To it, they both say "play". Sure there could be inconsistencies in the playback speed overall. But it would affect both states. A tone generator and spectrum analyzer could probably help spot something like that. Or an oscilloscope. Or a spectrograph... But... Yes... It is probably overkill.
It’s an inconsistency I think more than anything. I already record everything at 48k to avoid sample rate issues so it’s not that. I record direct into my video software. Could be that there’s slightly less friction when the record head isn’t engaged? I’m not that bothered.
Seems like you've managed to find a balance with the online incessant feedback ...well done. And congratulations on your new acquisition. Yes it does look and sound wonderful. Perhaps, (and this is coming from someone who is also totally inexperienced, so feel free to ignore), drums only might be best put through this as a master effect and something cleaner /more pristine for the strings etc, before ending up in the DAW? That said, I preferred the "Tape" to the "Direct" because it did sound brighter and with more sonic character. So are you Reelin' in the years?
Dear Robin, this beauty has three heads. So, what another commenter already suggested: you can route back the machine to your pc while recording (you have to set the reel2reel to ‘tape’ instead of ‘source’ of course). Due to the distance between the record-head and the play-head AND speed there will be a delay, but you can shift that back. You realise that this machine has a detachable ‘capstan’ adapter? So you can make the capstan smaller or wider, thus switch between tape speeds? The lower, the more distortion (what you may want for the effect!) Also, experiment with ‘saturating the tape’ with high audiolevels! Good luck! PS: this ‘tape-drifting’ was challenged with LTC time-codes on studiomachines. I worked with a Tascam 16 track tapemachine with the LTC timecode on track 16 and synchronized it with video using a Zeta-3 synchronizer, wich constantly controlled the capstan-speed. Pretty neat tech in the ‘80’s/90’s!
I should also say just put a mix through Not Recording then record back it back to your daw and it gives the sound what I call a nice analog hug very cool
I normally record on the slower setting on my Revox reel to reel which imparts a bit more tape vibe onto the recording (if you get the option on your Akai) but tape is high quality compared to casette tape
Thanks for the video Robin it was really awesome, hope you have lots of fun with your tape machine!
This was SUCH a fun one. What I love the most is just hearing your perspective. It’s silly how some people think everything has to be perfectly logical, as though any human being is or should be above feelings and passion and personal affection for things. Good for you embracing your humanity in defiance of the naysayers. Enjoy yourself! It’s fun watching someone who is enthusiastic about something like this.
Awesome ! The bit in the vid where you are admiring the tape deck in awe when it's playing is just priceless. I suspect a lot of reel to reel lovers totally understand that satisfaction. I've certainly felt that way with the tape machines many, many times, and even after many years, they do not fail to please. They ARE beautiful. Congrats on jumping into the world of reels............ :)
Wow! It is a beautiful thing and am sure it will give you hours and hours of joy. Love your fearless passion, truly inspiring.
I went through almost exactly the same thought process around two years ago, I ended up getting ... an AKAI 4000 DS !
and I love it.
I deliberately bought one that didn't say it had been refurbed as I knew I wanted to do it myself anyhow, even though it was fully working.
Good thing is parts are generally pretty easy to get for these. A strip down, new belts, lube, adjust spindle slip and yes clean & demagnetize heads! - not hard - just keep the thing away from tapes and motors! and away it went, just have to agree with everything you say about the process of operating it is just somehow so nice.
Tapes are expensive Tapecity is about the only place to get new in the UK £28 ish for lpr35 48min each way at 7 1/2.
BEWARE old tapes - Some may shed their coating, literally falling off in flakes - no major damage to the machine but heads need a real good clean after and tape is unplayable.
Tape can stretch and expand or shrink with temperature (and humidity I think) maybe timing problem? also tape tension looks like yours could be a little tight with the swinging arm right up at the top.
Power switch just determines if its always powered or swinging arm switches it on and off (auto stop when in rew or ff).
Use the pause lever and start button when recording to avoid the playing when switching.
Let me know if there's anything else you have trouble with I've all the service manuals and some stuff I created when tweaking mine.
Thanks for all the Vids.
Ooo good tip on the pause button. And yes, thanks for the advice.
Tape issues happen mainly due to misadjutsments on mechanical side. Poeple do not put enough care for it. They worry nly when tape stops tbut even worse is when tape is pulled too strong. I have a bunch of old ampex , shamrok , Scotch which I had to refurbish due to sticky problem but later after some even 10 years are working with no issues. But I had even to improve original transport.
