recomend 1/2" 4 tracks please!

Conversions

For a while there I was contemplating converting a 38 to be a 1/2" 4 track. The expensive part is getting heads - the tricky part is mounting them.

Now that I have a 4 track 1/2" (ampex) I don't think that I will use it very much. Perhaps for a decca tree or to do a MS and spaced pair together.

Once I get the second ATR100 running I will consider renting it out in 4 track 1/2" for those who want really slam some drums or???

What is your application?

Regards, Ethan
 
i just really like the limitation of recording on a 4 track, having to mix and bounce as you go/recording multiple things live to one track.
i just like doing things the old way, right now im using a tascam 238 with some pres and a home made mixer with just volume and pan on each channel.
my next board will add a passive high/low cut and an echo send to each channel.
i may end up with just a 1/2" 8 track, but four would be really fun/a great learning experience.
or maybe quarter inch four would be good enough?
 
What does this mean? It is in very good Cosmetic and Performing condition, similar to shown in the pictures and
is a beautiful recorder with Legendary WILLY STUDER quality. Am I just reading this wrong or does he mean that the item he's selling is not the item in the pics? Maybe I'm missing something.
 
dodgeaspen said:
What does this mean? It is in very good Cosmetic and Performing condition, similar to shown in the pictures and
is a beautiful recorder with Legendary WILLY STUDER quality. Am I just reading this wrong or does he mean that the item he's selling is not the item in the pics? Maybe I'm missing something.
Click to expand...

Ah, good catch. Yeah, I think you're right and I read it that way too. I now assume it's a stock photo of some kind. Interesting.
 
doug deeper said:
or maybe quarter inch four would be good enough?
Click to expand...

In a word... YES, IMHO.

I dig your philosophy of having limitations and simplifying but, I believe, 4 tracks on 1/4" is just more common and cheaper all around. Many of this format can sound really nice and your skills, as a musician / audio engineer, are still far more important, more so than the extra "hardware". ;)
 
dodgeaspen said:
What does this mean? It is in very good Cosmetic and Performing condition, similar to shown in the pictures and
is a beautiful recorder with Legendary WILLY STUDER quality. Am I just reading this wrong or does he mean that the item he's selling is not the item in the pics? Maybe I'm missing something.
Click to expand...

The seller has two of these decks for sale and both are supposedly the same model, same configuration and same condition.

But, I agree, it seems weird to represent such an expensive item is such a weird way, with almost every word highlighted and a whole bunch of empty, short, snappy, "English as a second language", sentences. :rolleyes:

I have also seen these same decks for sale by this seller for the past few years as obviously no one on earth is silly enough to take his auctions and his asking prices seriously. I suspect though that he's working on the believe that somewhere out there is a recent lottery winner, just itching to pull the trigger on this thing! :D

Good luck to him and us all.

Cheers! :)
 
Well, guess you are just going to have to call me silly....

(Standard disclaimer: I am just a customer.)

The guy's name is Marek Kalnicki and I bought my Studer 1/4-inch, 2-track model (7.5/15/30-ips, timecode option, phantom power mic inputs) from him for about $3000 incl. shipping from Canada to the US.
As advertized, the machine was/is in fantastic shape (the heads are so clear you could shave by them), packed very well and with terrific communication from Marek. I regretted nothing in the transaction.


English is not his first language, and so what? His ads are funny in their emphasis, but the gear is definitely top-shelf. He appears to sell a fair number of these machines in their different variations.


Here's my baby:

DSC_0161.jpg



C.
 
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Cosmic said:
For what it is worth:

(Standard disclaimer: I am just a customer.)

The guy's name is Mark Kalnicki and I bought my Studer 1/4-inch, 2-track model (7.5/15/30-ips, timecode option, phantom power mic inputs) from him for about $3000 incl. shipping from Canada to the US.
As advertized, the machine was/is in fantastic shape (the heads are so clear you could shave by them), packed very well and with terrific communication from Mark. I regretted nothing in the transaction.

English is not his first language, and so what? His ads are funny in their emphasis, but the gear is definitely top-shelf. He appears to sell a fair number of these machines in their different variations.

Here's my baby :p:

DSC_0161.jpg



C.
Click to expand...

Nice deck Cosmic. Ghost wasn't implying anything other then his add is laid out strangely. I actually found it kins of annoying. BTW you should show your deck in the show us your decks thread. It would be a nice addition to all the nice decks on their.
 
