Messages

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Which machine to keep, which to sell... Ampex ATR-102 / Nagra T?

« on: December 20, 2011, 05:10:18 PM »

Hi Joe,

If you're using a Dolby Labs 361 (or similar) to decode your "A" encoded tapes and you wish to tweak the levels for each tape (some folks just find a happy medium and live with it), I suggest you modify the detachable front panel and mount a 25kohm input pot. The stock ones (either little blue or black ones) aren't anything special and the 91 series Bournes do just fine (if you wanta get fancy, PEC makes a small 25k pot which is nice but 4x the price).
Just wire the new pots to the interface circuit board (use stranded wire since it may get bent several times and give yourself enough slack so the front panel and cat.22 card can be removed if needed).
That way, you can take the Dolby out of the equation and just pick the best tape machine.

Didn't realize it would be this easy all these years.  It looks like the PECs are around $10 per pot.  Would these also work on the Dolby B decoder (can't remember the model # but its earlier than the 422 and later than the 361)?

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Which machine to keep, which to sell... Ampex ATR-102 / Nagra T?

« on: December 20, 2011, 03:37:17 PM »

Not sure if you mean level going out to your system, or eq adjustment. There are switches on the repro cards for setting the output level range, and of course there are level meters on the repro cards that would be usable for adjusting the eq trim.

Sorry, I should have been more clear.  Many of my tapes are Dolby A and the output levels always need slight adjusting to match the reference dolby tone on the tape.  I can either adjust on the dolby or on the Nagra but both have a little trim screw to do it with.  The Ampex has an output level control that makes it easy to do.

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Which machine to keep, which to sell... Ampex ATR-102 / Nagra T?

« on: December 20, 2011, 09:38:15 AM »

Converting to 1/2" is a non-issue as my entire collection is 1/4".  Do you have a solution for adjusting the output level of the Nagra without the meter bridge? 

4

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: NAGRA T-Audio 30 IPS

« on: December 20, 2011, 09:32:43 AM »

Just had an Error 7 message (memory battery low) so no big deal.

Did you figure out what to do about getting rid of this error?  I recently started getting the same error code and wanted to fix it.

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Which machine to keep, which to sell... Ampex ATR-102 / Nagra T?

« on: December 19, 2011, 04:10:26 PM »

I just came into an Ampex ATR-102 that has various upgrades from Precision Motorworks (Capstan, Heads, their Xiron Electronics).  I currently have a Nagra T that I have owned for nearly the last 10 years and has seen little use.  My collection has both acetates as well as many tapes stretching back into the 60s.  My decision on which machine to keep needs to take into consideration both the sound quality as well as its capability to gently handle the older tapes.  My challenge with the Nagra is that I do not have the meter bridge so adjusting the output level is difficult.  I know its a tough decision as both machines are stellar performers.  Opinions?