Unfortunately many R2R producers made them to operate in vertical position but were not provided with enough good automatic pulling in transport because it is too requiring . In my opinion it is safer to have horizontal playing R2R beacuse it assures automatic pulling forces. Studio recorders were horizontal
BTW this recorder has up to my memory FX glass heads and it is exceptionally important.
to the new person to the pro of euroracks lots of great info on this stream...thanks again molten
Your GREATEST video of ALL TIME.!!
Sending you nowt but LOVE
Thank you
Loved the intro defending the continued use and exploration of tape machines... and I look forward to seeing your journey (although I think you are describing a user interface problem when it comes to your interactions with your computers that can be solved eventually as tech evolves and develops.....)
Congrats! Coolness of turning it on is irreplaceable! Phunn! :)
Welcome to the world of r2r! There’s no going back. They sound so organic. And real. You just can’t get the warmth and quality that those machines give audio from digital audio. I thought vinyl sounded good, but the audio from r2r… just stunning! Great video.
Congrats! Beautiful machine! I have a Teac 4 track and I love it ! I am also looking for a two track like yours!They really are so much fun! Loved your video!
It was your willingness to try without fear of potential failure that gave me the courage to start into Eurorack! I say follow your passions! Good on ya Robin!
congratulations! I really follow your initial reflections on how alienating computers, menus, etc. can be. There is somehow more equality in the meeting between and analog hardware and human. I love your drive to seek creative impulses!
It's a tape machine and a time machine too (transports you back decades at the turn of a paddle). I inherited my ex-father-in-law's Akai GX-4000D and beautiful it looks too! Perhaps this is just the inspiration to spin those reels? Wonderful video Robin.
This video is Hainbach approved. Great stuff, wish you the best for those experiments!
When I was a teenager in the 80s I bought a couple of HUGE (maybe 10kg each?) surplus reel-to-reel machines from what they used to call a "Language Lab" where kids would practice speaking and listening with headphones on. They were big, grey, steel boxes that you fixed into a large desk. I had the time of my life learning how to cut and splice 1/4" tape, making loops and so on. Very happy times indeed, and a lot of learning happened. 👍🏼
Rob V!! YOU gave in!! Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it!! VG :-)
I recently bought a standard cassette deck (compact cassette) to bounce tracks to/from for that analogue, potentially compressed sound - including the possibility to incorrectly adjust bias or worse (for example purposely destroying tapes) for that warbley, wow & flutter, dropout induced mayhem. Perfect for adding some retro effects to otherwise pristine modular synths. I think with a reel-to-reel recorder you have many more creative opportunities. Enjoy!
correct
When I was a teenager in Australia for a while, I had a couple of different R2R recorders. Mono, with valves in, big, with levers you have to shift. In 1977 in Melbourne I could just wander around junk shops and see them for nearly nothing. Where it all went was a kind of Frippertronics arrangement (with appalling S/N ratio, they were old and crappy) and other than that, a considerable amount of tape splicing. I learned tape splicing and that was about the most fun I’ve ever had in music concrete and experimental music (ie, take a short bit of tape, cut it out, reverse it backwards, splice it back in). Lots of fun. As they were mono, the heads only had one track so you could flip the tape over to play it in reverse.
In future years I lusted after a TEAC A3440 (friend of mine had one by then) but to be honest, they were expensive whereas mine were pocket-money junk, and also the A3440 needed a meter bridge, mixer, and a four-channel DBX processor to handle the tape noise. All those fancies were put on hold until the 90s when I bought a Tascam 424 (still have it in the attic). It sounded good, had built-in DBX, but I had to forego the physical access of the tape as it was inside a cassette, so no more splicing (as much) and no tape loops, delays, frippertronics and fun - just the boring process of tape recording and doing it properly or not at all.
PS a friend of mine here in London has that Akai R2R you have. He also has a vast collection of 8-track tapes and 8-track decks (once you go to a deck, the quality is immense). He’s really into all the historical media stuff more than I am.
Hard to get these things in Australia now without paying massive amounts of money.
I know exactly what you mean! Love this way of working!
Absolutely awesome. Keep posting about your tape thing, please.
Good direction - Robin!
