My New 102

[astrotoy]

After a four month wait, my new (used) Ampex ATR-102 has arrived. I was able to get it with a used Doshi tape prepro, and had the 102 set up to play both 1/2" and 1/4" tapes at 15ips and 7.5ips.  The only thing I didn't get was a 1/2" take up reel - but that is coming this week.  I separately was able to buy a large collection of prerecorded 15ips 2 track tapes, including 50 1/2" tapes.  In the collection were 8 of the first ten TP tapes, all in 1/2". So now I have both 1/2" and 1/4" versions to compare.  Anxiously waiting for the take up reel!

Larry

[ironbut]

Congrats Larry!
I am green with envy my friend.
Looking forward to hearing it in your system one of these days.

[astrotoy]

Thanks, Steve.   I'll do a gathering at the house when I get everything together, sometime this fall.   Larry

[JeremyStarseed]

What a beauty! Most linear tape machine in existence & top of my tape machine wish list. Promise to use it often.

[astrotoy]

I've returned from a long trip and after getting tech supreme Krieg Wunderlich (who does the Ampex work for Tape Project) to fix a couple of issues with my new ATR-102, I have been playing my tapes, starting with a number of 1/2" tapes, part of large collection I bought, about the same time this Spring as the 102. Using the Doshi 3.0 tape prepro, I have been in music lovers heaven, even playing jazz albums that I do not know.  The albums were first recorded more than 50 years ago, but they sound like they were recorded yesterday. 

A few standards include Time Out, Kind of Blue, and A Love Supreme, but others including Art Blakey's African Beat and one classical album - Reiner's Bartok Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta - all on 1/2" tape.  I also have 8 of the first 10 of the Tape Project albums (all but the two Deccas) on 1/2" which were part of the collection. 

I'll be playing through the 1/2" tapes over the next week or so, and then to 1/4" tapes.

What an amazing experience!

Larry   

[c1ferrari]

How enjoyable it must be!  Comparison of 1/4" and 1/2" program material...most cool.