Mellotronists

>Can you tell me whether there is any degrading of the sound by 
>squeezing in the other two tracks? IE. Frequency response/ signal to 
>noise. etc.

I'm thinking that since they have track gap issue resolved, then, no, 
this won't be too bad.  I'd equate it to mixing 2 tracks on a 3-track 
tape with recent tapes.

>Also, sorry for being Mr Stupid, but what's the point of the 6th 
>track if you're only utilising 5?

With six you get five?  :-)

With normal three tracks you get A, A+B, B, B+C, C---5 positions---so 
you can say you get 5 different sounds, two being mixes/blends.

With six tracks you still have 5 positions, but you have more mixing 
possibilities because each position has two separate sounds 
underneath it, including positions A, B, and C.  Let's say you did 
this for your 6 tracks:

3 Violins / Flute / Boys / Mens / Angry Strings / Piano

These are now 1/16" tracks instead of 1/8".  The tape head covers any 
two of these at any time; you cannot play only a single sound (unless 
you had 1/16" tape heads put in).

A = 3 Violins + Flute mix
A+B = Flute + Boys mix
B = Boys + Mens mix
B+C = Mens + Angry Strings mix (the mix for angry men everywhere)
C = Angry Strings + Piano mix

The idea is you're not limited in your mixing by 3 tracks - you can 
now do five different mixes.  Clever idea, actually, if you can come 
up with 5 pairs of mixes that you like.

Gee, I wonder if you can get three tracks mixed...Heh, very doubtful.  :-)

Hmmm...I wonder if you can more or less isolate one track (with some 
crosstalk) from the adjacent two.  Dunno, six-track tape owners would 
have to let us know if you can more or less isolate the inner four 
sounds or if the crosstalk from the adjacent tracks would be too much.

...kl...
M400 #805 - has trouble talking sometimes, cross or otherwise
M400 #1037 - has mixed parts