Okay, I think its a safe bet that you are using IEC equalization. This is not a problem. Navigate here:
MRL Calibration Tapes You can find any alignment tape you'll ever need here. You could get a two speed 7 1/2 and 15 ips Iec eq 1k, 10k, 16k, 100hz, non-fringing compensated tape at 250nWb/m. With this tape you could align at 0, +3, +6, and +9.
It would be great if you could calibrate your own machine. I always do my own, that way i know its been done right, and is at my desired reference level.
When using any noise reduction, you want to keep your machine referenced at a level lower than your tapes maximum reccommeneded reference level. 3 db below would be nice. That way whether your using dolby A, SR, DBX whatever, your recording levels will always remain within
your tape's linear operating range. You don't want to be saturating the tape and getting into tape compression. Its been my experience that NR sounds awful if your tape is saturating. By choosing to use NR over running your reference levels higher, on tape that can handle these higher levels, you are missing out on a really beautiful thing which is the organic compression that happens when tape is saturated a bit, or a lot. Its a wonderful thing, and is quite controllable.
Years ago, when i was a tracking/mix engineer we always ran ampex 456 or 3m 226 at 15 ips using Dolby SR. Then the +9 tapes came out ampex 499 and 3m 996 were what we used. At this time i stopped using noise reduction at 15 ips and 30 ips. Everything sounded better, and when needed i could really bury the needles if that was the sound i was looking for.
I've heard some pretty strange things happen with noise reduction especially if a poject on 2 inch with NR gets mixed down to 2 track with NR. Most of my analog clients don't use NR and if they ask me pre- mastering if they should, i tell them no. If you simply must use NR Dolby SR is what I would use. But as I and others have mentioned before, with your machine properly calibrated, with good tape, and good levels, you shouldn't need NR.
This might work too. A friend of mine had an a-80 1/4 inch 2 track that ran at 3 3/4 ips, and 7 1/2 ips. He mentioned changing a couple of internal jumpers, and now his machine runs at 7 1/2 and 15. There is a very slight possibility that your deck could be jumpered to run at 15 and 30. I'm not 100% on this, but i know it worked for him. Search the internet, and you might find the answer. Or just ask John French. He will most likely have the answer for you:
Head relapping He is a super nice guy, who knows his stuff, and likes helping people.
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So much better than RMGI your jaw will drop.