Question about 2 inch 24 tracks machines...
- Thread starter Aloha
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The Ghost of FM
Banned
The format came out around 1970 and I think all the biggies of the day had their own versions. Ampex was probably first by a hair in that they were the biggest tape supplier to the industry and were machine manufactures as well so odds are that if they had plans to slit 2" tape, they had a machine that could record on it too.
MCI, EMI, Ampex, Studer, Scully, & 3M were all early adopters of the format. Otari didn't offer a competitive model until the early 80's and TASCAM was the last one to make an initial model in the late 80's.
Interestingly though, 16 channel two inch machines came first before their 24 track cousins and for a very short time, 3M produced a 3 inch, 32 track machine but ran into too many mechanical problems as the reel motors, guides and heads were stressed to a far greater degree then they originally imagined and the format died a quick death.
Studer is the last remaining manufacturer to produce and sell 24 track, 2 inch machines and they are called the A827. Otari recently stopped production and has removed it from their product offering on their web-site.
I have an article called "50 years of magnetic recording" in one of my old Mix magazines and can dig it out when I have time to give more exacting dates and names. All the above writing is strictly from memory so don't flame me if I screwed up a date or two!
Cheers!
MCI, EMI, Ampex, Studer, Scully, & 3M were all early adopters of the format. Otari didn't offer a competitive model until the early 80's and TASCAM was the last one to make an initial model in the late 80's.
Interestingly though, 16 channel two inch machines came first before their 24 track cousins and for a very short time, 3M produced a 3 inch, 32 track machine but ran into too many mechanical problems as the reel motors, guides and heads were stressed to a far greater degree then they originally imagined and the format died a quick death.
Studer is the last remaining manufacturer to produce and sell 24 track, 2 inch machines and they are called the A827. Otari recently stopped production and has removed it from their product offering on their web-site.
I have an article called "50 years of magnetic recording" in one of my old Mix magazines and can dig it out when I have time to give more exacting dates and names. All the above writing is strictly from memory so don't flame me if I screwed up a date or two!
Cheers!
The Ghost of FM
Banned
I scoured through my back issues of Mix and found the article!
Unfortunately it document who did what first.
It was more or less a photo essay showing some of the earliest machines dating back to 1935 from a German company called AEG and showed quite a few pictures of the post war Ampex machines and the one that Les Paul had custom built which was a one inch, eight track machine.
The essay also showed a few models from 3M from the mid to late sixties of a couple of one inch, eight tracks and a single picture of a two inch, sixteen track machine that had a proprietary noise reduction system that was said to offer better results then Ray Dolby's earliest attempts at Dolby A.
It also talked about Sony's recent leap into the forefront of the recording market with their purchase of MCI.
All this from a 1985 six page article from Mix Magazine's October edition.
Cheers!
Unfortunately it document who did what first.
It was more or less a photo essay showing some of the earliest machines dating back to 1935 from a German company called AEG and showed quite a few pictures of the post war Ampex machines and the one that Les Paul had custom built which was a one inch, eight track machine.
The essay also showed a few models from 3M from the mid to late sixties of a couple of one inch, eight tracks and a single picture of a two inch, sixteen track machine that had a proprietary noise reduction system that was said to offer better results then Ray Dolby's earliest attempts at Dolby A.
It also talked about Sony's recent leap into the forefront of the recording market with their purchase of MCI.
All this from a 1985 six page article from Mix Magazine's October edition.
Cheers!
Son of Mixerman
Mix Junior
The Ghost of FM said:
There is hope...
The A827 is still being produced, the latest model is called the A827 Gold Edition http://www.studer.ch/products13.htm
Nearly brings a tear to my eyes
Its so beautiful!SoMm
regebro
Insane Genious!
Just 22.500 on eBay! Just 6 hours left. Hurry, hurry!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2568307857&category=15199
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2568307857&category=15199
The Ghost of FM
Banned
If buddy is willing to sell me the machine for a dollar down and a dollar per month, I'll gladly buy it from him!regebro said:Just 22.500 on eBay! Just 6 hours left. Hurry, hurry!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2568307857&category=15199
Waddia think my odds are
Oh well.
The Ghost of FM
Banned
Re: I visited a studio, where the guy had a Studer A80mkIV,... whew!
I'll still be short!
Oh well.
Well, let's see... as he rubs his chin, If I sell my current stuff, my car, my....soul....A Reel Person said:
I'll still be short!
Oh well.
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
I visited a studio, where the guy had a Studer A80mkIV,... whew!
It was much bigger than the A827, with all the electronics integrated into the VU section, all modular r/r amps, up on the VU panel. It was low use and mint.
He offered it to me at a nice $8K, delivered!
see:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2569434809&category=15199
It was much bigger than the A827, with all the electronics integrated into the VU section, all modular r/r amps, up on the VU panel. It was low use and mint.
He offered it to me at a nice $8K, delivered!
see:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2569434809&category=15199
Attachments
The Ghost of FM
Banned
My studio is suspended in mid-air....believe it or not! and, I think if I put that machine up there, it would go right through the freakin' floor and fall 35 feet straight down.
Unless I set-up the studio in the basement....then maybe....
Ahhh! forget it. I am happy with my MS-16
Thanks for the wet dream though anyway, ARP
Cheers!
Unless I set-up the studio in the basement....then maybe....
Ahhh! forget it. I am happy with my MS-16
Thanks for the wet dream though anyway, ARP
Cheers!
