Famous Swiss Tape Recorder Brand To Re-introduce Reel-to-Reel Analog Recorder!

[schlechtj]

Aaaaarrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!! I miss tape saturation!!!!!

 

[RRuskin]

Not that it matters at this point, but 3M's magnetic division was acquired by Quantegy shortly after Quantegy acquired Ampex magnetic division (1996) and they had a good run for another ten years perfecting 3M and Ampex formulations. In addition we had BASF resurrected as EMTEC and finally RMGI. And now ATR Magnetic.

Tape just doesn't want to die and I'm sure it's not going away quietly anytime soon. That being said, as far as hardware is concerned we're looking at refurbs like from ATR and smaller shops restoring machines on a smaller scale, or just people like you and me doing it ourselves for the foreseeable future. And that's just peachy because the parts are out there and we can keep them running. My machines are good as new... maybe even better.

Quantegy acquired 3M's technology but not the entire division. And yes, they had a good run but the reason 3M got out of the market was because they could see that it was getting less and less profitable to remain.

 

[Beck]

Quantegy acquired 3M's technology but not the entire division. And yes, they had a good run but the reason 3M got out of the market was because they could see that it was getting less and less profitable to remain.

Correct... the magnetic tape technology is probably a better way to put it, as 3M continued to produce other magnetic products. At any rate, all the popular 3M audiotape products we knew and loved were absorbed into Quantegy. And yes they saw the writing on the wall that it wouldn't be profitable enough for a company that size, yet certainly still viable on a smaller scale and consolidated with the former Ampex products. I think the success of GP9 surprised everyone. To release a new product like that in what was assumed to be a dying industry was quite an accomplishment. Gave it a shot in the arm an ushered in one of the many analog revivals we've had since then. We keep having them just when the naysayers are... well... nay saying.

Another thing to remember is that although 3M was a big player in the tape world from the start, during the heyday Ampex sold more tape than all other tape manufacturers combined, including 3M.

 

[Beck]

Hey Beck,

I could do with a new head for my MSR16......do you know where to find one?

Al

Last time I looked Tascam Parts Dept still had the R/P head for the MSR-16... but it seems to come and go over the years... sometimes available and sometimes not. Don't know where they're getting the stock. I can't imagine they're still making them, but possible in small quantities I suppose.

Tascam Parts
(323) 727-4840

Sorry I don't have the part number handy because I've got all that stuff on an old PC that's down for the moment.

 

[leddy]

Hate to burst anyone's bubble, but Studer is not going back into the analog tape machine business.

No one has mentioned Nagra? They got into the audiophile market with $10,000+ preamps and such. I'll bet it's them.

 

[KKB-1204]

I had a feeling this was going to happen. Can you image the capabilities now with a computer controlling the recorder. I wonder if Tascam will ever jump on board and produce affordable decks again. In 1990 my MSR-24 was advertised in Electronic Musician for $14,999, not that it was affordable to me then but every year after that the priced dropped by a couple of thousand. Finally in 1995 they were discontinued and I got the 2nd one left in North America for $5400.