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Author Topic: A weekend of tweaking  (Read 20078 times)

ceved

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #15 on: January 15, 2008, 07:21:33 PM »
Steve,
Perhaps the person at LAST is not in the know, but they are working up a quote for me to dry and treat 200 tapes.
I just had a few followup questions from LAST on Monday which I responded to.
They also referred to what I took as recent jobs they had performed these services on.
It will be interesting to see what or if they will quote.
Do you think the Project Group discount could fly for their treatment/cleaner?
Who from the Tape Project would be the appropriate party to shepard that along?
Would a poll of members to guage interest be the appropriate first step?
As far as home application of the treatment, I would think a contraption which somewhat resembled the cassette shell component of the felt pad which was used when the tape drive is engaged would give you a firm, yet forgiving surface upon which to exert the necessary pressure to effect the  resistance to clean the tape surface.
Unless you could adjust the tension, it would still be a matter of touch, or positioning an articulated arm like device to be able to set the LAST applicator in position.
Anyone know how to contact McGyver?

Offline heideana

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2008, 03:21:10 PM »
Steve - I ordered the Last head and tape treatments and they arrived very quickly.  I treated an old pre-recorded tape that tended to sound muddy and you're right about it sort of lifting a veil...the piano is clearer, as are some echo effects and the bass.  Also, the "stereo" image seems tighter...I'm converted!

N.B.  I just noticed that the tape treatment has also taken care of the uneven channel levels on some pre-recorded tapes.  I just treated and played one and the channel levels are pretty even...
« Last Edit: January 20, 2008, 03:54:43 PM by heideana »
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Offline ironbut

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2008, 06:34:45 PM »
Wow, CV, 200 tapes! It sounds to me your a one man group! You might try doing a poll over on the pre-recorded tapes forum and see what kind of interest there is. Make sure and give it a little time. Some of out members here only visit every once in a while. I've been really lucky and wouldn't be able to add any tapes to a list that needs serious help. The ones that have found their way into my collection have become the subjects of cruel and inhuman experiments. I don't think I'd ever reveal their sorry state and as such, they'll never spin freely in the sunshine again.
I seem to recall that you said that you'd bought a large collection, I assume that the 200 tapes are from that. I would be sure that all the tapes need drying. I guess it couldn't hurt, but it could add to your cost considerably. I'd have them do a few test tapes for you anyway.

steve koto
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ceved

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #18 on: January 22, 2008, 09:42:33 AM »
Steve,
As I mentioned in one of my posts, I indulge in the overkill then figure out how to pay for it.
It is not always pretty.
I have been a terror on Ebay lately, but believe I need to get my tapes in good condition before it gets totally out of hand.
I have not heard back from the LAST folks, so I believe I will call them today.
If they are not providing the service any longer perhaps they will tell their application secrets.
I believe that I will give the poll a shot and let it simmer a bit as you suggest.
Do we have to wait for a visit to the Forum or is the Project empowered to perform a broadcast email to alert the membership of a poll issue, or important communication?
Thanks again for your kind response.
You seem to be one of the if not the most active poster on the forum.
I for one appreciate your interest.




ceved

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2008, 07:12:05 PM »
Steve,
I may have spied an item which with some adaptive reuse might work as the applicator platform par excellance for LAST tape preservative.
The item is a movie editing table.
It is not cheap.
It has motorized reel hubs with variable speeds and a series of film guides and what appear to be capstans of sorts.  Of course there are some film editing aspects that are of no use to us, and help jack up the price, but I believe it is still less expensive than building your own.
With some modification I think it just might work.
If you have any curiosity you may want to scout around your area for editing facilities, production houses and the like that may have done advertising, or independent films.
I am doing likewise here in the Wash./Balt. area.
The film/tape runs perpendicular to the table surface which would permit a solution to your angle of application concern, as well as provide a more reliable and consistent point of pressure between the applicator surface and the tape. No RTR mechanicals to get in the way.
If anyone happens to have a source for this type of thing and has no interest in pursuing this themselves please let me know especially if you are more toward the east coast.

Offline ironbut

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2008, 07:55:53 PM »
Thanks Charles. I remember the old mechanical ones. I used to hang out at an old vaudeville theater that was latter converted to movies (I actually got married in that theater but that's another story). They had one of the old moviolas that was used for splicing in their snackbar ads and such. I hadn't thought about the motorized ones. The mechanical ones would be too slow. On the other hand, when my sister was doing research at Stanford University, she was filming some kind of cell mitosis with a super high speed camera. The bearings were cooled with liquid nitrogen and it would whip what looked like a 10" reel of film through it in about a 1/4 of a second. It operated behind a shield because if any little thing jammed, the whole thing would blow apart. I haven't thought about that in 30 years! I bet I could pick one of those up for a song, and I actually have someone that could show me how it works. Hmm,.. maybe your editing table idea is a little more practical though. Darn it!
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),
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Offline Ben

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #21 on: October 05, 2008, 11:11:25 AM »
Where was the link for the last products... Have to go now
Set 45,Open baffle speakers,Otari 5050,,Pioneer DV-79AVi DVD/CD/SCAD player

Offline ironbut

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #22 on: October 05, 2008, 12:19:40 PM »
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 Ben

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #23 on: October 05, 2008, 06:41:54 PM »
Thanks. I found where I can buy the stuff. I just hope you can ship it to Canada.
I just picked up off ebay for about $40 not counting shipping and handling.
NAT KING COLE  7 1/2 STEREO REEL TAPE - LOVE IS THE THING Since ebay is soon only
taking pay-pal as a way to buy products I don't expect to buy more tapes sadly.
I can't find the $%#! thing now on ebay, but the same recording done from japan 2003? as 24 bit res CD was going for about $30. I am expecting the tape to sound
better assuming it is in good shape.
Set 45,Open baffle speakers,Otari 5050,,Pioneer DV-79AVi DVD/CD/SCAD player

Offline ironbut

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Re: A weekend of tweaking
« Reply #24 on: October 05, 2008, 10:19:02 PM »
That's one great album. I have my mom's original copy which is in pretty decent shape (lp).Any digital version just wouldn't do justice to Nat's smooth vocals. There's a real atmosphere to that recording that is always better in analog.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2008, 12:13:51 AM by ironbut »
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