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Author Topic: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15  (Read 27370 times)

Offline Ki Choi

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #15 on: May 20, 2008, 10:07:04 PM »
Finneybear,

I appreciate getting this input from you regarding the Otari and Sony recorders. I have been leaning towards the purchase of the Otari if and when I get the call from the radio station that they are availble for sale. However, although I am aware that parts are almost impossible to come by for the Sony, I thought that would not be the case for the Otari. Well, you live and learn.

Fact is, were it not for the people on this forum, some of us would not make the kind of decisions that would benefit us over the long haul. Thanks again.

Bob W.

Hi Bob:

What was the end result?
Did Richard buy the Sony?

Thanks,
Ki
Ki Choi

Offline rbwtapeinterlink-Bob

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2008, 05:42:04 AM »
Hello Ki,

Thanks for your contact. Richard and I have spoken several times. Richard has a large number of Sony APR 2000's, but is always looking for another with specifics. I advised him and one of the members of "Tape Project" that I have decided to keep the Sony APR-5002 and have it repaired for my own use.

I am now waiting to sell my house and re-locate to North Carolina. Then I will have the Sony looked at. The Otari MTR-15 works well but was stored for 7 years. I intend to have it cleaned up for my own use. That's how I am leaning at this point. Both tape recorders are great and do all of the things I was looking for in the Studer recorders. I am a satisfied owner of two great tape recorders. My plan is that one will be a backup to the other.  By the way sir, do you have either of these recorders? Please comment regarding your interest.

Bob W.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2008, 03:00:48 PM by rbwtapeinterlink »
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 Ki Choi

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2008, 12:31:27 AM »
By the way sir, do you have either of these recorders? Please comment regarding your interest.

Bob W.

Hi Bob:

I grew up in NC and did all my schooling there.  Both of my kids were born in Charlotte.  We miss the place but not the humidity and the bugs...

In my short R2R life - in comparison to many here, I have accumulated few recorders; top of the heap is the Sony APR-5003 I purchased in recommendation from Richard.  After experiencing high mortalities in shipping R2R machines via UPS, I paid extra to have the deck wood crated and air freighted from East Coast to Seattle.  It arrived without issues and has been recording and playing flawlessly. It's my main deck. The next is three A810s in portable configuration.  I bought two of them in "mint" condition from a source in Canada and third one was from a Christian Music Recording studio in TX that turned out to be a money pit...  It sat in a storage for too long - battery in the MPU board leaked and several audio boards were not working properly.  A Studer factory technician in Redmond WA is spending lots of bench time ($$$$) getting the deck back to life.   I should have given up on the deck earlier and kept it for parts... I also have perfectly working console A807s that were also obtained from Canada as labelled "Archivist" - only playback with no record head (perfect for the eventual TP tapes...)  Other than the sick A810, all of my Studers have the nice Butterfly record and playback heads in near new condition.  As Richard once told me - even if these Studer heads had only 15% life left, the decks will probably out live me...  Then I have collected few Otairs - all in perfect working condition; one MX-5050 BIII (two track heads only) and five MX-5050 BIIs. My R2R journey started when I was young but had forgtten how much fun it was.  Having a Tascam 32 rekindled my interest.  The four track record/play is done with a TEAC X2000R.  My wish is to try an A80 and A820 next if possible... and get an another Sony APR-1500 for parts.  I believe Richard has 15 Sony APR-150Xs... So I am not worthy...

Ki 
Ki Choi

Offline rbwtapeinterlink-Bob

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2008, 10:37:14 AM »
Hello Ki,

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I've been away to visit NC and found the weather nice. I am a warm weather person so don't mind heat so much. My friend, you have a lot of recording equipment. I thought I was the odd ball out because I presently have the Sony 5002, Otari MPR-15, Teac 32-2B, Otari MX-50, Pioneer 1020L and Otari MX Bll.

My plan is to have the Otari MTR-15 or Sony modified so that the outputs come directly from the heads and bypass all of that other stuff. I would love to get a clean signal that plugs direcly into my Audio Research pre-amp. I do hope this modification is possible, and that I can find a person in NC who can do that for me. I hope I can find a good tech who can keep my recorders up and running for me without breaking the bank.

I had lusted after a Studer machine for sometime until I get my hands on the studio Sony and Otari. As I came to know more about the Studers, I found that all parts for those recorders are very expensive and that some parts especially bearings can't be purchased. Isn't it a shame that we must look to purchase more than one of each machine in order to have parts for repair??? Yes, Richard does have a large group of Sony's. He has urged me to purchase some basic electronics testing equipment. I have already begun to embark on that. I already have a dual trace scope and voltmeter. I am looking to purchase an AC voltmeter and signal generator soon.

Well Ki, I've been living in the Washington DC/Maryland area all of my life. I now want to move south and look forward to that move. However, I will be that much further away from where most of the great tape recorder techs are. By the way, you did a great thing having a special crate build for shipment of the tape recorder. I have heard of some dreadful things happening to recorders shipped in cardboard boxes. And, I am impressed with you collection of recorders. Look to hear from you again sir.

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 Ki Choi

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #19 on: May 29, 2008, 03:53:15 PM »
[My plan is to have the Otari MTR-15 or Sony modified so that the outputs come directly from the heads and bypass all of that other stuff. I would love to get a clean signal that plugs direcly into my Audio Research pre-amp.
[/quote]

Bob:

I would leave the Sony alone.  Its playback electronics is far superior to even the Studers, IMHO.  Maybe the A80RC and A820 may have simpler signal paths but judging from components (heavy use of vintage op amps...) in output cards on A810 and the configuration of audio output boards in A807 and to my ears, the Sony APR-5003 is much better.  OTOH, it would be fun to modify the Otari.  Since all Otari headblocks are connected via edge connectors, it would be easy to solder at the connector to wire a switch to send the head signal to stock electronics or to the appropriate preamp. 

As I was playing the Studer last night, I thought about driving the power amp directly from the outputs of the recorder after putting its outputs into the Uncal mode.  Even the Otari's should supply enough current and voltage to drive most of power amps to its clipping.

Ki
Ki Choi

Offline rbwtapeinterlink-Bob

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #20 on: May 31, 2008, 09:52:56 AM »
Hello Ki,

I hear you loud and clear regarding the Sony APR-5000. Since it sounds like you are having great success playing and recording from your machine, I will not do anything but get my Sony looked after. Presently, I have an error problems that indicated the tape head is not in place. I must get that looked after soon. I hope I can find someone in NC to do that once I move there.
The thing I love about this recorder is that it's compact and can be taken off the cart and sat on a shelf, which I plan to do. Right now, I don't see how I can do that with my Otari MTR-15. I am planning on seeing if it can be removed from the cart and placed in a portable case that I plan to have made. Thanks so much for the advice regarding the Sony.

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 ironbut

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #21 on: May 31, 2008, 10:30:48 AM »
HI Bob, regarding the Otari, I emailed John French over at JFR magnetics a while ago about heads for an Otari MR-10. During our correspondence I asked about the cost of setting it up to playback 1/4 and 1/2 track with a switch on the headblock ala Technics RS series. I can't remember the exact quote but it was super reasonable (the post is here somewhere). He does all kinds of custom headblock work for folks like Richard Hess who need repeatable head offsets and odd track configurations for restoration work so things like that are child's play for him. Just thought I'd throw that out.
steve koto
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Offline rbwtapeinterlink-Bob

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Re: Sony APR-5000, Otari MX-50 & Otari MTR-15
« Reply #22 on: May 31, 2008, 02:24:51 PM »
Steve,
You always come through with much needed information. I will look for that post. Thank you very much for this input.

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.