LPR-35 thickness vs. 456

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hatbeardglasses

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I just started using a reel of LPR-35 1/2" tape on an 80-8. Is there any reason to expect problems or inconsistency because it's a 1 mil tape versus 1.5 mil of 456?

80-8 runs at 15 ips, most of the documentation I've read about LPR-35 seems to refer to it running at slower speeds. Will this stuff stretch or screw up for any reason simply because of the thickness?
 
1-mil tape tends to stretch more than 1.5-mil, especially in multi-tracking because of the shuttling back and forth, starts and stops, etc. It depends on how gentle your machine's transport is. The 80-8 is on the rough side compared to something like the TSR-8 or 388. But if it’s bad you’ll definitely hear it as audible wow. Of course the wider the tape is the more strength it has regardless of thickness.

LPR35 is comparable to 457.
 
I remember seeing somewhere that LPR-35 was special run, but I'm not sure about this batch. It's new old BASF from tapetape. I think RMGI is making it as well. I guess if it doesn't stretch too much it'll be real nice to have 3600' on one reel.
 
Tapetape sells the "Special Run." LPR35 has been around for a long time and is not the same as what tapetape has.

Is there anything on the box that indicates it is something other than plain old LPR35? Now that this stuff is out there it would be nice to know how to tell it apart from regular LPR35. The tapatape special run is a 1-mil version of SM900, so you should have your machine biased up for higher coercively tape like you would for Quantegy 499.
 
hatbeardglasses said:
I remember seeing somewhere that LPR-35 was special run, but I'm not sure about this batch. It's new old BASF from tapetape. I think RMGI is making it as well. I guess if it doesn't stretch too much it'll be real nice to have 3600' on one reel.
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Yeah, I'm afraid Beck is right.
I almost made the same mistake when I was gonna buy some tape of tapetape. Most of the stuff that guy sells is sticky shed tape (like 3M stuff) and this special run, which isn't proper type if you're calibrated for 456 tape...that will result in sound being somewhat "metallic".
 
hmm.. ok the box I got from tapetape doesn't say anything about it being special run. It's a plain black box from "BASF by Emtec", no labeling whatsoever, none on the flanges themselves either. From this link - http://www.usrecordingmedia.com/whtashius.html , it says that LPR35 is a long playing version of 911, so they should in this case both drop in for 456, eh?

I wouldn't characterize the sound as metallic thus far, but I've only spent a couple days with it. Of course, my machine hasn't had an alignment at all since I've had it, (haven't an MRL tape), so I'm not even sure if it's sounding as good as it could.
 
There should be several numbers on the spine of the box. I know tapeandtape had the "special run" and I think he bought it from Texas Tape Works.

One thing you will find is that although tape should really be biased to factory spec as a starting point, its sort of subjective and people will often bias by ear to taste. You may not notice an objectionable sound but the tape won't erase as completely during multitracking retakes and such.

As a rule tape that is under biased can be edgy and sound too bright. If it doesn't bother you and seems to work ok it may be just fine.

:)
 
Ok, so with this probably special run tape - is the output level +6, the same as 456, and the bias just needs to be set differently? I I can theoretically just grab the bias adjust and try different levels and see what works best?
 
hatbeardglasses said:
Ok, so with this probably special run tape - is the output level +6, the same as 456, and the bias just needs to be set differently? I I can theoretically just grab the bias adjust and try different levels and see what works best?
Click to expand...

You'll have to recalibrate your machine to 499 to use that tape
 
hatbeardglasses said:
Ok, so with this probably special run tape - is the output level +6, the same as 456, and the bias just needs to be set differently? I I can theoretically just grab the bias adjust and try different levels and see what works best?
Click to expand...

"Special Run" LPR35 is +9... but I can't imagine running 1-mil tape at those levels. With the 80-8 I see two possible issues running it that high ... mucho crosstalk and print-through.

You don't have to run a tape to its potential. The bias is the important thing. Once that is set you can run it at any flux level. If the 80-8 is zeroed at 250 or 320 nWb/m that will be fine. And as long as the electronics can handle it you won’t have to worry as much about recording into the red.

:)
 
Beck said:
You don't have to run a tape to its potential. The bias is the important thing. Once that is set you can run it at any flux level.
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Amen to that. Many, for example, make the error in thinking that they have to set up the machine to a tape's op levels and, even worse, run it that high but that's not true. If one wishes to use a +6 or even a +9 tape on a particular machine, which was originally setup for +3 or +6 then, as you say, the only thing to really worry about is bias adjustment (and if it will bias to that particular tape) and also if the machine will be able to mechanically best handle that type of tape. Pushing the meters may not yield the best sound, as would running at or below 0db and most likely the electronics will clip before a high op level tape will, so really all you're doing is spending money on headroom you either can't or won't use. I run below 0db and get a wider frequency respose and more natural sound. I personally really hate the sound of running into the red.
 
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