Quantegy closes its doors

[tvanveen]

Was Quantegy the last company to make tape?

[prince turbo lung]

whoaaa. are they really the last ones making tape???? who makes the tape for all the nagra recorders used in film? who makes the tape for the blank cassettes i buy at walgreens? i am worried yes i still have a tape machine and was looking into getting a 1/4" mixdown deck. there is still a decent demand for tape (i think?) somebody will pick up the slack.

[goldsoundz]

is this the end?

if so... fuck i'll never be able to record decent sounding music again. i wonder what albini will do

[wayne kerr]

Wrote this on another thread FUCKING YESTERDAY:

If this were just a matter of free choice, like airbrushes vs. oil paints or spot lighting vs. floods, the arguement would be pointless. But, there are economic forces at work. The analog format is in danger of disappearing completely. People need to hear analog and start buying tape again before it's too late.

Damm...

It already IS too late. The folks who make ProTools have effectively convinced the guys who write the checks that hard drives are good for their bottom line. The guys who write the checks don't give a squirt of cold piss about the sound of a record. In fact, we are clearly in the minority - especially if we actually believe that anyone cares what we think. Analog is dead. Lomg live analog. I think I'm gonna cry now. A lot.

SMH

[wayne kerr]

Was Quantegy the last company to make tape?

Since Emtec bankrupted its tape division about a year ago, yes. There is an effort afoot to resurrect the Emtec factory, but unfortunately I think the writing is pretty much on the wall at this point.

SMH

[goldsoundz]

well quantegy picked up after ampex. im sure SOMEONE will do something. there are millions of people still using analog

[curtiswyant]

Hopefully, tape will become like guitar amp tubes...I mean, vacuum tube technology is ancient (just like magnetic tape) compared to "state of the art" solid-state tech but most enthusiasts prefer the sound of analog/tubes. There obviously is a market for tape and people have been willing to pay a higher premium for it, maybe it will just go a little higher. The reaction to this thread alone and the fact that most artists are STILL tracking to 2" tape should put your mind at ease

[wayne kerr]

They're prob'ly drinking champagne and dancing a Mezinka up in Daly City right now.

SMH

[goldsoundz]

1/2" tape is 10 dollars more than last week at usrecordingmedia

[curtiswyant]

...or maybe I'll be able to pick up a nice 2" 24 track out of a dumpster

[wayne kerr]

Hopefully, tape will become like guitar amp tubes...I mean, vacuum tube technology is ancient (just like magnetic tape) compared to "state of the art" solid-state tech but most enthusiasts prefer the sound of analog/tubes. There obviously is a market for tape and people have been willing to pay a higher premium for it, maybe it will just go a little higher. The reaction to this thread alone and the fact that most artists are STILL tracking to 2" tape should put your mind at ease

Yeah, except for some reason, the same guys who worship tubes don't give a crap about tape (by and large). I think it's because with tape you STILL have to be able to play your instrument. The "don't suck" plugin is VERY attractive to an artist on a budget and under a deadline.

Besides, isn't there a plugin that makes ProTools sound "just like tape?" I'm putting the shotgun in my mouth now...

SMH

[wayne kerr]

...or maybe I'll be able to pick up a nice 2" 24 track out of a dumpster

Yeah, I now own an 800-lb. paperweight.

*closes mouth around shotgun barrel*

SMH

[Dave Nutz]

i think we should do a few rounds of e-shots.

[goldsoundz]

1/2" tape has actually gone up TWENTY dollars

I bet steve albini will be found hanging in a closet later this week.

[joel hamilton]

God Damn. That is fucking seriously sad news. I hope the guys can get it together on the tape front, SissyH. I hear ya on the grim outlook, but I am keeping the faith. Maybe people will wake the fuck up and support someone who bothers to make some tape now, if only 1/4" and 1/2" to start... Gotta start somewhere.

Ouch. Thank god I love the line drivers in the studer...... People are gonna start buying tape machines just to run protools through them on input, like I do now....

Yee haw.