Analogue Recording Gear
- Thread starter 29t88
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jpmorris
Tape Wolf
Any particular type in mind? There's some high-end stuff and I think some low-end stuff - cassette multitracks - still available new, but nothing in between.
I believe Otari are still selling the 2-track MX5050, but they are going to be very expensive new.
I'm not sure if Studer still have any of their A827s left - in any case they cost about the same as my mortgage deposit :-/
Oh, and I think ATR Service can probably sell you a rebuilt Ampex ATR 102, but I hate to think how much it would cost.
In all seriousness, your best bet would be to look on ebay or similar. For a good starting multitrack, consider the Tascam 388 or maybe the Fostex R8 (this one will require a mixer as well, though). But you will have to take care to avoid being stung, unfortunately.
For a mixdown deck, there are a lot of options. The Tascam 22 or 32 seems to be a favourite around here.
At the end of the day it decides what you're planning to do. Some people get a multitrack and track the song on tape, then import it into computer and finish the song there. Some people track the song on computer and then mix it down to tape. And then you have people who try to do the entire thing on tape and only digitize it at the last stage so.
I believe Otari are still selling the 2-track MX5050, but they are going to be very expensive new.
I'm not sure if Studer still have any of their A827s left - in any case they cost about the same as my mortgage deposit :-/
Oh, and I think ATR Service can probably sell you a rebuilt Ampex ATR 102, but I hate to think how much it would cost.
In all seriousness, your best bet would be to look on ebay or similar. For a good starting multitrack, consider the Tascam 388 or maybe the Fostex R8 (this one will require a mixer as well, though). But you will have to take care to avoid being stung, unfortunately.
For a mixdown deck, there are a lot of options. The Tascam 22 or 32 seems to be a favourite around here.
At the end of the day it decides what you're planning to do. Some people get a multitrack and track the song on tape, then import it into computer and finish the song there. Some people track the song on computer and then mix it down to tape. And then you have people who try to do the entire thing on tape and only digitize it at the last stage so.
dodgeaspen
New member
Yes you can buy the Otari 5050 for a small fortune of $6,700.00 or you can look at CL or junkbay for used decks. Good luck.
You can get Studer 807/810 machines from a reputable guy in Canada.
Mine's 2 tracks with timecode, mic inputs and Phantom power, 7.5/15/30IPS for about $3000.
What you are paying for is the tank-like reliability of Studer and heads so flawless you could shave by their reflection. I can lift this machine, but I don't plan on making it a recurring event......it does, however, sound glorious.
C.
Mine's 2 tracks with timecode, mic inputs and Phantom power, 7.5/15/30IPS for about $3000.
What you are paying for is the tank-like reliability of Studer and heads so flawless you could shave by their reflection. I can lift this machine, but I don't plan on making it a recurring event......it does, however, sound glorious.
C.
briank
analog for the people!
There are still plenty of analog mixer options of various types, styles, sizes and pricepoints.
There are two companies manufacturing new analog open reel tape: RMGI and ATR Magnetics. Some Quantegy tape is still available as New Old Stock.
There are also still lots of New Old Stock cassettes available.
I think the only reel to reel machines still being made are the venerable Otari 5050s, but not cheap as has already been stated. Anything else (Studer for example) would be New Old Stock at best.
A good, maintained, checked out used deck is what I'd suggest as far as they go. There are plenty of knackered ones to stay away from. This forums is a great resource on the good, bad and ugly as far as analog gear purchasing goes.
There are two companies manufacturing new analog open reel tape: RMGI and ATR Magnetics. Some Quantegy tape is still available as New Old Stock.
There are also still lots of New Old Stock cassettes available.
I think the only reel to reel machines still being made are the venerable Otari 5050s, but not cheap as has already been stated. Anything else (Studer for example) would be New Old Stock at best.
A good, maintained, checked out used deck is what I'd suggest as far as they go. There are plenty of knackered ones to stay away from. This forums is a great resource on the good, bad and ugly as far as analog gear purchasing goes.
jpmorris
Tape Wolf
What other analogue recording system would you suggest?
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Well...when you say "analog recording gear" like the OP did...many folks would not just think about tape decks, but rather ALL the gear used for recording. 
So with that in mind...analog recording gear has been and still is used heavily, and is still being made.
AFA an analog recording deck/medium/system...yeah, that's pretty much tape.
So with that in mind...analog recording gear has been and still is used heavily, and is still being made.
AFA an analog recording deck/medium/system...yeah, that's pretty much tape.
briank
analog for the people!
Well obviously there are still many analog outboard preamps and compressors, EQs etc too...but when the OP says "analog recording" we think of the gear used to RECORD in the analog domain--mixers and tape recorders--rather than the auxiliary processors and filters that can be used to augment the signal either on the way in or on mixdown. I think our responses were perfectly acceptable considering the OP's very vague question.
Yep, music recording totally went down the toilet when they started using those digital wax cylinders...
I guess ya'll never heard of wire recording, or acetate disks, or the magnetic stripes on movie film (which is not "tape").
And I'll never forget that wonderful machine we had when I first started in radio...it allowed us to record 101 90-second commercials on a piece of oxide-coated film about a foot-and-a-half wide (which sure as hell wasn't "tape").
Seems a lot of people don't know the difference between "analog" and "analog tape"...
And it seems like a lot of them have gone out of their way to demonstrate that fact...
I guess ya'll never heard of wire recording, or acetate disks, or the magnetic stripes on movie film (which is not "tape").
And I'll never forget that wonderful machine we had when I first started in radio...it allowed us to record 101 90-second commercials on a piece of oxide-coated film about a foot-and-a-half wide (which sure as hell wasn't "tape").
Seems a lot of people don't know the difference between "analog" and "analog tape"...
And it seems like a lot of them have gone out of their way to demonstrate that fact...
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Not to belabor the point...but who is the "we"...?
If someone walks into a studio and says, "show me all your analog recording gear"...it usually means ALL analog recording gear to most people I've ever discussed analog VS digital gear with....not just the tape decks and mixer.
I get that the OP was most likely asking about tape decks...but I think it's safe to say "recording gear" is EVERYTHING you find in a studio used for recording audio, and not just the devices that actually capture the signal...IMHO.
AFA the comments about other things besides analog tape decks...I don't think anyone here forgot all those things. The OP asked what was still available or being manufactured and still used for analog recording, of music most likely (I don't think he was looking for a history of recording or talking about film audio).
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
I know that audio *recording* implies that act of capturing audio to a medium, so I get the reason analog recording could be taken to mean only analog gear that captures audio...
...I was just making the point that in most audio circles, *recording* is usually taken to mean the entire process, and that's why I said that analog recording gear usually refers to ALL analog gear used in the entire recording process.
I guess if I was going to be more specific about which analog gear and for which part of the process, I might say "analog recording gear for *tracking*...which would be mainly the deck, mixer, mics...etc, and then the other parts of the recording process would be editing, mixing, mastering...each with some analog gear mainly used for that process, though most recording gear tends to overlap and is used for more than one part of the whole process.
OK...I hope we cleared it all up now!
...I was just making the point that in most audio circles, *recording* is usually taken to mean the entire process, and that's why I said that analog recording gear usually refers to ALL analog gear used in the entire recording process.
I guess if I was going to be more specific about which analog gear and for which part of the process, I might say "analog recording gear for *tracking*...which would be mainly the deck, mixer, mics...etc, and then the other parts of the recording process would be editing, mixing, mastering...each with some analog gear mainly used for that process, though most recording gear tends to overlap and is used for more than one part of the whole process.
OK...I hope we cleared it all up now!