Getting a Teac 3340S!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter citizenkeith
  • Start date Start date
C

citizenkeith

New member
Just moments ago I was talking to a co-worker. We have a new employee here who is going to share my office, and we needed to move a bookcase from one side of the room to the other (by the way, I don't have an audio-related day job). I moved a box of EMTEC 468 that I just picked up from eBay. He said, "wow, look at all that tape. I have a reel to reel that I'm going to sell." It turns out he inherited a Teac 3340S from his dad. He thinks it works fine. So I said, "I wish I had some extra cash right now... I'd buy it from you." After some haggling, it has been decided that I will receive this tape deck next week and I can pay him on an installment plan!

I've really wanted a 4-track lately, mainly because it's so much easier to write stuff. I'd prefer using that instead of going to the trouble of multi-tracking to computer.

What can I expect from the 3340S?
 
I have a service manual, schematics and exploded view manual for your 3340 (no operations manual) that I can loan you if you want to make copies of them.
 
I had one in the '80's They sounded pretty damn good back then. I suggest you try to eBay a few DBX-II noise reduction units for it though. A pair of 224s should do you just fine.
 
evm1024 said:
I have a service manual, schematics and exploded view manual for your 3340 (no operations manual) that I can loan you if you want to make copies of them.
Click to expand...

Whoa, that would be great. I'll PM you with my address. :)
 
Does anybody know what tape is recommended for this machine? I've got tons of EMTEC 468 now...
 
I had a 3340 and I tried to get it to record at 320 nWb/m without luck. Just not enough headroom. I ended up calibrating it ro 250 nWb/m. This is just fine with "modern" tape. Your emtec ar 250 will have more headroom than the deck can produce and tape hiss / noise floor will be quite a way below what the machine was designed for. A win/win in my book.
 
Use +3dB tape. (i forget what nwb/m that is, 250 i think?)

As far as tape thickness, stick with 1mil tape. 1.5 mil tape may sacrafice some of the wow and flutter specs of the machine.

Ampex/quantegy 407 is a terriffic choice. Great performance, KILLER sounding tape distortion that's just as smooth as butter, and more tape-time. (only downside of this tape is the lower s/n ratio, and the poorer print-through specs. Just store your tapes tails-out, and you'll be fine.)

The electronics in the machine are pretty noisy to begin with, so you REALLY won't see a huge improvement of s/n ratio if you set the machine up for a higher fluxitivity tape like 456 or 499. The noise from the mic pres and op amps on the machine will prevail whether you like it or not.

I've had huge success with one of these bad boys. I've posted the MP3's of the stuff on this forum. I think the subject is "success with a 4-tracker" or something like that. Take a listen, and you'll see what I mean.

TERRIFFIC demo tape machine. AND FUN to work with. But I wouldn't use it for an album, the s/n ratio is borderline unacceptable for releasing stuff.

-callie-
 
Muckelroy said:
Ampex/quantegy 407 is a terriffic choice. Great performance, KILLER sounding tape distortion that's just as smooth as butter, and more tape-time. (only downside of this tape is the lower s/n ratio, and the poorer print-through specs. Just store your tapes tails-out, and you'll be fine.)
Click to expand...

Beck mentioned here that 468 would work fine with a Tascam 22-2, which is what I've been working with recently. I wasn't too happy with 407, so I decided to switch and found a bunch on eBay cheap. I recall Beck saying that even though 468 is 1.5 mil, it isn't as stiff so it works fine.

I found the post...

Beck said:
BASF/EMTEC SM 468 is the only 1.5-mil tape that runs well on the 22-2. It is very supple for a 1.5-mil tape and has a better signal-to-noise ratio than 456/457/407 or Maxell 35-90. It is bias compatible and you can it hit hard. It was a very popular tape in Nashville for mastering and a favorite of Steve Perry (Journey) and Frank Zappa for tracking. I use it on my TSR-8 and 22-2… I really like it.
Click to expand...

I suppose I'll give it a try. If all else fails I'll just get some 407. :)
 
citizenkeith said:
Just moments ago I was talking to a co-worker. We have a new employee here who is going to share my office, and we needed to move a bookcase from one side of the room to the other (by the way, I don't have an audio-related day job). I moved a box of EMTEC 468 that I just picked up from eBay. He said, "wow, look at all that tape. I have a reel to reel that I'm going to sell." It turns out he inherited a Teac 3340S from his dad. He thinks it works fine. So I said, "I wish I had some extra cash right now... I'd buy it from you." After some haggling, it has been decided that I will receive this tape deck next week and I can pay him on an installment plan!

I've really wanted a 4-track lately, mainly because it's so much easier to write stuff. I'd prefer using that instead of going to the trouble of multi-tracking to computer.

What can I expect from the 3340S?
Click to expand...


A great sounding machine for sure. One of the best TASCAM has ever offered. Don't forget to get a decent mixing console for it. Allen & Heath comes to mind as well as Soundcraft. TASCAM's small mixers from the same era were not very flexable or great sounding as the two mentioned above.

The 3340S is well above their mixers in sound.
 
Muckelroy said:
I've had huge success with one of these bad boys. I've posted the MP3's of the stuff on this forum. I think the subject is "success with a 4-tracker" or something like that. Take a listen, and you'll see what I mean.
Click to expand...

Here: http://www.bdedesigns.com/MBC/

;)

This came out of an 3340S ? Terrific!!!

Btw, I hear no hiss .... :confused:
 
citizenkeith said:
I've really wanted a 4-track lately, mainly because it's so much easier to write stuff. I'd prefer using that instead of going to the trouble of multi-tracking to computer.
Click to expand...


You mean easier to record on? I'm not getting what the number of tracks has to do with the writing proccess. You mean easier to arrange/produce as in being more simple in that you don't have to worry about filling up more tracks? Being a songwriter I was just curious as to what you meant. :)
 
EDAN said:
You mean easier to record on? I'm not getting what the number of tracks has to do with the writing proccess. You mean easier to arrange/produce as in being more simple in that you don't have to worry about filling up more tracks? Being a songwriter I was just curious as to what you meant. :)
Click to expand...

Just fewer options. I won't go crazy overdubbing, I won't set up a bunch of mics for the drum kit, etc. If I just have an idea that I want to lay down, it'll be one mic in front of the kit, a bass track, a guitar track and a vocal. No time spent messing around with plugins. :)

I just find that I'm more productive and creative with fewer options. I wrote and recorded more of my own music when I owned a 4-track cassette machine. So this Teac will point me back in that direction.
 
Shit... I don't have a power cable. I checked for something at Lowes and Home Depot, but couldn't find anything like it. Is this proprietary, or can I find a cable somewhere?
 
Check with vintage tx he can send you in the direction of a guy that makes power cords for the Teac.
 
Thanks Herm. I sent him an email.

Somebody told me that a vacuum cleaner cable should work. Any truth to that?
 
citizenkeith said:
Shit... I don't have a power cable. I checked for something at Lowes and Home Depot, but couldn't find anything like it. Is this proprietary, or can I find a cable somewhere?
Click to expand...

Don't worry. Head over to your local hardware store and take a look at the appliance extension cords.

There should be a 2 prong cord that is almost the right shape but has a tab to prevent you from plugging in a 3 prong appliance. Just cut off the plastic tab and do a little shaping and the cord will fit a 3340. BTDT

Total cost is less than $6
 
Want me to check my local hardware store? I could send you one for actual cost (less than $10 including shipping) I'll cut the tab off. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top