Messages

31

Tape Project Machines / Re: "TP to move away from Technics decks"

« on: February 10, 2009, 09:53:10 AM »

Doc, any idea when you'll start offering mods to customer's MX-5050s?

Thanks!

32

Suggestion Box / Re: Classical Music Subscription Series

« on: January 30, 2009, 10:00:38 AM »

another perspective to consider is 'where is the TP library the weakest'? obviously that would be rock/pop. but getting license to most popular 60's or 70's rock titles is maybe not 'real world. but i don't want to derail this thread by getting off topic. getting some mainstream Classical titles is just much more possible. these Classical rights owners don't make a dime on these expensive LP sales on ebay. but TP license fees would be something.

I agree that classic rock is where the TP catalog is weakest, and as a child of the 70s I'd like to see some of that.  I'm no expert on the music business, but with the record labels hurting as much as they are, you'd think they'd be anxious for any new source of revenue.  And there are precedents - MoFi managed to release the Beatles!  I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd go nuts over a TP tape of Revolver, although I'd expect the demand for something like that would overwhelm the TP.

One approach could be to try to contact musicians who are into sound quality, and could take an interest in what the TP is doing.  Two who come to mind are Neil Young and Steely Dan. 

33

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Adding VU meters to Seduction/modified Technics?

« on: January 27, 2009, 12:18:55 PM »

Thanks, Doc.  I'll be sure to add a switch before I start using the head outputs.

34

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Adding VU meters to Seduction/modified Technics?

« on: January 27, 2009, 09:14:56 AM »

What's the problem with having the tape head outputs in parallel with the internal electronics of the deck?  That's the way I added playback head outs to my MX5050 - I just tapped into the audio PCB where the playback head is connected, but left the head also connected to the internal electronics.  I haven't used the head outs yet, since I don't yet have a suitable preamp, but the internal electronics (including the meters) still work fine.

35

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: shipping update

« on: January 23, 2009, 05:23:51 PM »

Thanks for all your hard work, Romo.  With the two tapes UPS says I'll get next week, since the first of the year I'll have gone from 1 tape to all 8 that have been released, plus the alignment tape.

Now go get some sleep!

36

Tape Tech / Odd alignment issue

« on: January 20, 2009, 07:24:06 PM »

Last night I finally finished recapping and aligning my Otari MX5050 Mk3.  So after listening to the Dave Alvin TP tape I recently received (which sounded great), I decided to try the 7 1/2 ips Ampex copy of Sgt Pepper I bought on eBay a few months ago.  For the first couple of minutes on side 1, the tape kept popping in and out of the slot in the right side guide arm.  It was also wavering back and forth between the capstan and pinch roller.  This didn't seem to affect the sound too much (the tape stayed put in the guides in the headblock), and it stopped after a couple of minutes, but it does concern me.  I tried different take up reels, and rewinding the tape on the Otari to get a better tape pack, but it's still doing this.

Is this something I should be concerned about, and is there anything I can do to stop this?  The Otari's guide arms don't appear to be adjustable (and I replaced the soft stock Otari arms with hard stainless steel aftermarket arms), and I haven't encountered this with any other tapes, so I suspect it has something to do with the Sgt Pepper tape.

Thanks!

37

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: shipping update

« on: January 20, 2009, 07:12:39 PM »

Thanks for all your efforts.  The tape I got today means I've gone from one tape to 5 since the first of the year, with one more UPS says I'll see on Friday.  So my Otari is seeing a lot more use!

I also got my alignment tape in today's shipment.  I should have expected that, since I finished recapping and aligning the Otari yesterday!  I suspect it'll be the weekend before I haul it down from the 2nd floor to the basement again, where my test bench is.

38

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Otari MX 5050BIII questions

« on: January 08, 2009, 10:16:34 PM »

All the schematics for the MX-5050 BIII are now up at http://home.comcast.net/~bobschneider8/site/?/photos/.  I also have a pdf of the mechanical drawings and parts lists, although I can't find a way to let anyone access that from my website - send me a PM and I can email it to you.

I got this info from someone who was kind enough to email it to me when I bought my BIII over the summer.  This and the manual with all the adjustment/alignment instructions are all the info I have - I've never seen a full blown service manual, but this info should have pretty much all you need.

39

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Otari MX 5050BIII questions

« on: January 08, 2009, 01:27:39 PM »

Here's the schematic to the Mark III audio section

http://home.comcast.net/~bobschneider8/Otari/12-Rec%20%26%20Repro%20Amp.jpg

I have the rest of the schematics on my home computer.  I'll try to get them up on my website in the next couple of days

40

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: Latest shipping News

« on: January 06, 2009, 06:28:40 PM »

I just received the same 3 as Zhou Bin.  I put Waltz for Debbie on right away - it sounds fantastic!  I also have the SACD, and will have to give the two a head to head comparison once I get the R2R in the same system as the SACD player.

4 down, 6 to go from the first series - I can hardly wait!  Thanks again, guys

41

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: Latest shipping News

« on: December 30, 2008, 10:11:37 PM »

Great!  I got 3 shipping notices over the weekend, which will give me a total of 4 tapes.  I can't wait!

42

General Discussion / Re: Newbie question about playback (Technics 1500 and Uher Universal)

« on: December 21, 2008, 09:56:02 PM »

www.markertek.com can sell you pretty much any cable you can imagine.  They ought to be able to set you up with a cable with RCAs on one end and the connector on your Uher on the other.

43

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Ampex 440

« on: December 16, 2008, 01:07:06 PM »

I have a half track high speed Revox B77 I found on fleaBay.  While this deck was NAB EQ, I also found a spare set of 3 3/4 - 7 1/2 NAB record and playback amp cards there, which were easy to convert to 7 1/2 - 15 CIRR.  The slower speed NAB and high speed CIRR amps use the same PCBs, so it just required swapping a few caps and resistors.  But the high speed NAB amps use different PCBs, so I couldn't just convert those.

So this deck is now fully capable of handling Tape Project tapes, and I played the one I have on it after a cleaning.  It's on my workbench right now - I've now replaced the wear parts and did a full recap.  Playback works fine, but I'm trying to track down why the left channel won't record before I button it up and put in back in my system.

44

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: back in the Tape Shed

« on: December 05, 2008, 08:56:20 AM »

Charter Member #083 here.  Thanks for the update, Dan.  I've only received TP001, and am looking forward to the rest.  I'm planning on spending some time this weekend replacing wear parts and recapping my B77, so this will be perfect timing.

45

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: MX-5050B2HD on the bench today.

« on: November 14, 2008, 02:37:02 PM »

I'd definately be interested in the bearing tape guide mod for the MX-5050, as long as the price isn't too painful.  BMW parts prices would be OK, but Ferrari prices would be tough...