A New Reel to Reel Tape Deck?


normansizemore
Dhl93449,

I was thinking that about my machines after I replied to you. A check of the schemeatics yesterday confirmed you're correct. My machines don't have any IC opamps.

You make a valid point with regard to recording studios however.  There are so few  who give this type of consideration.  Sear Sound Recording is one such studio that does. Using tube boards and tube Studer and Ampex reel to reels.  Still, the IC oppamp has become so common these days with so many modern recording related devices using them.  

I was surprised about your John Curl story.  I had always heard he was a stubborn "no comprises" type of guy.

If you read a few posts above, you will see that others have vintage tapes as well.  It is a shame because I think the Scotch/Ampex sticky shread syndrome really caused many to feel that tape isn't reliable. I have had problems with Scotch 206 and Ampex 456.  But these were the only tapes I've ever had issue with. Several I have restored with excellent results..

Let's hope that if a new machine does materialize that it is a good one.   Analog tape is the basis of the sound we all love.

N

For those complaining about the paucity of reel-to-reel tapes. Currently there are now 21 companies releasing reel-to-reel tapes. You can see a few of my reviews about the tapes on PF.

http://avshowroomsforums.com/showthread.php?5-Companies-Currently-Producing-15ips-Reel-to-Reel-tapes-Plus-Myles-All-Star-List!
I think it would be great to see RTR make a comeback, but, I would expect that its appeal will always be limited to a small group of truly dedicated connoisseurs.  I don't think the price can ever come down enough for tape to have mass appeal, certainly, not without major compromise in quality.  To do a really nice job, the dub would have to be at normal speed, not something where the production master is playing at twice (or more) regular playback speed.  Both the machine playing the production master and the machine producing the dubbed tape would have to be of high quality; even if there is enough demand to run several machines doing the dubbing per run of the production master, the cost would still be high.

I recently saw a new release of an album on RTR that I think would be worth owning--"Garcia and Grisman"--and the asking price for that reissue was $450. 
larryi,

Back in the late 70's early 80's when I was working in a studio we would have to run second generation masters.  The mixed down master was almost always done at 15ips.  To save time, we would take the 15ips tape and then play it back at 30ips.  The machine making the recording was also running at 30ips.  Honestly, there was no loss of information whatsoever.  We did this regularly using either Scully's or Ampex machines.  

I am pretty certain that many of those companies making second generation masters are doing the exact same thing as we did.  Running and recording at 30 and playing back at 15.

This would certainly be necessary to play into the economics of mass producing second generation master tapes.  I don't know of any machine capable of 30ips that is less than stellar in performance.  

Studer, Sony, MCI, Telefunken, Scully, Ampex were all common place in various studios and dubbing banks.

When we think about the cost of two metal reels, tape, packaging, and the labor to record and package the item, $450.00 is still a bit on the high side.  If they could cut that cost to just under $200.00 per title, I think they would have a hard time keeping them on the shelf.

We should also consider some master dubs at 7.5 ips  I have heard some of these and I must say in most instances that I absolutely cannot tell the difference between a 15ips half track and it's 7.5ips half track copy. If we were talking quarter track then it would be very obvious, but half track is a different story.  Just think what that would do to the cost of second generation masters?

Norman