OTARI MX5050 BQIII (taking my first step into analog world

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:24 pm

I inherited an Otari MX5050 BQIII and I cannot find any info on it. Does anyone on here know anything about it?

I do know that it records at 7.5 ips and 15ips. I am guessing it takes 1/4 reels but it might take 1/2 I am not sure. It is a 4 track but I am wanting to just use it like you would a two track for premaster tracks. Would that be a problem even though it's a 4-track?

It has 4 XLR ins and outs on the back. Seems like it is in great condition.

Anyone know anything about it?

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:37 pm

Anyone?

wedge · Post by **wedge** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:06 pm

I have the 8 track version, and if the transports the same size, it's 1/2 inch, but take that with an unverified grain of salt...

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:50 pm

Whats the model number?

I think that the BQIII might be the 4 track version of this http://www.otari.com/support/pdf/litsheets/22091.pdf
They look very similar.

wedge · Post by **wedge** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:22 pm

Mine looks like this:

wedge · Post by **wedge** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:24 pm

I just did a google for an Otari BQIII, and got bupkiss... Are you sure you got the model number right?!?

getreel · Post by **getreel** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:25 am

It's BIII. There's no Q. There are supposed to be pretty good sounding machines but they are not an old Ampex or Studer. I had one and sold it because I never used it. I would have had to buy another alignment tape and spend more time than I wanted to. I preferred to put my energy into my 2" 24 track. Just the usual caveats and tape machine maintainence with these probably apply. I was looking at having the heads reconditioned and John French from JRF told me the relays in these sometimes fail, but they are solid and sound pretty good overall. That's a decent endorsement in my book.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:17 pm

I am pretty sure that says BQIII.

Lavahead · Post by **Lavahead** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:54 pm

Looks like a nice machine, at least the exterior. You should start using it.

As far as mastering to it, you'd ideally want a 2 track machine. I believe that is currently the ONLY model Otari is still producing, a BQIII 2 track. I could easily be wrong though.

I would get the machine checked out by a tech, no matter what it looks like on the outside. Sometimes even if it was sitting unused for a while that can be bad..you just never know whats going on inside. It's worth at least $50 - $100 to get it looked through & calibrated properly. And you can ask lots of questions while you're there on how to properly maintain it.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:19 pm

I plan on getting it checked out. Maybe the tech could answer some of my questions...

That is unless one of you smart people on the Tape Op forum knows anything about mysterious machine.

getreel · Post by **getreel** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:00 am

Mine was a BIII and was not 4 track but 2. Sorry. Have no idea what the Q means there.

Feedback · Post by **Feedback** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:11 am

Q=quad maybe???

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:39 pm

Yeah that is probably what it means.

More mysteries revealed I found some calibration notes for the BQIII

http://www.virb.com/intaglioblue/blog/205485

Feedback · Post by **Feedback** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:15 pm

I was lucky enough to get the manual to mine when I "received" it. I have the MX5050BII 2, according to the label. Mine needs a serious mechanical calibration, which the manual tells about in pretty good detail. Right now I would be scare to put a test tape on it for fear of it being destroyed as the back tensions are seriously out of whack.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:50 pm

I found a manual online!!!

http://www.alta-publishing.com/forum...MX5050BIII.pdf

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OTARI MX5050 BQIII (taking my first step into analog world

OTARI MX5050 BQIII (taking my first step into analog world

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