MKII gear

[audioforgery]

Does anyone have a good on-line source for cleaning fluids, demagnetizers and possibly the punch-in footswitch for the MKII? How about high quality CrO2 type II 60 minute cassettes?

[reco]

I know we all said big store suck, but guitar center sells quantegy for about $1.99 for 60min ,but it type II high bias.. ive heard from many a sorce that cr02 tapes are bad for you're machine...

[drstawl]

Straight from TASCAM:

(What other sources specifically would you trust over and above their recommendation?)

"...we generally recommend "high bias" chrome tapes. They general sound better than standard "normal bias" tapes. Metal tapes generally do not work as well as chrome tapes in a multitrack environment."

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 10-01-1999).]

[reco]

arnt cr02 metal?

[SN]

Type II tapes are CrO2 tapes. Same thing.

I recommend TDK-SA60 Excellent tapes. Audilbly better than Sony HiFiII tapes (46 min).

Maxell XLII-60 are very good too.

Radio Shack or some local electronic store will have re-usable foam cleaners on long wood sticks, and the appropriate alcohol. cost about $7 cdn. That will last along time

[drstawl]

Ah- there's the source of your confusion. Although Chrome is, chemically speaking a metal, the designation "metal" is for a completely different kind of tape composition.

[audioforgery]

Thanks for all the info guys. I didn't know that Type II was the industry designation for "chrome." However, I've been to guitar center, Mars, and a couple of pro audio places, and nobody - I mean NOBODY - has the Tascam punch-in pedal. I e-mailed Tascam's site and they sent me a list of local dealers, all of whom I've visited. AAHHH!

Incidentally, the recording quality of the 424MKII goes way up when using high speed - it actually picked up my cat purring close to the mic, OVER my guitar. Wow.

[ledhed]

audioforgery...AMS (American Musical Supply) catalog carries the Tascam punch-in footswitch. Their price is $31.95 and SKU# is TAS RC30P. If you don't get their catalog, you can order over the web. Their website is: www.americanmusical.com
Good luck!

[Cooperman]

Just thought I'd point out that truely technically speaking CrO2 tapes are not metal tapes. CrO2 is an oxide of the metal Chromium and therefore would be technically classified as a salt. Infact all 'metal' tapes (as far as I know) are oxides rather than actual metal.

Paul

[audioforgery]

Thanks Ledhed! AMS had everything I was looking for, cheap. In fact, they pretty much have everything - including a '57 gold top Les Paul for $4,405. That's the cheapest I've seen.