Re: [ARSCLIST] Ampex 456 - tip of the iceberg...chemistry

[Tommy Sjöberg <tommy.sjoberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Actually, my only experience was with 1/4" and 
1/2" tapes. I also noted that when Agfa had 
switched their packaging (I guess around 1990), 
the 469 didn't have any problems after that, at 
least up 'til 1994. I did put together a database 
of the tapes we handled, sometimes having to 
guess the year of recording. I will try to get 
access to that data again, to see which years 
were involved.

Tommy Sjöberg
Center for Swedish Folk Music and Jazz Research
Stockholm, Sweden


Scott D. Smith wrote:

> Your observations regarding 468 and 469 are 
> similar to the experiences I had with some 
> batches of stock (in all widths) around the 
> mid-to-late 1980's. The stock we received prior 
> to this time period seemed to be fine, and the 
> tapes I still have on the shelf which date from 
> about 1979 to 1985 all play fine, as do tapes 
> from the early and mid 1990's.