| Author | Message | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1848 Registered: 6-2002 |
 For Deadhead Sound geeks; There's some great reading here and many tangents. SHMF thread I'll put up some links as I wade through the thread. I've found hundreds (if not thousands) of fantastic pics and recollections on Steve Hoffman's site. I'll admit I hadn't heard of him before the internet.Does anyone here have some stories or info that would make me feel smarter?  | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4820 Registered: 5-2009 |
This is indeed a great site. I have browsed it before in the past. The tape machine in the picture is a Studer A-80 variation. Thanks for posting this ! I have worked on Studer, Ampex,MCI & Otari studio machines and still put them into use for transfer and archival work. Here are some handy relavent links ; http://recordist.com/ http://www.davegroupjapan.com/ekoukoku3.html Sonic Regards ! Wolf | ||
| mario_farufyno
Senior Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 1126 Registered: 9-2008 |
Wow, love those links. Thanks for sharing, Wolf! | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 4947 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Wolf you might be the right person to advise me here. I have some 1/4" reel -to - reel masters that are from a recording in did with my band around 1978 and they have been stored in my house in the original boxes in a plastic bag since that time. I contacted the recording studio that did the original sessions about transferring them to digital. He recalled they were either mastered on a Fostex or Teac reel to reel in those days. But his advice was don't do anything with them until they have been baked otherwise you could lose the coating and ruin the recording. There is a company in London who could do it but that it could be expensive and no guarantee of recovering the recordings fully. What do you know about that process and what would you advise? | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 3742 Registered: 10-2002 |
Good question Jazzy. I also have 1/4" reels from the late 70's of my first band that I'd someday like to get onto CD so any advice would be great. Graeme | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1851 Registered: 6-2002 |
I need to digitize an Entwistle interview, ...what do you set the oven to? ; ) | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4827 Registered: 5-2009 |
Hello friends , in answer to Jazzy and Jacko regarding reel to reel tape transfer and restoration there are many questions and variables in this regard. I have been doing tape transfers in various levels of the process and am a member of both the Ampex List Forum and the Studer List Forum and am extremely fortunate to be able to confer with highly esteemed folks who are also forum members . Richard Hess, Jamie Howarth of " The Plangent Process http://plangentprocesses.wix.com/plangent , Steve Puntolillo of the Sonicraft A2DX Labs are Ampex list members as well and are operating large facilities engaging in this process. Jay McKnight of MRL can supply you with a proper CALIBRATION TAPE http://www.mrltapes.com/ YOUR TRANSFER MACHINE MUST BE DEMAGNETIZED AND IN PROPER ALIGNMENT ! There are various ways to go about this and various levels of expense to be considered . 1) A good prime directive regarding in handling of the tape is " DO NO HARM " 2) Know exactly what the tape base is ACETATE , POLYESTER or MYLAR. 3)What is the manufacturer of the tape and the designation number Such as AMPEX 456 or 3M 111 or AGFA PEM 468 .... ... etc ... . 4) Know what the tape width is 1/4 "or 1/2" or ? Speed ;30ips/15ips/7.5ips , etc ... ... ... 5) What is the track configuration ? FULL TRACK , 1/2 track( 2 track) stereo, 1/2 track mono. 4 track stereo , 4 track multi track in one direction , etc, etc 6) If the tape is MYLAR and sometimes polyester but NOT acetate tape base such as 3M 111 . it is likely that baking will be needed to avert the ill effects of what is know as "STICKY SHED SYNDROME"; http://richardhess.com/notes/formats/magnetic-media/magnetic-tapes/analog-audio/degrading-tapes/ http://www.sonicraft.com/Tape_Baking.html https://www.loc.gov/preservation/scientists/projects/sticky_shed.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky-shed_syndrome http://www.josephson.com/bake_tape.html http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html Get a decent high end analog to digital interface with great converters and put the digital transfers a a storage hard drive and NOT your OS system drive. If you cannot afford the top method such as Plangent process there is software such Sonic Solutions " NO NOISE". WAVES restoration bundle and various programs from ISOTOPE that are less expensive to do. There is much territory to cover on this topic and I have just scratched the top, I can go on and on about this but need to eat breakfast now , I will continue later Wolf | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4828 Registered: 5-2009 |
Elwoodblue , do not use your food oven in your kitchen for this !!!!. Many folks who are doing this at home are using food dehydarors used just for tape baking such as this ; http://www.nesco.com/products/Dehydrators/Dehydrators/ Read my links and it will help guide you as far as temperature . 120 -130 F , is what I use . I am backed up on projects on this and need to get my act in faster gear as well Wolf | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1852 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks for the morning primer,I'll go through some links tonight. I'll stick to sourdough bread in the kitchen then (I did bake a strat neck in there once). | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 4829 Registered: 5-2009 |
I love Sour Dough , with cream cheese , avocado and turkey with some hot peppers on the side . Yummy ! That was breakfast. Back to work now ... ... ... Wolf | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 1607 Registered: 6-2006 |
I have one of those Nesco Dehydrators and I have 1/4" reel to reel tapes! I no longer have a reel to reel machine and not sure what is on all of the tapes. One of the tapes does have Smash Your Head Against the Wall; Whistle Rhymes; Rigor Mortis Sets In; Mad Dog and Too Late The Hero on it. :-D |
