What's the BEST replacement for Maxell UD 35 tape ? (Last word)

[cjacek]

I'm getting a bunch of different info from here and other sites I visited to find a proper replacement for the Maxell UD 35 that my Akai 270D is set up for .... Can someone please provide the FINAL word on what the only replacement is for this tape ?

Thank you in advance,

Daniel

 

[cjacek]

A follow up question if I may ....

Can the Akai GX-270D model be biased for Quantegy 456 ? Rolf, Jeff .. anyone ?

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Ampex/Quantegy 407 should be the electrical equivalent to Maxell UD35-90 open reel tape.

Ampex/Quantegy 456 is the same formulation in a thicker presentation and the biasing should be the same. 456 is basically just shorter in length because of its added thickness.

What are "other websites" telling you?

Cheers!

 

[cjacek]

Ampex/Quantegy 407 should be the electrical equivalent to Maxell UD35-90 open reel tape.

Ampex/Quantegy 456 is the same formulation in a thicker presentation and the biasing should be the same. 456 is basically just shorter in length because of its added thickness.

What are "other websites" telling you?

Cheers!

Thanks Jeff ...

Perhaps I mispoke about the "other sites" .... More specifically, when I did a search on "google" I came up with past replies to similar questions on some recording groups. I also posted a new topic saying that I was getting better sound on my Akai with the 456 than my cd and was wondering why some recommend other formulations because of bias probs with the Akai etc ... One of the replies was in essence that the sound I was getting was "the result of low end distortion because your bias is incorrect for that tape. The azimuth error isn't helping." Others said that Quantegy 642 or 641 were the correct Maxell UD replacement etc .... That's why the confusion.

Daniel

 

[Herm]

Speaking of tape, Does anyone know what I could do with 20 reels of ampex 631 that is still in the wrap? They are all on 5 inch reels.

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Speaking of tape, Does anyone know what I could do with 20 reels of ampex 631 that is still in the wrap? They are all on 5 inch reels.

Christmas is coming, ain't it?

Cheers!

 

[Beck]

XL and XLI 35-90B is the back coated (pro) version of UD 35-90 -- the bias and settings are the same.

Quantegy/Ampex 407 is recommended by Hitachi Maxell Ltd. as the replacement for their discontinued XLI 35-90B -- I would say that's the FINAL word. The specs are actually slightly better. 407 is also back coated, so I would go for that anyway even if UD was still around.

People still pay silly prices for old Maxell, while passing on brand new Quantegy 407. Go figure.

I use 407 on my Akai GX-77... it's peachy!

 

[cjacek]

XL and XLI 35-90B is the back coated (pro) version of UD 35-90 -- the bias and settings are the same.

Quantegy/Ampex 407 is recommended by Hitachi Maxell Ltd. as the replacement for their discontinued XLI 35-90B -- I would say that's the FINAL word. The specs are actually slightly better. 407 is also back coated, so I would go for that anyway even if UD was still around.

People still pay silly prices for old Maxell, while passing on brand new Quantegy 407. Go figure.

I use 407 on my Akai GX-77... it's peachy!

Ah! Great Beck!! Thanks for that! I was waiting for an answer like this! (No offence to anyone else ) ....

I'll be getting the 407 then, but tell me, what's this "back coated" stuff ? What's its purpose ?

Also, besides their thickness/length, are there any other differences between the 406 and 407 ? If they're the same why doesn't Maxell recommend the 406 as well ?

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[Beck]

Ah! Great Beck!! Thanks for that! I was waiting for an answer like this! (No offence to anyone else ) ....

I'll be getting the 407 then, but tell me, what's this "back coated" stuff ? What's its purpose ?

Also, besides their thickness/length, are there any other differences between the 406 and 407 ? If they're the same why doesn't Maxell recommend the 406 as well ?

Thanks!

Daniel

Back coating is found on all pro tapes, such as 456 and other brand equivalents. It gives the pinch roller something with more friction to grab onto. So the tape runs steady and smooth with no slipping. It also cuts down on print-through (one layer of tape bleeding through to the next.)

