1/2 " tape recommendations

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Treeline

Treeline

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I'm an analog newbie with an Otari 5050 8-track on the way in the next couple of weeks. I hope to use it to learn the mechanics, what not to do and all that, but eventually I'd like to use it for stereo mastering. I fooled with analog recording thirty years ago, but that doesn't count for much, so I'd say I know less than nothing about analog tape or suppliers, other than that people got all haired up about the Quantegy bankruptcy a few months ago. I do know enough not to go tearing into the thing like I used to do when I was 12 years old. Learn first, and only then break it. :cool:

This unit takes 1/2" tape. Where should I look to get a workable supply?

Thanks!
 
i am going to assume this is biased for +6 tape... like 456... you are gonna want to find that out and get her set up for tracking... as a last resort, you can always buy beers for a local engineer with a 1/2" mrl tape for your machine and when they are drunk enough to say yes, make an appointment to get them and their alignment tape over to your studio... :rolleyes:

once it is ready to roll, you can find good bargains on stock at http://www.tapetape.com
 
Treeline said:
I'm an analog newbie with an Otari 5050 8-track on the way in the next couple of weeks. I hope to use it to learn the mechanics, what not to do and all that, but eventually I'd like to use it for stereo mastering. I fooled with analog recording thirty years ago, but that doesn't count for much, so I'd say I know less than nothing about analog tape or suppliers, other than that people got all haired up about the Quantegy bankruptcy a few months ago. I do know enough not to go tearing into the thing like I used to do when I was 12 years old. Learn first, and only then break it. :cool:

This unit takes 1/2" tape. Where should I look to get a workable supply?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I believe the Otari was originally setup for Ampex (now Quantegy 456) when it left the factory. It could have been re-set for another tape type but more likely it drifted out of allignment, both electrical and mechanical. All such recorders do. No matter the situation, you will need to get the operations / service manuals for the Otari and either do the allignment / callibration yourself or take it to a tech. (I hope the heads, tape path and operating cond of the machine is good).

There is lots of new, quality tape being made. Quantegy is up and running (with its own online store) and you also have fresh stock from RMGI EMTEC and soon ATR. :D

http://quantegyonline.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=32&osCsid=9832482f5db573d19376e81572ff43f1

http://www.usrecordingmedia.com/1oprereta.html

Your machine was set for 1.5 mil tape so that's what you want to use. The beauty is that if you set your recorder up for Quantegy 456 then you can also use RMGI EMTEC SM911 without the need to recallibrate. It should be within tollerance. Arguably the RMGI EMTEC tapes are of better quality but Quantegy is cool too! Another tape you may want to try is the SM468 (equivalent to Quantegy 406). It is lower operating level and so you'd need to recallibrate but some like the tape better than some higher output ones.

Thus ... Quantegy 456, EMTEC SM911 and Quantegy 406, EMTEC SM468. ;)

Another thing you may want to keep in mind is to buy tape in pancake form and spool it onto empty reels. It's cheaper that way, especially if you use lots of tape. ;)

Analog currently is more like a niche market but it is very strong and growing. :)
 
one more quick caveat...

this is a bit off topic, but as a new otari owner, you deserve this very important bit of information... for decades this has been written in bright red letters on notes stuck to mx-5050 machines in radio stations from coast to coast...

"Do Not Under Any Circumstances Touch The Pitch Control"

actually, i have seen it written in even plainer english, but with verbs and adjectives that would make a sailor blush...

the pitch control on these machines is the achilles heel, the weak link, the very thing that can bring an otherwise pretty reliable machine to it's knees... forever... there are engineering reasons for this... poor poor poor engineering reasons for this... but... since the rest of the logic section is usually happy, if you follow that one caveat, you should be very very happy... these machines make very good multi-trackers, are hard to beat when you balance performance with price and most parts can be endlessly scrounged from retired broadcast units....

you are quite welcome... let us know how things go!

dave
 
Quantegy (formerly Ampex) 456 is the standard. If you remember nothing else remember 456. Otari factory calibrated to 3M 226, but it's not made anymore. 226 was the 3M version of 456.

Like Daniel said, BASF 911 (now made by RMGI) is compatible with 456 and it has a good following… a lot of people like it.

One correction -- the U.S. Recording media site has wrong info on 468. It's a +6 tape just like 456, and is not equivalent to 406.

468 is a nice tape, though technically it has a slightly different optimum bias. Historically, most people have used it on machines biased for 456 without readjusting. For a time there was a tape called 469 made by the same company that was supposed to be the equivalent to Ampex 456. It just didn't catch on and people seemed to like 468 better.

