Re: arsclist IPS speed

["Steven Smolian" <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

I handle all speeds down to 15/32 ips as well as some off cassette speeds.
See my website for what I do as well as a chart of tape speeds, thicknesses,
reel diameters and playing times: www.soundsaver.com.

Steve Smolian


----- Original Message -----
From: Richard L. Hess <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <peverett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 12:42 PM
Subject: Re: arsclist IPS speed


> Hi, Preston,
>
> Many (if not most) of the top-end machines will play 3-3/4 ips. I believe
> that the Ampex ATR-100's would do four speeds or two speeds and two tape
> types. My Sony APR5003V will do three speeds--and mine came set for
> 7.5-15-30. I've kludged it for reasonably good 3-3/4 ips by using the
> offsets in the 7.5 MRL test tape and calibrating a second register to make
> those flat with -50% varispeed from 7.5. I believe the Studer A820's will
> go to 3.75 as well. I don't know about the Nagra T.
>
> On the other hand, 1-7/8 i.p.s. is more problematic.
>
> I am still evaluating whether or not I like my APR at 3-3/4 better than my
> Tandberg 3400X. That is a good machine and is of high quality. In many
> regards it's better sounding than a ReVox A77 (something I had to compare
> it to). For 2-track, the APR is better than the ReVox as the ReVoxes
always
> had a bit more hum than they should have.
>
> Of course, track format becomes an issue. Your best playing 1/4 track
tapes
> on 1/4 track heads (in most instances you have to) and vice-versa!! I've
> just put a 1/4 track repro head in place of the 1/2 track record head in
my
> APR and I'm getting good results from it.
>
> If you don't have a high-end machine that can go down in speed, the you
> should probably look for used, but refurbishable, high-end consumer
> machines such as a Tandberg that can be used for playback.
>
> I'd suggest that you look at two relevant workflow issues:
>    (1) Triage tapes so that those most likely to decay are
>           transferred first: acetate tapes with vinegar syndrome
>           come to mind and acetate tapes that are cupping badly
>    (2) After (1) is done, do your 1-7/8 i.p.s. tapes because
>           they are twice as susceptible to a given bit of damage
>           than 3-3/4 tapes and machines to play 1-7/8 are probably
>           harder to find long-term than machines to play 3-3/4.
>
> As to the latter comment, yes, I know that I can switch the APR to
> 3.75-7.5-15 and then do the same trick to "jeep" it down to 1-7/8, but the
> gap width issues of using heads optimized for 7.5 to 30 will not give me
as
> good response as gaps and pole pieces designed for 1-7/8 to 7.5 like the
> Tandberg.
>
> It's a tough issue, but I'd look at transferring the stuff to CD-R. Put it
> in next year's budget <smile>.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> PS I looked on eBay and saw
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1235980480
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1236186471
> I would suspect that either of these machines would work for you after the
> belts were replaced. There are people who can find belts--at least as of
> last year.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> At 09:36 AM 05/11/2001 -0700, you wrote:
> >I have many oral history tapes recorded at various speeds below 7.5.  As
> >far as I know, reel to reel machines today do not play at those speeds.
> >I do have two early 1970's machines that do, but very uneasy about using
> >them because of the poor quality.  What makes the speed possible the
> >motor that drives the reel at the desired speed or the magnetic head?
> >Is it possible to replace an old head with a new one on an old reel to
> >reel machine?  We would like to be able to transfer these in house.
> >Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >Preston Everett
> >Mississippi Department of Archives and History
> >
> >-
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