Hm...I think I did a dumb thing...

[sweetbeats]

I've been concerned about the need for 2" MRL tape for when my Ampex MM-1000 is setup for 2" operation. I only have 1/4", 1/2" and 1" cal tapes. Ideally what I need is a 15ips NAB tape preferrably at 250nWb/m.

I just bought this:

Magnetic Reference Laboratory Recorder Calibration Tape - eBay (item 270740521886 end time Apr-26-11 08:06:48 PDT)

First red-flag was the 3M 806 reel so I dialoged with Jay McKnight at MRL and he said they did use 3M 806 for awhile.

806 is sticky-prone and I knew that going in. I figure on my budget no matter what I get its going to have to spend some time in the Snackmaster since even the new custom short version cal tapes are well over $300 for the 2" format. So this tape has the 250nWb/m reference fluxivity level right but it is a 30ips tape for one thing and also therefore AES eq curve. It is catalog #51L214 which is the long multi-frequency tape (a full reel of pure MRL goodness that currently lists for $1020) which is good because at 15ips I can at least get 10kHz off of it for coarse-set azimuth, and at 15ips it does have 50s of 1kHz tone. I can deal with the eq curve difference and it has the tones I need at 15ips for basics as well as a good tone ladder up to the 10kHz tone. Also, if somehow I ever did convert the MM-1000 to servo capstan and 15/30ips operation I'd have the MRL tape.

But...

Yeah...

I paid $41 +S&H for a cal tape that is probably sticky and isn't exactly what I need.

Got a little buyer's remorse going on here.

 

[Talldog]

Might have been dumb, might not. You'll know when you get it.

 

[briank]

^what he said. Also, you could probably move it on for what you put into it if it's not what you want/need.

For $41, I have to think someone could bake it, dub it to fresh tape and still have a fair deal for an MRL. The buggers ain't cheap...

 

[Muckelroy]

Well, you can't "dub" calibration tapes. You can..... but they lose all the things that make them MRL tapes, and lose their accuracy.

 

[briank]

Well, he wouldn't get a proper precision alignment out of it and I'm not suggesting Cory does this...I've heard of people getting tones printed off studios' MRLs but I'd have to think that's a pretty desperate measure, and in any event, my point is that someone out there would probably see $41 worth of value in it if Cory doesn't want to keep it. Of course, if it isn't sticky, for that price it would be very well worth keeping in case you ever DO want a 30ips cal tape.

 

[miroslav]

...and isn't exactly what I need.

I know having the exact tape you need is the best thing...but I thought MRL has conversion charts that allow you to use different tapes, and just convert the math to whatever you actually need for your setup....?

 

[briank]

I know having the exact tape you need is the best thing...but I thought MRL has conversion charts that allow you to use different tapes, and just convert the math to whatever you actually need for your setup....?

Good point, I found this table:

Table 5-2 Calibration Tape: 30 in/s, AES (IEC2) Equalization
Desired Playback: 15 in/s, NAB (IEC2) Equalization
Recorded Playback Playback
Frequency/ Frequency/ Level/
[Hz] [Hz] [dB]
32 16 -10.33
63 32 -5.48
125 63 -2.16
250 125 -0.65
500 250 -0.17
1000 500 0.00
2000 1000 0.18
4000 2000 0.66
8000 4000 1.61
10000 5000 1.95
12500 6250 2.24
16000 8000 2.51
20000 10000 2.69

 

[sweetbeats]

Good point, I found this table:

Table 5-2 Calibration Tape: 30 in/s, AES (IEC2) Equalization
Desired Playback: 15 in/s, NAB (IEC2) Equalization
Recorded Playback Playback
Frequency/ Frequency/ Level/
[Hz] [Hz] [dB]
32 16 -10.33
63 32 -5.48
125 63 -2.16
250 125 -0.65
500 250 -0.17
1000 500 0.00
2000 1000 0.18
4000 2000 0.66
8000 4000 1.61
10000 5000 1.95
12500 6250 2.24
16000 8000 2.51
20000 10000 2.69

Yeah, that's what I was saying. If it is not sticky and/or is bakeable (and I'm pretty certain I'm going to bake it anyway) I can use it just fine with the conversion. I'm not worried about that other than that I can't run the ladder above 10kHz and therefore don't have something like a 12kHz or ideally 16kHz tone to check fine-set azimuth or wrap. That is probably the main thing that doesn't fit, but it will work, and if it is bakeable or not sticky in the first place then I think it was a good deal. I was moreover lamenting about jumping at something that isn't exactly what I'm looking for rather than waiting, especially since I'm sure I'm quite a ways out from needing it anyway (i.e. the MM-1000 isn't anywhere near setup for 2" operation at this point...awfully close to 1", but not 2"). Its just one of those things I'm trying to get away from; jumping the gun for fear that the right opportunity won't ever come along and the MRL tape is kind of a loaded issue because it is necessary to setup the machine and the 2" tapes are sooooo stinkin' expensive. I saw this one, which is basically the top of the line model, and thought it might sell low because of the tape type...lesser known or recognized than the more common 456. But in the end I will likely see something come along before I'm ready to need it that is the right fit for the right deal and I will think "gee that was dumb...I shoulda just waited." That's really what spawned the post.

 

[jpmorris]

In terms of "Did I really buy this...?" I think a $41 cal tape is fairly small fry. I've just won an MSR-24...

 

[Beck]

If it's 806 it will most likely be sticky... and if it's 806 and 2" it's from an era when it was likely used very heavily in a commercial studio or by a tech who serviced several studios, depending on where it's from. But truthfully I feel more sick filling up my gas tank each time than I would for spending $51.21 on something that will keep you up at night... night after night in cold sweats wondering if the tape is even still within proper spec... until you can't take it anymore and spend the money for a new one... I think.

Not to mention my rule against buying anything from a seller who thinks saying, "If you are looking at this product, chances are pretty good that you are familiar with it" is a description. Sorry I shouldn't have mentioned it.

It's a nice heavy duty reel. You can look at it that way.

 

[ofajen]

It's a nice heavy duty reel. You can look at it that way.

Yeah, I pretty much have a firm rule not to buy any tape with a history of sticky issues for anything more than the reel is worth. Also pretty leery of paying for used calibration tapes, though if someone gave me one when I bought a machine, I'd probably take it. In any case, it's not a particularly expensive lesson!

Cheers,

Otto

 

[GCalo]

I think Cory is just trying to draw me out to feel badly for him about his purchase as stated in this thread to buy a 2" MRL to loan to him!!

 

[sweetbeats]

Finally got it the other day...

The true answer to what I got will only be revealed when I've got a 2" machine to play this thing on but at least everything else looks okay.

The box is indeed a 3M box and the orange MRL color dot is consistent with the 806 formulation:

All the paperwork is there:

Physically its in good shape, and whoever used it lst spooled it nicely:

Its even got Scotch leader tape on it...which...still means nothing as to what's on the reel.

So...who knows.

 

[ofajen]

It's a quality 2" precision reel, at least!

Cheers,

Otto