I dug my B77 half track out of the closet this morning.
All is well. I spun an old 2 track master on it this afternoon and to my ears, everything sounded fine, although I might give her a going over for bias and alignment this weekend, just to be sure.
(what I found funny and was pleased with is that all my edit points held. That tape is probably 25+ years old, and all the cuts held up.) (y)
About ten years ago, just about the time that I put it away, one of the VU Meter lights was out, and I replaced both, but instead of white, I used a set of red bulbs (it's all I had hanging around at the time) and I'd forgotten about that until I powered it up today, and saw those VU's looking up at me like a couple of evil red eyes. It has a kind of "Amittyville Horror" look about it... LOL (GEEETTT OUTTTT!) :eek:
My intention is to take some existing digital projects that I have, and mix them down to tape... I don't know that there will be much difference (if any) in choosing between simply transferring an existing 2 mix wave file versus printing from the actual master stereo out of the multi-track project file, but I'm gonna find out.
Believe it or not, I actually have a brand new, unopened reel of 499 that I plan on using. I'm going to inspect it first to make sure the backing is okay, but I'm looking forward to tracking to tape again, just for fun. :D
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Update... This machine records and plays back just as nicely as
Update...
This machine records and plays back just as nicely as the day I put it away into storage.
As suspected, it provided a great deal of warmth and silky smear. I don't believe that it's going back into storage.
In fact, it's sitting in a tilt rack next to my recording rig right now. And that's where I plan for it to stay.
While I don't think I'll use it on everything I do, it's certainly nice to have for those situations when I want that analog sound... and it kicks the S**T out of any tape simulator plug I have. ;)
Anybody wants a couple of OTARI MX 50/50's? How about an Ampex A
Anybody wants a couple of OTARI MX 50/50's? How about an Ampex AG 354? Scully early, manual lifter transport? 280 B transport? Any takers? How about a really fabulous almost like new, early 1960s, all small glass envelope tube, Lesher? Now this is a find, folks. It's Professor Lesher's, Michigan made, Ampex 351-2 like, stereo recorder. Like new condition. Maybe 300 hours on it?
The Lesher is previously owned by, the late, John Mathews, friend of our family and former principal bass player for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. It sat in his living room so he could show it off to everyone. Otherwise... he never used it. He sold it to me when I was 15 but it was too big. And I had to give it back to him. (Mom's orders) I now get it back 40 years later and it hasn't changed one bit. There is still no visible wear, on the heads. It's still in its awful looking gray painted plywood utility case with no back. I'm thinking I should sell it? Just pass tape through it, while saturating the tubes and the tape up, on the way to the multi-track digital machine. And then pass all of the other original digital tracks back through it, back to the digital machine? All new. All tubes. All tape. All the time. News... when you need to know. 99.1 WNEW-FM.
I listen to WTOP FM, mostly.
Mx. Remy Ann David
Oh man, that is so cool Donny.
Oh man, that is so cool Donny.