R2R links

[ironbut]

I seems like there are a number of new members in need of info regarding tapes, machines and supplies. Many of these links have been posted before, but unlike the early days of this board, it's not practical for new members to go back and read every post.

 Links- these are other sites whose focus is reel to reel
the Recordist.comhttp://recordist.com/
 This portal links you to the Ampex and Studer lists. Fantastic info from the keyboards of some of the guys that worked at the each factory. Majordomo mailing list formated forum but the home site has tons of info as well.
TapeOp message boardhttp://messageboard.tapeop.com/
 Online forum for TapeOp magazine. More recording and studio oriented but lots of DIY repair info and some great buys from time to time in the for sale forum. Pick up the magazine too. Very down to earth and the ads can be a good resource too.
Yahoo groups reel to reelhttp://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/reeltoreel/
 Another mailing list type forum. Although the topics of discussion tend toward Teac/Sony/Akai, there are some excellent files to check out like stellavox's list of 2 track releases, so be sure and check out the archived files.
AudioAsylum Tape Trailhttp://www.audioasylum.com/forums/tape/bbs.html
 Everybody should know about this one but maybe someone has missed it. Tons of info and discussions on just about any R2R related subject. Learn to use the advance search!
Resources parts/services/supplies we might refer to in the forums
 US Recording Mediahttp://www.usrecordingmedia.com/ The reel to reel one stop shop. Blank tapes, reels, demag., cleaners, splicing tape etc. If they ain't got it go fish.
 MRL Calibration tapeshttp://home.comcast.net/~mrltapes/
Jay McKnight's calibration tapes for every occasion. Jay had quite a career at Ampex.
 JFR Magnetics http://jrfmagnetics.com/
 Heads for any machine. Studio machine refurbishing. Another Ampex employee. John French can design custom head nests and his standard head replacements are very reasonable.
  Flux Magnetics (website down) source for the extended response heads for Tape Project machines.
 Dark Labshttp://www.darklab-magnetics.de/darklab_webshop/index.htm
Source for those cool NAB reel holders with the editing flanges (german)
 Terry's Rubber Rollers and Wheelshttp://www.terrysrubberrollers.com/
Need your pinch rollers rebuilt, this is the place.
 ATR Serviceshttp://www.atrservice.com/
Mike Spitz makes the famous ATR100 famous-er. Aria class A tape electronics, everything for your ATR100 and the new ATR Magnetics tape.
 MDI Precision Motor Workshttp://www.precisionmotorworks.com/
Upgraded parts for Ampex/Otari studio machines
 Reel Pro Sound Guyshttp://www.reelprosoundguys.com/
Parts and service for Teac/Tascam/Sony/Akai and reportedly, Technics soon.
Vintage Electronicshttp://www.vintage-electronics.cc/index.html
Good source for manuals and some parts. Very reasonable.
 JM Technical Artshttp://www.jmtecharts.com/
Revox/Studer parts and service $$$.
Recommended Reading Links to great info
 US Recording Media Faqs and Tipshttp://www.usrecordingmedia.com/archives.html
Must read facts about preserving the great sound of your tapes. Also tape data sheets, machine maintenance etc.
 Tangible Technologieshttp://www.tangible-technology.com/machines.html
Eddie Ciletti's home page. Includes 4 articles on tape technology. " How does it work" in easy to follow articles from "Mix" magazine.
 MRL Calibration Tapeshttp://home.comcast.net/~mrltapes/
An unbelievable resource from Jay McKnight. You name it, it's here. It can get a little technical but the knowledge is worth the effort.
 Manquenhttp://www.manquen.net/audio/
Everything you ever wanted to know about tape flutter. It's the invisible demon of tape playback. Believe it!
 Richard Hess's Tape Restoration http://www.richardhess.com/tape/index.htm
The emphasis is on restoration and archiving but Richard knows tapes and machines like few in the world. There are gems in every nook and cranny of this crumpet.
 Pictures/deck features
 Phantoms's Reel to Reelhttp://reel2reeltexas.com/index.html
Huge collection of reel to reel recorders and ads from a former recording studio.
 Obsolete Mediahttp://obsoletemedia.com/geeklog/index.php?topic=tdinfo
Back in the old days, Audio magazine used to have a directory of gear. This is in the same format for selected brands.
 Bay Area Studio Engineeringhttp://www.analogrules.com/
This site is always under construction on some of the pages, but what is there is great. Sales ads, test tones, info on many studio machines.

Well, that's it for now. So check it out. I'm sure I missed tons of great links so post away.

[rbwtapeinterlink-Bob]

Steve, I want to commend you for pulling together all of this awesome information for the new and some of us who have been around for a while. Thanks for taking the time to do this for us. You and others are the reason this forum is so popular and helpful. Keep up the great work.

