Derek Verner
New member
As brilliant as you are, I can't help thinking that the Tascam engineers would have done that already if they had thought it a good idea.
Porta One pooper
- Thread starter ClifarQ
- Start date
The Ghost of FM
Banned
ARP,
I saw that MS-16. It looked pretty cool but it was missing a remote and auto-locator plus, it had the track arming module still in the transport. The roll-a-round rack was not the original one designed for the unit either. It was too small and flimsy.
I point these things out because, mechanically, the MS-16 is a noisy beast and you don't want to be sitting on top of it when you are mixing and tracking so, it's just as well that someone else grabbed it.
Because I own one, I know from direct experience, without the remote kit, that machine was no bargain.
About you 388 mod, I don't think its really worth it for two reasons;
1 - You will wear the heads out twice as fast.
2 - I had a Fostex R-8 that ran at 15ips and it sounded like a big bag of crap. The heads in it were not contoured properly for the speed and the 388's heads as well would suffer this design downfall even if you could get the vari-speed up to 15.
Sorry to rain on that parade of yours.
Cheers!
I saw that MS-16. It looked pretty cool but it was missing a remote and auto-locator plus, it had the track arming module still in the transport. The roll-a-round rack was not the original one designed for the unit either. It was too small and flimsy.
I point these things out because, mechanically, the MS-16 is a noisy beast and you don't want to be sitting on top of it when you are mixing and tracking so, it's just as well that someone else grabbed it.
Because I own one, I know from direct experience, without the remote kit, that machine was no bargain.
About you 388 mod, I don't think its really worth it for two reasons;
1 - You will wear the heads out twice as fast.
2 - I had a Fostex R-8 that ran at 15ips and it sounded like a big bag of crap. The heads in it were not contoured properly for the speed and the 388's heads as well would suffer this design downfall even if you could get the vari-speed up to 15.
Sorry to rain on that parade of yours.
Cheers!
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
Yeah, no rain at all!
Anyway, it's true, that this is a tinkerer's idea I got about the 388, and is no doubt NOT related to any dissatisfaction whatoever, in regard to the 388's present capability & sound quality. The 388 sounds swell, right out of the box, and I agree, would be a subtle improvement over the sound of the Fostex 15ips/8-track-1/4" machines. Don't ask me why.
Also, a re-rationing of the pulley and belt itself would be a more technically correct solution to doubling the speed of the 388, over just cranking it up. However, short of burning something up in transit, I want to try it, just for the heck of it, and to see how it sounds. The 15ips EQ curve is different than the 7.5ips curve. I'll crank it back down if something goes wrong.
The issue of 388 headwear being worse at 15ips, well, I'll give you that point, but at a certain tangible boost in quality, it might be worth the trade. Anyway, the 38/34/32 run at 15ips, the 22-4 runs at 7.5 and 15ips, and their heads are durable enough. The 388's head is surely made of the same alloys.
I think I can pull it off, and I don't think the built-like-a-tank-388 will be the worse for wear from it. Having 388's in reserve, my curiosity's just gotten the best of me! Anyway, the 388 format is NOT compatible with any other machine, so how much worse would I make the situation? [HA].
What's the worst thing that could happen? [SMOKE!]
Anyway, just because Tascam didn't do it does not make it less relevant. IMO, Tascam is short sighted about the relevance of analog and vintage designs.
You heard it here, first.
Anyway, it's true, that this is a tinkerer's idea I got about the 388, and is no doubt NOT related to any dissatisfaction whatoever, in regard to the 388's present capability & sound quality. The 388 sounds swell, right out of the box, and I agree, would be a subtle improvement over the sound of the Fostex 15ips/8-track-1/4" machines. Don't ask me why.
Also, a re-rationing of the pulley and belt itself would be a more technically correct solution to doubling the speed of the 388, over just cranking it up. However, short of burning something up in transit, I want to try it, just for the heck of it, and to see how it sounds. The 15ips EQ curve is different than the 7.5ips curve. I'll crank it back down if something goes wrong.
The issue of 388 headwear being worse at 15ips, well, I'll give you that point, but at a certain tangible boost in quality, it might be worth the trade. Anyway, the 38/34/32 run at 15ips, the 22-4 runs at 7.5 and 15ips, and their heads are durable enough. The 388's head is surely made of the same alloys.
I think I can pull it off, and I don't think the built-like-a-tank-388 will be the worse for wear from it. Having 388's in reserve, my curiosity's just gotten the best of me! Anyway, the 388 format is NOT compatible with any other machine, so how much worse would I make the situation? [HA].
What's the worst thing that could happen? [SMOKE!]
Anyway, just because Tascam didn't do it does not make it less relevant. IMO, Tascam is short sighted about the relevance of analog and vintage designs.
You heard it here, first.
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