View Full Version : Stunned
The Black Adder
20-04-2019, 14:48
Just listening to some jazz I recorded on my A80/R..
Simply wonderful. The sound from this machine is utterly mind blowing.
Just thought I'd say... Lol
J
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190420/dd651cf89e766fe6fb98a259225d7f33.jpg
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Gorgeous bit of kit
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Well!
That's another one on the ignore list :ner: [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
topoxforddoc
20-04-2019, 16:24
Josie,
Glad to hear that the A80 is working well. How did you record the jazz? ORIF crossed pair, or did you mix it down straight into the Studer?
Also, did you find a source for new bear8ings?
Charlie
Ali Tait
20-04-2019, 17:00
Lovely machine Jo, R to R at it’s best beats any other source out there IMO.
The Black Adder
20-04-2019, 17:22
Thanks, chaps... Great to know you all appreciate such stuff.
But, please don't put me on your ignore list... Lol - made me laugh.
Hi Charlie.
I recorded this tape directly from digital radio through the Allo katana. The studer puts back its realism somehow. The bass is perfectly presented, a nice smooth 'flooom' kinda thang goin' down.
Beautiful.
I also have a copy of a master tape from someone I know. He won't let the original go and even though I have no idea who it is the sound is simply remarkable.
When I used to work in a studio in Sheffield in the 90s there were people throwing dupe tapes around like sweets. Jazz, rock, funk, indie.. You name it. Most were tape to simply listen to, to hear other studio quality for reference.
The dupe tape is one from the studio where it was recorded. He copied it on an A820 and an A80VU.
Had it a while but only just been playing them.
Bearings... No. I haven't found a good source as yet.
Still looking. They are not really noisy but it was just one of those things to do.
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crimsondonkey
20-04-2019, 17:24
Lovely deck.
I've got a Technics RS1506, and whilst not in the A80's league, I can endorse the joyful sound you can get recording your own tapes.
Audio Al
20-04-2019, 18:59
Hi end tape machines are realy something special yet most people would laugh at the thought , UNTIL they hear one :eek:
Pleased for you Josie :) :reel:±±:reel:
Amazing machine - but when you say you ‘recorded’, do you mean live or just a copy from another recording?
paulf-2007
20-04-2019, 20:18
Amazing machine - but when you say you ‘recorded’, do you mean live or just a copy from another recording?
From digital radio mark
337alant
21-04-2019, 06:20
Beautiful machine Josie glad its all working fine now bet it sounds fantastic :stalks: :eyebrows:
I am very envious :D
Alan
Primalsea
21-04-2019, 08:29
I’ve never heard a r2r tape but I’ve seen that quite a few enthusiasts swear by them. I know what you mean by putting the realism back into the recording to some degree. I’ve always thought that analogue radio in the car always sounded more satisfying than listening to CD. it didn’t sound clear and “perfect” but it did sound right.
I only ever heard a RTR once at NEBO a couple of years back. It’s was Steve’s (progmeister) Tascam playing a tape he had made himself from vinyl I believe. After all the swapping had been done it stayed on the rest of the night. I don’t think it made any claim to fame as a top machine or anything but it sounded fab, not in any hifi sense but was just so “real” in its delivery. To me it seemed to replicate the way sound is delivered to our ears in real life, not sounding like like something played on electronics. It just seemed to keep on coming, in a continuous, purposeful, steady, constant flow. Excuse the waffle but it’s hard to articulate.
There one for sale here in Dublin. Don’t know how this would compare to yours Josie.
https://www.adverts.ie/home-audio/studer-a807-reel-to-reel/12942774
walpurgis
21-04-2019, 10:20
The sound from reel to reel is only as good as what's recorded, it can't improve it. If an LP is recorded, then the sound you get is no better (and probably worse) than the LP!
Well, quite. It is a lovely bit of kit but seems a bit OTT to record some digital radio.
Ali Tait
21-04-2019, 11:47
I’ve used my machines to record gigs from Sky Arts HD, amongst which are some fantastic sounding acoustic sets from various artists. No other way to keep these recordings as they were never released on any other media after being broadcast.
The best of these beat any other source I’ve had at home including the best of my vinyl.
