Latest news on current production tape

[docb]

This weekend I received the info in the pdf attachments below, from Quantegy.

I also received the e-mail at the link posted here, from ATR Magnetics:

http://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:5587.485151159/rid:d84268ca535badd64209489201cdb4d2

The third player in this round of "who's got tape?" is RMGI, and I am posting a link to their site as well to make the information in this post as complete as possible:

http://www.rmgi-usa.com/rmg_studio.html

[heideana]

So is this a kind of chair re-arrangement amongst the tape manufacturer's or does anyone know what's prompted this changes?  My local tape distributor told me about Quantegy shut down and that RMGI showed up on her availability list at of nowhere.  Its' also seems odd that Quantegy gears down as ATR gears up...does anyone know if they're both owned by the same parent company?

[docb]

Quantegy has been in trouble for a while. They shut down production of their version of various Ampex formulations a couple of years ago, some changes were made in ownership, and the new owners took a shot at pulling the company out of trouble and making tape again. The latest step of the process has been to stop tape production altogether.

RMGI is a European company which has resurrected some AGFA/BASF formulas. Actully that tape has been available for a few months now. Possibly this had some recent impact upon Quantegy sales, but that is pure speculation on my part.

ATR Magnetics is owned by Mike Spitz of ATR Services and some partners. They formed the company in 2004 and have been working up their new tape formulation ever since. They are not related to Quantegy or RMGI. ATR Magnetics tape is not yet available except for a few samples (of which we were delighted to receive one), but the latest info indicates that they are starting to build a stock.

Each of these manufacturers has their own manufacturing plant.

[Danny Kaey]

I know you're gonna kill me... "April 2007"... hehehe... gotta luv it!

besides, no mention of 1/4" tape anywhere which was supposed to have been their very first tape size...

*sigh*

[slbender]

I asked about 1/4 inch tape recently, and ATR replied that they have not made any for beta test, and may not make any for a while, so proibably not this year is my impression by reading between the lines.


Steven L. Bender, Designer of Vintage Audio Equipment

I know you're gonna kill me... "April 2007"... hehehe... gotta luv it!

besides, no mention of 1/4" tape anywhere which was supposed to have been their very first tape size...

*sigh*

[Danny Kaey]

yep, I figured that since RMGI makes such excellent 1/4" tape, they are best left to tackle the pro market w/ 1/2 and 1" tape...

who knows though.

If memory serves me right (i'll have to dig through some vintage emails), tape was supposed to have been available in the fall of 2005...

anywho... RMGI is simply superb.

I asked about 1/4 inch tape recently, and ATR replied that they have not made any for beta test, and may not make any for a while, so proibably not this year is my impression by reading between the lines.


Steven L. Bender, Designer of Vintage Audio Equipment

I know you're gonna kill me... "April 2007"... hehehe... gotta luv it!

besides, no mention of 1/4" tape anywhere which was supposed to have been their very first tape size...

*sigh*

[High and Outside]

We have had many discussions with ATR Magnetics, and they always said that 1/4 inch tape was going to be the very last width that they were going to be slitting. Their plan is to get the pipeline filled with 2" and 1/2" first, then start on the 1". I'm sorry to say I don't expect to see 1/4" from them for quite a while.

In the meantime, our experience with the RMGI 468 is very positive. We have both 1" and 1/4" in hand, and we are using them as we ramp up our own production.