New MRL Tape?

[jortiz]

Hey guys,

I'm about to get my first MRL tape and I'm wondering what type to get. I know there are variables and such. I have a MCI JH 110 machine and want to use ATR 1/4 tape which I believe is +9. I'm a liitle confused with all the #s. I see on the JRF Magnetics website there is the kind for 15 and 30ips, which is what I'm going to be most likely recording at and some for just 15 or 30ips. My thinking is to get the full length NAB, IEC2 at 15 ips. I also have a Tascam 34 and wondering if that would work for both. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

John

 

[evm1024]

John,

Funny you should ask. I just bought a 1/4" and a 1/2" MRL. 4 tone 2 speed IEC1.

The cost was about $120 for the 1/4". If you contact MRL you may find a local dealer who will order the tape or of course JRF.

Here is what I got in 1/4" but do check the numbers on the MRL site:

299-005-512-117 2 speed (15,30 iec) 4 tone 1/4" 355 nWb/m

By getting the 355 nWb/m tape (+6) you can easily set up for +9, +6 or +3 bu offsetting 3 dB (VU as it were) either way.

Regards, Ethan

Hey guys,

I'm about to get my first MRL tape and I'm wondering what type to get. I know there are variables and such. I have a MCI JH 110 machine and want to use ATR 1/4 tape which I believe is +9. I'm a liitle confused with all the #s. I see on the JRF Magnetics website there is the kind for 15 and 30ips, which is what I'm going to be most likely recording at and some for just 15 or 30ips. My thinking is to get the full length NAB, IEC2 at 15 ips. I also have a Tascam 34 and wondering if that would work for both. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

John

 

[jortiz]

John,

Funny you should ask. I just bought a 1/4" and a 1/2" MRL. 4 tone 2 speed IEC1.

The cost was about $120 for the 1/4". If you contact MRL you may find a local dealer who will order the tape or of course JRF.

Here is what I got in 1/4" but do check the numbers on the MRL site:

299-005-512-117 2 speed (15,30 iec) 4 tone 1/4" 355 nWb/m

By getting the 355 nWb/m tape (+6) you can easily set up for +9, +6 or +3 bu offsetting 3 dB (VU as it were) either way.

Regards, Ethan

Ethan,

Thanks for the information. I knew you had a MCI so was hoping you would chime in. I'll check the #'s and get some tape then. Thanks again!

Best regards,

John

 

[Blue Jinn]

I haven't got an alignment tape yet, but I have many Tascam decks which are designed for 250 nW/m and a Fostex 80 which was calibrated for 320 nW/m. I'm planning on using Maxell UD (which I have quite a bit of) with the Fostex as I'm pretty short on 457 and I want to stick with 1 mil tape on the Fostex as it just doesn't seem as solid as the Teacs and I want to minimize wear. (I also have a crap load of Ampex 641...)

So I'm thinking it makes more sense to recal the Fostex at 250, cal record at +3 with a piece of 457 or 041, and then keep the UD at -3dB, and not mess with teh EQ.

FWIW, the tape project recommends IEC eq over NAB, which I think is the default on teh Fostex.

Any reason not to get the 250 tape?

 

[evm1024]

I haven't got an alignment tape yet, but I have many Tascam decks which are designed for 250 nW/m and a Fostex 80 which was calibrated for 320 nW/m. I'm planning on using Maxell UD (which I have quite a bit of) with the Fostex as I'm pretty short on 457 and I want to stick with 1 mil tape on the Fostex as it just doesn't seem as solid as the Teacs and I want to minimize wear. (I also have a crap load of Ampex 641...)

So I'm thinking it makes more sense to recal the Fostex at 250, cal record at +3 with a piece of 457 or 041, and then keep the UD at -3dB, and not mess with teh EQ.

FWIW, the tape project recommends IEC eq over NAB, which I think is the default on teh Fostex.

Any reason not to get the 250 tape?

Sounds like the 250 nWb/m tape is your best bet. This still allows you to do 355 nWb/m (almost nothing used 320 nWb/m). I assume that you don't need 30 ips. So a multifrequency tape in IEC1 would be great.

You can use an IEC1 tape to calibrate a NAB machine and visaversa. Jay McKnight gives info on the correction factors to apply. I've been doing this conversion for years and it is a PITA but I was too cheap to buy the MRLs I needed until last month. Making a 200 nWb.m NAB tape do 355 nWb/m IEC1...Of did I mention speed changes too?

regards, ethan