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I have a DA-78HR digital tape machine. The last time I tried to use it, it showed its gratitude by cheerfully eating my tape. I was able to open it up and unwind the tape from the transport. Now I'm at a point where I want to give the machine another chance, but I don't have any blank tapes. I was t...

I have a chance to buy an Altec Lansing 1700B preamp/mixer thing. It's got three XLR ins, one XLR out and a built-in compressor. It's probably solid state and I'm guessing it's from the late seventies or early eighties. If I buy it, it would be for its preamps and compressor as a front end for recor...

Earlier this year, I found a Maestro electric piano at a thrift store for $12. I once got a Shin-ei Univibe (yes, the original one!) for $70. What else... an Audio Technica AT4047/SV for $100, a Kay hollowbody bass guitar from the sixties for $70, and a silverface Fender Champ for $100. As for the s...

I've got an ART TPS II dual tube preamp. This thing is extraordinarily unimpressive. It's great at clipping audio, but not imparting any subtle or even obvious tube coloration. It seems like it either does nothing at all or goes straight into clipping- there's no in between. Has anyone else tried ch...

When I first started this thread, I was thinking of recording or live sound situations, not playing in bands. But what the hell- there are probably a lot more good, bizarre stories from playing than just recording! So, in that spirit, I'm gonna have to share a few playing experiences of my own. Let'...

Hi tape heads. What was your most unusual recording and/or live sound gig? Everybody's got a strange one- I'd love to hear some of yours, just for grits and shins. To get the ball rolling, I'll go first. My most unusual gig (so far) involved me running sound for, and recording, a 17 year old girl's ...

Locosoundman- you nailed it! It was in a park. I say was because I just got done unloading all my stuff. Every time I lug my speakers, my arms grow another inch! Anyway, it went better than I thought it would. Turns out the harp player DID have a pickup after all, and I DID bring a direct box after ...

I forgot to mention- this gig is outdoors , in a park, so I don't have to worry about room noise- I have to worry about kids yelling, dogs barking, AND the firestation around the corner. Who says running live sound isn't fun?!? To be honest, I'm not worried so much about capturing the intricacies of...

Hi tapeheads. On Thursday, I'm going to be running sound at an event. Specifically, I'll be miking a choir, a pipe and drum corps and an orchestral harp- no, not all at the same time, though that could be interesting! :wink: I'm not worried about the choir or the bagpipes, but I've never miked a har...

Tonight at a thrift store, I stumbled across not one but two Uher Universal 5000 reel to reel decks. These are very old decks that take 5" reels, and they use DIN jacks for audio connections. I have some questions about them. First, has anyone ever seen and/or used one? How was it for music? Second,...

Good news- I got schematics for the preamps last week, thanks to Vern Sauer at TSI in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He's a former Ampex service guy and an excellent resource for Ampex schematics. I also got schematics for the power trays- they're called the #6449 preamplifier tray, to be exact. All t...

Hi Feedback. It's okay...I don't expect step by step instructions on how to use these as mic pres (although that would be nice!)...I'm just hoping someone can tell me whether or not they might work that way, or as direct boxes! With those big old transformers, I would think they might have some vint...

Toolshed of Death- actually, I do have four Ampex power amps, which were used in a P.A. system with these preamps. I've been able to get the power amps to work, but I really don't know where to start with the preamps. Looking back, I wonder why they had five preamps and only four power amps...hmm......

I've got a chance to pick up a pair of Bogen MCC-810 condenser microphones for $60. I'd mostly use them for drum overheads and/or acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, I don't know jack about them and I probably won't have much of an opportunity to try them out. Have you or anyone you know used them, and ...

So nobody has tried these yet? Anyone...? Bueller...Bueller...?