That’s the point I was *trying* to make Geoff, obviously if it’s a copy you’ll lose some detail (so in hifi terms should be inferior) but it’s the nature of the delivery that’s so beguiling.
walpurgis
21-04-2019, 12:44
Possibly noise/distortion artifacts colouring the sound.
I thought it might be more to do with the mechanics of the drive system.
The Black Adder
21-04-2019, 12:47
Haha... Well, it's my OTT extravagance and it's good fun.
I'm also going to record some stuff through my desk soon too.
Its the way it sounds. If the source is good then the playback simply more lush.
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337alant
21-04-2019, 14:06
I find the best recordings come from plugging the source in directly to the R2R
Missing out numerous mechanical connections and unnecessary circuitry
As long as the source has a high enough line level a DAC or CD is ideal a phono stage or Tuner a bit lower but I can usually gaet a high enough level using the pots rather that the As CAL level +4dB
I did also calibrate one of my BR20s specifically for my Phono stage
Alan
Audio Al
21-04-2019, 15:34
I find the best recordings come from plugging the source in directly to the R2R
Missing out numerous mechanical connections and unnecessary circuitry
As long as the source has a high enough line level a DAC or CD is ideal a phono stage or Tuner a bit lower but I can usually gaet a high enough level using the pots rather that the As CAL level +4dB
I did also calibrate one of my BR20s specifically for my Phono stage
Alan
I was told by Stewart ( Lodgesound ) that you need a Alice Matchpack PRO Interface , I have one :) but no top end R2R :(
The Black Adder
21-04-2019, 15:40
Ah... Stewart, he was a lovely chap.
Yes I use an Alice Matchpak Pro... it's a must IMO.
Audio Al
21-04-2019, 15:50
Ah... Stewart, he was a lovely chap.
Yes I use an Alice Matchpak Pro... it's a must IMO.
+1 , RIP very sad :( he is no longer with us , I spent some quality time with Stewart and Philip , at his lodge and various shows .
The Black Adder
21-04-2019, 15:52
+1
It was strange when I bought the A80... He popped I to my mind.
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topoxforddoc
21-04-2019, 20:29
Stew is always present in my household, as he entrusted me as the guardian of two of his tape machines.He was always very finicky and precise. Everything has to be just right. When I leave his machines after playing them, I have to line up the logos on the reels, so that they look nice and neat. That's how he was.
He taught me everything I know about tape set up. At this very moment, I am duplicating a Dutch CBS studio master dub of George Michael's Faith at 15 IPS onto new SM900 with Dolby SR. It's taken a little while to line up my second Dolby 363 unit (the other one is downstairs), for me to record from a Sony APR 5002 reproducer onto a second APR 5003 recorder.
APR 5002 - Needed to check the replay azimuth on the studio dub, and then it was about setting the repro levels on the reproducer to be flat using the tones on the studio dub.
APR 5003 - Then setting up the record line up on a new batch of tape. Then record new line up tones at the head, Dolby SR noise, and finally the album, one side per pancake.
flapland
21-04-2019, 20:55
Lovely R2R Josie, suspect I am going to end up scratching the itch at some point.
Charlie, I bet the George Michael sounds ace.
337alant
22-04-2019, 07:44
I was told by Stewart ( Lodgesound ) that you need a Alice Matchpack PRO Interface , I have one :) but no top end R2R :(
Sounds like a neat solution to connecting unbalanced equipment at -10dB, I will look into finding one of them cheer Al :eyebrows:
Alan
The Black Adder
22-04-2019, 07:45
I was buying a B62 from Stewart but he unfortunately passed away before I could pay him.
Although he had been ill for some time it came as a real shock to me.
I was looking through his pm's the other day... Really sad.
I'm so glad he passed some of his knowledge on to you and maybe others here.
Sent you a pm, Charlie BTW...
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The Black Adder
22-04-2019, 07:45
Sounds like a neat solution to connecting unbalanced equipment at -10dB, I will look into finding one of them cheer Al :eyebrows:
AlanThey are quite cheap.. Picked mine up for £20 on ebay.
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The Black Adder
22-04-2019, 07:55
Lovely R2R Josie, suspect I am going to end up scratching the itch at some point.
