"Analog Rules - Analog Tape Is Back"

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miroslav

miroslav

Cosmic Cowboy
Check out the August issue of Mix...it has a nice section on analog audio and states that analog tape is making a comeback in some studios. :cool:
 
I never thought it left.

Rumbo, The Record Plant, and several others regularly track 2"
 
dont man

Dont go spreadin' gnaw-ledge 'bout the heavenly glory of tape you fools...
'less'n you want folks is comin' over them hills ta take what we got fer their own.

Ebay prices is already sky-high and the pickins is gettin slim.
 
I suppose the analog tape in question is reel to reel tape. Cassette tape even though variety is not what it once was is still showing up new on store shelves. I would love to see a return to the days when you could walk into any department store or electronics store and buy reel to reel tape. However I don't thing we'll ever see that again. While there are still sizable numbers of cassette machines in use reel to reel is strictly a niche market and for a true return of reel to reel tape it would require remarketing new reel to reel tape decks and I believe new quality reel to reel tape decks would be priced in the stratosphere. But in a recording studio environment reel to reel very well may be seeing more interest in using it.
 
Everything comes full circle. In no time we'll be plowing fields and growing our own vegetables. :D

In all honesty, I too see more and more studios and artists using tape in our future. It's something that has been happening for a while. It will be a niche thing granted but analogue is here to stay and will probably supersede any digital technology or several of them, as it has been doing. Vinyl is on the rise too. Smart 'cause it's not easy to pirate the audio visual experience of an LP. A genius way to recoup lost revenue. As it stands, I predict Vinyl to be the wave of the future and it'll never go away. It'll stand right there with digital downloads, maybe not as strong but popular nevertheless. That and tape recording is here to stay. It is the only tech that really stood the test of time.
 
cjacek said:
Everything comes full circle. In no time we'll be plowing fields and growing our own vegetables. :D

In all honesty, I too see more and more studios and artists using tape in our future. It's something that has been happening for a while. It will be a niche thing granted but analogue is here to stay and will probably supersede any digital technology or several of them, as it has been doing. Vinyl is on the rise too. Smart 'cause it's not easy to pirate the audio visual experience of an LP. A genius way to recoup lost revenue. As it stands, I predict Vinyl to be the wave of the future and it'll never go away. It'll stand right there with digital downloads, maybe not as strong but popular nevertheless. That and tape recording is here to stay. It is the only tech that really stood the test of time.
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The only audio format I buy now is vinyl. I also still have my first TASCAM 4-track.
 
I hope it's not just a growing fad. I think it would be hard to market reel to reels again. The younger generation of users are not as interested in sound quality as they are convenience. Man that really hurt me to say that! I'm happy to know that studios are still using the FAR SUPIROR reel decks. Long live analog!!!!
 
SteveM said:
Same here. I haven't bought a CD in at least 3 years. But I've bought tons of used vinyl. :o
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Throw me on this pile as well. I've been CD-free since April. It took one play of a vinyl record and that was that.
 
Yeah, I guess its wildly popular to sell your reel to reel decks for 5 cents on the dollar of what they cost originally and even then, struggle to find a buyer...at least that's been my experience trying for 6 months now to sell my MS-16 in the largest market in Canada. :rolleyes:

A pox on the houses of the editors of Mix.

Cheers! :)
 
"Give me convenience or give me death..."

One thing about CD-R's some of them I was using were pretty susceptible to heat, just like a cassette would warp in teh sun, these things would get cracks and hash until becoming unplayable, just from being in the console.

BTW the last Who album started out as an analog recording, done on "Quantegy 499" on a "Studer 1" 8 track" per the liner notes, in Pete's home studio, then transferred to digital. I got teh CD for Christmas a few years ago...;)

We've had this discussion before about reel to reel making a comeback. I'm no marketing genius, but I think the real heydey for reel to reel was teh early to mid 70s anyway as far as open reel as a mass market format. (Although I have a bunch of Maxell $$$$$$:drunk: tape I remember buying at Megarecords back in late 80s.)

I don't see any end to the high end use of tape, it's the narrow format (read affordable) technology that is the big open question. Wild speculation here, as digital has made "home recording" more possible for many many more people (good thing or not) that may lead to continued support for analog as a niche within that market.

