Quantegy rides again???!!?!?

I think they died last year. Thats just some old web stuff still hanging around.
 
If this is true then I'm pretty disappointed 'cause they're only offering 499 / GP9, which pretty much is overkill for many of our 'semi-pro' machines, which are based around the 456 / 457 / 406 / 407 formulas, basically all TASCAM, TEAC, FOSTEX and OTARI decks. The 499 / GP9 are +9 op levels and require more bias and basically the realignment of many of our decks [many decks simply can't be biased for them, unless mods are performed]. Until they bring back the +6 and +3, I'll pass.

If true, it's actually funny that the folks that run operations at Quantegy haven't learned a damn thing over the years, namely that the 'home recording' crowd is one of its biggest consumers and to decide on 499 / GP9 is a pretty stupid move. Oh well....

I actually wish that Quantegy would start up again, offering all of their most popular formulas. It would make a killing, if it would keep the overhead small. Quantegy coming back is a good idea but not with what apparently they're offering.

---
 
I thought it would be a matter of when, not if we saw some of the Ampex/Quantegy formulations again, but I expected another company to buy the patents. Funny no 456… maybe they sold those along with 406, etc. Or maybe we’ll see them later.

It would be nice if they could help bring the price of tape down in general. RMGI having no competition is bad for everyone. I’m not holding my breath though.

:)
 
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RMGI having no competition is bad for everyone.

Yeah...there is ATR Magnetics, but their tape is all, like, what...+10? +11? And then you're right back to Daniel's point about the majority of the decks operating out here are built around the +3 and +6 formulations. *sigh* :( Its a marketing thing...more is better...rrrrite??

Like Pianodano's point in another thread, countless hits recorded on the 456 formulations...why is it no longer good enough for some? I think its one thing if you know what you're going for. That Jack Endino article was a really interesting read and supposes some legitemacy to a +9 mod for the likes of the MS-16. If I recall he cautioned about n/r and what it can do to a response curve, and then the comments about the response curve of the MS-16 at 15ips being much better placed in the spectrum than at 30ips...so you run 15ips but then, depending on the program material n/r may be in order, so the alternative is to then run higher output tape like the +9...to bias it properly a mod is needed. So in that case, I can see a good argument for it, and it has been done and with good reviews on the MS-16...and not just because it'll properly bias a +9 tape, but because the mods do other things for the response curve that sound good. And that is what Pianodano's bottom line is: how does it sound?

So, hear-hear Daniel...plenty of us in need a good-quality reasonably priced +6 (and/or +3) tape! ;)
 
406 1/2" seems hard to get nowadays, I've never used it at all!!!!!!

Would like to try 406 sometime especially as there is no similar +3 formulation made by RMGI or anyone else, the only company that seems to sell 406 type is Zonal with their 820 series tape. JPM seemed not too impressed with that stuff so I think I'll pass on that!

Recently got 3 x EMTEC / BASF branded 1/2" 911 unused tapes for £14.00 each complete with the precision reels, A Pancake would cost me double that price. I do personally prefer 911 in all it's varieties to 456, but that's just me I suppose?

Tape is still much too expensive even if you buy pancakes!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Yeah...there is ATR Magnetics, but their tape is all, like, what...+10? +11? And then you're right back to Daniel's point about the majority of the decks operating out here are built around the +3 and +6 formulations. *sigh* :( Its a marketing thing...more is better...rrrrite??

Just a little side note, I spoke to Mike Spitz and he told me he actually prefers the ATR tape set for a +6 operating level. He's a fan of keeping all the transients intact.
 
In my ignorance, I have used 499 on my 911-calibrated TSR-8. I didn't really notice any difference, apart from the fact that the playback and record levels no longer matched. I would consider doing so again if 499-bias was the only available format.
 
When will it sink into my HEAD???!?!?

Just a little side note, I spoke to Mike Spitz and he told me he actually prefers the ATR tape set for a +6 operating level. He's a fan of keeping all the transients intact.

