1/4 inch tape - anybody using any

[Chinagraf]

Hi all, I'm thinking about digging my Revox out of the storage room to use for occasionally runnig stuff out to or recording through at times when I'm reamping guitars and other such follies. I'm totally out of the loop on tape types. My local supplier has only Quategy or RMG and there's a few different types as well , numbers like 911 (I thought that was a car?).
Is anybody using quater inch that knows which is a good one? I'm not opposed to sourcing it somewhere else via online if there's something good out there.
The other question is a repro test tape for the tape type I end up getting. Does anybody know where to get one or hire one?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Cheers,
Andy

[mfdu]

just saw this. i got a pile of RMG 911 1/4" pancake from Prahran Cassette and Tape. it's the 456 equiv.
900 is the GP9 / 499 bias equiv.

i'm using it on the main-bus to mix to 2track.

seems good so far, but i haven't had a decent session on it yet.

my 1/2" and 1/4" used to be biased for 499/GP9, but i've dropped it to suit the new formulation.

far as i understand it, quantegy are no longer in production (howard?) so any you get are NOS.

theres a gearslutz thread on ATR vs. RMG = http://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/166684-atr-magnetics-mastering-tape-vs-rmgi-studio-master-3.html

good luck with it!

chris.mfdu

[Chinagraf]

Thanks Chris.
Cheers.

[Howard Jones]

NOS is a concept that I would not endorse when it comes to tape stock. Old tape stock may well be no-good tape stock, especially when it comes to Quantegy, new or not.

Quantegy is no more and RMG appears currently to be the only choice for those wishing to buy brand new stock. We had a thread some time back about whether ATR was more than smoke and whether or not it was available here.

NOS = marketing concept developed by rapacious bullshi... I mean manufacturers to separate suckers from their hard-earned. cf classic, fat, warm etc etc

[mfdu]

NOS = marketing concept developed by rapacious bullshi... I mean manufacturers to separate suckers from their hard-earned. cf classic, fat, warm etc etc

aah howard, we love ya!

the gearslutz thread indicates ATR is up and at 'em. but suppliers on this side of the pond? dunno.

i guess your revox would be biased for 456, yeah? so try the 911. pancakes are damn cheap. hence my current "free (use of) 2-track mixdown" special offer.
all the issues of tape shedding appear to have been on initial batches - i have run three reels through with no shedding.
of course, my usage is to dump off tape straight back into DAW, so longevity isn't an issue . . .

chris
mfdu

[Howard Jones]

Rumbled! Chiz, curses... slopes off round the back.

[mfdu]

Rumbled! Chiz, curses... slopes off round the back.

ha ha ha.

oh hey - good letter in audio tech, too!!!

c.mfdu

[Howard Jones]

Thank you. I am deciding whether or not I can be bothered responding to the nonsense that was printed in reply.

[mfdu]

not to be digitising an analogue thread, but asyncronos /isynchronos all boils down to origins in telecommunications, dont they?

anyway, i at least thought the terms had global usage, not having alternate (conflicting?) meanings in a mutable local dialect.

what happens if i say that for my purposes, "analogue" acutually means "comprised of digital 0 and 1 bits formed into a 24bit wordlength"?

but i said nothing.

c.mfdu

[Howard Jones]

[/quote]not to be digitising an analogue thread, but asyncronos /isynchronos all boils down to origins in telecommunications, dont they

Correct. Networking, to be more precise. Isochronous protocols also apply to one form of the USB interface.

anyway, i at least thought the terms had global usage, not having alternate (conflicting?) meanings in a mutable local dialect.

what happens if i say that for my purposes, "analogue" acutually means "comprised of digital 0 and 1 bits formed into a 24bit wordlength"?

I could not have expressed it better myself.

but i said nothing.

It annoyed me enough to motivate me to put finger to keyboard.

[mfdu]

ooh i should point out that i went back to 456-level bias due to the concerns that my 1/2" and 1/4' aren't buff enough to run the 499/GP9-level bias.
but i haven't had machines rebiased to suit RMG 911.

since i did that, i have been happier overall, with both old 456's i have lying around, and the RMG911 i've provisionally tested so far.

got a blues rock session this sunday and will be running the mixdown deck, so i'll have more to report on regarding perceived distortion curve and shedding issues.


howard - gawd love ya!!!

chris.mfdu

[Howard Jones]

... apparently. Just read an article that says that Grevillea Distribution in Brisbane are now agents for ATR tape. Checked Grevillea's site and there is no mention but maybe they haven't updated the site yet.

[Brent]

Yeah, Grevillea are doing it. Bruce came by our joint a few weeks back with a reel of 2". Didn't have time to do anything other than bash the flanges back into shape (qantas), spin it up and checkout slitting. Looked and smelled like tape.