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Reel to Reel information, user tips and tricks...

Reel to Reel.  I'm bringing my Reel to Reel rigs back into service. They have been in storage for almost 20 years.

I ordered, a new RtR pre amp. Decware ZP3 Phono/RtR valve preamp. I stopped using the medium, mainly while I was raising kids. I'm retired now getting everything in working order.  I had the misfortune of loosing a lot of the gear. Tapes, preamp, and Otari MX50/50 BII with a "direct head tap" via RCA. Any RtR people out there.
New tape? Better tape? I'm using 10.5" and down. It has been a while..
I'm looking at any mods on dampening the reels or heads for sound tweaks.

I'm going to playback, and record. Any pointers, ideas, are sure welcome.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, I know it's NOT digital. I like it, plane and simple. 

No name callin', be polite, ok.. HAVE FUN...

Regards
oldhvymec
oldhvymec OP
5,101 posts
 
https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZP3.htm

Look under "Tape options"..

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Thanks you know the bias NAB IEC? I'll look. 1/4" ay?

Regards
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,635 posts
 
I’ve got a BQII-II 4 and a case of 10.5" 224 tape. Can’t see any reason for recording on it. Except for maybe a little tape flanging.
Besides, if you are serious you HAVE to pull the drive motors and rebuild them before any moderate use. They are not available anywhere and they WILL self-destruct. You will find that they are already coming apart. I’ll bet your Panasonic speed switch is bad. Pick one speed and stay there. They don’t make them anymore either. Lotso luck.
All I want to do is transfer my 4 channel stuff to Pro Tools with my Scarlett interface.
oldhvymec OP
5,101 posts
 
The motors are coming apart? I’ll look I have two. I’ve had to tune them up. But for the most part I’ve never had problems. Yea motors are available. Not new, but recon. I can take a peek too. Why would they come apart? Not following you. The speed switch. Not sure, I alway was a 7.x guy. 10.5 in reels. some 7.x that are pres. I’m trying to remember, we use to make some really nice playback rigs, and recordings with that rig. The BII with RCA direct playback and a modded onboard SS pre for recording.. It was a lot of fun. HiFi, pretty good quality, tinkering with the bias on the playback.

LOL was it colored? Oh heck yea.. Sure was nice though.. You can dig some sound out of tape.. it’s fun..

All my stuff is stereo, BUT I’m hearing a 3rd head added some way? Still stereo... L/R but a 3rd head. I just can’t figure. 1/2 inch tape maybe. The 3rd head is summation for playback? Trinaural by recording? 3 channel?
3rd speaker?

Yup, I’m that guy.. I like Macs 3 channel analog better than any of them.. For 3 channels..Serious sound trickery going on there. James B of Ampzilla SST Trinaural analog 3 channel, sounds pretty good.. Again I like the Mac better..

Regards
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
That phono stage option you're doing is The Bomb! Saw how that works. Taking the signal right off the playback head direct to the phono stage, bypassing whatever was in the tape deck in favor of a much higher quality gain stage with- the really cool part- adjustable EQ. Insane! Never heard of that before but what a great idea!
billwojo
397 posts
 
Elliott Newcomb on here is a serious tape guy. I had a chance to listen to his rig and it was awesome. He will chime in eventually.
BTW, nothing to laugh about with tape, it's what everything was mastered on till digital came along. Digital is just a lot easier, no splicing or any other stuff.

BillWojo
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