406 is probably fine too. However, since 407 is slightly thinner than 406 it's closer to the specs of 35-90B. Both 35-90B and 407 are 1800 ft on a 7" reel, while 406 is 1200 ft.

 

[cjacek]

Back coating is found on all pro tapes, such as 456 and other brand equivalents. It gives the pinch roller something with more friction to grab onto. So the tape runs steady and smooth with no slipping. It also cuts down on print-through (one layer of tape bleeding through to the next.)

406 is probably fine too. However, since 407 is slightly thinner than 406 it's closer to the specs of 35-90B. Both 35-90B and 407 are 1800 ft on a 7" reel, while 406 is 1200 ft.

Alright, thanks Beck!

Daniel

 

[cjacek]

Follow up:

Is it possible that FULL erasure of previous material won't happen if the wrong tape, in my case the 456, is used on the Akai ? On quiet sections, I hear "ghosting" remnants of previous material ... Is it that the 456 has more oxide than the 407 that the Akai can't fully erase ?

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[Beck]

Follow up:

Is it possible that FULL erasure of previous material won't happen if the wrong tape, in my case the 456, is used on the Akai ? On quiet sections, I hear "ghosting" remnants of previous material ... Is it that the 456 has more oxide than the 407 that the Akai can't fully erase ?

Thanks!

Daniel

A thicker tape will technically have a "deeper" signal, but tape-to-head contact may have a greater effect on erasure, as well as frequency response. The thicker tape is more rigid, so may not conform within spec to the tape heads. This is why some manufacturers recommend 457 over 456 and 407 over 406, especially on narrow track formats -- for example, the Tascam 388 or Fostex R8.

The problem is compounded if the erase head is slightly out of line with the play head, thus leaving behind a whisper of the old signal still available to the play head.

While we're on the subject keep in mind that the only way to fully erase a tape is with a tape degausser (demagnetizer).

 

[cjacek]

A thicker tape will technically have a "deeper" signal, but tape-to-head contact may have a greater effect on erasure, as well as frequency response. The thicker tape is more rigid, so may not conform within spec to the tape heads. This is why some manufacturers recommend 457 over 456 and 407 over 406, especially on narrow track formats -- for example, the Tascam 388 or Fostex R8.

The problem is compounded if the erase head is slightly out of line with the play head, thus leaving behind a whisper of the old signal still available to the play head.

While we're on the subject keep in mind that the only way to fully erase a tape is with a tape degausser (demagnetizer).

Thanks Beck!

Say, could you please tell me what is required to do a head alignment oneself ? Also, HOW ? I have the service manual from Akai but it says nothing about the equipment to use .... Or would it be cheaper to take it to a tech instead ? I've been told the heads need realignment just from looking at the picts. Perhaps that's the problem with erasure as you say .....

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[Vintage TX]

I called US-Recording awhile back and talked about different tapes, and also about Maxell and Quantegy.
The answer they told me, 406 or 407 has better dynamic range then Maxell.
Maybe right or wrong, but I trust them.
Kurt Fisher has alot of knowledge about tapes.

About aligning the heads Daniel, what's the reason ?
Looking at the picture, some people may think the right playback head is wrong, right ?
That is correct aligned, check the service manual and measure.
Maybe it looks weird because the set-screw is so far down but they were factory set like that.

 

[Beck]

Thanks Beck!

Say, could you please tell me what is required to do a head alignment oneself ? Also, HOW ? I have the service manual from Akai but it says nothing about the equipment to use .... Or would it be cheaper to take it to a tech instead ? I've been told the heads need realignment just from looking at the picts. Perhaps that's the problem with erasure as you say .....

Thanks!

Daniel

I'm a diehard do-it-yourself advocate. That being said, I still recommend the initial setup be done by an experienced tech. Once you have a baseline you can trust, then you can make your own test tapes to check alignment in the future.

Aligning heads is one of the more difficult steps in setting up a machine. You'll need a calibration tape from MRL, a test tone generator and a frequency counter, as well as the necessary screwdrivers, allen wrenches -- whatever it takes. You could probably get away with a $350.00 to $500.00 investment at first.

