Messages

46

Heart Like a Wheel / Re: Breaking our own rule

« on: January 26, 2010, 09:35:44 PM »

i just read Paul's comments and can relate to the serious considerations these guys had to weigh. this was the first foray into 'power pop' at a high level and almost a no win situation. do they reject the title and make it that much harder the next time they try to negotiate something like this? is the sound 'good enough'? how will the subscribers feel? what would be the ramifications of switching titles?

i do respect any subscriber's right to be upset; but i think if thought all the way thru that it seems that if it sounds great then it was the right decision.

ultimately; i've bought into Paul, Doc and Romo's sense of what is right. and if 'Heart Like A Wheel' sounds great then there should be peace in the valley.

TP-011, 'Heart Like A Wheel' arrived today and it's sitting next to me here. i'm about to listen to it. this thread is not where i'll post my impressions, but i did hear a demo cut at CES and it did sound wonderful there, so my expectations are high.

btw; bonus points awarded for full disclosure......not always the easy way but the right way.

mikel

47

Heart Like a Wheel / Re: The last detail

« on: January 26, 2010, 06:54:59 AM »

yesterday afternoon i got a UPS shipping notice for a delivery today from The Tape Project. i assume that's 'Heart Like A Wheel'. if so, thanks guys. i've been looking forward to this one since it was announced.

48

Heart Like a Wheel / Re: The last detail

« on: January 11, 2010, 09:48:40 PM »

i heard a cut from this tape at the EAR/dPv room at CES......very, very nice. that voice is heavenly. really looking forward to this one.

49

Tape Project Machines / Re: A Studer A810 playback head output mod

« on: December 24, 2009, 09:51:12 PM »

Unfortunately I never saw the actual work that was done to your machine so I don't know exactly how it was executed. It's not impossible to just extend the head cables, but it would appear a bit inelegant to anyone who was looking inside the machine because the cable has to take a bend and go behind the head block plate right where the splice is made. The switch will create a mounting point that will make this more clean and stable, at least in theory. Now having been inside one I suspect that whatever was wrong with that particular mod could have been fixed pretty easily. Most likely it was simply an incomplete connection between the spring that Studer slips over the head wires as a rather unconventional form of shielding and whatever shield was added to that to cover the added cable.

a month or so ago i watched an 'expert' from this forum install a switch on the heads of my Studer A820 which allowed us to A/B the stock circuit and some custom electronics. he did an amazingly wonderful job of precision soldering of these tiny wires onto the switch; and then 6 hours later he put it back as original.

the head design i assume is quite similar to the A810.
we discussed the various choices of where a switch could be installed 'semi-permanently which would be elegant and not cause other problems. it sounds like you have come to the same conclusion that we did. using the hole for the fader as a place to install the switch.
as the Studers seem to be particularly solid machines mechanically i am happy to see that they are getting attention from you for the electronics. that can only lead to them being more optimized.

50

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Check out Sony studio in NYC

« on: December 13, 2009, 02:08:08 PM »

Mikel,

ERP = erase, record, play
The stock heads are used with the Cello unit, the preamp on the head assembly is bypassed.

We sold the Cello electronics for a reason.
After living with stock and Cello modified A820, our engineers preferred working with the stock machines for 2 track or switched to ATR Services rebuilt ATR 104 machines.

Dominick,

thank you for the explanation. interesting you prefer stock to the Cello. i do really enjoy the performance of the stock circuit in my A820; however, a few weeks ago i was able to hear a custom circuit A/B'd (a friend wired a switch in front of the heads) with the stock circuit and it was lower noise, more natural, and more detailed. it was easy to hear a layer of grunge on the stock circuit in direct comparison to the custom circuit. having heard that i'm very much interested in improving my stock Studer circuit.

the one problem with the custom circuit was that the bass slam and microdynamics was better with the stock circuit.....likely the custom circuit was not perfectly matched to the Studer heads (or maybe some other issue with the circuit).....which is why i asked about what heads the Cello circuit was designed for.

anyway, i really appreciate the information.

i also have a Jeff Gillman (MDI Precision Motor Works) refurbed ATR-102 i'm also wanting repro electronics for.

51

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Check out Sony studio in NYC

« on: December 12, 2009, 11:00:08 PM »

The Studer/Cello A820 machines had the 6 RU 4 channel record play electronics and 2 RU power supply mounted under the deck. We had the following head assemblies - 1/2" 4 track ERP, 1/2" 3 track play, 1/2" 2 track ERP, 1/4" half track stereo ERP and 1/4" mono ERP. No 1".
The original Studer electronics were left intact.
We sold all of the Cellos at the '07 auction. No idea where they are.

hi Dominick,

thanks for the details; i own an A820, and am now looking for 'better than stock' output electronics. mounted underneath; huuummmm.

i assume ERP stands for Extended Response Playback?

that Cello circuit might just be the way to go if one could get their hands on it. i wonder how those 1/4" half track stereo ERP heads compare to the stock OEM heads in my Studer......since the Cello circuit was obviously designed for those heads.

it does not cost anything to dream about it.

52

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Check out Sony studio in NYC

« on: December 12, 2009, 12:04:46 PM »

Analog was Studer & Ampex. In 2002 we had;
5  A827, 5  A800 MkIII, a dozen or so A820, 4  A820/Cello 4 track, 2  A807 4 track, 1 A80RC, 1 A80VU-2, 1 ATR-104/Aria, 2 ATR-104, 6 ATR-102. All the ATR's were rebuilt by ATR Services.

holy crap!! i have a few questions?

4-A820/Cello 4-track.......where, might i ask, are those beauties now?

are those 1"?

 i wonder if the Cello circuit is both input and output and how the EQ switching is implemented?

what it might take to switch them to 2-track 1/4"?

 is the Cello circuit installed in the overbridge?

any info would be appreciated. i'm just sitting here dreaming.

