Which head do you use for mixdown?

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cjacek

cjacek

Analogue Enthusiast
A rather elementary question, I know, but can you guys tell me which head, on your 3 head deck, do you use for mixdowns, sync or playback? That, obviously, is going to be a pretty easy choice on some decks which have a rather narrow freq response of the sync head, like some earlier TEACs but what if your sync / playback have same freq response.. which one do you use and does it make any difference ? I'm just curious.

THANKS!! :)
 
On my MS-16...

Up until I had the heads re-lapped and the entire machine fixed up and re-calibrated, I used to use the sync head for mix-down because I would work on the mix while I was overdubbing and eq'ing everything for that head and when I'd switch to the repro head, the response would change as well as the levels but, since the $1600.00 tune up, everything sounds pretty near identical off of either head so it doesn't really matter.

On my 38, which is in mint condition, either head is the same. ;)

The moral of the story here, for me anyway, is that if your machine is in less then perfect shape, you're better off staying on the sync head assuming both are near equal in specs.

Cheers! :)
 
It depends...
Whatever sounds better. My sync sounds more smooth, whereas repro is too high frequenciesh at times...which isn't always bad.
 
Excellent reply and info! Thanks Jeff!! :)

Didn't the "tune up" include resoldering work of some bad PCB solders [on your MS16]?
 
_DK said:
My sync sounds more smooth, whereas repro is too high frequenciesh at times...which isn't always bad.
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Man, that's EXACTLY how it sounds on my 34 as well! I wonder if it's off of it's spec or left the factory like that. :confused:
 
P.S. the heads on my 38 are mint (well, about 10 hours now...), I'm assuming it's not perfectly lined up, but looking from the perspective of the kind of music I record, it doesn't really matter :D
 
cjacek said:
Man, that's EXACTLY how it sounds on my 34 as well! I wonder if it's off of it's spec or left the factory like that. :confused:
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I'm 99% sure it's off its specs. Otherwise it doesn't make sense :)
 
cjacek said:
Excellent reply and info! Thanks Jeff!! :)

Didn't the "tune up" include re-soldering work of some bad PCB solders [on your MS16]?
Click to expand...
Yes, many relays were changed as well as a few hundred solder connections needed attention as well as many connector contacts being resurfaced with Caig Pro-Gold in paste form...it was a MAJOR restoration job! :eek:

Cheers! :)
 
_DK said:
Yup, that's what I mean :cool:
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Ok, 'cause I thought if both of our 30 series machines behaved in essentially similar way, it either must be per factory spec or our 34 and 38 have drifted to that same point, which is pretty interesting. ;)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Yes, many relays were changed as well as a few hundred solder connections needed attention as well as many connector contacts being resurfaced with Caig Pro-Gold in paste form...it was a MAJOR restoration job! :eek:

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

Yup, I remember that thread now... So now everything is ok with your MS16?
 
the sync head is "smoother" on my otari-8 as well. I noticed that the playback response on that head is a bit short in the upper frequencies. Actually, If I adjust the playback eq down 1db at 10khz they sound about identical. Also if the heads are not aligned to proper phase then you would be better off using the sync. I use a pretty good and inexpensive program called zelscope to calibrate the phase so I dont have to worry about it.
 
cjacek said:
A rather elementary question, I know, but can you guys tell me which head, on your 3 head deck, do you use for mixdowns, sync or playback?
Click to expand...

Always the playback heads. The record heads aren't speced for playback of audio over the same range nor with the same accuracy. It makes a big difference on my machines. Record heads are optimized for recording. Playback heads are optimized for playback, and the gap and geometry considerations are different from recording.

Cheers,

Otto
 
Depends on the machine

My Ampex has heads optimized to record or playback and thus mix on repro. My Tascams typically have the same type of record and repro head (same part number). The electronics switch between the record (sync) and repro head for playback.

I would say that for my tascams use the record/sync head for mix. And put your best head in the record position (swap them if needed). As noted the azimuth alignment is the same with the record head (same head). So there is not a loss due to misalignment.

On a lighter note I should add that the best head to use for mix is the one on your shoulders....
 
evm1024 said:
My Ampex has heads optimized to record or playback and thus mix on repro. My Tascams typically have the same type of record and repro head (same part number). The electronics switch between the record (sync) and repro head for playback.
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Good point. I can only speak for using my 3M machines. If the record and play heads are speced the same then you should use whichever one seems to sound best. Mine are very different and it makes a big difference using the play heads.

evm1024 said:
On a lighter note I should add that the best head to use for mix is the one on your shoulders....
Click to expand...

LOL. Indeed!

Cheers,

Otto
 
I use my big head for mixdowns and my little head is on his own for dating chicks after sessions. ;)
 
Just a BIG THANKS to everyone who replied! Thanks guys!! :) :)

BTW, I knew someone would bring in a dirty joke! [Nice play MCI] :D :D :eek: :eek:
 
Yep, which head depends on the machine. Of the Tascams that share the same part number for both record and play heads, either head should be roughly the same on playback after proper calibration. However, as machine calibration drifts the sync head has the advantage of being most perfectly aligned with the record head… because it is the record head. But only on later models where the sync head and associated circuitry was optimized for high fidelity playback.
 
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