Two R2R here - a 4 channel TEAC and a 2track Revox B77. They both need regular cosseting and cleaning - but wonderful combination of mechanical and audio expertise. . Keep the content coming - we should maybe have a R2R rally! Happy to help with any maintenance - I have the required kit such as demagnetiser etc etc.
Loved the video, and loved your enjoyment :D
Very relatable content. I was chuckling at your self deprication around the pie-in-the-sky romance of the whole thing.
I also had a whale of a time when I borrowed the school four-track on weekends in the 90s and then going to a studio with my band to record on 16 track tape with our arrangement and track plan all worked out and rehearsed. The only thing we used a computer for was to run the master out into it to create digital masters to go on to CD.
Then DAWs came along and they're absolutely incredible, but there really is something about the pure musicality of just playing something through and recording it to an analogue format. And you're right, you do then get stuff finished because you can't twiddle about with it.
I drew the line at going back to tape because I've created too many vintage challenges for myself already, but I've found a great compromise. I have two vintage mixers with gorgeous EQs that drive and saturate in a beautiful way. I plug any FX I need into the auxiliaries and the stereo performance goes into my computer where it's captured. I can't edit or mix afterwards, that's it. Done.
It's so liberating. I've done a whole album which I'll release when I'm less busy.
Anyway, very enjoyable Robin. I was very much with you.
Thanks fella, that’s good of you to say. It is a beautiful journey and hopefully one which will produce fruit 🍉
That is also my way - all tone EQ, volume EQ , settings and FX is done in my recordings on analog side and then complete recordiing is recorded else to tape or digitalized to store on HD and then on CD - eventual applicable corrections after are to balance of channels and general volume only . And my recordings equal to best done by recognized music producers When I experimented on digital side after digital was recorded it was by ear less surprising . .
You may see and listen some my recordings done with average class 3Head R2R and many with PC on my chanell which are - unfortunetely those here are sounding quite simple. Now I use better R2Rs - Uher (1/4 band widith ) or Bang& Olufsen (1/2 band widith) .
I came to conclusion that I do not need tape speed more than 9,5 cm/s - tape has so much potential that I made for fun one organ recording at 2,3cm/s, many at 4,5cm/s and I enjoy them too
Was it that time that you had a killer of a whale time , like Lolita, able to trash about and devour white sharks ...?
You did fantastic getting hold of that machine. It will make you even happier to know that Pink Floyd mad a demo tape for a radio station using the akai 4000ds mk11. I owned one in the 70's and gave it incredible abuse! Trying to look after it of course, taking it to bits and oiling all the moving parts under the silky silver front panel. I took it all over the place to mates houses into my garden up a tree, yeh the akai mic that came with it had a short lead, so it also had a few knocks and bruises but didn't damage the machines quality at all. This brilliant machine is a wonderful editing tool in itself. If you put the deck into record mode on pause you can gently move the spools in the reverse direction which will erase, so if you want to cut something out just turn the spools while in tape mode and you will hear the stuff just before it gets erased. Handy when I used to record the top 40 on the radio, I would clip of the bit where the dj introduced the record and talked to within a nano second of the record beginning, to discourage people from recording from their radios I think? Maintenance on these reel to reel machines is basically exactly the same as a cassette deck but easier cus you have more access to the heads. Nothing needs adjusting once set up azimuth etc unless someone has been fiddling with the heads or a new type of tape is being used, then the bios should be adjusted if need be to suit the tape. I use to use the 3/3/4" setting for the tape sound for the same reason you said, nice and bright and crisp although you can adjust the pots inside the machine to sound more or less exactly as the source. the wide range switch never did anything for any tape I found? Anyway I am sure you will get a lot of enjoyment from this silky dream machine you have.
At 54 years of age I still use the reel to reel format. I was introduced to RtoR as a toddler. My parents had a console stereo with a Sony tape deck. My ears were weened on analog tone. From then on I was hooked . I was given my first reel to reel for Christmas 1980. While my friends were using albums, 8-tracks and cassettes, I was transferring albums to RtoR which gave the music a boost of sonic power. I hope you enjoy your experience with RtoR as I have through so many years. Cheers!
Thanks, yes I do plan to make some tapes of my favourite music at some point - it's a lovely idea.
41 min the song is insane, when the kick gets in. loving all the video.
