The Mellotron Group

On 2/3/08, ceccles_ca <ecclesreinson@rogers.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I've had experience with R-R machines that are 1/4 inch tape with
> stereo quarter track heads (flip the tape over). Half track machines
> are uncommon. I've heard that half track provides better sound quality.
>
> What's the downside of half track?
>
> http://www.reeltoreel.de/worldwide/Tips09.htm
>
> Clay
>
>


--
Wanted:
Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic instruments and devices

Gino Wong
Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
LBPH/NLS/BPH
919 Walnut Street
Phila, PA 19128 USA
(800) 222-1754

> There is no real downside to half track machines stereo one direction
> aside from the fact that they cannot play back quarter track tapes
> stereo in each direction. Quarter trk machines usually run at slower
> speeds sometimes automatically reversing so they have longer record
> and play times. Half trackts utilize more head area run faster and
> are very often used for mastering. Most machines were made exactly the
> same save for a switch and a different lead connection for the heads.
> It is simple to make a quarter track into a half, less so vice versa
> but essentially save for the head they are the same.
>
>
> On 2/3/08, ceccles_ca <ecclesreinson@rogers.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I've had experience with R-R machines that are 1/4 inch tape with
>> stereo quarter track heads (flip the tape over). Half track machines
>> are uncommon. I've heard that half track provides better sound quality.
>>
>> What's the downside of half track?
>>
>> http://www.reeltoreel.de/worldwide/Tips09.htm
>>
>> Clay
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Wanted:
> Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
> Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
> Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic instruments and devices
>
> Gino Wong
> Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
> LBPH/NLS/BPH
> 919 Walnut Street
> Phila, PA 19128 USA
> (800) 222-1754
>

> The sound of the 1/2 track was better in every way.

On Feb 4, 2008 6:34 AM, Doug Berg <caddyfam@simcon.net> wrote:

If any one is familiar with Roberts tape recorders, or Akai if not
stateside, models 990, 997, and early 720 were half track capable
machines. A rotary switch on the heads gave you choices of 1/4 track
left-stereo-right in 1/4 track mode and 2 track stere, or half track.
These were introduced in 1962 and are tube (valve) driven. All machines
had speeds of 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15 i.p.s. and although s/n and wow and
flutter charachteristics were not as good as later machines, they were
very impressive in their time. One feature these machines included was
switchable bias for recording speeds, basically a treble roll off for
higher speed. These were institutional work horses in their day and
even today, I can still get belts, idlers, tubes, and still use mine
quite a bit. Doug

--
Wanted:
Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic instruments and devices

Gino Wong
Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
LBPH/NLS/BPH
919 Walnut Street
Phila, PA 19128 USA
(800) 222-1754

----- Original Message -----

From: Doug Berg

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 6:40 PM

Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: your quick disks

The package I mailed to you was returned as no such address-if you
still need these I will need a real address---Doug

> Otari, Technics and Scully had the same features and
> they are keepers
>
> On Feb 4, 2008 6:34 AM, Doug Berg
> <caddyfam@simcon.net> wrote:
>
> > If any one is familiar with Roberts tape
> recorders, or Akai if not
> > stateside, models 990, 997, and early 720 were
> half track capable
> > machines. A rotary switch on the heads gave you
> choices of 1/4 track
> > left-stereo-right in 1/4 track mode and 2 track
> stere, or half track.
> > These were introduced in 1962 and are tube (valve)
> driven. All machines
> > had speeds of 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15 i.p.s. and
> although s/n and wow and
> > flutter charachteristics were not as good as later
> machines, they were
> > very impressive in their time. One feature these
> machines included was
> > switchable bias for recording speeds, basically a
> treble roll off for
> > higher speed. These were institutional work horses
> in their day and
> > even today, I can still get belts, idlers, tubes,
> and still use mine
> > quite a bit. Doug
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Wanted:
> Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
> Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
> Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic
> instruments and devices
>
> Gino Wong
> Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
> LBPH/NLS/BPH
> 919 Walnut Street
> Phila, PA 19128 USA
> (800) 222-1754
>

On Feb 4, 2008 12:51 PM, Jack Younger <e4103s@yahoo.com> wrote:

I would have to disagree on the Scullys. LOTS of
wow and flutter on the 1/4" half-track machines which
is usually inherent to the transport design and, with
very few exceptions, can't be adjusted out. I had two
of them (280 & 280B) and ended up junking them. The
280's pre-amps are very cool, however, and are the
part to keep. But the transports are unmanageable.
I will recommend Teac as well as Tascam, as they
are "brothers", but Teacs can be had for much shorter
money with the same reliability.
I have two Revox machines and love them as delay
units. I also have two Teac machines as my backup
delay and looping units and they're lovely. MCI makes
one hell of a 1/4" deck as well, if you can find them.
Let's not forget Ampex although the cost is usually
quite prohibitive.
-Jack

