Where can i buy tape for my Fostex R8?

Mr Fruit

Mr Fruit

New member
I have 5 rolls of zonal 657, but after massive speed and pitch fluctuations, people have suggested sticky shed syndrome.....

Before i go baking all the tapes, is there a source for tape still available, as i have not managed to record a single track yet, after spending ages setting up my studio, and its really peeing me off!

any help appreciated.
 
Mr Fruit, I have the perfect answer to this question. The answer is http://www.atrtape.com/ This is new tape and from the buzz on the net it's the best. Whatever you do stay away from RMG!! You can get a 1/4" tape for $55.00 or if you have empty reels you can buy just the pancakes (tape without the hubs) for $30.00 From the posts I have read you also want to stay away from EBay stuff. Hope this helps. If you need more advice just message me.
 
dodgeaspen said:
Mr Fruit, I have the perfect answer to this question. The answer is http://www.atrtape.com/ This is new tape and from the buzz on the net it's the best. Whatever you do stay away from RMG!! You can get a 1/4" tape for $55.00 or if you have empty reels you can buy just the pancakes (tape without the hubs) for $30.00 From the posts I have read you also want to stay away from EBay stuff. Hope this helps. If you need more advice just message me.
Click to expand...

Given the astronomical prices ATR tape is going for, I'd almost think you were getting some kind of cut :confused:

Anyway, if he's using Zonal tape, there's a good chance he's in the UK. The only supplier carrying ATR that I can find is Stanleys:

http://www.stanleysonline.co.uk/category-325.htm

For comparison, 1/4" Pancakes are £36 each plus tax. Excluding tax, a pancake of new Zonal 675 tape is £13, or you can pay 8.33 for a 7" plastic spool of the stuff.

EDIT: forgot the Zonal links:

http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-302-ZONAL-675-7-inch-reel

http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-303-ZONAL-675-105-inch-NAB-hub

ATR might be very good, but until they stop asking 1/2" prices for 1/4" tape, I'm not about to try it myself.
 
(In response to dodgeaspen)

Um, I want to chime in.

Please don't trash-talk RMGI tape. I have used scores of RMGI and it's fine.

There were some quality control issues in the past but it's fine now.

Also, considering the way these things work, it's best to be 100% certain about your "issues" with a particular product or vendor before you spread bad words on the Internet.
 
Mr Fruit said:
so this is the correct tape for my machine then i presume. both of these would be suitable?
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They're both 10.5" rolls. The R8 can only take up to 7" spools, so if you do buy a pancake - whatever tape type - you'd have to spool it onto a 7" reel. Easiest way is to use a 10.5" capable machine but it can be done by hand if you're patient.

I just want one roll at the moment, to confirm that its a tape problem, rather than a pinch roller problem..... Thanks again:)
Click to expand...

This would be more convenient as it's a 7" spool:
http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-302-ZONAL-675-7-inch-reel

Formulation-wise, the R8 is probably designed for Quantegy 456, so this might be a bit closer to spec:

http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-332-ZONAL-700-7-inch-reel

...but I have had a bad batch of the stuff.

To refer to your original query, pitch fluctuations are damn near always the pinch roller. Have you tried manually holding it in place?
 
I have no idea on your question- but did you take your site name from "The Prince of Tides?"
 
jpmorris said:
They're both 10.5" rolls. The R8 can only take up to 7" spools, so if you do buy a pancake - whatever tape type - you'd have to spool it onto a 7" reel. Easiest way is to use a 10.5" capable machine but it can be done by hand if you're patient.



This would be more convenient as it's a 7" spool:
http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-302-ZONAL-675-7-inch-reel

Formulation-wise, the R8 is probably designed for Quantegy 456, so this might be a bit closer to spec:

http://www.canford.co.uk/Products/86-332-ZONAL-700-7-inch-reel

...but I have had a bad batch of the stuff.

To refer to your original query, pitch fluctuations are damn near always the pinch roller. Have you tried manually holding it in place?
Click to expand...


Ive tried pressing the roller onto the capstan, ive cleaned everything with head cleaner, if you press it, it slows down, and eventually stops the motor.

This is my first experience with an older analogue machine, so im unfamiliar with what may be obvious pitfalls.....it may be me thats doing somthing wrong...But on the yahoo R8 group forum, theuy have said its likely to be sticky shed syndrome, so i thought id best buy some tape, and at least rule it out as the cause.

shame, as all my zonal tape is new, and in the bag still, but it was stored in an attic for nearly 12 months, so it could well be corrupt.
 
also, my pinch roller is a tiny bit worn, it has a slight indentation-only very slight- where the tape runs over it, plus its missing the retaining circlip from the end of the shaft.

has anyone got a close up pic of the r8 pinch roller?
 
Mr Fruit said:
also, my pinch roller is a tiny bit worn, it has a slight indentation-only very slight- where the tape runs over it, plus its missing the retaining circlip from the end of the shaft.
has anyone got a close up pic of the r8 pinch roller?
Click to expand...

