Zonal 1/2" tape

trancedental

trancedental

New member
So Zonal according to this advert are making 820 1/2" tape (406 type compatible). It comes on a 6 screw metal reel as well judging by the listing.

I've emailed the seller (who seems to be located where Zonal is made?) to find out more & wondering if there are any other formulations available.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ZONAL-820-ree...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

Interesting to find out if this really is new tape, because it's cheaper than buying a pancake of 911 & you get a 6 screw metal reel included!!!!!!!
 
trancedental said:
So Zonal according to this advert are I've emailed the seller (who seems to be located where Zonal is made?) to find out more & wondering if there are any other formulations available.
Click to expand...

Oh my gods, I'm going to have to get some of that.
Yes, AFAIK these people are Zonal Media. I don't know who physically manufactures it, but I've bought stuff from them before. They are making new 1/4" stock, but until now (hopefully) they have not reissued any wider format tape.
 
If true it's probably a good move to issue a 406 compatible tape first as RMG don't seem to have anything similar to 406 in their current range?
 
I got an Email back saying it is NOS & at the moment 1/2" tape is not being manufactured!!! I replied & asked for exact details of when it the 1/2" tape was made.

The listing makes it sound like it is brand new!!!!!

I still might order a reel if it's not too old?
 
trancedental said:
I got an Email back saying it is NOS & at the moment 1/2" tape is not being manufactured!!! I replied & asked for exact details of when it the 1/2" tape was made.
Click to expand...

Nuts. I've had a lot of problems with RMGI stock, although the very latest reel I've got sheds a lot less than the others. I've bought one of the Zonals anyway as an experiment. Maybe if it sells like hot cakes they will consider making more.
 
www.stanleysonline.co.uk They still seem to have BASF (probably by EMTEC) 468 & pancake Quantegy 406 at the moment. Prices exclusive of VAT & postage.

BASF 468 1/2" X 10.5" SPOOL AUDIO TAPE SOUND RECORDING Code: 4681/2x101/2
£24.00 each
QUANTEGY 1/2"X10.5" X 2500' FOR SOUND RECORDING Code: 406-273131
£19.00 each

The Zonal 1/2" is still probably a better deal than Quantegy 406 pancake as you get the 6 screw reel for the extra cost. Not to mention the chance you take on late Quantegy manufacture!

Jpmorris Have you used the Zonal 1/4" tape? If so which types? I'm thinking of buying some 468 & 406 type tape as I've got plenty of 911 & 456.
 
trancedental said:
Jpmorris Have you used the Zonal 1/4" tape? If so which types? I'm thinking of buying some 468 & 406 type tape as I've got plenty of 911 & 456.
Click to expand...
I use 700, which is their 456 equivalent. I haven't tried any of the others, I'm afraid. By and large, it's pretty good, though the 10.5" is pancake-only.
 
I don't know quite what happened, but it took them most of a week to process the order. The tape has now turned up and is definitely NOS. I'm going to try it out at some point, though I'm not sure when I'll have time.
 
Iv got some Zonal comming. I have more tape than I need now and don't even have any of the new RMG which is not that expensive, but I was curious about the Zonal so I got some at a good price I think.
 
Trancedental was interested to know how I got on with the Zonal 820, so in case anyone else is too, here are some of the results.

It came on one of those 6-screw precision reels, which I'd never seen before. This proved to be a problem since the plastic core to it raises the tape above the machine's normal operating height, causing it to scrape against the bottom of the spool.

I can't really go into details about the sound of it, because I always use DBX which somewhat negates the tape's innate sound, and in any case I've never really been able to tell tape formulations apart sonically.

However, I will say that it smells rather unpleasant.

I laid down virtually all of a 9:30 piece. I have not yet mixed it although I certainly will over the next few days and if anyone is really all that interested I can post it here.
Ten tracks were laid down in total, one at a time. Timecode on track 8 and 6 instrumental tracks. Two of these were bounced onto another before being overwritten.
At the end of the session there was a small amount of shedding, mostly on the edges, and mostly on the tape lifters. It's about the same as what I'd get on this machine with a roll of 406. (456 is the only tape this machine is totally shed-free on).

All in all, it's okay stuff. Nothing magical, but it does the job.

**EDIT**

I forgot - I know why order processing was slow, now. It wasn't Zonal's fault, it was Paypal. They have switched to a new system which takes 7-9 days to process the transaction as opposed to about 30 minutes.
 
Please post it when you're finished, or at least let us know when it's on your website.

I always look forward to your new works!

-MD
 
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