Bob W.

[docb]

Very nice, Steve, I made this a sticky. I should point out that both Mike Spitz of ATR Services and Greg Orton of Flux Magnetics were associated with the old Ampex as well.

A couple more resources:

http://www.j-corder.com Jeff Jacobs restores and customizes Technics RS1500, 1506, 1520,1700 and 1800 machines and he is also the US distributor for the Darklab Magnetics NAB hub adapters that are a copy of the old Revox hub adapters.

http://www.otari.com Otari U.S.A. Sales supplies new MX5050BIII-2 recorders, sells parts and does repairs and restoration of most Otari tape recorders.

[xcortes]

I'd better put my dehumidifier to work:

http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub54/

[astrotoy]

Steve, thanks. This is great information. Larry

[ironbut]

There's been more than one thread about use of balanced cables (XLR, TRS etc) and while some of this concern is unnecessary, it's always better to understand the elements of a mystery than just following someone's advice and being done with it. At least that's the  reasoning that I've followed in these stickies.
So here's a link to an exhaustive guide to balanced cables (profusely illustrated).
http://www.rane.com/note110.html

[ironbut]

HiFi Engine This site has lots of user/service manuals along with schematics and parts list. All for the cost of registering!
http://www.hifiengine.com/manuals.shtml

BASE Gorski's site might not be the easiest to navigate, but if you're looking for a manual for free, it's worth the time. Pro studio machine manuals and don't forget to check out the gallery pictures, slow but cool.
http://www.analogrules.com/

[ironbut]

Continuing with free online manuals.
Studer fool (Chris Wait) has pointed out a fantastic site for Studer product manuals.
ftp://ftp.studer.ch/Public/Products/
Edit;
Chris just added this great Ampex manuals site,.. fantastic!
http://ampexdata.com/html/legacy_manuals.html
And this link to a Studer C37  schematic (the repro amp section)
http://recordist.com/ampex/schematics/studer/c37/c37pbamp.gif

[ironbut]

I've seen a few folks, here and elsewhere, who've had problems with their VU meters and until now, never really had a good place to suggest that they send it. Analog meters can be very tricky and most, if not all, regular service guys outsource this work to specialists. Unfortunately, this is a dying art as everything goes digital. So here's a place that was highly recommended on the Ampex list for calibration and service.
http://www.larsonmetercraft.com/

[ironbut]

Here's a great reel to reel timeline courtesy of the fine folks over at Phantom Productions. Many of the entries are linked to photos, vintage ads, and locations on other sites.
Fantastic stuff!

http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinListYear.html

If you've never spent any time browsing the photos from their museum, set aside some time and check it out too.

[ironbut]

The more you work on audio gear, the more you'll find that almost everybody used a different bulb to illuminate their buttons and meters.
Once you're able to pull the dead bulb and test it with a 9v battery to confirm it's demise, I suggest that you first go to MCMasterr- Carr's web site and see if they have what you need.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

If they don't have the bulb you need, they have some excellent diagrams showing the different sizes and volt/amps of what they have available so you'll know the parameters to look out for.
Some other sources for bulbs are;

http://www.parts-express.com/home.cfm
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/
http://www.newark.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp
http://www.tubesandmore.com/

If you've tried these places and still come up short, the stores that specialize in bulbs are the places to try. Here's the one that I use;

http://www.bulbtronics.com/

Unfortunately, many of the machines use solder type bulbs and figuring out the voltage applied across the bulb, finding one that fits and has the right level of illumination is probably easier than finding an exact replacement.

[ironbut]

Here's an excellent slideshow of the guts of an Otari 5050.
There's a few excellent tips for quick fixes of common problems.

http://photos.naples.net/index.cfm?go=gallery.view&albumsid=720

[ironbut]

For any of you guys who've dream about, or might even be currently involved in, the restoration of one of the many wonderful studio machines. Here's a thread that I linked to in the Tape Machines forum of an Ampex MM-1000 being brought back to its former glory.
Warning,.. this contains many large photos so be prepared to wait a bit.

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=290708

[ironbut]

Darkhorse has done a great service to this community by compiling all the manuals and schematics in one spot for the Otari 5050 series recorders.
Many thanks to him. These are available on the web but are scattered to the four corners of internetlandvilleson!

Here's a link to the link.

http://www.tapeproject.com/smf/index.php/topic,1545.0.html

[King Arthur]

Heres a link on baking tapes with Sticky Shed problems..

http://www.youramerica.net/tapebake.htm

Only thing is, he doesn't recommend any approximate temperatures!