S
sr71rules
Member
Came across a really clean (looking) Otari MX-70 1" 16 track machine at a local shop. I've been reading the posts on the forum here and elsewhere and I'm wondering if I should purse it.
I spoke briefly to the guy that owns the shop to find out what he was doing with the machine and what it's history is. According to him he just got it from a long time customer that was getting rid of it, due to lack of use. The machine is in great cosmetic condition and the heads, after a quick look, appear to be in good health. Full manual and remote are included.
In terms of cost, he told me to make him an offer. He hasn't yet paid the owner of the machine so it seems like there is some fluidity. I know about the issue with the relays/FET ICs and when I asked the store owner about that he said he knows that the machine had some, if not all, replaced a few years ago. Dodged or mostly dodged a common problem there...
Currently, I have a Tascam TSR-8 1/2" 8 Track and an Otari ATR-10 1/4" 2 Track in the studio. If I buy the MX-70 I would certainly sell the TSR-8. I don't want to have to maintain the three different tape sizes and I have nothing of value left sitting on 1/2" 8 track tape. In terms of the 1/2" deck I'm not sure what to do. The machine is solid and in good shape. I got it, free, from a friend of mine who works at a local radio station. They went totally digital a couple years ago and he gave me the machine (and a pile of old reels with interviews and concerts on them, fun to listen to!) Both the MX-70 and the ATR-10 are large rolling machines which take up a fair bit of space so I'm wondering if I should sell both machines and replace the ATR-10 with a smaller machine more in line with the size of my TSR-8. Thoughts? It would look pretty cool to have both large machines in the studio though and getting my hands on a nice 2 track machine could prove difficult...
According to the manual for my Timeline Microlynx, the MX-70 is a sync'able machine so I shouldn't have too much trouble getting it to play nicely with digital...
All that being said, what would you offer for the machine? For the moment, assume the heads are good, I will be much more thorough checking them before I buy. I will be selling my Tascam M3500 which will bring in a few dollars and I suspect I can use the TSR-8 to partially pay for the MX-70. I'm well versed in tape machine maintenance and am fully aware of the cost of tape. 1" isn't cheap!
I know the Tascam MS-16 is often compared to the MX-70, for obvious reasons; Should I hold out? I'm sure the machines each have a unique sound but a well calibrated unit, be it an MS-16 or an MX-70, is going to more than meet my needs sonically.
Robert
I spoke briefly to the guy that owns the shop to find out what he was doing with the machine and what it's history is. According to him he just got it from a long time customer that was getting rid of it, due to lack of use. The machine is in great cosmetic condition and the heads, after a quick look, appear to be in good health. Full manual and remote are included.
In terms of cost, he told me to make him an offer. He hasn't yet paid the owner of the machine so it seems like there is some fluidity. I know about the issue with the relays/FET ICs and when I asked the store owner about that he said he knows that the machine had some, if not all, replaced a few years ago. Dodged or mostly dodged a common problem there...
Currently, I have a Tascam TSR-8 1/2" 8 Track and an Otari ATR-10 1/4" 2 Track in the studio. If I buy the MX-70 I would certainly sell the TSR-8. I don't want to have to maintain the three different tape sizes and I have nothing of value left sitting on 1/2" 8 track tape. In terms of the 1/2" deck I'm not sure what to do. The machine is solid and in good shape. I got it, free, from a friend of mine who works at a local radio station. They went totally digital a couple years ago and he gave me the machine (and a pile of old reels with interviews and concerts on them, fun to listen to!) Both the MX-70 and the ATR-10 are large rolling machines which take up a fair bit of space so I'm wondering if I should sell both machines and replace the ATR-10 with a smaller machine more in line with the size of my TSR-8. Thoughts? It would look pretty cool to have both large machines in the studio though and getting my hands on a nice 2 track machine could prove difficult...
According to the manual for my Timeline Microlynx, the MX-70 is a sync'able machine so I shouldn't have too much trouble getting it to play nicely with digital...
All that being said, what would you offer for the machine? For the moment, assume the heads are good, I will be much more thorough checking them before I buy. I will be selling my Tascam M3500 which will bring in a few dollars and I suspect I can use the TSR-8 to partially pay for the MX-70. I'm well versed in tape machine maintenance and am fully aware of the cost of tape. 1" isn't cheap!
I know the Tascam MS-16 is often compared to the MX-70, for obvious reasons; Should I hold out? I'm sure the machines each have a unique sound but a well calibrated unit, be it an MS-16 or an MX-70, is going to more than meet my needs sonically.
Robert