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mdainsd
Member
which ones were those? Last year I unearthed a NOS Tascam atr80 24 track. I sure couldnt have afforded it in the early 90's, lol.
Blue Jinn
Rider of the ARPocalypse
The orig DASH recorders weren't exactly "cheap." ($150,000 or more) Nor were the orig digital interfaces, and remember, PC hardware wasn't exactly cheap either. Price out a "Winchester" disk some time c 1981.
The price difference is now. Although, a top of the line interface, coupled with top of the line PC hardware, isn't exactly spare change material either. You're probably looking at the $1000-2000 range. That said, I think a "new" multi-track would be expensive, and what would be the target market? I'm not going to put a 2" 24 track in my basement, and I'm not sure Polymer records is going to want a 1/2" 16 track.
However, the technology in and of itself isn't that sophisticated. They don't make 1965 Mustangs anymore, but I can restore one nonetheless. I'm certain that support of one kind or another will always be there for the narrow gauge niche, and you still have e.g. ATR making "new" pro decks at a (considering the target market) really reasonable price point. I'm not sure how busy terrysrubberrollers is, but I got a nice roller from him...
As "Beck" has continually pointed out, the quality of the machines is an ironic hindrance to new machines, because the old ones are still running just fine.
The price difference is now. Although, a top of the line interface, coupled with top of the line PC hardware, isn't exactly spare change material either. You're probably looking at the $1000-2000 range. That said, I think a "new" multi-track would be expensive, and what would be the target market? I'm not going to put a 2" 24 track in my basement, and I'm not sure Polymer records is going to want a 1/2" 16 track.
However, the technology in and of itself isn't that sophisticated. They don't make 1965 Mustangs anymore, but I can restore one nonetheless. I'm certain that support of one kind or another will always be there for the narrow gauge niche, and you still have e.g. ATR making "new" pro decks at a (considering the target market) really reasonable price point. I'm not sure how busy terrysrubberrollers is, but I got a nice roller from him...
As "Beck" has continually pointed out, the quality of the machines is an ironic hindrance to new machines, because the old ones are still running just fine.
Victory Pete
Banned
Victory Pete
Banned
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mdainsd
Member
Not at this point in time. I love that machine, the transport is one of the nicest ive experinced. I think I read that some ex Ampex engineers did that transport design for Tascam.
However I may thin the herd some in the future. In addition to the tascam i have a pair of Sony apr24s. Three 2" machines is probably too rich for a home studio...
Victory Pete
Banned
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mdainsd
Member
San Diego
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Beck
Guest
Exactly! How many motherboards, OS's, hard drives, programs, dedicated digital devices like ADAT and Hard drive based MDM's have come and gone, fading into obsolescence in the past 20 years?
But my 20+ year-old analog multitrack still does the same thing now that it did when it was new and does it in the same way, sounding better than ever.
mshilarious
Banned
I voted no but I meant yes, because I am totally going to build one someday when I get bored enough.
Victory Pete
Banned
Exactly! How many motherboards, OS's, hard drives, programs, dedicated digital devices like ADAT and Hard drive based MDM's have come and gone, fading into obsolescence in the past 20 years?
But my 20+ year-old analog multitrack still does the same thing now that it did when it was new and does it in the same way, sounding better than ever.
Yes sir!
VP
mshilarious
Banned
I think this thread is asking the wrong question; it's not "will analog mults be made again", it's "how should one make a modern analog mult?" Because the technological advances in storage media have been profound in the last 30 years, and the whole point was not to require the magnitude of machine work required for tape.
For example, a hard drive is a magnetic medium. The computer industry used to use tape for storage too, not so much anymore. Could hard drive technology be adapted to make an analog recording?
Or optical media like CD-R? What resolution can be obtained not be burning 0s and 1s, but by modulating the laser intensity to create a gradation in the intensity of the dye layer? Maybe try hacking into an optical drive and see what it can do?
Those technologies are likely to yield much lower cost and higher quality analog media of the future.
For example, a hard drive is a magnetic medium. The computer industry used to use tape for storage too, not so much anymore. Could hard drive technology be adapted to make an analog recording?
Or optical media like CD-R? What resolution can be obtained not be burning 0s and 1s, but by modulating the laser intensity to create a gradation in the intensity of the dye layer? Maybe try hacking into an optical drive and see what it can do?
Those technologies are likely to yield much lower cost and higher quality analog media of the future.
Victory Pete
Banned
mshilarious
Banned
Well then miro just bought a really nice machine for pennies on the dollar of its original cost. You don't want to leverage on 30 years and billions of dollars in R&D and manufacturing in related industries (which the tape industry did very much in the first place), and you want the cost of a new unit to be competitive (say, no more than 5x used). Do you really think that is likely, an $11K top-quality 2" 24-track? You can barely get 24 channels of the required quality of analog circuitry--which has never gone out of production--new for that cost.
You are the potential market--how much are you willing and able to pay? The CPI in 1980 was around 80; it's 226 now. Since you don't want any change in technology you should expect an increase, not decrease, in cost.
Are you going to use CNC or manual lathes?
You are the potential market--how much are you willing and able to pay? The CPI in 1980 was around 80; it's 226 now. Since you don't want any change in technology you should expect an increase, not decrease, in cost.
Are you going to use CNC or manual lathes?
Victory Pete
Banned
mshilarious
Banned
Most companies don't invest millions of dollars without expectation of profit. Well, except for dotcoms . . .
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Isn't this what got us into the digital cluster-%$!*...?
Hard drives trying to record analog?
Yeah, I know what you mean...use HDs to record the same info as a tape deck...but I think if it was truly doable, not just technically, but from all perspectives...it would have happened already, IMO.
I don't think there will EVER be a company building a serious tape deck again...ever.
If I thought different, I wouldn't have just gone out and purchased a 20+ year old Otari MX-80...and/or still be hanging on to my 20+ year old Fostex G-16...mind you, for which I just picked up a spare "parts deck" not more than two weeks ago (before the Otari MX-80 came up).
mshilarious
Banned
Well you know optical could be interesting as an analog mixdown medium, that would be the low-hanging fruit. Pressing vinyl is not very DIY, and cassettes aren't that good. You'd need a way to promote commercial acceptance; dual layer analog/digital might work.
Blue Jinn
Rider of the ARPocalypse
I read about a turntable that used a laser to read the grooves, instead of a needle. All a tape does is store an electrical signature, I don't think the concdept is too far fethcd
mshilarious
Banned
Laserdisc had analog audio, but they were huge and not exactly DIY.
lonewhitefly
Active member
there it is! i learned something useful from you!
I didn't know laserdisc used analog audio. I am interested in this concept of a new light-based analog medium. Film soundtracks use lights.