Mastering to 1/4" tape

[generator]

thanks a lot! That's all I needed to know!!

[hrn]

Don't forget about the Telefunken machines. I have the following machines:

Studer B67: The one to get the heavy rock sound.

Telefunken M5C: More detailed than the Studer. For lighter music. Odd with its twisted tape transport. But it's for the crosstalk problem.

Telefunken M12: Very balanced sound but they spared some quality on the transport and brakes. It was made to take some market points from the Revox machines.

Revox A700: As close to a Studer a Revox can be. Has a lot of nice features and a nice tape transport. Only RCA connectors though. But that does not matter. A Great machine.

Revox PR99: A modified B77, nothing special. But, all Revox gear are high quality. You can get a machine for almost nothing today, and the quality is high enough to last all your life, and spare parts are available,

Revox 36: An old tube machine in a two-track high speed version able to do 38 cm/sek. It looks like a small home recorder but it sounds exactly what you can expect from tubes...A lot of nice shiny colors. Cymbals sounds like bronze with a gold color..not like silver, bronze gold. Very nice for human ears.

Otari 5050: Nothing special about it. Cheap tape transport.

They are all 1/4 inch and they are great.

Telefunken M15 is something to have a look at.

Also, you can find Nagra's for cheap now on Ebay. That's very serious.

Hans

[mattstollar]

Hi there Matthew

I'm just getting to the point where I'm mixing down an album and am interested in trying mixing down to tape.

I've only got a budget of £300.00

For that I can get a good 1/4 " mastering tape machine.

I'm trying to get as close as I can to Beatles,Stones,Doors,Hendrix,Zep...not just close but a replication.

Do you think a reasonable 1/4 inch tape machine could help give me that oldskool sound?

It's definately 60's and 70's I'm after. Or do you think I should try and get a 1/2 or 1 inch if I can?

I have the option of a Tascam 22 4 *I think I can double the signal to make stereo left go to 1 and 2 and right to 3 and 4

And A Preco mastering deck that the BBC used to used. More expensive and specialized pro looking.


If I was to get a 1/2 or 1 inch what models can you get for thre or four hundred quid?

Matt

[djwaudio]

The sound of Classic Rock is 1/4" 15 ips. If the noise gets you down, try Dolby SR. Try it and let us know if you found something you like! As Matt suggested, sometimes laying back to tape in mastering really helps.

[Safe Kraker]

I love the sound of printing mixes on my 1970 1/4" 15 ips Studer A 80 R, bypassing the VU meters, using the direct outputs module. It's the sound recordings were meant to have. But the best way to achieve analog tape satisfaction is not to lay back after the fact. That's a shot in the dark. You should mix into the repro playback, while the machine is in record mode. Otherwise, you're driving somewhat to largely blind. 1/4" tape is able to have tighter azimuth on the same quality head assembly than can a larger tape width format. Sorry, it's physics. SNR has already been generously supplied with 15 ips 1/4" - even if you use lousy old NAB (on modern formula tape - which is not efficient). You need the head bump pillow to cushion the ice pix, mon.... Respect.

Safe Kraker

[Ryan Ferris]

I may not be doing the greatest stuff in my little home set up, but the addition of a 1/4" for mixing down to added a whole new sonic option for me. Recording at high sample rates and then summing in analog to tape adds a lot of options and character. Plus when I dump back down, I don't have to fool around with dithering. It is a very nice aspect of the hybrid format for me.

[Alan Moon]

Originally Posted by Safe Kraker

I love the sound of printing mixes on my 1970 1/4" 15 ips Studer A 80 R, bypassing the VU meters, using the direct outputs module. It's the sound recordings were meant to have. But the best way to achieve analog tape satisfaction is not to lay back after the fact. That's a shot in the dark. You should mix into the repro playback, while the machine is in record mode. Otherwise, you're driving somewhat to largely blind. 1/4" tape is able to have tighter azimuth on the same quality head assembly than can a larger tape width format. Sorry, it's physics. SNR has already been generously supplied with 15 ips 1/4" - even if you use lousy old NAB (on modern formula tape - which is not efficient). You need the head bump pillow to cushion the ice pix, mon.... Respect.

Safe Kraker

Truth to that. It's funny how some folks sort of cock their heads to one side with a puzzled look on their face when I explain the different monitoring paths and that they should aim to monitor THROUGH their recorder and the medium - no matter what that may be.

However, despite physics regarding azimuth of which I agree (I could always align an A810 1/4 inch tighter than I could an A80 1/2 inch - however, not by much), there are other benefits to mixing to 1/2 inch. Still, each medium combined with whichever brand of machine, formula of tape, and continental broadcast standard used is going to be an effect in and of itself. Some of my favorite engineers mix to 1/4 inch; others to 1/2 inch. I've found that all of this works out to be a matter of balance. Ultimately the proof is in the pudding for whoever's ears are making the decision of what sounds best.

My experience is that most professional mix engineers are not fanatical about the analog mix deck - so long as it's a Studer A80, Ampex ATR 102, or similar... AND it's well maintained. In a world that does not value the wealth of experience an on-staff tech brings to a studio and the projects that record in such studios (nothing short of a studio with an on-staff tech or two can be considered "world class" in my opinion), there is no way to talk yourself past audible warble... or some other lack-of-proper-maintenance related anomaly.