reel to reel

If I still had my TSR-8 I might still use it. Tape is too expensive. I would never now go out and buy one now not with all this cheap cool computer stuff that's available.
 
I use tape, and will until
a) I die
b) The world ends

Tape recording is still very much alive, check out the analog forum at the bottom of the main page
 
mtx records said:
would it be good to have one of these in my studio? do you guys use them much?
Click to expand...

Yes, a lot of us use tape. You will find that mastering to tape is one of those things that still separate pro studios from amateurs with computers.

It’s certainly not as common as it used to be, but it is quite common in certain pro circles, which include some of the best names in the business.

Frankly I find it amusing that it’s such a secret. I guess the Internet has proven that too much information can be as limiting as not enough.

For every one person like me you will find 100 (probably more) people that think it’s obsolete. So if it comes to a vote on a recording forum you’ll likely miss the significance of tape in today's recording industry. Best thing you can do is blow this pop-joint and do a search of major (and minor) studios on the web.

Below is a short list to get you started. Yeah they have all the latest digital technology as well, but tape is still a pro medium, and very commonly used at the mastering stage. Smaller studios around the world are doing the same thing with less expensive Tascam, Fostex and Otari machines.

TIP: Do a google search of common models such as Tascam 32, Tascam BR-20, Tascam 22-2, Fostex Model 20, Fostex E-2 and Otari MX5050. You'll find many studio equipment lists this way.

Abbey Road - London, UK
http://www.abbeyroad.co.uk/
Studer A80:
24 & 16 track in 2"
8 & 4 track in 1"
4 track in ½"
2 track in ¼" and ½"
Studer A810:
2 track with timecode or mono with sync pulse
Studer A820:
6 24-track machines in 2"
1 16-track headblock in 2"
1 2 track in ½" format
Ampex ATR 100:
4 track ½" format
3 track ½" format (playback only)

Air Studios - London, UK
http://www.airstudios.com/technical/analogue.shtml
3 Studer A800 MkIII 2" Analogue 24-Track
1 Studer MkI 2" Analogue 24-Track
2 Studer A827 2" Analogue 24-Track
4 Ampex ATR100 ½" Analogue 2-track Mastering

Ardent Studios - Memphis, TN
http://www.ardentstudios.com
3 - Studer 827 Analog 24 Track (One Optional 16 Track Headstack)
1 - Studer A80RC Analog 1/2" 2 Track
1 - MCI JH110 Analog 1/2" 2 Track
1 - MCI JH110 Analog 1/4" 2 Track
6 Tascam 122 MKIII Cassette Decks

Criteria Studios (The New Hit Factory) Miami, FL
http://www.criteriastudios.com/
2 Studer A-820 24-Track
3 Studer A 827 24-Track
Otari MTR-90 24-Track
2 Studer A-820 2-Track (1/2" or 1/4")
Ampex ATR 102 2-Track (1/2" or 1/4")
MCI JH110-B 2-Track
MCI JH110-B 4-Track

Electric Lady - NYC
http://www.electricladystudios.com
2 Studer A-800 MKIII 24-track
Studer A-820 24-track
Studer A-820 1/2" 2-track
Studer A-80 VU 1/2" 2 Track
Studer A-810 VU 1/4" 2 Track

Fame Studios - Muscle Shoals, AL
http://www.fame2.com/studios.html
MCI JH-24 2" 24-track
MCI JH-16 2" 24-track
2 Studer B-67 Half-Track
2 Tascam 122 MKII Cassette Decks

Hyde Street - San Francisco, CA
http://www.hydestreet.com/
Otari MTR90 MKII 24 or 16-track
Otari MX5050 MKIII 1/2" 8-track
Ampex ATR 102 1/2" mastering deck

Jungle Room, Glendale CA
http://www.jungleroom.net
MCI JH24 2" 24 Track
Studer - A-80 1/2" 2 Track

Ocean Way - Hollywood & Sherman Oaks, CA
http://www.oceanwayrecording.com/studios.htm
Studer A827 2" 24-track
Ampex ATR-124 24 or 16-track
A800 MKIII 24 track
2 Ampex ATR-100 1/2" or 1/4" Half-Track Mastering