Great, great, great video , went through this myself but with an Akai tape deck, which I still use. It's all analog harmonics and saturation that you're hearing and it sounds great. When your deck gets tricky maybe opt for the electron analog heat to perform these duties. I found it added those things I was wanting to hear without the maintenance and with the modern tactile interface. thanks so much for creating this video and making the effort, Bravo to you old chap, will watch more, cheers, might even give the euro rack stuff a shot.
I found this exact tape recorder model some 20-odd years ago - put out for trash! I took it home, thinking it might somehow be beyond repair, but all it needed was a cleaning of the heads and transport, then it worked perfectly! Later I bought a Nagra IS very cheaply at a Danish National Broadcast (DR) flea market sale. These things are sturdy... - Good luck with your machine!
I grew up with these things in the 1970's-1980's. My next door neighbors had one and I loved it!!
I know exactly what you saying, great story and a walk through memory lane a bit for some of us :) I think there was something we wanted back then, we wanted the perfect sound, digital hi-re! Then later we realise that the more real and close the recordings are to the performance itself, the more initimate and special they are, good old tape days, funny if you think that before CDs (digital recordings) no one was complaining about sound quality. Great video, thanks. And yes sound much better on tape even here on UA-cam, the tape recording was a little louder as well perhaps? Curious to hear ho they would sound at the exact same loudness level.
A real beauty your vintage recorder! I have a Sharp with line outs and aux ins. A system with speakers built in . Last time it didn't work as it should be. I will look at it this weekend.
I started off recording with exactly the same deck! It took me some time to figure out how to use sound on sound. Later I bought myself a tube driven Watkins Copikat echo, which added a special flavour with wow an flutter, and a little bit of distortion. And the smell of warm tubes and tar of the transformer, ahhh!
Enjoy your Akai 4000 and the clunkety clunk of the transport mechanism!
This REALLY struck several chords … I’m re-exploring analogue (film) photography, and the parallels with the various aspects of going back to analogue-sound are striking … in their breadth and depth. Far too many to list out here, but they relate to “the investment of labour and effort”, “the slower, more deliberate use of time”, and the “less clinical, more ‘organic’ quality of the output”. I’d add, that today we have the unique opportunity to combine analog and digital workflows and effects, thereby opening up further channels of creativity and enjoyment.
i would agree if i prefered not detectable 3 second extra in the whole track speed to digital bad sound output or noise if we go totally digital
Found a old Grundig Tape recorder cleaning out my dads loft that I use to record songs on as a kid. Weighed a bloody ton hope u don’t fall off your bike! Have fun.
Nice. I found my AKAI 4000DS MK-II in someones trash heap on the side of the road in the early 90s in full working condition. I used it for a number of years and recorded some great stuff on it before going digital. I just busted it out after 20 years and it still works! Be sure to play with the "sound-on-sound" function for some really cool delay effects.
Cool, I will
What a ball I had listening to you!
Thanks Robin, that was great
nice...I have the same deck. I use it for recording and also a tape delay....it's amazing how great it sounds!
Robin, an enjoyable video as usual. I've had a brief relationship with tape again after 30 years but maintenace and lining up is all too tedious. I've still got a Mackie 24 track HD system which negates all the tape issues but it's still a lengthy process. I totally agree speed and spontaneity are key factors for me now. I usually just record a stereo stem from the mixer and that's it. No multitrack, no editing, no endless pissing about. I rarely ever play it again anyway as I've always been a follower of something happening once in time and never again. Finally for me - the best thing about DAWless recording is you don't see any audio - ears only! BTW, can I say you look 10 years younger without the long beard. 😁
Congrats! It is a beautiful machine. You are likely already aware of this, but you’ve also just acquired an awesome tape delay effects unit. By far the most use I get out of my R2R machines, besides making 10.5” reel mixed tapes (impractical, expensive, but so cool feeling and amazingly good sounding) is for delays. You have a lovely three head machine with two low speeds that will give you fantastic results when you pump your modular rig through it for delay use. R2Rs are my favorite delays by far, for the sheer amount of experimentation they allow especially. Not to mention the great and gritty extra tape compression, etc, it imparts. Have fun!
Oops, I see know that you’ve already mentioned using it for a delay and looping. Thant will teach me to comment before watching the entire video :)
Enjoy!
