Otari 8 track question

[Noah]

Okay, so I've come across an Otari MX 5050 8 track that I can get for 400 bucks.

It is on e-bay, which scares me a bit, but the guy has good feedback so that makes me less nervous.

This will be my first reel-to-reel (what a time for that, right?) and I just wanted to know what kind of tape these machines are typically aligned for. Does it vary from unit to unit? The guy says hes not an expert on these machines and he doesn't know (that also makes me a bit nervous).

It seems like a good deal for 400 but I need to put a lot of thought into this. Also with the recent "no more tape for now!" debacle maybe i should wait and try to find one in my area (i do live near NYC) so that way i can check the heads out and stuff.

-noah

EDIT: this is the description. lemme know if anything sounds off.

"It is in good condition, with a minimum of nicks and scratches on the case. There are signs of wear on the face of the unit, especially on the top of the head cover which has a splicing jig. The deck works very well, I have checked record and payback, fast forward and rewind as well as sound on sound multi-track recording. The heads appear to be in good shape, the pinch roller has recently been rebuilt. Output sounds good with a minimum of noise."

[schnozzle]

Wait to see what happens with tape manufacturing. If it continues in some form, by all means buy a tape deck and support whoever's making tape. If it doesn't, or becomes absurdly expensive, you're just wasting money.

Don't buy a deck over Ebay, buy locally, especially if you live near NYC. Buying any large piece of electronics online/through the mail is a huge gamble.

[Noah]

yeah i know, but i was thinking i could get a deck now while everybodys panicking and selling their machines.

honestly, i doubt that r2r tape is just going to die like this. but what do i know?

i mean, is neil young just gonan take this lying down? i think not.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

i mean, is neil young just gonan take this lying down? i think not.

i think neil's been recording to digital for a long time now. sorry.

400 is an awesome price for a 5050, but i too am wary about buying one over ebay....

[JASIII]

Shipping a 5050 is indeed a hassle, but don't let all the doom and gloomers scare you away with all of the "tape is gone" talk. The machine is going to need to go to a tech when you get it, just accept that fact right away. Good luck

[lighght]

i just purchased the same model deck from kerry (prince turbo lung) here on the tape op board. it is a scary time to invest a large sum of money in analog gear, but this is a format that I have always hoped to work in - so I am not letting the current manufacturing problems deter me. Even if quantegy never reopens, and no one picks up their business (not likely), there is still going to be lots of used 1/2" tape floating around on the face of this planet. It will make the operation of a 1/2"analog studio more of a boutique endeavor, but I seriously doubt it will kill the medium for good. If you are only operating a small project studio, and will not be finacially dependant on the 8 track for profit, I believe it is still worth the investment.

As for purchasing over e-bay from someone who says they are not an expert in the operation of the machine - be careful. If they claim they don't know the in's and out's of what they are selling you, you can't expect to get a straight answer about the shape that it's in. Also, head wear is a big concern. It is $360 to get all the heads relapped from JRF, and a good $260 for just two of them. I purchased my deck knowing that this was going to need to happen sometime in the near future.

I think shipping ended up being about $120 packaging and everything from GA to VT - coming in tomorrow three days after kerry put it in the mail, fedex ground.

- mike

[corinpills]

Trust me on this, $400 for machine that doesn't work is not a bargain. I bought a $500 one from someone on the Tapeop board that I ended up donating for parts as part of a deal to get a working one. Between the one taht didn't work and the one that does, I spent about $1600 on an Otari 8 track! I've chalked it up to experience. I love my machine, but I should have bought it from a reputable source in the first place.

[Noah]

i mean, is neil young just gonan take this lying down? i think not.

i think neil's been recording to digital for a long time now. sorry.

400 is an awesome price for a 5050, but i too am wary about buying one over ebay....

yeah the price seems a bit too good to be true.

man, neil young went digital? thats surprising. i remember when he wouldnt even let his albums be re-mastered digitally.

i've read great things about these otaris but now im thinking maybe i should start of with a lesser-quality machine to start me off with reel to reels. like a fostex r8. im just worried about that thing not sounding any better than my 4 track.

but yeah, i think im gonna try to find a local reel to reel. thanks for the feedback guys.

[prince turbo lung]

i recently sold mine (as stated above). they are a labor of love.. i bought mine from a coke snorting heavy metal guy about 4 years ago for $1000. it worked luckily... but within 4 years i had to invest quite a bit....

mrl tape...$100
demagnetizer...$40
snakes (otaris are pin 3 hot and need to be customized)...$150
pinch roller...$90
brake problem....$100
some other electrical problem fixed by tech....$150
head cleaner, small screwdrivers, q tips, extra flanges......$100
tape...$50 a reel

recording analog........priceless

anyway what i am saying is be prepared to work on your machine, and be prepared to shell out cash to the tech when you can't figure it out.

kerry

[Paul Fury 161]

A Fostec R8 isn't in the same league as a mx5050 but it'll sound better than
yr 4 track no problem, I have a model 80 (precursor to r8) and for what it is, it rocks. Cheap, lightweight, lo hassle, fun, very portable.

Al on this board likes them also.

I'd love a 5050 myself, but we'll see about this whole tape thing first ;-p

Take iteasy,

Paul Fury 161

[cassettefetish]

I love my R8 and it sounds LEAGUES above a 4 track. (But I still love the 4 track.)

--Nick

[nipsy]

Trust me on this, $400 for machine that doesn't work is not a bargain. I bought a $500 one from someone on the Tapeop board that I ended up donating for parts as part of a deal to get a working one. Between the one taht didn't work and the one that does, I spent about $1600 on an Otari 8 track! I've chalked it up to experience. I love my machine, but I should have bought it from a reputable source in the first place.

from vince perhaps...cuckoo......

[spectralgrey]

Just think: You'll be able to charge more for analog recording because not only will it be "warm", "punchy", and "vintage"...it will be rare.

[Noah]

Just think: You'll be able to charge more for analog recording because not only will it be "warm", "punchy", and "vintage"...it will be rare.

yeah, well im pretty much buying a reel to reel to record my own music.

but ive got a lot of friends in bands and some record in their home studios digitally, so it will be cool to invite them over to do some live recording sessions. i figure i'll just make them pay for the tape, as im really just trying to sharpen my skills (not make money...yet).

[nipsy]

... i figure i'll just make them pay for the tape, as im really just trying to sharpen my skills (not make money...yet).

tape?...whose got tape?


love,

chicken little