Tape Project Forum

Tape Machines => Reel to Reel Tape Machines => Topic started by: soundmark on April 07, 2010, 10:39:28 PM

Title: playing back a tape at 7 1/2ips on a Studer A-80
Post by: soundmark on April 07, 2010, 10:39:28 PM

Is there a way to thread a tape so that I can set the machine to play at 15 ips and yet actually have the tape run at 7 1/2. The schematic on the top of thee deck is confusing - at least to me.

Title: Re: playing back a tape at 7 1/2ips on a Studer A-80
Post by: Ki Choi on April 08, 2010, 10:57:05 AM

There is an LP Cutting A80 with extra tape path to add time but it would be physically not possible to set the machine up for 15ips and run the tape at 7,5 ips by simply changing the tape path.

However, you can make changes to the transport electronics to operate the A80 from 15/30 ips to 7.5/15 ips but it's not easy.

Title: Re: playing back a tape at 7 1/2ips on a Studer A-80
Post by: ironbut on April 08, 2010, 12:52:57 PM

Hey soundmark (btw, we use our real names on this forum),
Welcome to the forum.

Remember that it's the pinch roller>tape>capstan interface that controls the speed that the tape moves across the heads (at least on machines that have capstans and pinch rollers). So no matter what you do before and after this interface can only refine or degrade this interface but can't change the speed. So, when you change speeds on your machine, the rotational speed of the capstan changes.