ARG!! :eek:

Did it again.

Right.

Just because you are putting a +9 or +10 or 11 or 500 (joke) tape on your deck does not mean you have to set the deck up at that operating level. The +n number just indicates what operating level the tape will handle above 185nWb/m (which is +0) before reaching the 3% distortion level.

Nothing wrong with running 499/GP9/SM900 etc. at a +6 operating level. Like you are saying, Pete, that just gives you more headroom.

Pete, thanks for the (inadvertant but very important) reminder.
 
Should be pointed out that running 499 or similar tape can result in quicker head wear than using lower output tape on some machines.

I was advised this a while by by a technican servicing my Fostex E-16 who said that the 499 tape is more abrasive on recording heads.

Not sure if this would apply in the same way to the Tascam TSR-8 & similar machines or not?
 
Interesting Trans..... can anyone independently confirm that? Not knocking your tech just I always like to have multiple sources for my own piece of mind. One wonders why it is so difficult for Quantegy and others to simply go back to the 1960s tape formulatons - you KNOW they have specific information on exactly how the old tape was made. Accountants at work, no doubt.


AK
 
Interesting Trans..... can anyone independently confirm that? Not knocking your tech just I always like to have multiple sources for my own piece of mind.
I've heard it said that the higher the output, the more abrasive the tape becomes. I don't know why. There have been raging arguments about whether it's true and what the mechanism is, here and in other places. Either way I stick with 456 and compatibles - the 499 was a reel that came with the machine, so I used it after discovering that the two reels of 456 that also came with it were Bad Stuff (TM).
 
Higher output tape achieves its spec, in part, with a thicker coating of oxide. Somewhere I saw some specific thickness measurements...I think Beck posted them. Higher output tape is thicker and stiffer and I have read in numerous places that it does accelerate wear on the tape path.

A caviat to my last post, you can run whatever tape you want on a tape deck, and set it up for whatever operating level you want, but the electronics an tape path on a specific deck were designed around a specific formulation of tape. That doesn't mean you have to use that formulation. You'll always be balancing noise floor and distortion, and then there is the bias issue.

Heavier oxide lyer needs a higher bias signal to properly excite the oxide. My 58 bias circuitry is not strong enough to properly excite th oxide layer on a +9 tape as it was designd around a +6 tape. It can be modded, or I can just run +9 tape, but it won't bias to spec. Maybe that would sound good to me. Who knows. But the point is my 58 wasn't designed for it, so I won't have an adjustment range/window when I'm biasing that I would with a +6 tape.

Bottom line: use what you want, but understand why you are doing it, and what the pros and cons are. Don't just get hotter tape because its hotter...experiment first with what your deck was designed for...cal it for different levels with that tape.

My 2p.
 
Bottom line: use what you want, but understand why you are doing it, and what the pros and cons are. Don't just get hotter tape because its hotter...experiment first with what your deck was designed for...cal it for different levels with that tape.

My 2p.

Well then, if I could have my choice, I would use Scotch 3m. That was good stuff.
 
Hey Tracedental,
Where did you get your Fostex E-16 serviced? I can't seem to find any competent tech where I live. I'm in Seattle. I actually took it to a place here, because the rewind function on mine was sluggish to the point of stopping after a few seconds.
Has this ever happened to your machine? They could not fix the problem. Any idea what this may be?
I also notice that if I use 2 of the same type of reels ie., 456's, with a full amount of tape on them, the machine will rewind OK. But if I us one 456 reel, and a different brand of take up reel the machine will do what I mentioned before.
The only way to "help" it rewind is to manually move the tension arms .......then it rewinds fine. As soon as I let the arms go though, the reel slows down as if it has a rubber brake on it? I hope this all makes some kind of sense as it really annoying when recording. Are you supposed to use 2 of the same exact type of reels always? Does it matter if I let the machine warm up first? Can you help? Thanks
 
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