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
It's a pretty impressive machine to stand right next to.
It easily stands over 6 feet tall. All the electronics adjustment points are just layed out for'ya, on each VU module. It's pretty awesome. Huge.
It easily stands over 6 feet tall. All the electronics adjustment points are just layed out for'ya, on each VU module. It's pretty awesome. Huge.
The Ghost of FM
Banned
I remember when I first brought the MS-16 into the studio here at my house.
It is the size of a washing machine!
It scared the hell out of me and my friend Doug the first time we hit the record button and it started recording us!
It's a spooky feeling. Seeing that massive hulk of machinery moving to your command and makes you wonder if you are in a dream at first, being used to smaller 8 track half inch machines and smaller for all of our lives.
I don't think that feeling of awe can be properly explained unless you have been there. It's one of the great things about quality analog that is hard to explain to a digi-head. The feeling that you are using the same equipment that your idols and hero's used to record the songs that you listened to and dreamed about how they did that stuff and then see it in your own house and just shit your pants with excitement and terror, all at the same time.
When I look at a computer that has a program like Cool Edit installed on it and know that it has 128 stereo recording tracks on it and all the effects that you could shake a stick at, it doesn't produce the same respect that an analog beast does, sitting there, ready to heat your cold Canadian room on a cold January afternoon.
Is this just me or, does analog gear just make you hard and ready to put your soul on tape?
Cheers!
It is the size of a washing machine!
It scared the hell out of me and my friend Doug the first time we hit the record button and it started recording us!
It's a spooky feeling. Seeing that massive hulk of machinery moving to your command and makes you wonder if you are in a dream at first, being used to smaller 8 track half inch machines and smaller for all of our lives.
I don't think that feeling of awe can be properly explained unless you have been there. It's one of the great things about quality analog that is hard to explain to a digi-head. The feeling that you are using the same equipment that your idols and hero's used to record the songs that you listened to and dreamed about how they did that stuff and then see it in your own house and just shit your pants with excitement and terror, all at the same time.
When I look at a computer that has a program like Cool Edit installed on it and know that it has 128 stereo recording tracks on it and all the effects that you could shake a stick at, it doesn't produce the same respect that an analog beast does, sitting there, ready to heat your cold Canadian room on a cold January afternoon.
Is this just me or, does analog gear just make you hard and ready to put your soul on tape?
Cheers!
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
I don't know about that, but analog recording has always impressed me,...
and digital recording has not impressed me one bit. [Ha! Pun! Heh. Get it?]
To me, digital is a techy mock-up of analog recording anyway, so unless you're in love with your 'puter, or your recording technique revolves around editing, then [IMO] who needs it?
Standalone digitals are sometimes more tolerable, but I get back to my previous point. A digital mock-up of an analog recorder and mixer is not something I need. I don't need built in efx, 'cause I have plenty of stomp boxes and some rack efx, and i use them very little.
Digital's not the "it"-thing for me, in recording, but for some people it's everything. YMMV.
[What was the topic? Ha.]
and digital recording has not impressed me one bit. [Ha! Pun! Heh. Get it?]
To me, digital is a techy mock-up of analog recording anyway, so unless you're in love with your 'puter, or your recording technique revolves around editing, then [IMO] who needs it?
Standalone digitals are sometimes more tolerable, but I get back to my previous point. A digital mock-up of an analog recorder and mixer is not something I need. I don't need built in efx, 'cause I have plenty of stomp boxes and some rack efx, and i use them very little.
Digital's not the "it"-thing for me, in recording, but for some people it's everything. YMMV.
[What was the topic? Ha.]
The Ghost of FM
Banned
it was about 24 track analog recorders.
How many classic songs that defined who you are and what you love about rock and roll were done on these classic machines?
A countless amount, for me at least.
If these machines were good enough to capture the souls of the likes of all that I love of rock's greatest legends, it's more then good enough for me to record my crap!
Cheers!
Outlaws
New member
Re: I don't know about that, but analog recording has always impressed me,...
Tofurkey!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what happend, but I recorded some acoustic guitar tracks and send them to a cassette tape and an old quadraphonic reel player and now I get a headache when I listen to stuff on my 1680...........fucking sucks! Everything is brittle and bright.
Reverb gets rid of it....but...... Preaching to the choir......
A Reel Person said:
Tofurkey!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what happend, but I recorded some acoustic guitar tracks and send them to a cassette tape and an old quadraphonic reel player and now I get a headache when I listen to stuff on my 1680...........fucking sucks! Everything is brittle and bright.
Reverb gets rid of it....but...... Preaching to the choir......
Outlaws
New member
Good point ghost. For example Pink Floyd, the ultimate band, known for their quality of sound still use analog decks to this day.
Point of intrest: Pink Floyd's only album not recorded on analog tape... Momentary Lapse of Reason Quite a good title for the album don't ya think?
Point of intrest: Pink Floyd's only album not recorded on analog tape... Momentary Lapse of Reason Quite a good title for the album don't ya think?
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Yeah,... Tofurkey!!! Ha!
Who do they think they're fooling?
Who do they think they're fooling?
Son of Mixerman
Mix Junior
regebro said:Just 22.500 on eBay! Just 6 hours left. Hurry, hurry!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2568307857&category=15199
If I had the cash it would be mine... I live about 15 minutes from Lakewood. There was a 2" 16 track F/S in Tacoma for around $3500. I hate being sooo close (geographically)..but yet soooooo much farther(financiallly)
SoMm