Teac A 3440

JimJoe

New member
Hi:
My present basic setup is recording through a soundcraft ghost into harddrive and mixing/mastering on computer.
I have old 1/4inch reel to reel tapes of music that was recorded on a Teac 3440 4 track.
I would like to run the reel to reels through my board or direct into my harddrive to remix and remaster the old stuff that is presently on reel to reel. So I'm looking for a 4 track to serve this purpose.
My question is: Do I have to purchase a Teac 3440 to do this or will any 4 track 1/4 inch reel to reel deck do the job. I thought I remembered hearing something somewhere that teac runs the opposite direction than other 4 tracks??
If I can use other reel to reel units any other 4 track player/recorders that you would recomend?
Thanks Jim
 
The problem with compatability is that the 4 track reel to reel records all 4 tracks on the entire width of the tape. Conventional tape decks record 2 tracks on half the tape in one direction, you either flip over the reel or reverse the direction and record 2 tracks on the other half.
Hypotheticly you could take a conventional reel to reel machine, as long as it will play back at the same speed the tape was recorded at (7 1/2 or 15 i.p.s.) and just transfer 2 of the tracks, flip the tape and transfer the other 2 tracks and then line them up in a DAW. The problem with that is the wow and flutter and drift of the reel to reel could make the 2 groups of tracks hard to impossible to sync. I've been able to do just that on short (3 minutes or so) tunes as the shorter the piece, the less the drift will pile up on you.
The best thing would be to try and find a 3340 or like machine to make the transfer.
 
Hypotheticly you could take a conventional reel to reel machine, as long as it will play back at the same speed the tape was recorded at (7 1/2 or 15 i.p.s.) and just transfer 2 of the tracks, flip the tape and transfer the other 2 tracks and then line them up in a DAW. The problem with that is the wow and flutter and drift of the reel to reel could make the 2 groups of tracks hard to impossible to sync. I've been able to do just that on short (3 minutes or so) tunes as the shorter the piece, the less the drift will pile up on you.
The best thing would be to try and find a 3340 or like machine to make the transfer.
I agree, the best thing is to find a 3440 to play it back.

There's one other issue with the system you've described -- by flipping the tape over to play back tracks 2 & 4, the playback will be in reverse. Unless you have a reverse-play machine. And yes, wow & flutter plus motor speed issues will mean you have to manually sync the tracks back. It's a pain.
 
Any 4 track that runs at the correct speed should work.
I would look at the tascam 34,s 34bs 44s or if the tapes are 7 inch you could look at the 22-4. or teac 2340 series.
ONe thing nice about the newer 4 tracks like the 34 or 22-4 is they have a variable speed control which could come in handy for slight differences in recorder speeds.
 
Hi:
My present basic setup is recording through a soundcraft ghost into harddrive and mixing/mastering on computer.
I have old 1/4inch reel to reel tapes of music that was recorded on a Teac 3440 4 track.
I would like to run the reel to reels through my board or direct into my harddrive to remix and remaster the old stuff that is presently on reel to reel. So I'm looking for a 4 track to serve this purpose.
My question is: Do I have to purchase a Teac 3440 to do this or will any 4 track 1/4 inch reel to reel deck do the job. I thought I remembered hearing something somewhere that teac runs the opposite direction than other 4 tracks??
If I can use other reel to reel units any other 4 track player/recorders that you would recomend?
Thanks Jim

You will probably have to bake the tapes before they can be played. Just a reminder.
 
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