ATR Vs RTM. Battle For the Planet of the Tapes

Mark7

Well-known member
So. two tape manufacturers enter the arena, which one leaves with its head held high and which leaves with its head in the hand of the other?

Which is a long ass way of asking... Whose tape would you choose to feed your baby?
 
For me...right now...neither, since I have plenty of NOS 499, 456 and 911. :)

If I didn't, I would probably start with a reel of each, in whatever formulation I wanted, that both manufacturers had...and then do some comparing.
If they came up even...I would buy based on price.
I think in your case...RTM is probably less expensive, since it is made in Europe...though it's also less expensive here in the USA.

Now if you're asking which of these manufacturers will be around for the long-term...?...that's anyone's guess.
I think there is still a strong demand for tape on the pro side...and even with some smaller, project studios that have an affinity for tape and analog recording...and I feel there has even been a slight return to analog and tape for some folks who moved to digital, but now see that hybrid is the way to go.
I don't necessarily feel that the home recording market is all that strong when it comes to tape and analog...so I don't think it adds much to the tape demand.

Probably...just like me with the NOS tapes...buy as much tape now (of NOS or new production), as you think you will need for the next 10-20-30 years.
Good tape, well stored, doesn't go bad...and I'm sure prices will only go up if the demand and supply goes down...prices will never go down.
 
I've not used the ATR as it isn't so easy to get hold of over here but the RTM SM911 that I've used has been fine. Personally I would be wary of any NOS Ampex/Quantegy as just about all the reels that I've tried have been sticky - even the Quantegy is now shedding more than it would have done when new.
 
I've not had any sticky/shed with pretty much any of my 499 stock...and the 911 is like silk.
I do have some NOS 456 that I have yet to put to real use, but usually when I get some NOS reels, I will check the first couple of minutes worth of tape just to see where it's at...and the NOS reels have all been solid.

I do also have some used tapes that were acquired over time...mostly 499 and a smaller bunch of 456 , and of those, without any knowledge of their history, I've had mostly 456 reels that came up sticky or light shedding, and only a few 499...but even most of the 499 used reels were all still quite clean. If anything, they needed a couple of passes from being spooled and unused for a long time...after that, they ran like new.
I have recorded on the used tapes without issue...even though I have NOS reels available.

I don't have a problem with getting a small percentage of SSS tapes from the out of production stuff (used or NOS)...but overall, I have not been compelled to buy new production tape because of SSS concerns.
I've gone through every single reel of tape, and I mark them all AFA their condition and if they are used or NOS. Also for me, the tape is primarily for tracking, and then it's transferred to the DAW...so I'm not concerned about long-term archiving on the tape.
The recordings I do stay on the tape (unless I ever get to a point where I need to reuse a reel for new stuff, which I don't see happening any time soon)...but I have no concerns about any of the tapes going bad and losing the tracks.

I think I mentioned in another thread that I just score a baker's dozen of NOS Emtec 911 2" reels...and they are all clean and silky smooth...I look forward to tracking on them.
At $300-$400 USD for a reel of 2" ATR or RTM tape...before I buy either of them...I'm going to get full use out of my NOS and used stock of 456, 499 and 911. :)
 
So. two tape manufacturers enter the arena, which one leaves with its head held high and which leaves with its head in the hand of the other?
Which is a long ass way of asking... Whose tape would you choose to feed your baby?

I'm using a mix: RTM for 2" and 1/2" and ATR for 1/4". 2" ATR is a bit too expensive, and the TSR-8 is designed for 456 or compatible.
EDIT: I also try to get NOS BASF or EMTEC SM900 when I can, but that's relatively rare.
 
.I also try to get NOS BASF or EMTEC SM900 when I can, but that's relatively rare.

So it's just as rare on your side of the pond...?

Around here it sure is...and why I gave up looking for it....I would never turn up any. This baker's dozen was a weird oddity, that it should fall in my lap. :)
The funny thing...he was trying to sell it since December, single reel pricing. I just asked him to give me a lot price, and that was it.
Said he got it from a Nashvilles studio where his wife's father was an engineer (worked with Lance Powell), when the father retired, and gave the kids all his gear so they could set up a home studio...which they never did.

The guy said he never even got around to getting a 2" machine...and then they decided to sell of the studio gear, since there were too many studios in the area...but forgot the boxes of Emtec 911 in a closet.
It's strange how things sometimes find their way from one person to another. :D
 
So it's just as rare on your side of the pond...?
I've managed to get four 2" SM900s so far, two BASF and two EMTEC. One of the EMTECs was a real treat, it had all the frills.
Oh, I recently managed to acquire a 5000ft roll from France which I'm going to spool onto some empty reels eventually, when I can figure out a sensible way to do so.

Here's the EMTEC:
emtec900.jpgemtec-box-25.jpg
 
I've managed to get four 2" SM900s so far, two BASF and two EMTEC. One of the EMTECs was a real treat, it had all the frills.
Oh, I recently managed to acquire a 5000ft roll from France which I'm going to spool onto some empty reels eventually, when I can figure out a sensible way to do so.

Here's the EMTEC:
View attachment 105733View attachment 105734

Yeah...I think the SM900 tends to show up the "most", compared to 911...but still rare.
I've considered the SM900 a few times, along with the GP9 stuff...but decided that I didn't want to deal with a 3rd formulation, since the 456 & 911 are close, and the other being the 499...which is nice with the MX-80 since it has the 2-setup option, as you know...so you can use the default 456 setup, and then make the other one for a second formulation....and easily switch between the two.
Up to know, I've used 499 only...but I will be digging into the 456/911 stock very soon....been saving it some special uses.

I once did some transfers from a couple of 14" reels of 1/2" tape to a couple of 10" reels...it was "awkward", but manageable with a spooling jig I set up (a pencil and my hand :p). The hardest part was doing it by myself...like if I had another set of hands, it would have been easy, but trying to both hold the 14" reel and maintain some pressure on it so it didn't "run away" on me...while also running the deck transport...that was awkward.
So get a friend to help. :)
 
Almost £60 for RTM 1/2" pancake, so perhaps for when recording any bands that might want to keep the tape. I'd like to test it out just to give the company chance as I've got plenty of old sturdy EMTEC, BASF, AGFA & 3M spools to use.

I've tried RMG SM911 previously but didn't think it was good as old SM911 or even SM458 by EMTEC, BASF or even AGFA. I've got all these still running & I'll just re-use them after using the bulk tape eraser / backing them up to digital on a Tascam MX-2424.

I'll just splice a reel together of any material worth keeping if I start seriously running out of tape.

Ampex / Quantegy, I've got one unused NOS spool of 406 left, but too risky to buy, plus
silly prices on Ebay for ancient tapes with SSS!

£260 for new 2" tape, I wonder how much studio tape hire is nowadays?
 
There's also "Capture" from the folks in Oregon. Apparently made in Australia by the people that made Zonal. They have 1/4 and 1/2 inch. Price is pretty competitive and it's supposed to be bias and level comparable to 456.
 
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