New Recording The Masters 1/4" oxide problem

Level Anything

Level Anything

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I bought a new roll of the Recording The Masters tape to use for a recording and noticed it's leaving a lot of residue on the heads and pinch roller wheel. These pictures are from the second time I cleaned it today, and only after about an hour of use. The first time was even dirtier, but I figured it was because it was used for 3 hours and it was brand new.

This isn't normal is it? Does anyone here have any experience with this stuff? I haven't used this tape since it was rebranded as RTM, but it's the same stuff that's been around, only under new ownership. It shouldn't be this dirty after I just cleaned everything this afternoon. Definitely not supposed to be this dirty after only one hour.

On another note, it sounds fine but I wonder if I'll have to clean the heads every hour to avoid losing signal on a track?IMG_0965.JPGIMG_0964.JPG
 
Don't know the answer, but wow! That's awful dirty. And after an hour?

I applaud the limited amount of tape manufacturers for keeping tape alive,
but they better get their shit together.

Tape nowadays is super expensive and I hear a lot of quality complaints.

It will kill them and kill tape recording once good NOS tape runs out.
 
garww said:
Normally, I'd inspect the heads
Click to expand...

For what? Alignment? I did check the guides to make sure they weren't "shaving" the tape as it went by. I've been using this deck a lot more the last couple of months and haven't had this happen with the other rolls of tape so I'm pretty sure it's the tape but who knows.

"Tape nowadays is super expensive and I hear a lot of quality complaints.

It will kill them and kill tape recording once good NOS tape runs out."

That's very true, and something that I brought up on another message board. I try and support the companies going through the trouble and expense of tape manufacturing, but also get frustrated at the lack of quality control. This isn't the first time I've had a defective roll of new stock tape and at almost $40 a pop it's not an easy thing to let go.

It's funny how much problems we'll run into while running tape based recording gear while still sticking with it. If it's not one thing, it's another, yet the loyalty is undying (to a point I assume.)
 
Well, your very first paragraph makes me think you are missing something. Yes, it's true that it could be the tape. When you get a deck, it's important to inspect and keep track of wear and residue patterns
 
garww said:
Well, your very first paragraph makes me think you are missing something. Yes, it's true that it could be the tape. When you get a deck, it's important to inspect and keep track of wear and residue patterns
Click to expand...

Missing what? I already know it's not the deck. This isn't a new machine. I wanted to know of anyone else had run into this issue with this particular manufacturer.

Anyways, I finished the song on this roll of tape and then used another brand for the next number. Pretty bummed out because I'd heard a lot of good things about the new Recording The Masters 911 tape and was excited to see if the LPR35 was still as good, or better than it used to be. Turns out other people have run into this same issue so I know I'm not alone. I ended up switching to some Capture 930 that I bought online from a company called Splicit, and after 2 hours the tape path was clean. Probably gonna stick to that brand for now.
 
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