Mixing into an AMPEX ATR with ATR Tape, It's a pleasure!!

[Empire Prod]

Congrats man! I'm really happy for you. Hope to be doing the same thing one day.

[dubrichie]

mucho congratso amigo!

do tell, did you have it serviced by VK or ATR Services?

what speed are you running the 1/2" at? NAB or IEC/CCIR? any noise reduction?

i assume that you're mixing down through the Duality, but are you mixing from 2" or DAW?

cheers,

[delcosmos]

Originally Posted by dubrichie

mucho congratso amigo!

do tell, did you have it serviced by VK or ATR Services?

what speed are you running the 1/2" at? NAB or IEC/CCIR? any noise reduction?

i assume that you're mixing down through the Duality, but are you mixing from 2" or DAW?

cheers,

Thanks dubrichie.

I bought it from Vintage King,
Mine was serviced by Charlie Bolois @ Vertigo Audio. Who btw gives service for ATR services in the west coast. His work is fantastic, impecable. My machine works like a new unit.It came very well packed.

Yes, I am mixing Down from my Duality in to my ATR at 30ips, no noise reduction. At the same time I'm running another daw system at 96k with a Lavry Gold AD converter.

For safety, I also dump the atr version in to the DAW, but the idea is to send to Sterling my ATR tapes and a DVD with the lavry files at 96k.

Best regards.

Delcosmos.

P.S. Please excuse me for my bad English!

[raal]

congrats armando. those are great machines.

[MarkRB]

Congrats! We have 2 and I love them like they are my own, which they aren't :(

What is that thing on the right of the card cover/front? Is it a speaker or a fan?

[PlugHead]

Good for you Armando!

I used the same machine for quite a few years, and I haven't forgotten how nice it is to mix to 1/2" 30 ips.

Unfortunately, I am no longer where it resides, so - now it is a memory, but what nice memories they were...

Enjoy!

[syra]

I couldn't agree more with you delcosmos! The quest for the 2buss glue is over

Here's my latest purchase. A Studer A820 1/2" hand-picked by Charlie Bolois and tuned to perfection!

I'm a 15ips guy myself. Thats what to my ear analog tape sounds like. Deep bottom end and round smooth highs

[dubrichie]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

Thanks dubrichie.

I bought it from Vintage King,
Mine was serviced by Charlie Bolois @ Vertigo Audio. Who btw gives service for ATR services in the west coast. His work is fantastic, impecable. My machine works like a new unit.It came very well packed.

Yes, I am mixing Down from my Duality in to my ATR at 30ips, no noise reduction. At the same time I'm running another daw system at 96k with a Lavry Gold AD converter.

For safety, I also dump the atr version in to the DAW, but the idea is to send to Sterling my ATR tapes and a DVD with the lavry files at 96k.

Best regards.

Delcosmos.

P.S. Please excuse me for my bad English!

your english is better than that of many native speakers that i know, so please don't apologize for it, you do yourself a disservice.

i hope you don't mind my pestering you for details about this, but i'm planning to buy an ATR-102 next year so your experiences are very relevant to me.

can you tell me, did you arrange the servicing by Charlie Bolois @ Vertigo Audio through VK, or did you buy the deck "as is" and arrange the servicing yourself?

did you have any of the ATR "upgrades" done - the newly-machined elements of ATR's "re-build", or just a regular service, replacing anything that needed to be replaced with standard parts?

to give you some context, i am currently operating a "hybrid" setup; PT HD2 with 24 i/o Lynx Aurora and a small selection of very nice outboard. next year i hope to GO ANALOG by integrating a 16 channel RND 5088, Studer A827 and ATR102.. oh yeah, and some more lovely outboard!

my studio is private-commercial; it's MY studio, not rented out to freelancers, but i do record / mix / master projects for other artists as well as my own musicval endeavours.

PS i would be FASCINATED to hear those Lavry Gold converters in person!

[dubrichie]

Originally Posted by syra

I couldn't agree more with you delcosmos! The quest for the 2buss glue is over

Here's my latest purchase. A Studer A820 1/2" hand-picked by Charlie Bolois and tuned to perfection!

I'm a 15ips guy myself. Thats what to my ear analog tape sounds like. Deep bottom end and round smooth highs

nice n sexy photo there Syra, congrats to you too!

why did you pick the Studer over the Ampex?

i'm still somewhat undecided upon which 2-track to go for. being in Europe, the Studer would make more sense because of availability of the decks themselves, spare parts and experienced techs. yet, for some reason, i am drawn to the Ampex like a child to an ice-cream wagon on a hot summer's day.

[delcosmos]

I asked Mike Nehra to find me a good ATR, then he told me that a good ATR104 was in LA but it needed a complete refurbish. He recomended me Charlie/Vertigo, and I trust Mike 100%, so it took like 3 months before they sent me the unit. It doesn't have any of the ATR Upgrades, its an original ATR refurbished to it's original specs.
It's amazing the sound quality of these machines. It doesnt lose anything, but it really gains a nice warm 3d gloss.

I agree with Syra, 15ips sounds more warmer, more analogue, but I prefer 30ips because that way, the audio sounds like the output of my SSL, but better.
BTW congratulations Syra, the Studer is a great machine, TLA has mixed a LOT of great records with a 1/2 inch studer.

Best regards.

Delcosmos.

