What Quantegy For Me?
What Quantegy For Me?
I need some 1/4" X 7", 456 biased tape. Are the differences between Quantegy Grandmaster 456 and 457 just the tape lenths? There is also a version that is supposed to be either thinner (or thicker?) then 456. What are the benefits/downsides to using either thickness? What are the benefits/downsides to using 1800 ft over going with 1200 ft? The price difference is only $1, but if the 1800 is much more stressful on the machine or semething, then it's not worth it.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Derrick
We have a pool... and a pond. Pond's good for you though.
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Re: What Quantegy For Me?
The 457 is thinner 456. That is why a 7" spool goes up to 1800' instead of 1200'.Derrick wrote:I need some 1/4" X 7", 456 biased tape. Are the differences between Quantegy Grandmaster 456 and 457 just the tape lenths? There is also a version that is supposed to be either thinner (or thicker?) then 456. What are the benefits/downsides to using either thickness? What are the benefits/downsides to using 1800 ft over going with 1200 ft? The price difference is only $1, but if the 1800 is much more stressful on the machine or semething, then it's not worth it.
Thanks!
Disadvantages include the fact that it will be slightly more fragile since it is thinner and that it is more susceptible to print-through. I believe it is only available on 7" spools.
Advantages include the increased length, less stress on the mechanism, and supposedly better head contact since it is more flexible than 456.
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I'd guess it was either the worry of extra print-through, or the fact that it only comes on 7" cine reels. At 15ips, you get only 24 minutes of recording time (absolute maximum). With a 10.5" spool of 1.5mil tape, you'll have about 33.BEARD_OF_BEES wrote:most studios use 456 and gp9 i think..seems like no one uses 457..what could that reason be?
As for the wear, I'll come clean and admit that it's something I've heard of rather than experienced.
457 seems mostly to be popular with 7" machines, such as the Fostex R8, the Tascam 388, and their 2-track counterparts, the Model 20 and the 22-2.
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I've never used GP9, so someone else will have to help out.Derrick wrote:What's the main difference between 456/457 and GP9? Isn't GP9 just accepting of a hotter signal or something?
Thanks again!
As I understand it, it does indeed accept a hotter signal, but there is something else as well. I have heard that it may also require a different tension setting for some reason, and I think the formulation is more abrasive on the heads.
This may help, but probably not:
http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=156952
..sadly, as the thread approached the core of the issue it disintegrated into a slanging match, leaving me none the wiser.
In any case, for what I'm doing, 456 is perfectly adequate. Also, I'm not entirely sure that most 1/4" multitrackers (which I assume is what you've got.. 457 is only 1/4" IIRC) can actually be adjusted for GP9.. it might well be out of range of the electronics. Depends on the type of machine, though.
Thanks JP! Nach... that is a great listing and helps a lot. Do any of you guys know if using +3 tape loke 406 on a machine calebrated for +6 would yield cool tape saturation eazyer or are there other characteristics that would make this a bad idea? What I mean is, it seems that using +3 ona machine set up for +6 would have the ability to get some crazy stuff going on. Am I way off?
Derrick
We have a pool... and a pond. Pond's good for you though.
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