TP-028, Nat Adderley's Work Song is now available

Author Topic: Otari MTR-10?  (Read 10379 times)

Offline jdcolombo

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Otari MTR-10?
« on: October 05, 2007, 05:19:22 AM »
OK.  I really don't need another tape deck right now.  Really.  But . . .

An Otari MTR-10 is for sale in Detroit, pick-up only, in what appears to be excellent condition for what appears to be a reasonable price.  I'm close enough to Detroit that I'm tempted.  I've occasionally read that the MTR series is a terrific mastering machine, not in the same league as the ATR's (which I just can't afford), but nevertheless quite good.  So . . . anyone have the scoop on the MTR series?

John C.

John Colombo
Savoy, IL

Offline ironbut

  • Global Moderator
  • leader in spreading disinformation
  • *****
  • Posts: 2503
  • rs1500>repro amp#1
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MTR-10?
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2007, 06:00:40 PM »
I was researching the MTR 10 for a friend a little while back. I have a post below with some info I got from JFR regarding replacement heads for one and setting it up for 1/2-1/4 track playback. Really reasonable. I think that some of the transport parts are the same as the MTR-15 which is more current. There's a bit of info on the MTR series at this link;
http://www.analogrules.com/otari.html
steve koto
 Sony scd 777es(R. Kern mods)> Vpi Aires>Dynavector XX-2mkll>Bent mu>CAT ultimate>CJ premeir 140>Magnepan 1.6qr(Jensen xover)Headphone Eddie Current Zana Deux>AT ad2000,HD800 ,Metric Halo ULN-2 (battery powered),
 HE Audio Jades

Offline jdcolombo

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MTR-10?
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2007, 07:01:36 PM »
OOPS - sorry, I completely missed the earlier MTR-10 thread.  Thanks for pointing it out.  I couldn't tell from the ad I saw how big this really is - I think my wife would kill me if I went that route.  Better stick with something smaller!

John C.

John Colombo
Savoy, IL

Offline ironbut

  • Global Moderator
  • leader in spreading disinformation
  • *****
  • Posts: 2503
  • rs1500>repro amp#1
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MTR-10?
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2007, 07:59:37 PM »
Yeah, sometimes it's hard to tell stuff like that from the pic's. What I do is look at the reels and see if another 10.5" would fit in between. Now that's a big one! The thing with this beast is there is one or two chassis below. Just as wide and about 9" tall. The one I was looking at was "pick-up only" also. It went for about $150 with 4 channels of Dolby labs 361 with cat.22 cards, an MRL alignment tape, and a bunch of other stuff. Just the Dolby A was a good deal.
steve koto
 Sony scd 777es(R. Kern mods)> Vpi Aires>Dynavector XX-2mkll>Bent mu>CAT ultimate>CJ premeir 140>Magnepan 1.6qr(Jensen xover)Headphone Eddie Current Zana Deux>AT ad2000,HD800 ,Metric Halo ULN-2 (battery powered),
 HE Audio Jades

Offline rbwtapeinterlink-Bob

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 300
  • For The Love Of Music
    • View Profile
    • Power Telecommunication for business & the church!
Re: Otari MTR-10?
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2007, 12:53:03 PM »
John C,
Might I ask how things are coming along with the Studer Revox PR99? Tell me please John, do you have the MK 1, 2 or 3? I have been looking at a MK 2 because of some updates from the 1 and its digital readout.

Does this machine have an easy means of switching beteen NAB and IEC? I wold also be interested in whether you've already purchased another deck? Thanks much John. I really appreciate you're sharing with me.

Bob W.
Bob W. (African American) VPI, Ref Standard Grado, Denon 103r, Threshold, DecWare tube pre and Classe pre amp, Jolida tube phono pre amp, (Peter Gunn) modified Magnapan 1.6, Tascam 32-2B & 42B tape decks, Parasound belt drive CD transport, Pacific Valve tube DAC, VPI  TT, various upscale cables.

Offline jdcolombo

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MTR-10?
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2007, 03:20:25 PM »
John C,
Might I ask how things are coming along with the Studer Revox PR99? Tell me please John, do you have the MK 1, 2 or 3? I have been looking at a MK 2 because of some updates from the 1 and its digital readout.

Does this machine have an easy means of switching beteen NAB and IEC? I wold also be interested in whether you've already purchased another deck? Thanks much John. I really appreciate you're sharing with me.

Bob W.

Hi Bob.  I purchased a PR99 Mk.II.  It does NOT have an "easy" way to switch between IEC and NAB eq, although it isn't that hard: the PR99 has cards that fit into a main bus for all the major electronics (e.g., repro amp, line output amp, input amp, record amp, sync amp, etc.).  Changing to IEC eq requires taking off the back cover, taking out the NAB repro amp card and popping in an IEC card, which takes about 10 minutes.  Eventually, I'll probably use this deck with the external Bottlehead Seduction tape head amp, but right now I'm still getting it in tip top mechanical and electrical shape.

I did buy a second deck, a Tascam BR20 (the successor to the Model 32).  It DOES have switchable eq. and will be the deck I'll use for the Tape Project tapes initially.  The one I got appears almost new - the heads didn't even have a shiny spot across the gap.  I checked out the electronics and mechanics, and it seems to be virtually perfect in all respects.

Both machines have the digital readout (an "autolocator" is what it seems to be called); the BR20 has the advantage of being able to store 3 different memory locations in addition to return-to-zero.  I've done some test recordings on both, and I think that I like the sound of the PR99 a hair better than the BR20, but Doc's external repro amp will likely put both of them to shame.

John C.
John Colombo
Savoy, IL

Offline U47

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 73
    • View Profile
    • my website
Re: Otari MTR-10? PR-99 different versions
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2007, 07:48:20 PM »
The ReVox PR-99 Mark I has all discrete electronics, as opposed to the later Mark II and Mark III which was chock full of junk op-amps. I do adore the nicer tape tensioning arm on the takeup side of the Mark II and III decks as well as the lovely LED auto locator. I think you will find the Mark I to be nicer sounding than the later versions.
Technics 1500 with King/Cello playback electronics, Stellavox SP-7, Technics 1500/Ampex MR70, Tascam BR-20 .

Offline jdcolombo

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MTR-10? PR-99 different versions
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2007, 09:28:25 PM »
The ReVox PR-99 Mark I has all discrete electronics, as opposed to the later Mark II and Mark III which was chock full of junk op-amps. I do adore the nicer tape tensioning arm on the takeup side of the Mark II and III decks as well as the lovely LED auto locator. I think you will find the Mark I to be nicer sounding than the later versions.

Actually, the record amp and the line output amp of the Mark II use discrete components. They are the same part number as the Mark I.  For playback, however, I go through the monitor output, which bypasses the line output amp completely, and the monitor amp is all discrete on the Mark II - again, same part number as the Mark I.  The repro amp of the Mark II and the oscillator board are the same as the Mark III, and do have several op-amps.  I believe one can substitute the repro amp from a Mark I if one wants - the pinouts and supply voltages appear to be identical.  I'm still searching for one to try out.  But the way to go on the repro amp is simply to use Doc's outboard Bottlehead (or a Manley would be nice, if it didn't cost more than my entire stereo system!).

John C.
John Colombo
Savoy, IL