(PS: in tape delay use, EQ is everything in terms of the kind and quality you get in Aux send feedback. Plus, you can use *both* your R and L channels as independent mono delays that can even feed into each other)
Mate. I have 4 R to R machines now. I get it. good on you. Cheers from Nevada USA
Nice 👍
I have been searching for my parents’ old reel to reel because we used to jam out to it when I my sister and I were growing up! But my dad chucked it out😭 I hope you have fun with yours😎
Oddly enough my dad dig out my grandads tape machine from like the 1950s. It’s in a box in a corner where I put things that some day I might have the chance to fiddle with. But yes this Akai thing has been brilliant
Great video!
I wish you good times & good luck with your R2R.
I've 2, a stereo 15ips B77 and a Sony TC630, and I sometime use them, mainly as effects (tape delay, compression, saturation, hi-frequencies taming, etc) on a bus with sends and returns to the DAW, I use my 3 heads cassette deck this way as well.
And no, this not ridiculous. It's romantic, undoubtly but not ridiculous.
Tape recording is fun. You learn a lot of cool stuff too!
Good luck with the journey, mine sitting on Praga Museum MCI JC 110 with gold connectors, she done a lot of albums.
Tape sounds fantastic when the machine is in fully working order. The problem is, people are selling recorders with worn out heads, cracked up pinch rollers, bad drive belts, all trim pots out of alignment, bad capacitors, and other electronic or mechanical issues. Welcome to the vintage analog world. You better take some courses in repair / maintenance, just saying. I know, because I own several machines, from small 2-tracks to huge 24-tracks. By the way, your machine sounds healthy so far. Good luck!
love the style....subscribed
I’m a fan of the music now thanks, gonna have to get me some of that. I’d like to have a tape machine to mess around with too, I just can’t justify it. It is mesmerizing though, love old tech.
Nice I have the same machine good fun and that's what it's all about enjoy
I’ve been working with a producer making our new songs on analogue a and tape. The way round this syncing issue is to send the output signal back to the DAW and you’ll have a perfect digital copy of the analogue sound.
Nice listen to hear you thoughts and goal in getting a reel 2 reel... I have one some years now and use it regularly (I found a guy nearby who is into maintenance these machines). Maybe it is an age thing to have this development of thoughts.... How I use is? Record my modular - play back on a slower speed an play over it - I just love it. Have some reel fun 🙂.
Hah funny you did this. I bought one a few weeks ago too :P In fact I have the stupid pinch roller on mine sitting in a shotglass full of alcohol so I can try to get the damn roller off to put a new one on....so welcome to the addiction, I guess?
I have done recordings on mine, though it needs some tweaking, and it does what I had wanted it to. Gives me more of that juicy tape saturation but without quite as much "grit" of cassette (though I do like that sometimes). I found, hillariously, a damn reel to reel (an RT-707 in my case) cost LESS than a 3-head cassette deck and since I wanted to see about playing with tape delay as well, that was something I wanted to upgrade to. My current cassette deck is glorious but it's only a two head which makes doing tape bouncing a nightmare.
But on the other hand...a reel to reel seems to be a nightmare in it of itself so I guess there's that!
Has it been fun though? Abso-f'in-lutely!
Made it 10 minutes in before I had to subscribe. I was born in 96, and even though I always bought CDs when my favorite artists released an album, the vast majority of my engagement with music has been through an iPod, an iPhone, a TV, a laptop, etc. I played in bands early on, but why put up with other 14 year olds who don't take music as seriously when I can download FL Studio and have control over every aspect of the music? That decision sent me down a path of more than a decade of chasing my own tail with infinite plugins, infinite samples, infinite tracks available to use, the whole time becoming more and more disillusioned with creating music, until I gave up what had defined my entire life up to that point, and I didn't make a single track for almost 2 years. Things got dark during that period of time.
But luckily I made my way back, thanks mostly to Koala Sampler, which re-introduced limitation and had me making tracks out of stuff recorded around the house.
Organic. Spontaneous. Tangible.
Now I'm close to daw-less, using gear that I bought for $75 or less apiece, and having more fun than I've had in years.
If there's anyone out there considering leaving the digital world behind, I encourage you to do it. Not because analog has some "magic" to it that can't be recreated, but because music is a physical phenomenon. Life is imperfect, messy, and rarely what we envision it will be. Art should be too.
I'll be picking up my first ever tape deck tomorrow, and I can't wait to start dubbing my own mixtapes. They're going to sound like shit, and I couldn't be more excited.
I'm so grateful for this video, in which you articulated thoughts and feelings I didn't even know I had. It has helped me immensely on this cold December evening. Thank you.