As for tape itself, even in the peak years of home and professional you had what maybe two or three major players? (Ampex, BASF, and Scotch/3M) and then the home market Maxell, Sony, TDK, ? I think some of the other "brands" were just OEM'd Ampex.

Now you just have basically BASF(RMGI) and the limited offering ATR. But, they keep growing the offerings, and as far as can be seen Quantegy is still threatening to come back from the dead.
 
Blue Jinn said:
"Give me convenience or give me death..."

One thing about CD-R's some of them I was using were pretty susceptible to heat, just like a cassette would warp in teh sun, these things would get cracks and hash until becoming unplayable, just from being in the console.

BTW the last Who album started out as an analog recording, done on "Quantegy 499" on a "Studer 1" 8 track" per the liner notes, in Pete's home studio, then transferred to digital. I got teh CD for Christmas a few years ago...;)

We've had this discussion before about reel to reel making a comeback. I'm no marketing genius, but I think the real heydey for reel to reel was teh early to mid 70s anyway as far as open reel as a mass market format. (Although I have a bunch of Maxell $$$$$$:drunk: tape I remember buying at Megarecords back in late 80s.)

I don't see any end to the high end use of tape, it's the narrow format (read affordable) technology that is the big open question. Wild speculation here, as digital has made "home recording" more possible for many many more people (good thing or not) that may lead to continued support for analog as a niche within that market.

As for tape itself, even in the peak years of home and professional you had what maybe two or three major players? (Ampex, BASF, and Scotch/3M) and then the home market Maxell, Sony, TDK, ? I think some of the other "brands" were just OEM'd Ampex.

Now you just have basically BASF(RMGI) and the limited offering ATR. But, they keep growing the offerings, and as far as can be seen Quantegy is still threatening to come back from the dead.
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What do you mean by ATR in limited offering? I'm just curious because I've bought directly from them in the past and never had to hang around for them to make more.
 
Yeah, I'm not too hopeful that analog will make a huge comeback, and at the same time I've been past caring for a long time. So, as long as I can still get the great gear for myself, I'm happy. :)
 
What do you mean by ATR in limited offering? I'm just curious because I've bought directly from them in the past and never had to hang around for them to make more.
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Sorry, that came out wrong, they only have the +10 tape, which may or may not be recommended for use on some of the "semi-pro" machines, and they originally didn't offer 1/4" e.g. but now do, so my point was they are growing, not shrinking.
 
miroslav said:
Check out the August issue of Mix...it has a nice section on analog audio and states that analog tape is making a comeback in some studios. :cool:
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That will end soon when UAD releases their Ampex plug-in emulations.

:laughings:;)
 
Blue Jinn said:
Sorry, that came out wrong, they only have the +10 tape, which may or may not be recommended for use on some of the "semi-pro" machines, and they originally didn't offer 1/4" e.g. but now do, so my point was they are growing, not shrinking.
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Oh OK, that makes sense.
 
leddy said:
That will end soon when UAD releases their Ampex plug-in emulations.

:laughings:;)
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Emulations...well why emulate/simulate when the real thing is still available. Perhaps analog simulators are to audio what blow up dolls are to sex.:laughings:
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Yeah, I guess its wildly popular to sell your reel to reel decks for 5 cents on the dollar of what they cost originally and even then, struggle to find a buyer...at least that's been my experience trying for 6 months now to sell my MS-16 in the largest market in Canada. :rolleyes:

A pox on the houses of the editors of Mix.

Cheers! :)
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But I would think that any analog tape "comeback" would actually HELP you get a better price if interest in analog decks is rekindled. :)



SteveM said:
Yeah, I'm not too hopeful that analog will make a huge comeback, and at the same time I've been past caring for a long time. So, as long as I can still get the great gear for myself, I'm happy. :)
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Well....I don't think it's about a "huge comeback". Maybe more about people just rediscovering tape after diving too deep into only digital.

It's good that a magazine like Mix is even mentioning this kind of stuff, as that keeps the fires at least simmering...and maybe even reawakening some folks or introducing others to analog/tape for the first time. :cool:
 
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