Best Place To Get 1/4 Inch Reels For Low $$

[Derrick111]

Hello, I just got a 1/4 inch reel-to-reel 8 track recorder. What is the best place to get tapes for lowest $$$$? I will also want cheap tapes for low $$$$ for quick sketching ideas and demo. I remember Apex being the best (?) and now they are gone but Quantegy bought them out (?)... Do I have this right? Anyhow, where do I get cheapest price on quality tapes and not so quality? What tape number should I get?
THANKS!!

[The Ghost of FM]

If we are talking about the Fostex A-8 here, Ampex/Quantegy 456 would be your best choice for your serious productions and Ampex/Quantegy 457 or 407 would be fine for your slightly less serious projects.

Quantegy took over the reins at Ampex back in the late 90s but remained in the same factory, making identical products to what was in the Ampex catalog at that time. It's really just a name change more then anything else. It's also a way of discerning older stock from newer stock too and if your buying second hand tape for goofing around with, beware of Ampex tape made from 1995 or older as it will likely need to be baked in a dehydration oven for an hour or two to dry back the binder glue that holds the oxide layer to the base layer of the tape. Otherwise, you will gum up your heads with a very sticky messy goo also known as SSS or Sticky Shed Syndrome!

Read more on this topic here;

http://www.vaporpark.com/invboard/in...ST&f=12&t=310&

Cheers!