Tape Project Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ctm306 on January 17, 2009, 11:07:36 AM
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Hello, I'm new to the forum. I'm looking to get back into reel to reel as I have a good collection
of music. In the past I owned an Otari MX5050 with head signal out to a modified Conrad Johnson PV8 preamp. That was a nice set up. I have some Ampex 456 2 track tapes the rest are all pre-recorded
4 track. I'm looking at a Tanberg TD20 SE 1/2 track and an Otari MX5050 B11 2.
My questions are can the Tanberg playback the 4 track tapes as well and
of the two decks which is the most preferred?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Bill
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Hi Bill, I could be wrong but I don't believe any of the Tandburg TD20 series records featured 1/2 and 1/4 track heads which would be required to play both. Most of the Otari 5050 series did come stock with a 4 head design while the ones that didn't had it as an option. Tandburgs are very nice machines though but would be harder to obtain parts for. A good site to check out spec's and info regard Tandburgs is;
http://www.kallhovde.com/akscans/sub1.htm
For repairs and parts,
http://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/sg.html
It sounds like you had a very nice rig before but I can understand wanting to try something else.
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Thank you ironbut, your input is very useful. The seller is responding with a - yes it will play 4 track as well as 2 track. From all accounts so far I think not.
Bill
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It's always possible that the deck has been customized to do that with the addition of another head but that's pretty unlikely. I'd guess that the owner is confusing 1/4 track stereo with 2 track stereo (1/2 track). If this is the case, he probably doesn't know much about reel to reel and hasn't kept up with the maintenance of the deck or wouldn't know if anything is seriously wrong with it.
There are tons of Otari decks out there and while 99.9% of any of the used machines on the market will require some work to get it working well, these are pretty durable and parts are still available.
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I just got a reply from the Tanberg TD20 SE ebay seller and all he did was quote some of the Mfg. specs.
This in itself is very telling! Based on all the facts, parts availability etc. I will go for the Otari again.
Hope I can get a good one.
Thanks,
Bill
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As a basic rule of physics, it is possible to play a 2 track stereo tape on a 1/4 track stereo machine, but it is not optimal as the gaps are not aligned with the center of the track. It is not possible to play a 1/4 track stereo tape recorded both sides, on a 2 track machine as the left gap will read the left channel from side one forwards and the right channel from side two backwards simultaneously, and the right gap will read the right channel from side one forwards and the left channel from side two backwards simultaneously - a MESS !
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Wise choice going for the Otari. Just be patient and a nice MX-5050 B2 or B3 will come your way.
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Wave to it as it rolls by... :)