The most expensive analog tape machine ever

FW Harper · 28th February 2008, 07:04 AM

I've read that the Ampex ATR-124 was the most expensive analog machine ever built. I've also read a few different numbers on how many were built, varying from 50 to 100.

Anyone recall how much $ they were?

Anyone know how many were built?

Just curious. Thanks...

PlatinumSamples · 28th February 2008, 07:43 AM

These guys say 50:

The all-time great analog multitracks

I've seen about 15 in LA (Ocean Way & The Complex)... best machine I've ever used.

Rail

FW Harper · 28th February 2008, 07:57 PM

yeloocproducer · 28th February 2008, 10:18 PM

Man. The best techs in LA (and probably the world) would steer you away from a 124... not sure if you are going to look for one now, but good luck keeping it running if you do...

Bob Olhsson · 28th February 2008, 10:33 PM

I'm pretty sure it was more than 50. Motown in LA had at least four if not more.

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 12:11 AM

Anyone out there having luck keeping one going?

Bob, do you remember them having major issues when you worked on them?

PlatinumSamples · 29th February 2008, 12:58 AM

They worked perfectly at Ocean Way (and still do) when I worked there and at The Complex. Pretty easy to fix IMO.. the only difficult part to work on was the power supply, not because of anything except it's a beast to take the power supply apart.. but once apart easy to fix. The MDA's don't go down very often (if at all) - so taking the power supply apart is pretty unusual. Since the ATR-124 has 4 full alignments saved - there are 4 identical sets of components for the 4 setups on each card.. which IMO makes it easier to fix.

Be aware that some machines have high crosstalk record heads... if you're looking to buy one look for one with low crosstalk heads. The only downside to the machines is that they have a slow punch in time (109 msecs)... you'll have to get familiar with the feel of the machine. At Ocean Way the assistants always did all the punching when I worked there.

Rail

yeloocproducer · 29th February 2008, 01:06 AM

You may want to try to talk to Dave Hecht, as he maintained the ones at Cello. I do remember him saying that they need a lot of babying...

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 01:18 AM

Nice to hear something positive for a change. Some people seem to think they're a bitch. I already have an ATR-124 with a set of 16-track headstacks that I want to put on it. I'm still saving the scratch for cables/MRL/tech/etc, so I don't have it going yet. I do, however, have a tech here with experience working on them.

Will the 16-track headstacks alleviate the crosstalk issues?

What are MDA's?

Thanks...

PlatinumSamples · 29th February 2008, 01:41 AM

I believe all the 16 track headstacks have the higher crosstalk... but they sound better (everything's a compromise).

MDA = Motor Drive Amplifier (transistors).

Where are you located?

Rail

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 01:47 AM

The guy I bought the 16-track headstacks from said that crosstalk was only really a problem with overdubbing. Not so much if everything is tracked at once. Any truth to this? Thanks again...

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 01:48 AM

Oh...I'm in Seattle.

PlatinumSamples · 29th February 2008, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW Harper

The guy I bought the 16-track headstacks from said that crosstalk was only really a problem with overdubbing. Not so much if everything is tracked at once. Any truth to this? Thanks again...

That is exactly correct - but if you align with a full band MRL.. check your alignment procedure... It's been quite a few years since I had to do an alignment but I recall there being a different process for the 2 head types. I can email a friend and check for you.

Rail

vernier · 29th February 2008, 02:17 AM

Don't know about expensive, but "best sounding" is Stephens.

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlatinumSamples

That is exactly correct - but if you align with a full band MRL.. check your alignment procedure... It's been quite a few years since I had to do an alignment but I recall there being a different process for the 2 head types. I can email a friend and check for you.

Rail

Good to know. I've yet to go through the service manual I have. I'll PM you if I have questions when I get to that point. Thanks for the offer.

FW Harper · 29th February 2008, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vernier

Don't know about expensive, but "best sounding" is Stephens.

I do like the sound of Queen records!

Bob Olhsson · 29th February 2008, 06:38 AM

I never worked at Motown in LA. I moved to San Francisco and dropped out.

BrianT · 29th February 2008, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vernier

Don't know about expensive, but "best sounding" is Stephens.

It's very subjective.

I've used both, along with every other 2" machine made.

ATR-124 ruled on the bottom end and just has a big, phat punchy sound without being muddy. Amazing sounding machine.

Stephens is probably the most open sounding 2" analog machine. Very transparent and neutral. Incredible for acoustic instruments and vocals.

But the ATR-124 is king of big, phat in-your-face, IMO. No other analog machine ever got close to it on the bottom end. Big, but tight.

"DB" · 29th February 2008, 05:06 PM

We had them at Regent in NYC, great sounding machine, and certainly not the nightmare to maintain that MCI's were, but the crosstalk between adjacent tracks when overdubbing is "0" (full) level at 15K., so be careful not to bounce between adjacent tracks. Only machine I've ever heard that sounded better was the Stephens.

