Newby question about Playing tracks recorded on 8 track on 2 or 4 track reel to reels

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Doingmybest

New member
Hi guys,

sounds to me like a silly question but that just might be my inexperience.

I have some old tapes that were recorded on a Fostex R8.
I would love to digitise them.
Would I need an 8 track machine (15ips) or would a 2 or 4 track machine do the job?
 
Ran into this problem a long time ago. We did a recording on a 16 track fostex, can't remember what noise reduction it used. That model came in a couple different varieties, two different speeds and two different noise reductions. Finding the deck that had both proved impossible. Of course, we used 456 from the early 90s, so it got sticky shed. We gave up.
 
Farview said:
Ran into this problem a long time ago. We did a recording on a 16 track fostex, can't remember what noise reduction it used. That model came in a couple different varieties, two different speeds and two different noise reductions. Finding the deck that had both proved impossible. Of course, we used 456 from the early 90s, so it got sticky shed. We gave up.
Click to expand...
Oh dear! I've been looking on ebay and there are a couple of Fostex R8's both sellers have not tested tapes in them. Do you know if the maintenance is easy enough for an amateur and are parts easy to get?
 
Well, reel to reel mechanical servicing, and alignment isn't too difficult if you understand how the things work. The mechanics are pretty basic but some of the electronics is in need of basic test gear for alignment and repair. You have to hunt a bit for parts, but most are available with a bit of effort. If the ones on ebay say they're working and not just for spares or repair - could be a goer,
 
Realistically, if you are only worried about transferring some old tapes to digital, it isn't going to be worth taking a chance on an untested ebay find. The easiest thing to do would be to find a place that specializes in transferring old tapes.
As Rob says, it isn't necessarily difficult to maintain a tape deck, but it is something you will have to learn and buy the proper tools to do. If you aren't planning on doing any more recording on the deck, getting one would be a waste of time, money and brainpower.

You will also have to get an interface with 8 inputs (if you don't already have one) and all the cabling necessary. It can turn into quite a project, depending on what equipment you have already.
 
I've always regretted selling my old reel to reels in the 80s, but, if I remove the nostalgia then I'm positive it was the best thing to do. I sort of look for good examples of what I had on ebay, but with the rose tinted spectacles off - spending probably £800 on a machine often labelled (for the sellers safety) spares or repair, is stupid. Leaving aside any of the cult or love aspects, buying a reel to reel will, not may, require you to get a bit dirty. Regular cleaning, adjustment, and belt replacement is like your car needing fuel filters, brake fluid and timing belts. If somebody has a reel to reel in working order, why is it for sale? If they were enthusiasts, they'd keep them for all the wonderful advantages, but the reality is they're a pain. Farview's advice is sensible. Pay somebody to do the transfer and walk away with files on a drive of some kind. Unless you want to really get into analogue, don't do it - it's a kind of good natured cult where everyone seeks the amazing, warm lovely audio they are capable of, but get the noisy, hissy, unreliable, wow and flutter infested recordings we all made, but now pretend we didn't. Getting to the end of a session without a problem was a real fist punch moment. Owning a reel to reel is a work of love and patience. It's not really about the music. When I first went to hard drive digital I copied everything to the drives of the day, and 44.1KHz, 16 bit .wav was as good as it got - and even on that first gen kit - was really good with all the dodgy tape problems missing. I know one day somebody will offer me a Ferrograph 722HD - my first proper reel to reel stereo machine and I know I will buy it. I also know that in my head, it's an awful lot better than it really could be in real (reel) life!
 
I'm in Seattle and have a Fostex R8 and do this kind of transfer regularly. FYI - Fostex used Dolby "C" on all of their multitrack reel to reels.
 
Thanks guys. Maybe I’m being a little too nostalgic. I only need to find out what’s on the tapes to be honest and not looking to record.
I just need to find a studio that does this type of work here in sunny Bedfordshire
 
I'm not in Bedfordshire but only a couple of hours drive away and regularly transfer Fostex 8 track tapes to digital using an E-8. I know that there is also a place in Essex that does multitrack transfers but I don't know if they do 1/4" 8 track. There is also FX Copyroom in West London but, again, I don't know if they do that format.
 
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