Charlie, I bet the George Michael sounds ace.I've had a few decks in my life.
My first was a PIONEER RT-909 which I converted to a black version.. That was a lovely deck.
I then got an A807 (recommended to me by Stuart lodgesound) which was so much better sounding. It was at that point I thought back to when I worked at a studio and remembered the big studer they had...
I sold the A807 to Charlie who has looked after it really well.
My itch was to try to get some of those studio days back so I went looking for the A80. It wasn't cheap but it was well looked after, recapped and some bearings changed recently so I went for it.
It was also certified for being used on the set of Bohemian Rhapsody which to a queen admirer like myself was nice.
Id recommend starting with a Tascam or an A807/A810. But the lovley G36 decks and the other revox decks are also brilliant.
Technics also made nice decks too.
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flapland
22-04-2019, 09:55
Chap over on Wigwam selling a load of blank tape if of interest.
topoxforddoc
22-04-2019, 10:15
Chap over on Wigwam selling a load of blank tape if of interest.
Buy them for the reels and boxes. The tape will be complete gash. Ampex 456 has a terrible reputation for sticky shed.
337alant
22-04-2019, 11:07
Buy them for the reels and boxes. The tape will be complete gash. Ampex 456 has a terrible reputation for sticky shed.
+1 I binned 10 spools of it a few years back.
If you have something valuable on it try baking first, then cleaning with Isopropanol swabs ran through several times then treat with Nufinish polish I did this on a Toy dolls tape and it allowed me to rip the music to the computer but I still consider this a temporary fix.
Alan
Chap over on Wigwam selling a load of blank tape if of interest.
Thanks for this pointer I need some reels and boxes.
If only I had the money and the room for something like this, oh well I can dream :)
337alant
23-04-2019, 18:59
If only I had the money and the room for something like this, oh well I can dream :)
That certainly has to be a consideration with the A80 as they are bigger that your normal consumer R2R and come in a trolley, still lovely bit of kit if you have the space
Alan
337alant
24-04-2019, 13:53
Lest we forget Stuarts A820
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jIQFtK0jQ
This is some A80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3PCPkEVS68
Alan
Slammed56
04-05-2019, 09:49
Looks lovely Jo 👌
Did you get the metering side of things worked out yet ?
Stuart
The Black Adder
04-05-2019, 15:30
Hi Stuart.
Yeah.. I have the choice of ppm and VU.
Here is the machine today. I had a meter bridge unit made. In fact I had 3 made in the end of different design... Lol
But I'm using this one now so the others are up for grabs.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190504/af4ada7c8b7f280f4b4f7585f59e74f5.jpg
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337alant
05-05-2019, 20:15
That looks realy professionaly made Josey :eyebrows:
Alan
337alant
05-05-2019, 20:37
Studer did a meter panel that was for a 4 channel mixer that matches up great with the studer R2Rs
Im sure they could be patched into reading the output from a A80
Here is a one I picked up from ebay
https://live.staticflickr.com/4774/25971782787_a5a1f78ae7_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Fz3bbp)20171218_133915 (https://flic.kr/p/Fz3bbp) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr
Alan
The Black Adder
06-05-2019, 09:21
Cool...
Studer meters are crazy money though. I bid on an A80 meter but the price shot through the roof at the last minute.
The Rectec M-142 wasn't cheap but it gives me a choice between vu and my ppm.
Its well made and doesn't change the quality of the signal whatsoever. Its also very flexible too.
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Ali Tait
06-05-2019, 10:31
That looks realy professionaly made Josey :eyebrows:
Alan
Take it you had something to do with that Alan? :-)
337alant
06-05-2019, 10:51
Take it you had something to do with that Alan? :-)
No not me Ali, wish it was though it looks a cracking job
Alan
Ali Tait
06-05-2019, 13:43
It does, very nice.
Slammed56
06-05-2019, 18:12
Looks like you’ve got it all sorted out now Jo, loving it
I was going to say it’s worth checking out Funky Junks used item list regularly, they get a lot of R2R studio machines and gear passing through there shop
Sorry to thread drift but I’m popping down later this week to see a pair of Lockwood majors that were on the same Queen film set as your A80
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