Sorry for going oftopic but I think it is great that you still record using tapemachines. I spoke with a recording engineer some time ago and he partly blamed many of todays bad cd productions on the abuse of pro-tools.
Ontopic. I would advise you to buy a second hand VPI scout, and a new cart. Depending on budget and taste a Benz, Lyra, Dynavector or Grado cart would do great. I have heard VPI wil Benz and Lyra, I prefer Lyra, Benz is more coloured I think, some people like the Benz sound but I don't think they are that neutral.
Don't buy your cart online, but go to a specialist and let them install the cart for you. I think installing a cart is not that hard but people who install cart once in a blue moon can get 90% out of the cart. A true specialist can set your table up so you can get 100% out of your cart, table arm combo.
In a studio where some I sometimes come with some other audiofiels uses to play with our audio.
OTARI MX 80 24 tracks 2 inch. Dolby A.
TASCAM MSR 24 S 24 tracks 1 inch Dolby S.
Studer B67
Telefunken M10.
FOSTEX B 16 16 sporen ½ inch Dolby C.
TASCAM synchronizer ( 48 tracks possible) .
Ontopic. I would advise you to buy a second hand VPI scout, and a new cart. Depending on budget and taste a Benz, Lyra, Dynavector or Grado cart would do great. I have heard VPI wil Benz and Lyra, I prefer Lyra, Benz is more coloured I think, some people like the Benz sound but I don't think they are that neutral.
Don't buy your cart online, but go to a specialist and let them install the cart for you. I think installing a cart is not that hard but people who install cart once in a blue moon can get 90% out of the cart. A true specialist can set your table up so you can get 100% out of your cart, table arm combo.
In a studio where some I sometimes come with some other audiofiels uses to play with our audio.
OTARI MX 80 24 tracks 2 inch. Dolby A.
TASCAM MSR 24 S 24 tracks 1 inch Dolby S.
Studer B67
Telefunken M10.
FOSTEX B 16 16 sporen ½ inch Dolby C.
TASCAM synchronizer ( 48 tracks possible) .