New rmgi tape

  • Thread starter Thread starter TASCAM MAN
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TASCAM MAN said:
I know ,I read the specs on it also and don't think I need LPR35 for my Fostex A-2 ran at 15IPS cause that's the speed I like so......
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Fostex recommend 1-mil tape for the A2, specifically Ampex 457 and Scotch 227. Like a lot of the small format machines its made to be used with 1-mil. Scotch 227 is very bad for sticky-shed syndrome, so that is out as an option. LPR-35 by BASF/EMTEC or RMGI would be fine, but you can still find NOS Ampex/Quantegy 457. Other than that you can use other 1-mil tapes on that machine with no problem. Scotch 207, Ampex/Quantegy 407 and Maxell 35-90B are fine too

I would avoid 1.5-mil tape for long term use, so 456 and similar are out.
 
Beck said:
Fostex recommend 1-mil tape for the A2, specifically Ampex 457 and Scotch 227. Like a lot of the small format machines its made to be used with 1-mil. Scotch 227 is very bad for sticky-shed syndrome, so that is out as an option. LPR-35 by BASF/EMTEC or RMGI would be fine, but you can still find NOS Ampex/Quantegy 457. Other than that you can use other 1-mil tapes on that machine with no problem. Scotch 207, Ampex/Quantegy 407 and Maxell 35-90B are fine too

I would avoid 1.5-mil tape for long term use, so 456 and similar are out.
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Thanks Beck and that is right because I found the manual on pdf and it does definitely say it was made for that tape and I quote; "WHAT KIND OF TAPE TO USE" A 7" reel of 1 mil tape,which is about 1800 feet long(550 meters),plays for 22 minutes at the standard 15 ips (38 cm/s) speed of the model A-2.Tapes thinner than 1 mil are not recommended since they are more susceptible to wear,strecthing and breakage.
"LOADING TAPE ON THE TRANSPORT" Load a blank tape on the transport(refer to Figure 6). .We recommend using Ampex 357,Scotch 227 or an equivalent tape formulation; the bias and EQ are factory aligned for these premium quality tapes. If another tape is used,it will be necessary to realign the electronics(See section 7).
Well,when I pulled the A-2 out of storage wasn't long after running it a little bit I could see there was nothing wrong with it(after sitting in storage for like 4 years) and then a friend of mine told me he had 2 rolls of brand new old stock Ampex 456 on 7" reels and said "come and get em" so....... months went by and just got around to opening 1 (yes they were still shrank wrapped) and recorded a few stereo programs from CD,2488 mixes etc etc...the pdf says that the signal to noise is only 65 db wtd. (that is with no noise reduction which the A-2 does not have built in NR) but to my ears it sounds much quieter and cleaner than them specs. So my question is haha and we just had a post about the RMGI equivelancies (cant spell) of tape and from what I was told is that 457=LPR35?? Don't see no new stuff called 357 as Fostex recommended??? thanks beck.
 
As I understand it, 357 was a +3 tape like 407, but it was discontinued, probably sometime in the 1980s.
I don't think there's a direct replacement being manufactured, unless Zonal are making something similar, but you can't easily get hold of their tape, especially outside the UK.
 
What about RMGI 468? Its one that they handle(1 mil)at 15 ips that Full Compass doesn't sell but could probably find it somewhere and try it....???
 
jpmorris said:
As I understand it, 357 was a +3 tape like 407, but it was discontinued, probably sometime in the 1980s.
I don't think there's a direct replacement being manufactured, unless Zonal are making something similar, but you can't easily get hold of their tape, especially outside the UK.
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Ampex 357 was the, "Civilian version" of 457 before Ampex dropped the different naming schemes for department store and professional tape. At one time you could buy 357 at K-Mart, but the professional tape supply houses carried the same tape by its professional name, 457. This was mostly to keep studios from buying the less expensive tape. This happens sometimes in marketing identical products. The manufacturers try to keep different markets separate so they can keep getting the big dollars from an industry while still catering to amaetuers who would not be willing to fork out as much money for a product. 357 was AKA GM 1800 (Grand Master 1800 feet). The box might be labeled either way... or have GM 1800 on the front of the box and 357 in small print somewhere on the back or side.

Ampex 457 and Scotch 227 were nearly identical in properties to the point no bias or level adjustments were needed. So the literature that recommends 357 and 227 can be interpreted today as meaning 457 and 227 (But again don't buy 3M/Scotch 227 because now its crap with sticky-shed. But it was a great tape when it came out).
 
So if I use the RMGI brand, then LPR35 for my lil Fostex right Beck?
 
TASCAM MAN said:
So if I use the RMGI brand, then LPR35 for my lil Fostex right Beck?
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Yep, LPR-35 is what I would use with the A-2... if I used RMGI. I have a lot of Quantegy 457 though so I would prefer that or a few other favorites before I would use RMGI. RMGI is ok though, but BASF brand LPR-35 is better IMO, if you can find it on eBay or something. 468 is ok too even though it's not 1-mil tape. At least the older BASF/EMTEC 468 was thin enough and the tape film supple enough that I would sometimes use it on a machine otherwise designed for 1-mil tape.
 
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