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Author Topic: Unabashed plug - ATR Services ATR100 with Bottlehead Tube Repro at Audio Gallery  (Read 8527 times)

Offline docb

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I got back last night from a day trip down to Lake Oswego, OR to help Gary and Cindy Kerr of The Audio Gallery set up their gorgeous new ATR from Mike Spitz. Mike built them the most beautiful ATR I've seen (and if you know what an ATR looks like, beautiful isn't usually the first word to pop into your mind). He fabricated a rack mount in the bottom of the roll around into which is mounted one of our Tube Repros. The Repro is wired to the heads with a special cable designed by Caelin Gabriel of Shunyata Research.

After a bit of the usual fooling around with ground loop issues in the AC mains wiring that happens pretty much every time you set up a new system we were treated to a wonderfully silent setup. Gary and Cindy have Lamm electronics and one of my favorite speaker designs - Magico Minis - in the current setup. Cabling is, I believe, all Shunyata.

Man that first five seconds of analog tape always has the same effect on me. My shoulders relax, and I just get pulled into the musical flow. If you are anywhere near Lake Oswego (like within 3-4 light years) I encourage you to stop by Audio Gallery and hear the setup. Gary and Cindy are two of the nicest folks in the business, the store is very warm and inviting, and the tape just doesn't get much better than this.

http://www.theaudiogallery.com/
« Last Edit: November 04, 2008, 09:57:30 AM by docb »
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline mstcraig

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How about some pics of this ATR beast, Doc?
Craig Sypnier
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Offline docb

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Here's a pic that Gary and Cindy sent-

We will be updating the front panel of their Repro to a black one to match the black trim of the ATR.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline ironbut

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She's a beauty! What was the rest of the gear in the chain?
BTW, isn't your ATR the one that was 4 track? If so, how big of a job was it to convert to 1/2 track 1/4"?
steve koto
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Offline docb

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Lamm preamp and amp, not sure of the models. Since they have heard the gold pin 6922 in the Repro, Gary and Cindy are looking for something similar to run in the Lamm gear ;^)>. Magico Minis, and Shunyata cables.

IIRC Paul had an extra 1/4" 2 track head block so that is on my ATR for duping. Not sure what he did with the 1/2" 4 track head block, but I think maybe it got reworked into some other configuration.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline Ben

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Forget the heads ... I want to know what lurks in the boxes I can't read in the photo.
I suspect if you have heads that fit, the ballpark price for most machines would be about the same.
Set 45,Open baffle speakers,Otari 5050,,Pioneer DV-79AVi DVD/CD/SCAD player

Offline ironbut

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Forget the heads ... I want to know what lurks in the boxes I can't read in the photo.
I suspect if you have heads that fit, the ballpark price for most machines would be about the same.

Always the curious one Ben. You must've been a nightmare at Christmas time!
I think that's an unabashed plug for Shunyata Research cables.
steve koto
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 HE Audio Jades

Offline mikel

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huuummmm.

i suppose that Bottlehead repro might look good on my ATR-102 too. i was thinking about the Aria but that does look very nice.

if you don't mind me asking; how much for the Mike Spitz designed added repro rack mount?

*added note; upon further inspection it appears that the mounting is simply a matter of cutting the proper holes in the steel facia plates. not a job for an amateur but one that someone local could do assuming they had the repro box to use as a guide. Doc, is that something you could arrainge if i removed the facia plates and sent them to you?

it looks like the repro face plate covers the rough edges of the hole and the rack mount screws onto the face of it. it is nice the way they use a thick steel for the facia. these days you would have some flimsy plastic panel and no way would it hold a repro.


« Last Edit: November 07, 2008, 08:53:30 AM by mikel »
Mike Lavigne

Offline docb

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The angle of the picture is somewhat deceptive. Though it looks kind of like it's hanging off the lower edge of the tub, the Repro is actually on a panel that has been installed between the lower halves of the uprights on the roll around. I didn't try it, but knowing Mike's attention to detail you can probably still rotate the machine upside down in the roll around for service, with a 1/4" or 1/8" clearance. It's a very clean installation and the Repro's high gain tubes are very quiet with that much distance between it and the motors and transformers in the ATR and I/O module. Don't have any idea what Gary and Cindy paid for Mike's work, but I know that they wanted it done right rather than done quickly. I would imagine a panel like that is something that you could get done locally, though Mike already has the whole thing figured out including the cable adapters.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President for Life, Bottlehead Corp.
Managing Director - retired, The Tape Project

Offline mikel

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see the added note to my post above.

i have not removed these facia panels but it appears to be a pretty straightforward process to mount the Repro (straightforward for someone competent in working with metal...not me).
Mike Lavigne