Great comment
Sounds great on tape 👍
I agree with you. I've always wanted a reel to reel. I particularly wanted a Grundig reel to reel. About nine years ago I purchased a Grundig TS 1000. I love the machine. When I was in my twenties, the cost was too prohibitive. There is something about the mystique of the reel to reel machine and its format. There is definitely a resurgence of the old formats. Such as vinyl, cassette decks and their tapes. Oh and I cannot forget the turntable. I still have my Sony CD player/recorder. I have an old Super VHS Toshiba VCR. The sound the VCR is outstanding. Back around 1982, I purchased a Sherwood Integrated amplifier. It finally gave up the ghost September of 2021. I would say I got my money worth. I wound up purchasing a tube integrated amplifier by Muzishare 7. I love it. So I just stepped in a new genre of the physical format. But I had to purchase a preamplifier to get everything under one umbrella so to speak.
Nice, thanks for that.
hey, an Interceptor, love it !
I'm thinking about a reel to reel for my studio too.
Me too! Don't over think it :D
@@MoltenMusicTech I've put a bid on the same model, in the meantime :-)
wow i literally have that exact model, i was looking to my right at it and like back at your video and like.... wow... Akai hahah
Go for it! Tape does open up another world, which is noisier but simpler. I have a couple of Philips N4506’s with one set up as a tape delay. A MT4X does the multi tracking. I do find an old fashioned but new analog mixer makes life easy. Clean the heads, buy TDK or Maxell tape. Buying tapes secondhand often means you get some music already recorded on it, which you have never heard! Record as much as you can…☺️☺️ leave it on.
I have three Revox A-77 and one 1979, like-new, Revox B-77. Beautiful machines.
Huge fan of the retrofuturist aesthetic, politically, philosophically, musically, etc and I had never heard of Galaxy Electric. Thanks for the tip!
I got an Akai 4000DB brand new in the 70s, still got it.
I was given an Akai 4000DS like yours in the 90s, which I passed on to one of my mate's 'musical' kids.
Apart from all the 'Saturation' and 'Tape Delay' fun that you can have there is a unique sounding 'distortion' to be had by overdriving the pre-amps.
You Have To be careful though.
It is possible to blow the pre-amp chips; ask me how I know ... 🙄
You can record in a daw through your tape deck while live performance. You will have it digitally real-time and if it crashes you will have a tape and can load it in again
Being an old git ... grew up with these ... 2 track, 4 track, 8 track 16 track... Stockhausen time coming. Try and get a splicing block and spicing tape... and your joy will be immense. Also, get your isopropanol and cotton buds as well as a demagnetizer so you can keep it optimal. Ideally you need the manual so you can do some azimuth and bias set up etc. But this will be fun - and along with all your other toys such as synths and sampler you will really have a great tool. Enjoy!
Have fun!
My first "instrument" was a Tandberg TD-20 reel-to-reel. I recall it was something like $1000 in 1980! (That would be equal to around $1 million today.) There is nothing more awesome than the 10" reels running at 3.75 ips. I still have it and all of my tapes (including one 10" reel with the entire Hitchhiker's Guide), but it doesn't run any more. There's a set of schematics in the case! But I don't have the skills to fix it unless I just get lucky. And I really don't have the room for the machine in my little studio.
I think you are worrying too much about the trouble of running and maintaining a reel-to-reel. It's pretty easy. Very tactile. And you are underestimating the quality of the recordings. Yes, the S/N is high, but it's just tape hiss which is just another analog sound. (We spend hundreds on modules that intentionally create hiss.) The recording quality is better than almost any cassette (about equal to an '80s 3-head Nakamichi).
Can you still get good blank tapes?
I'm using a 1010 Bluebox to record my jams. It's very good for what I'm doing.
When are you going to come out with your exclusive line of paisley patterned reel labels? :) Great to see your enthusiasm Robin. Keep it up.
I have a number of mag tape machines, from clunky 8-track, to 4-channel cassette, to 1/4" tape and up to 1/2" tape (a Tascam 38). They don't all work well, but I grew up on little machines with 3" open reels of maybe 20 minutes a side. I learned how to play things backwards, and also the rudiments of tape maintenance. MY very first distortion unit was the mic preamp of an old tube-based Roberts tape machine. I'd plug my guitar into it, saturate the bejeezus out of it, and feed the line out to my guitar amp.
