Can someone suggest a reel-2-reel under 1K(US)?

[inaudio]

There's a Studer A-810 on the ised gear forum here...

[Jay Kahrs]

Reel to reel and portable are two things that don't really go together. You could find a Tascam or Fostex deck that's small enough to carry around but the tone of them isn't as good as a Studer, Ampex, Otari or other pro deck.

[Last Legend]

I guess light weight isn't possible...

How about synchronization? Would I have to go to 4 tracks to get a track for smpte or are there models that can send smpte based on absolute time as long as I keep the same tape on?

[sloanfiske]

i've got an 8 track fostex a8 taking up space. 1/4" and lightweight (in comparison to others). if you want it, make me an offer.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by Last Legend
How about synchronization? Would I have to go to 4 tracks to get a track for smpte or are there models that can send smpte based on absolute time as long as I keep the same tape on?

No, you'd have to either stripe a track with SMPTE and have the DAW follow tape or get a synch box like a Zeta III and have the tape machine chase the tape deck. The latter route is the right way to do it, also the more expensive way. You're gonna be into it for a few grand to do it the right way.

[Drumsound]

Originally posted by Last Legend
I guess light weight isn't possible...

How about synchronization? Would I have to go to 4 tracks to get a track for smpte or are there models that can send smpte based on absolute time as long as I keep the same tape on?

There are stereo machines with a center time code track.

[grahluk]

We have an Otari MTR-15 here looking for a home. Pretty impressive piece of machinery. Stereo with a TC control track. Extensive VTR like editing facilities. VU and monitor overbridge. Not portable in the carrying sense but it has wheels on it. Located downtown NYC. Come get it and it's yours. Yep that's what it's come down to these days. Perfectly good gear just given away due to obsolescence.

[jb_studio]

Hey Grahluk,

I may be interested in that MTR-15 if Last Legend passes on it. I've sent you a PM. Thanks very much! -- JB

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by Drumsound
There are stereo machines with a center time code track.

Right, but you still need a synch box to control the machines transport. All CTC does is save a track.

[syncro]

Greetings Last Legend,

you want to use it as a kind of Magneto plugin, right? I´m in the same thing and this is how I do it - without syncbox, without any other expensive synchronisation, timecode stripping, etc.

I have my reVox PR99 Mk.III connected to the insert point on my console. I start recording on it and make sure that the output of reVox sends the sound post tape (you can switch to pre, but then the tape will not be in the chain). Then I start to record to my workstation.

You have the sound recorded through tape into your DAW, but what´s more important - it´s synchronised and just shifted for some constant latency caused by transport between the heads. Now you have to manually shift it in DAW (very easy operation in Logic) to compensate this latency...

That´s it...

Bless, Syncro.
www.gunjah.cz

[audiothings]

you're looking for a nagra or a stellavox, but they'll set you back between 1.8 and 5k. worth considering in ANY case. i'm not at my machine, pm me if you need links.

self.

[jabney]

hi Last Legend,

You said in your first post,
"I want to use this basically as an effects unit. I'll bounce stuff onto this to get some analog sound and then I'll import back into digital."

So far so good. A reel to reel can indeed add or subtract something from a track. Come to think of it, it actually does both.

Then, in a follow up post, you said,
"How about synchronization?"

Why do you care? You are treating the tape as an effect, right? Think of it as re-amping but with an Ampex instead of an Ampeg :-) You go out from your DAW through the tape deck, then back into the DAW.

You go into the record head, onto the tape, and then a short distance later from the tape into the playback head. You monitor the playback head and record it onto a new track in your DAW. __All in real time__ (OK, technically there is a delay but you can embrace it as part of the effect or slide the DAW track after the fact if it's a problem). You get the good from tape without the bad - i.e. wow and flutter. In other words, you don't rewind.

That opens a much wider pool of reel to reel machines such as the 7 1/2 IPS Pioneer rack mount (I never did like their similar looking 15 IPS though), Crowns, Technics (a real sleeper IMHO), Otaris, Astrocom Marlux, etc.

If you actually want wow and flutter (hey, it's your art, who am I to judge :-) then synching over the length of a three minute song isn't going to make that much of a difference.

PS, For a subtle effect, the tape doesn't even have to be moving. You get the sound of the tape deck's electronics.

[Last Legend]

Sync isn't an absolute necessity, but anything that makes things easier/faster is valuable to me.

grahluk: If you can message me an email address/phone number, I'd like to check it out.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by jabney
That opens a much wider pool of reel to reel machines such as the 7 1/2 IPS Pioneer rack mount (I never did like their similar looking 15 IPS though), Crowns, Technics (a real sleeper IMHO), Otaris, Astrocom Marlux, etc.

If you actually want wow and flutter (hey, it's your art, who am I to judge :-) then synching over the length of a three minute song isn't going to make that much of a difference.

PS, For a subtle effect, the tape doesn't even have to be moving. You get the sound of the tape deck's electronics.

I'd avoid consumer and crap machines like Pioneer, Akai's and the like. Chances are they're gonna be shot and will have too much wow & flutter to be usable...if they even work. Not just that but the transports suck and will most likely eat the tape or spew it across the room when you hit stop and then play. Transport logic is a beautiful thing.

[A33]

Studer A-810 or Studer A-820 would be recomended and are fantastic value for money

[dlmorley]

as an effect I think I would go for something odd. I have an old EMI TR90 (I think) Valve and looks the part. Highe enough quality, but it will really make your stuff sound like it's had something done. Too high a quality and it will be very subtle and not really an effect as such.
I'd say a revox a77 being hit hard will give a nice effect even...

[DrDeltaM]

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