Re: [ARSCLIST] 4 track reel machines

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

I used to have a Sony 5000.  Past basic service, it was impossible to keep
running reliably.  It would work for a while and the, at some crucial time,
become unstable.  Parts could not be had.  It finally spewed fire and
brimstone and I sold what was left of it off, and good riddance.

As to the rest, it's a difference in philosophy.  I do work for many private
individuals who may never have heard the tapes they send me.  They often
want to know what's on them before committing.  I've just returned some to a
potential client whose tapes contained theme songs to kids shows recorded by
a mike in front of the TV speaker- singular.

I want a rel;iable machine where I can give fast feedback and without having
to deal with reequalizations.

I've a Uher 4400 that works fine and can get me down to15/16.  Only problem
is that it's half track and maximum 5" reel.  I'm probaly going to restore
another one and install a 1/4 track playback head.

What a jungle!

Steve Smolian

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 5:20 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] 4 track reel machines


> Steve,
>
> I'm going to give away some of my trade secrets here...
>
> (1) Forget consumer machines. Use professional machines.
>
> (2) Sony APR-5000 machines run natively at 3.75 in/s and have -50%
varispeed.
>     With three alignment registers per speed per head block, you can have
>     a separate alignment for 1.88 in/s playback.
>
> (3) You can also transfer 1.88 in/s tapes at 3.75 in/s into an 88.2 ks/s
WAV
>     file and then spew it out at 44.1 ks/s. I play the MRL 1.88 in/s test
>     tape and then when I'm playing at half speed re-equalize in Samplitude
to
>     make the test tape flat.
>
> So here you have a way to do it even with a Studer A810 or A807...or A820
> should
> you be so lucky (Yes, Parker, I know...)
>
> 1.88 in/s was never a hi-fi medium on reel to reel. Even Tandberg with
> crossfield heads and later models only claimed something like -3dB at 8kHz
at
> 1.88. Now, contrast that to one of the Nak models that a friend of mine
> measured out to 15kHz at 0.94 in/s
>
> One other thing...find the narrowest gap play head you can.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> --
>
> Richard L. Hess
> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/
>
>
> Quoting Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>:
>
> > The real reel problem is getting one that works at slow and very slow
speeds
> > and is reliable.  The rubber bands, sometime identified a belts, stretch
and
> > fall off on the cheap machines- I've just had it (in more than one
sense)
> > with a Tandburg, trying to get reliable playback at 1-7/8.  Grrr.
> >
> > Then, as has already been pointed out, there is the matter of getting 2
track
> > stereo in each direction or 4 tracks simultaneously in one.   The
Aratris
> > used to be good at slow speeds with 10" reels but turned unreliable with
age,
> > including electronic as well as transport problems.
> >
> > Best bet is to be sure you know what you want, buy tow of the best
model,
> > identical, have them restored and use one as a back-up for the other
when
> > parts are unavailable.  And, fer cryin' out loud, find the service as
well as
> > consumer manual, even if a xerox, so you or your service person can keep
it
> > running in the future.
> >
> > Steve Smolian
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: Rod Stephens
> >   To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >   Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 2:59 PM
> >   Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] 4 track reel machines
> >
> >
> >   Hello Anat,
> >
> >   This link will take you to the current Ebay site for reel to reel
unit:
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=reel+to+reel+tape+deck&sosortproperty=1&ht=1&from=R10&BasicSearch=
> >
> >   retreat wrote:
> >
> >     Hi,
> >
> >     Can anyone give me information where I can purchase a  4 track reel
> > player? Or is anyone interested in selling one?
> >
> >
> >
> >     Anat Dagan
> >
> >     Krishnamurti archives
> >
> >
> >
> >     -----Original Message-----
> >     From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> > [mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Richard L. Hess
> >     Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 11:32 AM
> >     To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> >     Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] REVOX A77
> >
> >
> >
> >     Diederick,
> >
> >     It's very hard to say. Check eBay prices and then halve the highest
one,
> > but there are many issues:
> >
> >     Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, Mark IV?
> >
> >     The Mark III and Mark IV have better hum shielding between the
capstan
> > motor and the play head.
> >
> >     Mark III and I think Mark IV were available with optional Dolby.
> >
> >     I've seen Studer A810s and A807s go on eBay for prices similar to
A77s,
> > and please allow me to suggest that the professional models were worth
the
> > difference when they were new. You can get good and bad in any flavor.
> >
> >     I had four A77s and sold my two high-speed models several years ago
when
> > I started "collecting" Sony APR-5003vs and Studer A810s and A807s. I
still
> > have my MK III Dolby unit and a beater 1/4 track MK I. I sold the HS MK
1.5s
> > (I did some of the MK II-->MK II conversions myself) for $125 each--but
that
> > was to friends.
> >
> >     Anyway, it all depends what you want to do. Also, most A77s, I
think,
> > were sold as 1/4-track units. I converted most of mine to half-track
(NAB)
> > units. So be aware of what the head configuration is.
> >
> >     Finally, I do think there is an improvement in sound from the A77 to
the
> > A807, for example. I re-transferred some tapes I had done on an A77 when
I
> > got my Sony APR-5003V. (I think the APR and the A810 and the A807 all
sound
> > great).
> >
> >     One of the things with the A77 is that the tape path is not as
robust as
> > the pro machines. One of the things that makes the APR so nice, is that
they
> > hired someone (as I understand it) from Studer...
> >
> >     All of the pro machines have flutter idlers which seem to help with
the
> > "clarity" of the reproduction...although that is still open to debate.
> >
> >     Also, please check the availability of spare parts in your country
(and
> > elsewhere--I've bought Studer spare parts from New Zealand, Canada, and
> > England, and Nakamichi parts from Turkey!)
> >
> >     Cheers,
> >
> >     Richard
> >     http://www.richardhess.com/tape/
> >     Glendale, California USA
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     At 12:04 PM 3/28/2004 +0200, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >     Dear Listmembers
> >
> >     Someone has got a REVOX A77 which he bought in the 1970's that he
would
> > like to sell.  What do you think would be a good offer to make him?
> >
> >     Kind regards,
> >
> >     Diederick Basson
> >     Stellenbosch
> >     South Africa
> >
>