Aligning heads and tweaking azimuth to compensate for headwear is a tedious, pass-me-the-xanex process.

As self-sufficient as I like to be I still take my machines to techs that do it for a living for head alignment. The good news is that it takes a long time and a lot of abuse to really get thinks out of whack.

 

[cjacek]

I called US-Recording awhile back and talked about different tapes, and also about Maxell and Quantegy.
The answer they told me, 406 or 407 has better dynamic range then Maxell.
Maybe right or wrong, but I trust them.
Kurt Fisher has alot of knowledge about tapes.

Thanks Rolf! I'll keep my eye on the 406/407. My supplier doesn't stock these no more and all I have is my 456 that I also use for the 34B. Rolf, have you noticed that whenever you transfer CDs to your AKAI that the highs, mids and lows get more detailed and better sounding overall ... like they come "alive" in a sense ? It's almost as you get the CD source material better sounding than the original when you transfer to tape!! I noticed this even on my AKAI. Do you have a technical explanation for this ?

About aligning the heads Daniel, what's the reason ?
Looking at the picture, some people may think the right playback head is wrong, right ?
That is correct aligned, check the service manual and measure.
Maybe it looks weird because the set-screw is so far down but they were factory set like that.

I was just concerned and thought that this was the reason the 456 material is not completely erased when making a new recording. There seems to be two things happening .... (1) I hear faint low freq tones of previous material and (2) stuff recorded on the other side doing the same but backwards ... All faint low freq remnants of previous tracks ....

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[cjacek]

I'm a diehard do-it-yourself advocate. That being said, I still recommend the initial setup be done by an experienced tech. Once you have a baseline you can trust, then you can make your own test tapes to check alignment in the future.

Aligning heads is one of the more difficult steps in setting up a machine. You'll need a calibration tape from MRL, a test tone generator and a frequency counter, as well as the necessary screwdrivers, allen wrenches -- whatever it takes. You could probably get away with a $350.00 to $500.00 investment at first.

Aligning heads and tweaking azimuth to compensate for headwear is a tedious, pass-me-the-xanex process.

As self-sufficient as I like to be I still take my machines to techs that do it for a living for head alignment. The good news is that it takes a long time and a lot of abuse to really get thinks out of whack.

WOW! That's A LOT of money!!! I think I'll leave the tech stuff to someone else then .... when it's really needed that is ...

Thanks Beck!

 

[mikey@thecave]

ok guys im checking with tascam to see what they recommend for maxell ud3590 replacement----in the meantime i just talked to someone at NRS recording supplies 1-800-5382336 and he said I should use ampex 456 on my tascam 388 .I don't know i was using 457 and after a while it didn't want to pull the tape.The 456 is only 1200' nso maybe it will pull better with less tape.Anyway ask these guys for a catalog they got all kinds of tape.Ill let you know when tascam tells me

 

[cjacek]

ok guys im checking with tascam to see what they recommend for maxell ud3590 replacement----in the meantime i just talked to someone at NRS recording supplies 1-800-5382336 and he said I should use ampex 456 on my tascam 388 .I don't know i was using 457 and after a while it didn't want to pull the tape.The 456 is only 1200' nso maybe it will pull better with less tape.Anyway ask these guys for a catalog they got all kinds of tape.Ill let you know when tascam tells me

Oh, yeah, the 456 is pretty much the standard on the TASCAMs. They've been calibrated for it. The Maxell UD 35-90, however, was made to work with the Akai - actually the other way around ... The Akai was calibrated for the Maxell Perhaps the older Teac's were calibrated for the Maxell UD as well ?? I'm sure though (well 99.9%) that ALL TASCAM reel to reels were biased for the 456 and that's what you should be using.

Daniel

 

[mikey@thecave]

ok my friend You can call tascam and tell him---i am only telling you what he told me.He said on my 388 i should be using Quantegy 457.He said the 456 was to thick for my machine.