Got the surprise of my life!

[A Reel Person]

Got home 'round midnight, & a box was on my doorstep. Hmmm,... I don't remember ordering anything recently. Okay,... it's a small box, and I think I ordered a PS-P414 power module,... but NOPE!!!!

It was TWO BRAND NEW TEAC PORTASTUDIO ALIGNMENT TAPES~!!!
... that I think I ordered last September!!!!!!!!

So,... I'm the first one on my block to have the genuine TEAC alignment tapes for 2X speed Portastudios (244/246/464/644/424/488/688) and 1X speed Portastudios (Porta One, Porta Two, MF-P01, Porta Two)!

Maybe I get excited over very strange things, but I'm very excited about having an official standard service alignment tape for Portastudios!! I'll be the most dialed-in Portastudio user on the planet!

Funny,... I'll have to go thru my records, 'cause I don't recall TEAC billing me for those tapes!!!! Maybe they just put in the charges. We'll see!

PS: these alignment tapes were like $150 bucks each!
... but r well worth it if you've ever considered aligning a Portastudio!!

[A Reel Person]

TEAC billed me on the 27th!!!

[cjacek]

You mean you got billed $300!?

[rayc]

Reel,
You should set yourself up as consultant aligner for any Portastudio folk in the "tri-state area".
Now, if only I had tapes for my Yamaha MT100 & TRUVOX reel as well as my DOLBY unit, I'd be a happy chappy.
Congrats but sad about the billing - pity they didn't forget.
I expect to hear something from the newly aligned machine SOOOON.

[A Reel Person]

...................

[A Reel Person]

Let's say that having these alignment tapes forwards my technical goals with regard to fixing and maintaining this type of gear,... since I'm so heavily invested in it already. I've considered fixing gear as a business venture, and I'm really interested in refurbishing certain vintage recorders.

I feel like recording something new, here & there, but that's as yet TBD.

As for the billing? I asked for it! I didn't actually forget, 'cause I'd remember about it from month to month, but I surely thought TEAC had forgotten me! But, no! I definitely wasn't expecting it on my doorstep after this many months, that's for sure! Although they did say they'd have to custom-make the tapes, the lady said maybe 6-9 weeks,... not months! However long it took, it confirms my faith in TEAC for having always given me 100% satisfactory service, and having the tapes puts me in a much better place technically, considering I have maybe two dozen TEAC 4-tracks.

It's a high priority for me to do more playing & recording, as well as all this techy stuff, but by gosh,... I'm stoked that I have those alignment tapes! Damn things cost a fortune, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

[timboZ]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

PS: these alignment tapes were like $150 bucks each!
... but r well worth it if you've ever considered aligning a Portastudio!!

That's why I went the digital rout...............
I have a whole behringer studio for the price of your tapes..
And I still have beer money left.

[A Reel Person]

....................

[The Ghost of FM]

Actually, I think I have you beat in terms of owning the most expensive cassette tape on the planet, Dave.

As some of you may be aware, my dad recently passed away and the funeral costs were around $6300.00 dollars and all I am left with is a tape of the eulogy.

Off topic, I know, but it might make the price you paid a bit easier to swallow.

Cheers!

[Beck]

Originally Posted by timboZ

That's why I went the digital rout...............
I have a whole behringer studio for the price of your tapes..
And I still have beer money left.

You'll need the beer money to dull the pain and make the results tolerable...

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by timboZ

That's why I went the digital rout...............
I have a whole behringer studio for the price of your tapes..
And I still have beer money left.

er .... would this be good or bad news ?

[themaddog]

Really sorry to hear that Ghost. Hope you and your family are doing well.

Best wishes,
-Pete

[antispatula]

ah, I've got fond memories of my old portastudio. I got it for 40 bucks, then broke like 2 weeks after. Nowadays, I'd be able to fix it easily, it was just a power supply problem, but man, thinking of that old thing reminds me of how far I've gotten it terms of knowledge of this kind of thing. When I got it, I didn't even know what EQ was, and thought a 20 dollar best buy mic was of high quality

[A Reel Person]

genuine Tascam Portastudios of every sort continue to fill a niche in a wide spectrum of recording needs and gear, (where I have reel-8-tracks and reel-24-tracks at my disposal),... and have never lost their utility and appeal to me as a user.

To make the implied assumption that a 4-track/cassette is always a starter unit that must be progressed beyond as one grows through the stages of recording, is a common and overused fallacy,... much like the 'digital-always-superior-to-analog' debate.

Anyone wanna start that argument again? Be my guest!

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

genuine Tascam Portastudios of every sort continue to fill a niche in a wide spectrum of recording needs and gear, (where I have reel-8-tracks and reel-24-tracks at my disposal),... and have never lost their utility and appeal to me as a user.

To make the implied assumption that a 4-track/cassette is always a starter unit that must be progressed beyond as one grows through the stages of recording, is a common and overused fallacy,... much like the 'digital-always-superior-to-analog' debate.

Anyone wanna start that argument again? Be my guest!

No argument from me.

I always cringe when someone says about the TEAC / TASCAM 4 or 8 track (reel or cassette) that "it's a great machine to start out on" or "it's a good sketch pad for ideas"... like they're implying that it's a piece of shit or somethin' or..

[A Reel Person]

that you can't really generalize.

F/I, 'spat had his cheap POS 4-track crap out on him in 2 weeks, which is unfortunate,... and yet I've had a quality 4-track last me decades. Both are anecdotal, but can you generalize? Or,... someone's (MF-P01) 4-tracker may be lofi and limited, by some accounts, and yet I have numerous high-end Portastudios that have advanced features for_weeks,... but can you generalize? There's many Tascam Portastudios that I've coveted, and then come to own over time,... and probably an equal number of Foxtex Multitrackers that I wouldn't touch. Sure, it's anecdotal, but can you generalize about cassette/4-tracks?

Got off topic, there for a bit!

Hey! Did I tell'ya I got some snazzy new TEAC alignment tapes for Portastudios? I feel so friggin' powerful when I hold them in my hands!

[cjacek]

...of course, I agree ... one can't generalize 'cause, believe it or not, not all 4 track cassette portas are created equal. F/I, none are equal to the stuff TEAC made in the 80's ...

[cjacek]

Dave, as an aside, do you have an MRL tape for the 388 ?

[A Reel Person]

the MRL 21T204

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

the MRL 21T204

I took a look at the Alignment Tapes from JRF Magnetics and there's one made specifically for the 8 track 1/4" machines but your # corresponds to a different tape. Is it because the 388 is IEC2 NAB ? (The other one is for IEC1)

[A Reel Person]

however, I don't have the 388 manual right in front of me.

[The Ghost of FM]

Originally Posted by themaddog

Really sorry to hear that Ghost. Hope you and your family are doing well.

Best wishes,
-Pete

Thanks man!

I guess I haven't been around here much lately, looking after my dad but at least someone here remembered me and I appreciate that.

Cheers!

[cjacek]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

however, I don't have the 388 manual right in front of me.

.. neither do I (it's packed! )

[A Reel Person]

The product # of the 2x-speed align tape for Porta's, is "MXT-116".
(MTT-356 for 1x-speed Porta's).

The links to TEAC/Test Media info (Japan) are:

http://www.teac.co.jp/testmedia/eng/...ape_index.html

http://www.teac.co.jp/testmedia/eng/...e_list.html#07

These tapes must be ordered by product # from TEAC/SALES.

/DA