PlatinumSamples · 29th February 2008, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlatinumSamples

That is exactly correct - but if you align with a full band MRL.. check your alignment procedure... It's been quite a few years since I had to do an alignment but I recall there being a different process for the 2 head types. I can email a friend and check for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FW Harper

Good to know. I've yet to go through the service manual I have. I'll PM you if I have questions when I get to that point. Thanks for the offer.

Here's the skinny from my friend:

Quote:

The only difference would be sync LF...the high x-talk would align the same as the repro head with 50Hz to 0VU,
whereas aligning the lo x-talk sync LF with 100Hz to +1VU would yield 50hz playback to ~ -2.5VU.
All record aspects remained the same.

Rail

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Advice on Tape machine-analog slutz!	beruang	High end	24	15th February 2007 10:50 PM
Small mixer for analog tape machine.	wayne mox	Low End Theory	5	3rd August 2006 01:36 PM
synching DP/Motu 2408 with an analog tape machine	squelchpalace	Music computers	2	12th December 2005 03:08 AM
analog tape machine alignment	vtone	So much gear, so little time!	1	1st January 2004 02:27 AM

28th February 2008, 07:04 AM	#1
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	The most expensive analog tape machine ever I've read that the Ampex ATR-124 was the most expensive analog machine ever built. I've also read a few different numbers on how many were built, varying from 50 to 100. Anyone recall how much $ they were? Anyone know how many were built? Just curious. Thanks...

28th February 2008, 07:43 AM	#2
PlatinumSamples Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 755	These guys say 50: The all-time great analog multitracks I've seen about 15 in LA (Ocean Way & The Complex)... best machine I've ever used. Rail __________________ Platinum Samples www.platinumsamples.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

28th February 2008, 07:57 PM	#3
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	$$?

28th February 2008, 10:33 PM	#5
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 5,273	I'm pretty sure it was more than 50. Motown in LA had at least four if not more. __________________ Georgetown Masters 615 254-3233 Bob's room 615 385-8051 Music Industry 2.0

28th February 2008, 10:18 PM	#4
yeloocproducer Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: los angeles Posts: 971	Man. The best techs in LA (and probably the world) would steer you away from a 124... not sure if you are going to look for one now, but good luck keeping it running if you do...

29th February 2008, 12:11 AM	#6
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	Anyone out there having luck keeping one going? Bob, do you remember them having major issues when you worked on them?

29th February 2008, 12:58 AM	#7
PlatinumSamples Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 755	They worked perfectly at Ocean Way (and still do) when I worked there and at The Complex. Pretty easy to fix IMO.. the only difficult part to work on was the power supply, not because of anything except it's a beast to take the power supply apart.. but once apart easy to fix. The MDA's don't go down very often (if at all) - so taking the power supply apart is pretty unusual. Since the ATR-124 has 4 full alignments saved - there are 4 identical sets of components for the 4 setups on each card.. which IMO makes it easier to fix. Be aware that some machines have high crosstalk record heads... if you're looking to buy one look for one with low crosstalk heads. The only downside to the machines is that they have a slow punch in time (109 msecs)... you'll have to get familiar with the feel of the machine. At Ocean Way the assistants always did all the punching when I worked there. Rail __________________ Platinum Samples www.platinumsamples.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

29th February 2008, 01:06 AM	#8
yeloocproducer Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: los angeles Posts: 971	You may want to try to talk to Dave Hecht, as he maintained the ones at Cello. I do remember him saying that they need a lot of babying...

29th February 2008, 01:18 AM	#9
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	Nice to hear something positive for a change. Some people seem to think they're a bitch. I already have an ATR-124 with a set of 16-track headstacks that I want to put on it. I'm still saving the scratch for cables/MRL/tech/etc, so I don't have it going yet. I do, however, have a tech here with experience working on them. Will the 16-track headstacks alleviate the crosstalk issues? What are MDA's? Thanks...

29th February 2008, 01:41 AM	#10
PlatinumSamples Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 755	I believe all the 16 track headstacks have the higher crosstalk... but they sound better (everything's a compromise). MDA = Motor Drive Amplifier (transistors). Where are you located? Rail __________________ Platinum Samples www.platinumsamples.com •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

29th February 2008, 01:47 AM	#11
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	The guy I bought the 16-track headstacks from said that crosstalk was only really a problem with overdubbing. Not so much if everything is tracked at once. Any truth to this? Thanks again...

29th February 2008, 01:48 AM	#12
FW Harper Gear Head Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 49	Oh...I'm in Seattle.

29th February 2008, 02:17 AM	#14
vernier Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 3,674	Don't know about expensive, but "best sounding" is Stephens. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/learstevens

29th February 2008, 06:38 AM	#17
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 5,273	I never worked at Motown in LA. I moved to San Francisco and dropped out. __________________ Georgetown Masters 615 254-3233 Bob's room 615 385-8051 Music Industry 2.0

29th February 2008, 05:06 PM	#19
"DB" Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 77	Crosstalk We had them at Regent in NYC, great sounding machine, and certainly not the nightmare to maintain that MCI's were, but the crosstalk between adjacent tracks when overdubbing is "0" (full) level at 15K., so be careful not to bounce between adjacent tracks. Only machine I've ever heard that sounded better was the Stephens. __________________ "DB"

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread: