great news!: Zonal is making tape again

[ethyrvalve]

via a poster over at electrical audio:
http://www.electrical.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=41942&start=0

 

[cjacek]

Yeah, that is great news! They are also considering 1/2" and up. Pretty cool.

 

[Muckelroy]

I'm no expert on manufacturing magnetic tape but................ aren't the same machines used to slit all widths of tape?

From what I've been told, raw tape comes in one huge sheet, I think 2 feet wide or so, and it's cut and slitted from there. All it would take is an adjustment to the width of the blades to make other widths, right? Then of course there's the cost of having 1/2" 1" and 2" takeup reels.......

Hmm..

 

[hungovermorning]

I've heard the name thrown around, is their formulation a copy of something (like RMGI claims to be Emtec formulations) or is it uniquely Zonal?

 

[sweetbeats]

RMGI uses, not claims to use the EMTEC formulations...AGFA->BASF->EMTEC->RMGI.

 

[Beck]

I've heard the name thrown around, is their formulation a copy of something (like RMGI claims to be Emtec formulations) or is it uniquely Zonal?

It's a unique brand of tape made in the UK, going as far back as AMPEX and BASF. Last I heard they were still making 1/4" tape, but the thought of other widths is indeed a cheery prospect.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

awesome! another calcium spasm from a rotting corpse

 

[jpmorris]

I've been using the stuff since about 2005. 1/2" would be nice, though - it gives us more options.

I have to say that my experiences with the 700 stock are mixed - their QA seems to have been a bit squiffy lately. Even so, it reminds me - I must order some more soon.

Note that the stuff comes on pancakes only, and there's no guarantee that they'll export it to the US. The link is interesting, though - I'd never heard of tape shack... all mine has come through Canford.

 

[Beck]

awesome! another calcium spasm from a rotting corpse

Rotting corpses don't twitch or spasm, junior.

And be careful, a person isn't dead until their heart stops beating, and even then they can be revived for some time after.

 

[jpmorris]

I'm no expert on manufacturing magnetic tape but................ aren't the same machines used to slit all widths of tape?

As I understand it, the problem isn't a technical one - it's more that they have a known good market for 1/4" and aren't sure the demand is there for the others.

Also, I don't the tape is being made in-house by Zonal, but by some other party to their specifications and formulation.

If memory serves, the formulations are roughly equivalent:
675 -> BASF428
700 -> 456
820 -> 406
999 -> 499/GP9

...the 999 stuff is out of production, though.