Track Count of TEAC 1230

[palinilap]

I'm going to look at one of these this weekend. It's apparently a 2 channel 4-track machine, but looking at a photo (L/R RCA line ins are on the back), I can't envision how I would use it as a 4-track. Seems like a 2-track machine to me.

Any ideas?

[Byll]

The A-1230 is a consumer quality 2 channel quarter track machine. Channels 1 and 3 play a stereophonic program on the first pass of the tape, from supply reel to take-up reel. Turn the tape over and play it back from the take-up reel onto the supply reel, and tracks 4 and 2 play. You will not get four synchronous tracks out of this unit.

This genre of Teac machines were incredibly solidly built.

Best to you.
Byll

[rhythm ranch]

2-channel/4-track refers to the fact that it records and plays back two channels in one direction, and two channels in the reverse direction. The tape can have four tracks, but will only record or play two at a time.

Ooops! Posted while Byll was posting...

[palinilap]

Aha....So if the machine is in alignment, and the crosstalk isn't terrible, I could flip the tape over and use the other two tracks?

[rhythm ranch]

Aha....So if the machine is in alignment, and the crosstalk isn't terrible, I could flip the tape over and use the other two tracks?

Correct.

[drumsound]

it's what would be referred to as a quarter track machine, using a quarter of the tape for Left, and right, in each direction, much like a cassette.

[donny]

The best use I've found for these kind of decks in a recording setup is for tape echo.

... outside of the studio, they are quite useful for recording demos, rehearsals, etc ... or buying lots of old tapes people recorded in the '60s-'70s at thrift store, eBay, etc. or making really long mix tapes from your vinyl (the original iPod)

you could mix to it but it won't likely improve upon what you're currently using.

you can't do multi-track recording with it (no sync)

that said, if you had two of 'em you could make some cool '70s outsider basement recordings bouncing from one machine to another.

there's a really good sounding '60s pysch record where these kids recorded the whole thing in a similar manner. made me really think about what you can do with the right attitude. These 3 guys would play 3 instruments together, record them on one track (through a shure mic mixer w/ built in reverb), then bounce that track to another while playing 3 more instruments live, then repeat one more time for the final 'mix'.

[palinilap]

I'll be using it for multitracking/overdubs:



mic > mixer > sending 2 identical signals
> DAW (This is the track I'll monitor)
>Tape deck record head > playback head > DAW



After the fact I'll nudge the tape track back. I'll be getting the deck biased by a friend to better accommodate current tape.