REEL 2 REEL tape machines

[JCH519]

Any other tapeheads here??

I am running a STUDER A80 MKIII 24 track at home.



Just using it as a 16 track currently. Still needs some TLC but it sounds fantastic.

[marqueemoon]

Nice. Wish I had the space, money, and patience for tape.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I have a couple of old Brenell reel-to-reels. Nice old valve technology, as used by the Beatles to make the loops for Tomorrow Never Knows etc. And yet I still dream of a Nagra.

One of these days I will finally get round to doing some old skool bouncing between the two machines, but I'm more likely to run some master mixes onto 1/4" tape first.

[eggwheat]

Yes, last album tracked on my(now sold) Ampex MM1200 16 track..which I refurbed from the ground up. Last few song sessions I did on my MKII Studer A80 1" 8 track....which I also refurbed and added a remote, autolocator and varispeed to. A lot of work! I made a thread on it a few years ago here.


And I have another Studier A80 1" 8 track in the garage awaiting restoration, It's been in there 3 years.. funny enough I cleared all the junk out the way of it last night..with a view to actually starting the work..

[JCH519]

Right on.
Ideally I wanted a 1" 8 track or 2" 16 track version of the A80 but the 2" 24 track was the only one I could find at the time. I wanted to find a broken machine to get running because there's no way I could afford a fully working/serviced machine all at once ($7500cdn+). Get to work on that 2nd A80! The prices for them right now are good. If I had a 2nd machine to work on I would totally get it working with the thought of selling it for a good amount.

[eggwheat]

Right on.
Ideally I wanted a 1" 8 track or 2" 16 track version of the A80 but the 2" 24 track was the only one I could find at the time. I wanted to find a broken machine to get running because there's no way I could afford a fully working/serviced machine all at once ($7500cdn+). Get to work on that 2nd A80! The prices for them right now are good. If I had a 2nd machine to work on I would totally get it working with the thought of selling it for a good amount.

Yeh this is how I operate, find broken machines, fix them up. My only stipulation is finding a low hour machine, so the heads and everything else mechanical are hopefully still ok.

I went to look at a 24track wide body A80...but it was insanely huge..I'd never have got it in my space.

Studers are great though, very well built and engineered(hand built in Switzerland)...and cost the same as a small house in the 70's! Yes I am going to start the second machine..it is a bit of strange one has a extra head..I think it's some kind of video syncing head and some of the transport is from a 2 inch machine..

What tape are you using?

[JCH519]

Ohhhhh you might have a layback machine? They also run at a weird speed and my tech told me they can't be converted to play at standard audio speeds. I almost picked one up for cheap but I was advised not to because of that reason.

The tape I am using is SM 900 (BASF/Emtec/RMGI). I also use some Quantegy/Ampex 499 & 3M 996.

[eggwheat]

Ohhhhh you might have a layback machine? They also run at a weird speed and my tech told me they can't be converted to play at standard audio speeds. I almost picked one up for cheap but I was advised not to because of that reason.

The tape I am using is SM 900 (BASF/Emtec/RMGI). I also use some Quantegy/Ampex 499 & 3M 996.

Not sure, it seems to have a full set of standard heads and 8 tracks of electronics...I guess it could be some weird hybrid. I will find out at some point!

I use SM911 for standard bias and have some old stock of ampex 499 too.

[JCH519]

That does sound strange, but would be awesome to get running. Have two 1" 8 tracks in sync! Post some pics sometime.

[eggwheat]

Check it out.. The extra head is not wired up, to remove it you would need a new guide in it's place as that's what's normally there. The transport is weird since it has a 2" pinch roller and the head block components are 2"...and check the weird left hand roller guide.

I guess the 2" pinch roller could be on there as they are easier to find than 1" replacements..the rest...I have no idea at this stage...I've never ever powered it up.

[mothershipzeta]

I am the proud owner of the GX-4000D visible in my avatar, and I love it to death. I can achieve endearing lo-fi overcompressed tape goodness that sounds good on everything, very boards of canada when you send synth tracks through it. It also has preamps that distort in a very special way. I bought it for the equivalent of $99, wich is the fragment of the cost that certain boutique tape saturator simulator emulator carburator aligator pedals cost
and it looks awesome
win

[JCH519]

@eggwheat

Very cool!!!! That is definitely not a Layback machine.

Here's what I see:
That extra head is one of the original erase heads! If the machine was all original there would be two erase heads. I originally thought it was for timecode.. but it's a MKI/MKII erase head.
Both of your machines have the earlier style MKI or MKII headblocks, which usually have two erase heads right next to each other, so yours has been modified/updated to use one erase head. The first machine you posted photos of could be a later MKII with one erase head, but I can't see from the photos exactly. I know that MKIII & later have just one erase head that is right next to the record and playback heads, not to the left side of the roller in the middle of the headblock like these earlier models. I believe Studer made the update of putting the heads closer together so that punching in/out would be smoother
I have never seen those weird triangle pieces between the reels, so I don't really know what purpose those serve..?

I'd power it up! It looks to be in very nice condition. The 2" capstan & 2" pinchroller was probably added because the original wore out and that part was available.. I've seen similar instances.

As for headblock differences, I will take a photo of mine and post it.

[JCH519]

Here's the headblock of my MKIII.
The pinch roller is new and was made by Terry's Rubber Rollers.

[eggwheat]

@eggwheat

Very cool!!!! That is definitely not a Layback machine.

Here's what I see:
That extra head is one of the original erase heads! If the machine was all original there would be two erase heads. I originally thought it was for timecode.. but it's a MKI/MKII erase head.
Both of your machines have the earlier style MKI or MKII headblocks, which usually have two erase heads right next to each other, so yours has been modified/updated to use one erase head. The first machine you posted photos of could be a later MKII with one erase head, but I can't see from the photos exactly. I know that MKIII & later have just one erase head that is right next to the record and playback heads, not to the left side of the roller in the middle of the headblock like these earlier models. I believe Studer made the update of putting the heads closer together so that punching in/out would be smoother
I have never seen those weird triangle pieces between the reels, so I don't really know what purpose those serve..?

I'd power it up! It looks to be in very nice condition. The 2" capstan & 2" pinchroller was probably added because the original wore out and that part was available.. I've seen similar instances.

As for headblock differences, I will take a photo of mine and post it.

Well spotted! Yes you are right it's a MKI erase head..I can now see that it has been left there because you would need to replace it with tape guide like on the MKII...I guess I could look for a guide to do away with it...

I just found out that the headblock is standard...some 1inch 8 tracks used 2" 16 track parts...I have no idea why. I mean this is a MKII machine according to the plate on the back so it shouldn't have had a split erase head anyway.

[eggwheat]

Well spotted! Yes you are right it's a MKI erase head..I can now see that it has been left there because you would need to replace it with tape guide like on the MKII...I guess I could look for a guide to do away with it...

I just found out that the headblock is standard...some 1inch 8 tracks used 2" 16 track parts...I have no idea why. I mean this is a MKII machine according to the plate on the back so it shouldn't have had a split erase head anyway.

Hah now I've gone through the Studer VU parts list and discovered that the MKI erase head thats been left in place is also factory! It's listed as a 'dummy' head in the inventory with this particular headblock assembly..