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Re: [ARSCLIST] Mitsubishi 2-track digital formats, compatibility, etc.



Richard,

A little history from the city that probably had more of these per- capita than anywhere else in the world. I'll try to do a bit of research for the various model changes to help clear up the lineage, let me know if you need it.

The Mitsu X-80/86 2-track machines were "thrown in" many times with deals that were for the PD 32-track machines - there was no particular "fondness" to the sound of the converters (as shown by the subsequent Apogee upgrade in the multitrack machines) that endeared them to the community.

Regarding transferring of the format, Otari made for many years the UFC-24 format converter that gave you a PD to other various digital formats (AES/EBU)

Also, at the time, most everyone was using the Sony 1630 or the JVC mastering system, and anytime possible the mastering facility took the digital stream (AES) from the 2-track machine, thereby rendering the D/A converters of the X-8x out of the loop.

I'm sure that were projects where the D/A converters of the X-80/86 were used in the mastering process as well, but probably not so much.

Regarding the creation of digital preservation files from a 16-bit source, I'm not sure that I would agree with using the converters of the machines you own to create analog copies. The members of the NARAS P&E Wing Committee were pretty clear in their agreement that digital transfers of source material to analog tape created subjective differences from the digital original (as opposed to the other way). I would dare say that if you get a good error-free playback of the digital output, you can make better archival preservation files to use through better converters down the road. Analog copies WILL sound different.

Later,
John

John Spencer
www.bridgemediasolutions.com


On Sep 4, 2005, at 4:37 PM, Richard L. Hess wrote:


THANK YOU, Claus!

What is X-86-C and how do I know if my machines are that?

I had assumed DASH and PD are different.

So there are four 2-track X-8x-x formats? GAK!

Point well taken about the "sound" of the converter.

Cheers,

Richard

At 09:47 AM 9/4/2005, Claus Trelby wrote:

Hi Richard,

X-8x-x Mit is not compatible with DASH... DASH is PCM based and Prodig is
different.


To make things more complex:

X-80 comp with the X-86-C not X-86
X-86 comp with the X-86-C, NOT X-80
X-86-C comp with X-80 (PB only), X-86, NOT HS
X-86-HS comp with X-86, X-86-C, NOT X-80, and had a unique HS setting.


In transferring this format there are a couple of PD to PCM DtoD converters,
but since these machines were used in the analog domain as mastering
machines, we have to keep in mind that the sound of he converters are part
of the sound that engineers heard and used. I would capture in the analog
domain with these machines.


Hope this helps,

Claus.
Claus Trelby


Richard L. Hess email: richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vignettes Media web: http:// www.richardhess.com/tape/
Aurora, Ontario, Canada (905) 713 6733 1-877-TAPE-FIX
Detailed contact information: http://www.richardhess.com/tape/ contact.htm




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