Would you do analog recording ?

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Those are great machines. I have a couple of 12s myself. Parts are not that hard to find. Find the 1/4" rollers and headstack for it. They convert in minutes. The one thing to keep your eye out for is the extender card for servicing the electronics. You dont need it for calibrations though.
 
mdainsd said:
Those are great machines. I have a couple of 12s myself. Parts are not that hard to find. Find the 1/4" rollers and headstack for it. They convert in minutes. The one thing to keep your eye out for is the extender card for servicing the electronics. You dont need it for calibrations though.
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So it shouldn't be too hard to find a half-track head?
The guy who has it now hasn't used it in 12 years but it worked for him last time he used it.
Anything I should be aware of?
 
No not really. They are pro machines (as opposed to the 5050s), built very well. I just never seem to have issues with mine. I stocked up on spare circuit boards on eBay. Never paid more than 40 bucks for one, and to date have never needed a one of them. Are the reel clampers with it?

One thing to look for though: Does it have a time code card installed? If it does, and you arent using the time code, remove the card. When the card is installed it jumpers a pair of contacts that defeat the tape lifters. This just puts tons of unnecessary wear on the heads if you arent using timecode.
 
mdainsd said:
No not really. They are pro machines (as opposed to the 5050s), built very well. I just never seem to have issues with mine. I stocked up on spare circuit boards on eBay. Never paid more than 40 bucks for one, and to date have never needed a one of them. Are the reel clampers with it?
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Hey...my 5050 BIII ain't no slouch. :D

Sure, those older floor models do better for constant daily tape use....but this BIII was/is Otari's last 5050 model, and it's sweet even at 1/4". I think it was over $6k new...but I got mine for only $500 from a closed down radio station, with like almost "0" hours on it! Came out of their store room...it was a spare machine they never used! :)
 
mdainsd said:
No not really. They are pro machines (as opposed to the 5050s), built very well. I just never seem to have issues with mine. I stocked up on spare circuit boards on eBay. Never paid more than 40 bucks for one, and to date have never needed a one of them. Are the reel clampers with it?

One thing to look for though: Does it have a time code card installed? If it does, and you arent using the time code, remove the card. When the card is installed it jumpers a pair of contacts that defeat the tape lifters. This just puts tons of unnecessary wear on the heads if you arent using timecode.
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Thanks for the info.
I'm not sure what all it has as yet.
The guy just wants it gone and I'm happy to oblige.
Is it possible to take it apart to some degree to get it out of his basement?
Here are 2 photos he shared with me:

OTARI MTR12-2.webp

OTARI MTR12-1.webp
 
homestudioguy said:
Is it possible to take it apart to some degree to get it out of his basement?
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You could remove the meter bridge...but it won't make much difference in the size/weight.
Just man-up and haul that sucker out of there. :D

Two of us carried my MX-80 2" out a basement...and they were the steepest, narrowest basement steps I've even seen...and like at least 20 steps up. I made sure the seller was on the bottom end of the deck 'cuz I didn't want the puppy falling down on me...but man, even pulling from the top, I had my balls in my boots by the time we got it out of there and onto my pick-up truck.
 
It doesnt have the time code card in it, so you are good to go.Pay attention to the P/S leds when you switch it on.

Miro, I wasnt picking, LOL. But I do not like 5050s. They made it into many radio stations, but. I think its the tape path that turns me off on them. Nothing spins :eek:
 
Well OK....but that's not "nothing spins" ;) :p

On my MX-80, while the tension arms do spin, the guides on either side of the head block...don't spin.
I don't see that as some indication of overall deck quality though.

The whole tape tension/movement is set up per machine based on all that is part of the deck's path. IOW, adding rolling tensions arms to a deck that was designed with non-rolling tension arms...will not really improve anything, IMO.
Heck, you might throw the whole thing out of whack! :D

Plus....heads are always stationary on every tape deck...so you still have tape drag there, more than at any other place in the path.