--- gino wong <wonggster@gmail.com> wrote:

> Otari, Technics and Scully had the same features and
> they are keepers
>
> On Feb 4, 2008 6:34 AM, Doug Berg
> <caddyfam@simcon.net> wrote:
>
> > If any one is familiar with Roberts tape
> recorders, or Akai if not
> > stateside, models 990, 997, and early 720 were
> half track capable
> > machines. A rotary switch on the heads gave you
> choices of 1/4 track
> > left-stereo-right in 1/4 track mode and 2 track
> stere, or half track.
> > These were introduced in 1962 and are tube (valve)
> driven. All machines
> > had speeds of 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15 i.p.s. and
> although s/n and wow and
> > flutter charachteristics were not as good as later
> machines, they were
> > very impressive in their time. One feature these
> machines included was
> > switchable bias for recording speeds, basically a
> treble roll off for
> > higher speed. These were institutional work horses
> in their day and
> > even today, I can still get belts, idlers, tubes,
> and still use mine
> > quite a bit. Doug
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>

> --
> Wanted:
> Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
> Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
> Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic
> instruments and devices
>
> Gino Wong
> Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
> LBPH/NLS/BPH
> 919 Walnut Street
> Phila, PA 19128 USA
> (800) 222-1754
>

__________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

--
Wanted:
Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic instruments and devices

Gino Wong
Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
LBPH/NLS/BPH
919 Walnut Street
Phila, PA 19128 USA
(800) 222-1754

> We scavenged Scully electronics too, that was the
> best part of the machine.
> Lots of old machine designs had scads of wow and
> flutter but good raw
> frequency response. Most MCI machines are a
> nightmare to service and like
> scully, there are no parts and no subs,
>
> On Feb 4, 2008 12:51 PM, Jack Younger
> <e4103s@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I would have to disagree on the Scullys. LOTS
> of
> > wow and flutter on the 1/4" half-track machines
> which
> > is usually inherent to the transport design and,
> with
> > very few exceptions, can't be adjusted out. I had
> two
> > of them (280 & 280B) and ended up junking them.
> The
> > 280's pre-amps are very cool, however, and are the
> > part to keep. But the transports are unmanageable.
> > I will recommend Teac as well as Tascam, as they
> > are "brothers", but Teacs can be had for much
> shorter
> > money with the same reliability.
> > I have two Revox machines and love them as delay
> > units. I also have two Teac machines as my backup
> > delay and looping units and they're lovely. MCI
> makes
> > one hell of a 1/4" deck as well, if you can find
> them.
> > Let's not forget Ampex although the cost is
> usually
> > quite prohibitive.
> > -Jack
> >
> >
> > --- gino wong <wonggster@gmail.com
> <wonggster%40gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> > > Otari, Technics and Scully had the same features
> and
> > > they are keepers
> > >
> > > On Feb 4, 2008 6:34 AM, Doug Berg
> > > <caddyfam@simcon.net <caddyfam%40simcon.net>>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > If any one is familiar with Roberts tape
> > > recorders, or Akai if not
> > > > stateside, models 990, 997, and early 720 were
> > > half track capable
> > > > machines. A rotary switch on the heads gave
> you
> > > choices of 1/4 track
> > > > left-stereo-right in 1/4 track mode and 2
> track
> > > stere, or half track.
> > > > These were introduced in 1962 and are tube
> (valve)
> > > driven. All machines
> > > > had speeds of 3 3/4, 7 1/2, and 15 i.p.s. and
> > > although s/n and wow and
> > > > flutter charachteristics were not as good as
> later
> > > machines, they were
> > > > very impressive in their time. One feature
> these
> > > machines included was
> > > > switchable bias for recording speeds,
> basically a
> > > treble roll off for
> > > > higher speed. These were institutional work
> horses
> > > in their day and
> > > > even today, I can still get belts, idlers,
> tubes,
> > > and still use mine
> > > > quite a bit. Doug
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Wanted:
> > > Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
> > > Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
> > > Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic
> > > instruments and devices
> > >
> > > Gino Wong
> > > Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
> > > LBPH/NLS/BPH
> > > 919 Walnut Street
> > > Phila, PA 19128 USA
> > > (800) 222-1754
> > >
> >
> >
>

> > Looking for last minute shopping deals?
> > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
> >
>

> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Wanted:
> Davoli Synthesizer (Davolisynt A/B)
> Kawai / Teisco 60F,100F,110F, SX210, SX240
> Other odd rare unusual and maligned electronic
> instruments and devices
>
> Gino Wong
> Recording Engineer, Studio Supervisor
> LBPH/NLS/BPH
> 919 Walnut Street
> Phila, PA 19128 USA
> (800) 222-1754
>