I might be able to do you one of the A8's roller, but since it's been boxed for years it might have disintegrated itself for all I know...
 
jpmorris said:
I might be able to do you one of the A8's roller, but since it's been boxed for years it might have disintegrated itself for all I know...
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Thanks for the offer....I presume the a8's are the same.....


mine looks like this (not mine)
fostex.jpg



rather than this:
r8.jpg



would it help if i took a picture of the pinch to show you the level of indentation?
 
Mr Fruit said:
Thanks for the offer....I presume the a8's are the same.....
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Sort-of. The A8 was the first generation machine, the R8 is third-generation. Lots of improvements, but AFAIK the same basic mechanical design.

a8_sm.jpg

http://www.fostexinternational.com/images/product_img/history_prods/a8_sm.jpg

would it help if i took a picture of the pinch to show you the level of indentation?
Click to expand...
I can't promise it because I haven't used my Fostex for a long time. Come to think of it, mine had a lot of speed variation issues but in that case it seemed to have been the power supply - when I took it apart and reassembled it, the thing had recovered. I suspect something got knocked in transit, since the machine was posted. By that point I'd already got a TSR-8 on the way, though. I suppose I should really sell it on or something.
 
Mr Fruit said:
I have 5 rolls of zonal 657, but after massive speed and pitch fluctuations, people have suggested sticky shed syndrome.....

Before i go baking all the tapes, is there a source for tape still available, as i have not managed to record a single track yet, after spending ages setting up my studio, and its really peeing me off!

any help appreciated.
Click to expand...

Quantegy online has tape, they aren't making new tape yet, but have NOS 457, which is recommended for this machine. From what I hear of ATR it is rather thick, so the transport on the small Fostex may not really like the stiffer tape. The manual recommends 1mil tape, although does not specifically recommend against 1.5 mil tape. RMGI LPR-35 would be suitable as well. Both 457 and LPR-35 are 1 mil tapes. Sounds like your roller though may be an issue. AFAIK, Fostex doesn't support their discontinued machines, see this thread for replacements:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=142194
 
Just checked that thread, and the second of the links sends you to a repair site for rubber rollers.....Ive emailed him to check availability, and see what his opinion is on the roller.

I baked a tape on a metal reel last night too, but was told to leave it to cool for 24 hrs, so ill check the progress of that tonight.

Ill order a 7" reel of tape from the above link, and between the 3 hopefully, there will be some progression......:)
 
Baked tape was more than useless. Im beginning to think its nothing to do with the tape.plus it knckered a perfectly good fostex metal reel.:mad:

tried another new out of the bag zonal, not bought recently, but in a sealed plastic bag, and it does the same. Speed fluctations on playback.

i recorded a track, played it, its gets really slow. if you put your finger on the pinch roller, or the reel to slow it down a bit, it doesnt speed up again. its as if its running on batteries, and they are running out.

started taking it to pieces but couldnt find the right tool.

To be honest, im getting pretty miffed off with the whole thing.:(
 
if sticky shed tape is ruled out, it sounds to me like it could be a dying reel motor or power supply problem.

sticky shed is pretty easy to spot, is there gunk all over the tape after you run some tape through the machine? if the tape path is clean but the reels stop turning, I would suspect a bad motor as I mentioned above.

BY THE WAY, there is absolutely nothing wrong with RMGI tape.
 
dodgeaspen said:
Mr Fruit, I have the perfect answer to this question. The answer is http://www.atrtape.com/ This is new tape and from the buzz on the net it's the best. Whatever you do stay away from RMG!! You can get a 1/4" tape for $55.00 or if you have empty reels you can buy just the pancakes (tape without the hubs) for $30.00 From the posts I have read you also want to stay away from EBay stuff. Hope this helps. If you need more advice just message me.
Click to expand...

ATR is not suitable for the R8. The factory recommended tape is Ampex/Quantegy 457 or equivalent. ATR is great for many machines but is the thickest and stiffest of all the +9 or greater high output tapes. It would be very hard on the R8 transport and heads, and a bad match sonically.

It’s not helpful to broad-brush tape sold on eBay as bad, as there are many sellers with many types of tape. There is no such tape category as “Ebay Stuff.” IMO, eBay is a good source for tape in general.

jpmorris said:
Isn't the R8 a belt-driven capstan?
Click to expand...

JP is moving in the right direction. I’ve never heard of Zonal having sticky shed, and it’s a good idea to replace the capstan belt and pinch roller before proceeding anyway. You can find them both in the links below…

Capstan belt #FB17
http://www.openreel.net/parts_1.html

Pinch roller #PR13
http://www.openreel.net/parts_3.html

prr8.jpg


~Tim
:)
 
If those links are ok, (ive not checked them yet, as i cant belive its as easy as that) That will be fantastic....thanks man, for taking the time to post them.

If so, it seems that the capstan is belt drive, I had presumed it was direct drive, and I didnt like the idea of having to source and replace a motor, and I probably would have to think about replacing the machine, but Im loathe to, as its the right machine to go with the fostex mixer I have.

Thanks again, Ill check out those links now.:)

Fingers crossed for a bit of progression.
 
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