Considering Analog, need some advice

C

craz

New member
Hi all,

I've a typical home-digital studio setup. And while I consider Digital to be great for capturing exactly what’s coming out of my amp, I play a lot of Desert and Surf Rock and I'd like to start building an analog studio with Reel to Reels etc, for these types of music.

Anyway, I've put together a page of instrumentals from what I consider to be the most beautiful production I've ever heard. Perhaps some of you guys would be in a position to hazard a guess as to the type of equipment that might have been used to record this. Personally, I believe that an old reel to reel was used, what do you think?

I really hope you can help me out here as I'm totally new to this side of recording and need a bit of direction so I can start figuring out what I can afford.

Heres that link to recordings of music whos sound I'm after - http://aine_canby.tripod.com/usa.html

Thanks,

Craz
 
I appologize for not listening to your link. No time this morning. I have about 30 people coming over for a kids party soon.

Anyone wanting to start out in large-format analog should start with an eight or 16 track 1/2" machine. This is mainly a matter of economics. Parts and service are cheaper, they are not a bulky and heavy as a 1" machine. And if you are a DIY'er they are easier for a novice to work on.

TASCAM 38-8, TSR-8, MSR-16, are the three most commonly available machines. Gold and platinum albums have been recorded using this equipment.

It's old, but most of it is still quite servicable. Best to buy in person, but good deals can be had from e-bay, but ask a lot of questions before commiting. Make sure the seller is being honest with you about the condition of the machine.

Then you will need a mixing console, preferably and eight buss, but you can get by on a four buss if the console has direct outs and tape returns. Good consoles are cheap on e-bay. Most are in great condition, but ask to be sure. It's harder to find a screwed up console than it is a tape machine.

It's an analog buyer's market right now with the digital explosion. That may change in a few years as more people such as yourself are wondering what they have been missing for the last decade.

Good luck.:)
 
Thanks Sennheiser,

Some ppl that have listen to the mp3 from the link above, believe that "old" reels were used - I'm a bit confused by that. I can imagine that the reels have a bigger impact on sound than say a pre amp might have. So, what generation or models should I be looking at based on the mp3s.

Thanks again.
 
Didn't work for me...

I tried to stream the M3Us, but nothing ever came out of my speakers - I downloaded the MP3s (although my browser wanted to save them as MPEGs) but couldn't play them in either format.

So, sorry, but no help just yet. :( To be honest, an MP3 would not be the best way to try and guess what type of recorder was used on these sessions; it would be difficult even if I had the original CD in my player. I would think that other equipment colourations would predominate over the sound of a professional analogue deck.

Better not be too hasty though. Maybe someone else will have heard these tracks already.

P
 
That sound could have been gotten either analog or digital

the "warble " and the pitchiness sound like an analog deck having motor problems, or perhaps stretched tape

also the distortion on the cymbals suggests analog, but that could have happened from signal processing too
 
thanks for your help so far guys, it was recorded in !985 if that helps.

If you cant stream those files then I'm not sure what the problem is...try right clicking on the mp3 links and selecting "Save Target as" to d/l it.

thanks again
 
When I was reading Mix Magazine back during those years, I didn't see a whole lot of major studios buying digital gear. I don't even know if Mix runs that column anymore, but they used to list major purchases made by most of the big-name studios back then.

The Sony digital 32 track was released in '85 or '86 along with another brand that I think was Studer. Big bucks when compared to a 2" 24 track anything.

I don't think there were any computer DAW's or other digital recording devices in '85.

People weren't exactly flocking to digital back then so there's a good chance what you have there was recorded on analog tape.
 
hmmm, i didn't think digital was becoming popular that early

anyway, this album is the soundtrack for the film "Made in USA" so there was lots of money thrown at it.

According to the liner -

Recorded & Mixed at HIT CITY WEST, Los Angeles, Sept./Oct. 1986
Engineer: TERRY PEARSON
Assistant Engineers: W. CRAFT, K. O'CONNOR
Remixed by SONIC YOUTH at SEAR SOUND, New York City, June 1994
Engineer: FRED KEVORKIAN
Assistant Engineer: BIL EMMONS
Project Producer: MICHAEL BISHOP
Preproduction: MICHAEL BISHOP, RICHARD COOLEY, GEZA X, STEPHANIE LEE
Project Assistance: GARY STEWART, TED MYERS, PATRICK MILLIGAN
Legal Assistance: JON EARP
Remastering: HOWIE WEINBERG
 
I stand corrected. Thanks.

No, digital was not becoming that popular back then. The manufacturers had just introduced this equipment. I'm sure most of the majors had known about these products prior to their release, but they weren't all that quick to jump on the wagon.

If I had just sunk a wad of money into an Otari or Studer 2" 24-track within the last year, I don't think I'd be that quick to take an immediate loss on my investment to go with an untried medium.

Were talking 30K+ for those machines back then.
 
30k ?
you got a misplaced decimal point

try 300k

30k MIGHT buy you a decent 24 track 2 " analog machine

but they were around...early 90's on most of the big studios had them...if you didnt have a dash format recorder you were out of business...and the damn things were so expensive youd NEVER pay em off unless you were doing film

1986 on the other hand who knows....
 
That's what I was talking about in 1985-6 prices for 2" 24-track analog, not digital.

I know that I would would not want to take a loss on selling a fairly low-hour new analog machine just to have the latest-and -greatest digital machine that no one else has tried yet.

Especially at those prices. And yes, I did know that the then-new digital machines cost around that much or more depending upon options.
 
even during the 90's it sucked BIG time

you might loose a project because you didnt have a Mistu X-850, or you would loose if you didnt have a 3348 or you would loose if you didnt have a Studer A-827. You HAD to have all three or else... Add an SSL AND a Neve and you REALLY REALLY had to be booked to even think about paying the bills. Right at the same time, the ADATS hit and everyone all of a sudden had a " pro digital " studio...what a mess

still in recovery :(
 
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