Originally Posted by dubrichie

your english is better than that of many native speakers that i know, so please don't apologize for it, you do yourself a disservice.

i hope you don't mind my pestering you for details about this, but i'm planning to buy an ATR-102 next year so your experiences are very relevant to me.

can you tell me, did you arrange the servicing by Charlie Bolois @ Vertigo Audio through VK, or did you buy the deck "as is" and arrange the servicing yourself?

did you have any of the ATR "upgrades" done - the newly-machined elements of ATR's "re-build", or just a regular service, replacing anything that needed to be replaced with standard parts?

to give you some context, i am currently operating a "hybrid" setup; PT HD2 with 24 i/o Lynx Aurora and a small selection of very nice outboard. next year i hope to GO ANALOG by integrating a 16 channel RND 5088, Studer A827 and ATR102.. oh yeah, and some more lovely outboard!

my studio is private-commercial; it's MY studio, not rented out to freelancers, but i do record / mix / master projects for other artists as well as my own musicval endeavours.

PS i would be FASCINATED to hear those Lavry Gold converters in person!

[delcosmos]

Thanks Raal, and also thank you for your advice bro.

Best regards.

delcosmos.

Originally Posted by raal

congrats armando. those are great machines.

[narcoman]

we have the same machine! Mine is an old ATR104 with a 2 track headstack..!! nice!

[MarkRB]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

Thanks Raal, and also thank you for your advice bro.

Best regards.

delcosmos.

So what's that fan looking thing on the front? I'm guessing a fan?

[syra]

Originally Posted by dubrichie

nice n sexy photo there Syra, congrats to you too!

why did you pick the Studer over the Ampex?

i'm still somewhat undecided upon which 2-track to go for. being in Europe, the Studer would make more sense because of availability of the decks themselves, spare parts and experienced techs. yet, for some reason, i am drawn to the Ampex like a child to an ice-cream wagon on a hot summer's day.

Both of these machines are the pinnacle of 1/2" 2 track. Can't go wrong with either choice. As for differences, based on my research the Ampex is more even sounding where as the Studer is more old-school sounding. I think of the Ampex as a more modern tape machine and the Studer as a more vintage one.

[dubrichie]

thank you very much Armando, your time and thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[dubrichie]

Originally Posted by syra

Both of these machines are the pinnacle of 1/2" 2 track. Can't go wrong with either choice. As for differences, based on my research the Ampex is more even sounding where as the Studer is more old-school sounding. I think of the Ampex as a more modern tape machine and the Studer as a more vintage one.

thanks so much Syra.

based on your experience, i think that the Studer might be better suited to me!

[delcosmos]

Originally Posted by MarkRB

So what's that fan looking thing on the front? I'm guessing a fan?

Yes, it is a fan, it has a mono speaker down the VU meters that works great for checking balances. It's a great machine, but I must mention that the ATR tape is REALLY good, thanks god they are making tape these days.

Best regards.

delcosmos

[Chaellus]

RMGI tape is good as well thats what i have been using when using tape

[delcosmos]

Originally Posted by Chaellus

RMGI tape is good as well thats what i have been using when using tape

First I have to finsh my 3 boxes of ATR tape!
Who sells RMGI Tape?

Best regards.

delcosmos

[raal]

Originally Posted by syra

Here's my latest purchase. A Studer A820 1/2" hand-picked by Charlie Bolois and tuned to perfection!

I'm a 15ips guy myself. Thats what to my ear analog tape sounds like. Deep bottom end and round smooth highs

thumbsup another great machine.

may i ask how much you payed and what heads came with it? i think there's an 820 i may be able to get here but it has saki heads, and i think the guy put a 90s price tag on it, so i'm trying to get a sense of what they're going for in the US.

the dang thing won't fit in my room but i might be able to figure something out. congrats syra. you and armando are livin' large.

[Pepe Ortega]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

Who sells RMGI Tape?

Best regards.

delcosmos

RMGI - Sales Managers
Audio

[Chaellus]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

First I have to finsh my 3 boxes of ATR tape!
Who sells RMGI Tape?

Best regards.

delcosmos

I Get mine from an RMGI dealer at Splicit Reel Audio Products - reel to reel recording supplies, there from oreagon or RMGI - North America Home like pepe stated , thanks pepe

other than that ATR is the only other manufactuer of tape i know of, i havent tried their tape yet but im sure its great.

[delcosmos]

Thank you Chaellus and Pepe.

delcosmos.

[FredrikCarno]

welcome to the atr102 club

I'm really lucky to have a rather big pile of NOS quantegy 499... but it getting smaller and smaller... good to hear that the atr tape is working for you..

[RKrizman]

Hey, how about posting some mp3's


(I'm kidding)


-R

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

Hi guys, I finally got my batch of ATR 1/2 tapes. Yesterday I made some mixes with my refurbished ATR102 and yes, I'm in love.

Oh boy!, that's the way a recording should sound, period.
Everything is pleasing, highs, punchy bass, everything have a nice gloss, really, I'd forgotten how good tape sounded.

thumbsup thumbsup

Nothing like it.

And, once the mix is ready to go to tape, nothing like the feel of sitting back and listening to the reels turn..................the way it should be done.

(Uh, minus the splicing, etc. )

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by syra

I couldn't agree more with you delcosmos! The quest for the 2buss glue is over

Here's my latest purchase. A Studer A820 1/2" hand-picked by Charlie Bolois and tuned to perfection!

I'm a 15ips guy myself. Thats what to my ear analog tape sounds like. Deep bottom end and round smooth highs

I really miss playing back mixes through the little speaker
Both Great machines!
Congrats Syra and Armando!

[Pastor Obviedo]

I don't understand...
A tape machine? Really? these days?
Have you heard about the ANAMOD ATS-1 guys?

p.

[FredrikCarno]

LOL

have a nice Saturday night