Explanation on tape makes and model numbers

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ZioGuido

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Hi everybody,
I'm new to this forum, just signed up because I need some explanation from you guys who have more experience than me.

First some quick introduction about me: my name is Guido, I'm Italian, 34, I play keyboards, I own a small recording studio and I love analog gear. I currently own a Fostex R8, two Revox A-77 (one 1969 Mark I and a 1972 Mark III) and a Akai GX-210D.

Here comes my question. As we all know, finding new tapes has become a challenge. I mostly buy stuff from Thomann.de and on eBay. Now I'd like to know the relation between the "standard" tapes and the new "alternative" ones.

For example, if I have well understood, Ampex passed its tape manufacturing to Quantegy in 1995 and new Quantegy tapes are the same as old Ampex tapes. Same for Basf, which turned into Emetec and now RMGI. And what about Zonal?
If I say that a BASF/EMTEC/RMGI SM911 is equal to Ampex/Quantegy 456 is it correct? Is Zonal 700 the same tape?

And is RMGI SM468 the same as Ampex 478?

And what about the other Zonal tapes? For example the 675? I can't seem to find useful informations about these tapes.

In other words, I need new tapes for my Fostex R8, and I don't know where to find some, except RMGI SM900 or SM911 which is available from Thomann.

Last question: what is an "archive grade" tape?

EDIT: I forgot an important question: what if I swap tapes? E.g. if I load my R8 with a SM468 or Quantegy 478? I've got 25 brand new 478 tapes...

Other little q: what does "low print" mean? Oh... I know I'm a PITA, but I have still another question: can I use a non-back coated tape on a 15 ips machine?

I just found a page that gives me some little info about Zonal.

Thanks ;)
Guido.
 
Last edited:
Off the top of my head:
Zonal 675 is equivalent to BASF SM468.

Zonal 700 is Quantegy 456-equivalent and Zonal 820 is Quantegy 406-equivalent.

IIRC 840 is a thinner/longer playing variant on 820, so it would be your 407 equivalent.

They did have a Zonal 999 which was supposedly akin to GP9, but that is out of production now. Zonal's successors are only currently making 1/4" stock and it's difficult to get outside the UK as far as I know.

Canford only sell 675, 700, 820 and 840 so presumably that's all that's in current production.

EDIT:
http://www.canford.co.uk/Browse/22289.aspx
 
Lots of helpful info in one of my threads from a couple years ago.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=237300

In answer to your other questions:

468 and 478 are both low-print and great for Nagra decks, but 468 is closer to 456 and was historically used interchangeably with it for tracking and mastering of music.

478, on the other hand will sound dull if used on a deck calibrated to 456, so you will need to have your machine setup for it.

It’s best to use the thinner versions of tape on something like the Fostex R8.

Ampex/quantegy 457 or 407
RMGI LPR35
Maxell XL 35-90B

Low-print (Low-print through) like Quantegy 478 was designed with recording dialog in mind for the film industry, typically using Nagra portable recorders.

Here’s a good explanation of print-through from the AES

http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/3mtape/printthrough.pdf

~Tim
:)
 
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