The official bias compatible tapes list from back in the day is as follows:

Ampex 456 (USA)
3m/Scotch 226 (USA)
AGFA 469 (Germany)
BASF 911 (Germany)
Zonal 700 (UK – BBC standard, not widely distributed in the USA)

Quantegy bought Ampex and 3M Magnetics
BASF bought AGFA Magnetics, dropped 469, but kept 468
BASF Magnetics later became EMTEC, and is now RMGI in the Netherlands
Zonal now only makes ¼” reel-to-reel tape

You can buy 456 labeled AMPEX or Quantegy, but if it’s AMPEX make sure it’s 1995 or newer.

You can buy AGFA 469, but it will probably have sticky-shed syndrome

You can buy 3M/Scotch 226, but there’s a 50/50 chance it will have sticky-shed

You can buy SM 911 labeled BASF, EMTEC or RMGI (no sticky-shed)

You can buy 468 labeled AGFA, BASF, EMTEC or RMGI, and it’s all good (in my experience). If it’s AGFA it will be called PEM 468. Everything else is called SM 468

The only tapes from the above list that are still being made new in ½” are 456 by Quantegy, and SM 911 and SM 468 by RMGI.

~Tim
:)
 
Beck said:
One correction -- the U.S. Recording media site has wrong info on 468. It's a +6 tape just like 456, and is not equivalent to 406.
Click to expand...

Oops! Sorry ... :( :o :o :o

Btw: great info, Tim. :)
 
Beck said:
The only tapes from the above list that are still being made new in ½” are 456 by Quantegy, and SM 911 and SM 468 by RMGI.
:)
Click to expand...
*EDIT*
I jumped in too quick there - Zonal 700 is available, but not in 1/2" AFAIK. I still haven't been able to obtain RMGI stock in any format :(
 
jpmorris said:
I still haven't been able to obtain RMGI stock in any format :(
Click to expand...

I even got free tapes from the North American RMGI distributor for evaluation.

And you live 6350 km closer to Oosterhout than I do. :confused:
 
Treeline said:
...eventually I'd like to use it for stereo mastering. !
Click to expand...
Glenn,

In order to use that deck as a stereo mastering recorder, the heads would need to be changed and the electronics re-calibrated to hotter levels as you can hit a 1/2" , two track tape much harder than what the factory calibration was designed for when you're squeezing 8 tracks onto the same real-estate.

A company called JRF magnetics makes two track conversion head kits for some models of Otari but it's best to check with them first to see if their kit is applicable to your model and especially so for the electronics of the deck which may have to be modded to work comfortably with the hotter levels.

www.jrfmagnetics.com

Of course, you can always just use two of the 8 tracks for stereo mastering as is but you'll be missing a fair chunk of the potential of the 1/2" format if you take that path.

Something else to consider;

A decent 1/4" two track mastering deck could be found on the used market for less then the price of the jrf conversion kit and offer you a fatter, hotter sound then what you'll receive from your 5050. Don't get me wrong; the 5050 can make a VERY fine recording in it's current format of 8 tracks on 1/2" but you're sort of at one step before the top of the analog staircase in terms of the potential audio quality.

Cheers! :)
 
mmm... machine cuisine... it's great to have it all in one spot -- thanks tim for the info!

i didn't see emtec 966... so, i figure i'll add it to the pile... it is reasonably priced... without too much fuss, it is supposed to be bias compatable (+6) with my scully 280b... i have heard good things about it from a few of the engineers i have spoken with... i am curious if anyone here has experiences to share...
 
Ah, you mean 3M 986/966. That was the replacement for 226. Yeah, I guess 1992 is long enough ago to be considered "Back in the day." :)
 
i totally agree that a true stereo mixdown deck would probably be just the ticket for you... you could probably find one you like for under $500... if you are head over heels in love with the mx5050, of course a 1/4" two track version would be easy to find, but a truly good one is a little harder to root out... like looking at the wear on the clutch pedal on a car is relative to looking at the wear on the headstack, this theory only applies if it is original... on these buggers, cracked buttons that are fragile as corn chips will tell you even more about the relative age and use of the unit... beyond otariland there are other good decks to look for and this forum has fans of most of them... still, you might be best served by another otari... learning one troubleshooting paradigm rather than several can save you headaches down the road... imho...

thanks again tim... i figured it was 226 without the print through issues and i appreciate the heads up... ah, 1992... when loud took over and a vintage big muff cost more than a used car... oh those good old days... when melody was irrelevant and yet, i still hunched over a porta one in portland... while to the north, hordes of a & r men chased their tails through the streets of the emerald city looking for the next batch of flannel to promote... and... ironically -- considering what the 80s devolved into -- finding a bevy of punks to exploit and a few hair bands to make very rich... brings a tear to the eye... don't it? :p
 
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