Originally Posted by Mike Caffrey

First singnal path then syncing.

You probably will not find a low cost two track deck with output for both the sync and repro head simultaneously. So, split the sginal after the pre and before the input of the tape machine. Record one side, and monitor the other.


For calcualting the head gap, record a single transient sound. Split the signal and record one side directly to digital and other through the repro head. Line them up visually and then look at the difference betwee the original time stamp and the new current time stamp and then you know how much you have to slide it back every time.


While you're at it, I'd also re-record the direct transiten signal by running it back out of your D to As, through the machine in repro and back through your A to Ds. You may want to try this approach with track and it will be nice to know the answer already.

Yes, there may be some sginal degradation fron the multiple conversion, but you're doing this as an effect, so that doesn't matter as long as it soudns good. I've had people bring me problem tracks that we much improved this way. This would also be an easy way to create a John Lennon ADT vocal effect.