53

General Discussion / Re: Building a Music Room

« on: November 23, 2009, 08:57:32 AM »

i built a room. i had it designed by an acoustician and gave him a clean sheet of paper with no resrictions other than 25' x 37' as max dimentions. i built it exactly as he designed it.

my 2 cents would be that most audiophiles evolve. so i would not get too narrowly focused on one speaker design in the room design or you will be locked into it. another thing is that the 'Golden Ratio' does not scale. different frequencies do different things at different dimentions. accidently the Golden ratio does work at certain sizes. how the room is constructed will affect what dimentions work. so it's not just size.

if you are a DIY kinda person the Golden Ratio is pretty good, but not the last word.

and btw, my room shape resembles an oval, there are no parallel walls and the ceiling is very uneven. most importantly, my room has mostly diffusion, and the front third has hardwood floors over concrete, the rear two thirds are thick carpeting over concrete (think concert hall).

here is an article i wrote on my room building experience;

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue16/lavigneroom.htm

it was a very satisfying experience.

54

Brilliant Corners / Brilliant Corners is a gem!

« on: November 13, 2009, 11:50:21 PM »

JoeG wrote; "Brilliant Corners" is indeed brilliant!! Mine arrived about 1 hour ago, and it's spinning as I write this. Dead true to the LP, with so much more body and weight, especially in the drums. Another home run guys! Right away, I can tell this one is going to spend a lot of time mounted on the deck."

as JoeG said on the 'ready to launch' thread; 'Brilliant Corners' is Brilliant.....and i agree with the rest of his comments too.

i'll add that in comparing TP-013 to the AP-45rpm Lp reissue (which i've always enjoyed) the tape is more vivid and immediate. i love the celeste that Monk plays on 'Pannonica' on the Lp; but the tape just adds that extra energy and vivid liveness. this is one of those moments where the line blurs between recording and reality.

i love that cut.

the horns and piano have more texture and more subtle action on the tape and those drums really rock as Joe mentions.

this recording does demand your attention; it's all over the place and there is just so much going on in so many interesting ways (i'm not so good at articulating my meaning here, sorry) that with every listen it seems you are going down a new path of understanding. yet; it is easy to listen casually too.....but why would you want to?

this tape further blows away my previous reservations about mono recordings. this sounds real. check out Desmond's bass toward the end of 'Bemsha Swing'....really realy good on the Lp, magnificent on the tape.

i've listened to this two times all the way thru tonight already.....now it's 'turn down the lights' time......a wee bit of single malt Lagavulin.....and away we go again.

as Joe says, another home run!

55

Brilliant Corners / Re: Brilliant Corners ready to launch

« on: November 12, 2009, 08:49:22 PM »

just got my shipping notice from The Tape Project for a delivery tomorow; i assume it is for 'Brilliant Corners'. based on my listen to samples from 'BC' at Docs and in Philip O'Hanlon's room at RMAF i'm pretty stoked to hear it in room.

i'll listen to the 45rpm pressing tonight to wet my appetite.

mikel

56

Suggestion Box / Re: Hauntingly beautiful ballard.........

« on: November 11, 2009, 08:39:01 PM »

here ya go....

http://www.myballard.com/ballard-sunday-farmers-market/

i've heard Ballard described in many ways (my Grandma lived there for 50 years).....but never 'hauntingly beautiful'. OTOH it is a pretty cool neighborhood, if not as hip as Fremont.

Bop Street Records is in Ballard; with over 500,000 lps for sale.

sorry, i could not resist.

57

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: New Deck or Upgrade

« on: November 04, 2009, 07:35:23 PM »

BTW, as I read on the latest issue of Stereophile magzine that the Abbey Road studio engineers compared all available master recorders for their remastering of the Beatles work and had selected a Studer - my guess (and hope) is that it was a A80RC Mk II.

here is a list of Studer RTR decks Abby Road Studios would choose from;

http://www.abbeyroad.co.uk/_static_files/pdf/Abbey_Road_Mastering_Room_Tech_Specs.pdf

58

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: NAB hub adapter question

« on: October 23, 2009, 10:18:12 AM »

the OEM stock Studer hubs on my A820 are built like a swiss watch. i've used the 'Darklab' hubs on a friends deck; they are lighter and the inards are moulded plastic. like holding a Rolex compared to holding a Hong Kong knock-off. the time i did use the 'darklabs' hubs a small plastic spacer inside the hub came loose and i could not figure out exactly how to fix it. so we used the stock Technics hubs instead.

i cannot say that the stock Studer hubs work better but they work in a perfectly swiss way.

'the best is the enemy of the merely very good'.....that Voltaire guy.

59

General Discussion / Re: Residential Recording Studios

« on: October 18, 2009, 09:03:43 AM »

Chris Huston of Rives Audio wrote an article about "Soundstage; Home verses Studio Control Room" which might be helpful.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/rives.htm

60

Tape Project Albums - general / Re: Which Tape Project tape has spent the most time on your deck?

« on: October 11, 2009, 08:30:08 AM »

it's a tie between Exotic Dances and the Albeniz-Suite Espanola.....they are both so dynamic and involving. 'Waltz' had been a 'first choice' demo disc for so many years in 45rpm vinyl that i sorta don't seem to choose it often even though it is wonderfull and the one (from the first series) i'm most connected with.

i suspect that going forward The Staple Singers will take their places as the most played as it is just a perfect recording of such compelling music. it just overwhelms your senses and takes your breath away in my system.

OTOH the demo tape i heard in Philip O'Hanlon's room at RMAF showed just how good 'The Sermon' and the 'Coltrane-Burrell' will be.......so stay tuned.