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kslight wrote: but it never occurred that I should taste them myself!

LOL, when I say sonic "flavour" it doesn't mean you have to eat your tape

Interesting. You're re-biasing for the different formulations right? At one point, I spent a day doing as close to an a/b test as I could, between SM911 and ATR tape. That is, re-biasing for each tape, using the same source material and making sure every other part of the calibration was equal/flat...

I consider recording to (real-) tape as somewhat not just a more forgiving medium but also a psychoacoustic treatment, not only mostly a very pleasant but a highly beneficial one too, at least to my ears. I run a 1/4" Otari MTR-12 machine that I both track (using Time-Code) with DAW and final mix-pr...

Depends what you're after. "Clarity" or "sterility" of digital can be nice for some, but many others, me included, hate it. Being all digital guy most of the time I speciefically bough my Otari to introduce that "tape magic" into my mixes and tracking. It definitely doesn't make it clearer. Yet it m...

I have both 414 and 424 mk III and an Otari pro R2R. No comparison! I use 424 and 414 only for intentional compressed noisy "lo-fi" effect seldomly when I need to. Can be kind'a "cool" sounding, but no way you can make "serious" recordings on them unless it's that intentional "lo-fi" sound you look ...

I've used a lubricating contact cleaner on most of my faders and pots with good results.

Due Ci Electronic R-10 is the one I use, not sure you have this over in a'Merica?

Back to thread, two causes now excluded from the possible candidates that I though my cause it in the beginning of this thread: 1) Heads just relapped by JRF Magnetic Sciences (John French) last week, with excellent results (well over 80% left by his measurements before relapping) and optically alig...

tonejunkee wrote:Gotta love tape

Love it to bits! I've tried most and no digital cheat or emulation comes even remotely close to it, there is some true "magic" in real running high-end tape deck sonics for the lack of a better word.

Never heard a good sounding Finalizer or Quantum. If you look for warm and rich sonics without clear digital sterility I'd avoid those like plaque. At this price range Focusrite Platinum Mixmaster is your answer. Top notch optical compression unit, really among the best if not the best MBC for the p...

Sorry, I'm in Europe. Did you also try both bias I and bias II position adjustments on Audio Control board to confirm both don't work? If yes then, some possible causes: Have you opened any of the rear doors recently? I've had it twice giving me a huge scare, it was one of the cable connectors (to X...

I overhauled most of my MTR-12 recently. What're the problems you have?

I have different MRLs for different speeds - MRL for all 7.5/15/30 IPS speeds. The same phenomena is when I record my own test signals as well, on all tapes (Ampex 478, SM900/911, PER528, ATR Master), some little stronger than others, but not so much difference between different emulsions. It seems ...

Cheers Roy, It's EXACLY the same problem I have. Don't hear anything like this in music, just just those damn test signals. Does yours also do more on higher speeds? Mine's most noticable at 30 IPS while almost nothing at 7.5 IPS. Some say it can be a permanent magnetization of certain parts on tape...

Thanks for the input guys! MRL Tapes supposed to be fresh, bought directly from manufacturer not dealer. It does the same when recording my own test signals. It's very little audible at 7.5IPS, more on 15IPS and most audible at 30IPS speeds. Particulary audible on the bass signals such as 100Hz. Her...

. Then whats the point of all this de-emphasis thing if it doesnt give flat response in the end? Number or spec-wise, analog is never as "perfect" as digital. The point of de-emphasis probably being to give the flattest curve possible considering the complexities involved in analog electronic circu...