Don't get me wrong...I said the Otari floor models are certainly more robust, especially for daily use...but I don't think the later models of the 5050 line are all that much "less" in overall audio quality. This BIII, their last production 5050, is pretty pro-end in quality.
The nice thing about those 1/2" 4-track floor models, is that you CAN get them changed over to a 1/2" 2-track .....now THAT would make them a killer mixdown machine! :cool:
There was a guy selling one of those conversion OTARI decks around my neck of the woods not too long ago...and it went for an OK price, I think like around $1k...which is less than the cost of converting it from 4 track.
I took a close look, but had other things on my "to buy" list....but I've always lusted after a 1/2" mixdown deck (especially since I have plenty of NOS tape from BASF/EMTEC.
 
Yeah. i should convert one to 1/2" 2 track. Ive got tons of 1/2" tape myself. Bought it for use with a Tascam 38 I stumbled across. That didnt pan out, didnt like that format, so the tape is still here (for that matter so is the 38....somewhere around here.)

Im going to take a picture for you this weekend.
 
Just browsing through some of the comments.......interesting topic......and one that has very dramatic opinions about the topic......I repair music equipment...I see all kinds of digital gizmos all the time that boast about "That Analogue Sound".......run by a microprocessor and full of LSI chips......very hard to repair, very poorly constructed, and comes with a very cheap price tag......Line 6 comes to mind here especially for digitally controlled guitar amps....

I have tape decks here full of LSI chips and I have some very old tape decks here that have discrete components...and the sound quality is totally different.....and one which I prefer.......and I have recorded in the analogue domain......from my point of view, it is up to the individual......I prefer to be able to turn a knob rather than go down through multiple layers of software to get to a control and adjust it using a mouse......as far as sound quality, I prefer the tape sound....

I have Tascam, Fostex and Sony recorders....both 4 and 8 track........my opinion is simple.......if the Beatles could make Sgt, Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band on a couple of 4 track recorders, then anybody with any kind of basic recording knowledge should have no problem recording their 4 or 5 piece band using an 8 track recorder....and you don't need 50 grand of equipment to get a good recording...you just have to know HOW to use it.....

.proper mic technique, good cables, musical instruments in good working order, and the trick is to get the best sound to tape possible with no eq......and that starts with the source...and basic care for the tape machine...which is not as bad as one is led to believe......

I compare analog and digital to a Fender amp with a 10 inch speaker and a 15 inch speaker.....the 10 inch speaker will get you nice clean sounds...however the bottom end is lacking........switch to a 15 inch speaker and the bottom end is enormous......and you can still get that clean top end.....But hey!!!! that is just my opinion.....

would I continue to use analog....definately...would I use digital........yes....but nowhere as much as analogue.....another point...with analogue you only have so many tracks to use..so you have to push the gear to it's limits which is a very good learning experience in recording......you have to PLAN out every move....like a game of Chess.......you can't get 50 virutal takes of your lead break.......and why would you....if you need that many and copy and paste the different notes together you lose the flow, and the overall feel of the piece and most important, you need to spend more time practicing......
 
I suppose that depends on the genre. If I recorded any of my clients and gave them a mix that sounded like a Beatles or even a Zepplin album, they would want their money back.

If you separate the songs from the actual sound of the albums, most of them don't actually sound great. They feel good, but that is different.
 
That's always a problem....trying to compare/judge yesterday's music with today's ears. The folks that grew up through a music period in the past are able to hold on somewhat to the essence of that music, to still have a feel for it...sometimes in too clingy a way, so they shut off anything new. The folks today can't retroactively always pick up on all of that, so they're in touch with the current sounds in music.

Tastes change, styles change....AFA formats...I think you can do any style, any period with any recording format.
It's almost all in the production. The gear imparts some "spice" but it's not a complete game changer in most cases. An old school mic doesn't make you sing old school...that's something YOU learn to do....etc.
 
Farview said:
I suppose that depends on the genre. If I recorded any of my clients and gave them a mix that sounded like a Beatles or even a Zepplin album, they would want their money back.

If you separate the songs from the actual sound of the albums, most of them don't actually sound great. They feel good, but that is different.
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OK......you are doing this as a profession....you have a recording studio as a business......I was referring to basic home recording for the average person who would benefit from the experience of the nooks and crannies of analogue recording......that would give them a deep understanding of the processes involved...either good or bad.......then have them jump to digital and let them make up their own mind....

as for me....I perfer the sound of analogue.....if I was going to open up a full blown recording studio, then I would need digital recording equipment along with analogue..........people still want that vacuum tube mic pre-amp...or eq, or compressor, etc......vacuum tube amps......the list can go on and on.....I was referring to the average home recording musician.....and as the site is geared towards home recording......at least that is what the newsletter I receive is titled...