Hey, if tape is good enough for Hainbach and Robert Fripp, it's good enough for me.
I keep reminding people that compression..."squishiness"... *IS* the sound of rock and contemporary pop music. Latecomers don't realize that limiting and compression were always a requisite for achieving optimal S/N ratios on mag tape without oversaturating the tape, a part of getting the most music on each side of a 33-1/3rpm vinyl album, and a necessary part of every AM and FM broadcast studio to achieve optimal sound within the limits of the transmission electronics. So the sound of saturation and "squishiness" is simply what we've grown up listening to, such that it becomes "the way things are supposed to sound", rather than being perceived as some sort of imposition on a pristine signal with maximal dynamics.
Smart move. Tape is a world of it's own.Good luck!
100% agreed. That is exactly why I started eurorack.
You've fulfilled my dream! Keep us posted on how you use it. Looking at eBay now...
That is a nice machine. One thing that is a little cumbersome with them, you have to clean the heads and if you're new to it, clean the heads, pinch rollers, and guides after each tape. If you need to know how to do it, use isopropyl alcohol, I believe 60/40 will be sufficient. Also you'll need a Q tip. Watch a tutorial beyond that point.
You manifested it with the Galaxy tape...:)
I had an AKAI 4000ds in the mid 70's and I'm pretty certain that's what you've got there. The time discrepancy must mean the tape machine changed speed between the time the recording was made and the time it was played into the PC. Not surprising if the machine had stood unused for years and was slowly warming up and settling down. I recommend you let it run for a while and then make a new recording and try again.
Honestly I’m not bothered 😁
I seen a studer 24 on reverb for a great price im buying it next week there is a lot of great software simulators and outboard gear but I just rather have the real thing I had a tape machine years ago sold it and went digital now I’m going back to analog and staying there of course along with some great ad/da converters such as burl or prism sound conversion great video
Great video, thank you. Have you tried lowering the pitch to 432? I only record and perform in this tuning and gives me much warmer and pleasant frequency response. It has changed my entire music perception. Best regards!
Welcome to the wonderful world of head alignment and recapping. But hey that’s child’s play for someone who’s building a DD! Techmoan did a nice one on R2R’s: The most expensive music format (in the world).
Tape playback timing is always an issue. If you take a line from the tape that monitors the playback whilst recording to it there will be difference of the distance between the record & playback heads. From that you should be able to slide and be in synch which means you can blend the direct to computer recording with the direct from tape recording - using the tape machine as an effect. if you're not taking the signal from the playback head you won't get the tape noise, saturation (if you recording at high enough levels, at high enough speed) that the tape may offer. WIPING the tape before recording over it is a good move - you could degauss the tape or, easier, run the tape through on record with no input signal.
why does that orange reel look so awesome
There's something to be said for a satisfying switch.
Way back in the distant mists of time when I was fiddling with this sort of kit, the guy that owned the reel-to-reel was convinced that you needed to run the tape completely onto the RH reel and then back again before starting to record. Perhaps he was out of his tree. Perhaps it was to try to prevent the tape slipping slightly --- which might explain why your playback was a couple of seconds quicker? It tensioned up a bit while recording?
A lot of this stuff has already survived half a century. We already know the digital stuff will never last that long.
The reason you probably have a problem with syncing the tape with everything else is the capstan flywheel is on a rim drive in these kind of machines, so speed isn't 100 percent perfect. A more professional deck would definitely fix that issue. It's impressive that it's that close from the beginning to the end. There's a tiny bit of WOW and flutter when it comes to tape. I'm not knocking it, it's just the nature of the machine. If it was digital tape, it would be right on because it's servo controlled.
I’ve been working with a producer and came up with the idea of outputting the tape signal live to the computer so you get the tape quality but no syncing issues.
Wow how fun.
I loved my M-Audio Delta 44. I still mis it. It was so easy to operate.
Feel the same about computer recording, it just doesn't feel alive! I also have an akai 400ds, plus a Revox A77 and a Tascam 38 8 track. Mostly use the akai for creating and playing tape loops. Endless fiddling is the hobby for life
would it be better for him to use a stereo recorder as oppose to mono with just a left and right input.. would it make a differnce recording and playing back ?
I've one of those, might need new belts...I should check.
Fripp-Eno and Morton Subotnick are my muses.
Cheers for "interesting weirdness".