Paisley Park Studios - Chanhassan, MN (Reopened 2004)
http://www.paisleyparkstudios.net/sound_intro.asp
3 Studer A-800 M III 24-tracks
2 Studer A-827 Gold Edition
Studer A-820 Master Recorder 1/2"
Studer A-820 Master Recorder 1/4"
2 Studer A721 Cassette Deck

Rumbo Recorders - Canoga Park, CA
http://captainandtennille.net/rumbo_pgs/clients.html
3 Studer A-827 Analog 24 track Recorders
1 Studer A-820 1/2" Half-Track Mastering Deck
1 Ampex ATR-104 2 or 4 track 1/2"or 1/4" head stacks

Scream Studios - LA, CA
http://www.screamstudios.com/albums.html
Studer A-827 2" 24-track Recorders
Studer A-820 1/2" Half-Track Mastering Deck

Signature Sound - San Diego CA
http://www.signaturesound.com
Studer A827 24-track
Otari MTR-12C 1/2" mastering deck

Skywalker Sound (Lucas Film LTD)
http://www.skysound.com
2 Studer 827 2" 24-tracks
1 Studer 827 2" 16-track
AMPEX ATR 2-Track & 4-Track Mastering Recorders

Studio in the Country - Bogalusa, LA
http://www.studiointhecountry.com/clients_list.htm
Studer A/820 2" 24-trk recorder w/Dolby SR
Studer A/80 2" 24-trk recorder
Studer A/80 2" half-Track recorder w/Dolby SR
Studer A/721 Cassette Recorder

~Tim
:)
 
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Beck said:
You will find that mastering to tape is one of those things that still separate pro studios form amateurs with computers.
Click to expand...
I don't think so.

No laundry list of 'pro studios' --- many of whom have digital facilities that are larger than their analog facilties --- is ever going to convince me to go back to the tape block/razor blade days.

Ease of editing, high quality AD/DA conversion and the easy availability of 24 bit technology means that digital recording is finally coming of age.

No more calibrating the machines, cleaning the tape paths, worrying about demagnetizing the day's work but being sure to demag the heads, no more worries about secure, temprature controlled tape storage...

Analog recording was a pain in the ass, and I was glad when the pendulum swung in the digital direction. And remember, the name of this site is 'homerecording dot com', not 'list what the pros use dot com'.

mtx records, my advice is to spend the money you were thinking about putting into an analog machine into a good AD/DA converter. It will be easier to use and make a major improvement in the sound of the material coming out of your studio.



:D
 
ssscientist said:
I don't think so.

No laundry list of 'pro studios' --- many of whom have digital facilities that are larger than their analog facilties --- is ever going to convince me to go back to the tape block/razor blade days.
Click to expand...

Some people are just hard cases. ;)
 
Tape will eventually die, no doubt (anyone still use wax cylanders?), but its not dead, yet.

I have a Pro Tools 002 (for better or worse) and its easier to get a pleasing sound out of my Tascam 48 (1/2" 8 track) and my MSR-16 (1/2" 16 track.) Still, going through a decent analog board and mixing with decent analog gear (i.e. NOT in the box) I can get what I want with the 002.

I enjoy having the option of tape, but I've found that very few musicians (including myself) are good enough for it. Its WAY easier to get a close to perfect take in Pro Tools and do a few quick edits to fix the weak spots. And Pro Tools gives me 32 tracks and hard drive space is around $.02 a minute...

Not a single client took me up on using either of my tape machines- even just to track drums to tape and dump to pro tools for the rest of the project- so its not really much of an advantage. The 1/2" 8 did make me look like a diety once when a client came in with a strange project: the session was recorded in 24/44.1 but had been clocked at 48k. No matter how we bounced in the box it sounded like the chipmunks, so I ran the mix to tape and redigitized the mix at 24/88.2 for mastering.

I like it, but its not really an advantage for most clients out there today. I get bored with pro tools after a while, so loading up a tape is just a pleasure. At least to me. And I can always dump to pro tools if I want to sllice it up. :D

Take care,
Chris
 
Yeah beck, we best move along back to our little neck of the woods at the bottom of the forums, ALL HAIL BIANARY CODE
 
Bigsnake00 said:
Yeah beck, we best move along back to our little neck of the woods at the bottom of the forums, ALL HAIL BIANARY CODE
Click to expand...

Nah... not to worry. The mention of analog is always a jump scene in the digital movie most people are watching. I'm used to it. :)
 
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