If i had a professional studio as a business with all the high end gear, then the clients wouldn't be the bunch of kids down the block.......it would have to be somebody who could afford the hourly rate......and that pretty much rules out most of the musicians in my area....but they would gladly come in a get a recording done on an analogue 8 track recorder....and they would still get a very good recording......

another trick some people use is to make a two track recording of the cd to a reel to reel....usually half inch and then dump it back to a cd......that adds a bit of warm bottom end to the music that digital doesn't have.....

aside from that, once somebody experiences the good and bad points of digital and analogue recording, then they can make up their own mind.....everybody talks about the bad side of analogue recording......but when it comes right down to it....digital has it's bad points as well.......
 
bsco said:
once somebody experiences the good and bad points of digital and analogue recording, then they can make up their own mind.....everybody talks about the bad side of analogue recording......but when it comes right down to it....digital has it's bad points as well.......
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Yes...both have good/bad sides.
Thing is, today...digital recording is just so WAY more accesible, less expensive and gives everyday people tools that are almost on-par with pro studio rigs. Even lo-fi analog tape recording becomes a real labor of love these days.
A guy piddling around with a casette multitrack or even some of the small format multitracks will only be able to go so far. Maybe that's far enough for some home recording purposes, but don't be fooled, it's go little to do with high-end analog/tape recording...something most people today will never be able to experience, and that's whay digital is so much more attractive.
 
miroslav said:
Yes...both have good/bad sides.
Thing is, today...digital recording is just so WAY more accesible, less expensive and gives everyday people tools that are almost on-par with pro studio rigs. Even lo-fi analog tape recording becomes a real labor of love these days.
A guy piddling around with a casette multitrack or even some of the small format multitracks will only be able to go so far. Maybe that's far enough for some home recording purposes, but don't be fooled, it's go little to do with high-end analog/tape recording...something most people today will never be able to experience, and that's whay digital is so much more attractive.
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That is true.......but the techniques used in tape based analogue recording don't change from an 8 track to a 24 track.......and the average musician should experience tape based recording if for nothing else to gain some old fashioned experience......even just a vocal and acoustic guitar track and then mix it....and try to get the best possible sound with what they got.......just because you have top of the line recording gear does not translate into a top of the line recording....it all comes down to the person using it and his or her knowledge of the equipment and the different techniques used in whatever recording medium they choose to work in.....as fas as saying one is garbage and the other one the holy grail does little to encourage somebody who is just getting their feet wet......I for one strongly advise anyone getting into home recording to try both domains and then decide for yourself which one you prefer best.....but that is just my personal opinion.....there is no right or wrong......
 
bsco said:
if the Beatles could make Sgt, Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band on a couple of 4 track recorders, then anybody with any kind of basic recording knowledge should have no problem recording their 4 or 5 piece band using an 8 track recorder....and you don't need 50 grand of equipment to get a good recording...you just have to know HOW to use it.....

.proper mic technique, good cables, musical instruments in good working order, and the trick is to get the best sound to tape possible with no eq......and that starts with the source...and basic care for the tape machine...which is not as bad as one is led to believe......
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Not true for the most popular styles of music today. Pop, EDM and metal simply can't be done on an 8-track analog tape machine.

You could argue that those genres often sound pretty awful, which I might agree with. You might further argue that digital production is a cause of the poor sound, which may be true but it doesn't matter. That's what people want and most of it you can't do it with tape.
 
bsco said:
I for one strongly advise anyone getting into home recording to try both domains and then decide for yourself which one you prefer best....
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That looks good in a post....but it's just not going to happen.
To get an 8-track, a mixer, some basic analog outboard, patchbay, cabling...and then learn to use it enough so that you have something decent to compare with....makes it a no-go for 95% of people wanting to get into recording today.
Also....low-grade analog sounds like low-grade analog, which doesn't sound like high-end analog.

With digital...the guy in his bedroom with Pro Tools has "virtually" the same thing as the guys in the pro-studio with Pro Tool. At least that's how it is perceived, which is what makes digital way more attractive to most newbs.
 
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