I went through this …. And actually bought three tape machines including a Fostex X28 … which is the only one still working whose belt or transport hasn’t stopped working … and I multitrack record simultaneously to a DAW and record the tape out of the whole performance on one or two tracks …. Still on the journey
And one of the three is ‘the millennium falcon of tape machines’ the Tascam 688 … which I will repair but does have a fantastic mixer!
Yes, I absolutely get the concept of "Hands on" giving "The Thrills" that mouse/screen interaction does not. Tactile Techno rules! 🤩🤖🤖
@MoltenMusicTech I Don't know if anyone has said This yet, but here it goes: It would turn of if the lever before the takeup reel would be down. That turns the motor on or off as far as I can remember. Even if it is turned off. Funny to see somebody so happy with a reel to reel recorder. Don't get me wrong, I would be too! The one that I have doesn't work anymore...
i like that Akai tape compression. how much dB+ did you puch it? i like to be in the region of 6 to 8 dB plus, it's there magic things starts to happen. i use technics, kenwood and luxor 1970/80's tape decks & tascam 246, yamaha mt3x, and fostex x28s cassette porta studios. no compressor between mixer and tape, just full on to tape. tape emulation plugins are great, but how fun is it!? good talk on why you use this obsolete technology too. push that old Akai over the edge in the next video please... +12dB or more 😂
can it record on all 4 tracks in once direction?
i dont think so
7:40 If you feel electricity while performing on your rack, contact an electrician :D
About the sync thing. Could it be that when you capture the tape to computer you are running at CD sample rate of 44.1KHz and when you record the video the sound is captured at 48.0KHz which is more common on Video formats?
I mean, that could explain why the tape capture is running slightly faster when imported?
I mean. It sounds strange that the machine would alter the speed based on wether it is recording or playing back. I have very little personal experience with these machines in general. But I am fairly certain that the pinch roller that pulls the tape over the read, erase and record heads have no clue which is active. To it, they both say "play".
Sure there could be inconsistencies in the playback speed overall. But it would affect both states. A tone generator and spectrum analyzer could probably help spot something like that. Or an oscilloscope. Or a spectrograph... But... Yes... It is probably overkill.
It’s an inconsistency I think more than anything. I already record everything at 48k to avoid sample rate issues so it’s not that. I record direct into my video software. Could be that there’s slightly less friction when the record head isn’t engaged? I’m not that bothered.
@@MoltenMusicTech
As long it works in your workflow, it works. :)
Seems like you've managed to find a balance with the online incessant feedback ...well done. And congratulations on your new acquisition. Yes it does look and sound wonderful. Perhaps, (and this is coming from someone who is also totally inexperienced, so feel free to ignore), drums only might be best put through this as a master effect and something cleaner /more pristine for the strings etc, before ending up in the DAW? That said, I preferred the "Tape" to the "Direct" because it did sound brighter and with more sonic character. So are you Reelin' in the years?
You're a brave man going all the way to Peterborough on a motorbike. I think I'd have taken the car, personally.
Dear Robin, this beauty has three heads. So, what another commenter already suggested: you can route back the machine to your pc while recording (you have to set the reel2reel to ‘tape’ instead of ‘source’ of course). Due to the distance between the record-head and the play-head AND speed there will be a delay, but you can shift that back. You realise that this machine has a detachable ‘capstan’ adapter? So you can make the capstan smaller or wider, thus switch between tape speeds? The lower, the more distortion (what you may want for the effect!) Also, experiment with ‘saturating the tape’ with high audiolevels! Good luck! PS: this ‘tape-drifting’ was challenged with LTC time-codes on studiomachines. I worked with a Tascam 16 track tapemachine with the LTC timecode on track 16 and synchronized it with video using a Zeta-3 synchronizer, wich constantly controlled the capstan-speed. Pretty neat tech in the ‘80’s/90’s!
Ha, I was doing real-time sample rate modulation to sync a DAW to tape in the 1990s :D
Thanks for the suggestions.
Thinking of doing exactly the same :D
I should also say just put a mix through Not Recording then record back it back to your daw and it gives the sound what I call a nice analog hug very cool
I normally record on the slower setting on my Revox reel to reel which imparts a bit more tape vibe onto the recording (if you get the option on your Akai) but tape is high quality compared to casette tape
Yes! I do that to my Revox a77 in order to get a lo-fi sound. It's a nice trick.