Cosmic said:
Well, guess you are just going to have to call me silly....

(Standard disclaimer: I am just a customer.)

The guy's name is Marek Kalnicki and I bought my Studer 1/4-inch, 2-track model (7.5/15/30-ips, timecode option, phantom power mic inputs) from him for about $3000 incl. shipping from Canada to the US.
As advertized, the machine was/is in fantastic shape (the heads are so clear you could shave by them), packed very well and with terrific communication from Marek. I regretted nothing in the transaction.


English is not his first language, and so what? His ads are funny in their emphasis, but the gear is definitely top-shelf. He appears to sell a fair number of these machines in their different variations.


Here's my baby:

DSC_0161.jpg



C.
Click to expand...

Hey, that's great that you got a good machine from the seller and didn't mind paying his asking price. I didn't mind paying $4500 for my MS-16 when I bought it use and then went on to spend another $3000+ on repairs to bring it back to factory spec.

What I do get more then a bit pissed at is that I know if I wanted to go and sell it, I'd be lucky to get $1500 bucks for it. :rolleyes:

Meanwhile, my Canadian neighbor, selling his funky Studer decks is making good coin on his and I'm not allowed to be pissed about any of this. :D

Cheers! :)
 
doug deeper said:
i just really like the limitation of recording on a 4 track, having to mix and bounce as you go/recording multiple things live to one track.
i just like doing things the old way, right now im using a tascam 238 with some pres and a home made mixer with just volume and pan on each channel.
my next board will add a passive high/low cut and an echo send to each channel.
i may end up with just a 1/2" 8 track, but four would be really fun/a great learning experience.
or maybe quarter inch four would be good enough?
Click to expand...

While I love the wide-track machines as much as anyone, I think a decent 1/4" 4-track (preferably not too old) that is running up to factory spec would be a good place to start. Otari MX-series or Tascam.

OTOH, if you can score a decent 1/2" 4-track machine and can afford to use 1/2" tape... go for it! If you go down that path, Otari, Studer, MCI and Ampex machines are all worth considering.

Cheers,

Otto
 
Yeah, isn't that something??

Anyway, regarding 1/4 inch 4-track...I used to have a Teac 3340S. it was WONDERFUL sounding. Take that with a grain of salt...it was many years ago and maybe my ears were just young (inexperienced at what to listen for etc.) but it was really inspiring how great it sounded.

I support the idea of getting a 1/4 inch deck...MUCH more plentiful, media is about a 3rd the cost...I have heard really incredible sounds captured on a 'lowly' CASSETTE 4-track...that's 1/4 the speed and about 1/2 the track width and they had done bouncing and e'thing in the project...famous beagle is the one who did it...can't recall where that thread is but it is worth a listen if I can find it. Go to A Reel Person's site and check out ANY of his stuff done on cassette 4 track...I've heard great sounds captured in that format by cjacek too...and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Anyway, my point is to check some of that stuff out to give you perspective. Think about the 1/4 inch option. If you find you become dissatisfied with it and you know that 1/2 inch is where its at for you then you've got a 1/4 inch deck for bouncing/safety masters/on-location work, whatever. Teac 3340S, A-3440, 40-4, Tascam 44, 34, 34B...not trying to leave any brands out, those are just the models that peel off the top of my head first.
 
cool!
i already have a 34b it just needs to be fixed and i dont have the time to do it my self (i build guitar effects for a living), so i need to find someone close to me to get it going (nh).

i also have a tascam 388 that i used for a while but i really just am not to into the board and like the sound of the simple little boards i make a lot more.

half inch just seemed like it would be fun, but i probably would kick my self for it after buying my 3rd or so reel of tape. :D

now to get this 34b going!
thanks for the advice guys!
 
doug deeper said:
half inch just seemed like it would be fun, but i probably would kick my self for it after buying my 3rd or so reel of tape. :D

now to get this 34b going!
Click to expand...

+1 to what sweetbeats said.

Also note that parts will be more expensive on the 1/2" deck and may not be that plentiful. Take a pinch roller, for instance... it can cost several times that of 1/4".

The 34B is a nice machine, used to have one (now own a 34)... What's wrong with yours?
 
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