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1/4" tapes are they half track or quarter track?

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OK117

New Member
Hi,

I have some 1/4" tapes that I will need to transfer to digital. I am told they are mono recordings.

How can I tell if the recording is a half track mono recording or a quarter track mono recording?

The only machine I have to work with is a Revox A77 quarter track - can I use this machine to at least determine if they are half track or quarter track recordings? Maybe by looking at how the VUs playback the recording?

Thanks,

Dean
 
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Probably half track mono, the tape is split into two tracks one for each direction. Your quarter track Revox will play it on the left channel. You'll hear what's on the other side in reverse in the right channel, so you'll want to use only the left channel to feed the left and right inputs of your CD recorder or computer with a Y cable or adaptor that will feed mono to both inputs.
 
The transfer I make needs to be good - for a limited CD release.

Do you think the process you describe using the quarter track A77 machine is a valid method of transferring the half track mono tape?

Am I going to get all of the material? Or am I going to lose some frequency response and dynamics? My quarter track machine must have a smaller play head than the width of the mono track on the half track tape?

What do you think? Or have I got it wrong?
 
Maybe you can find someone with a deck like the Technics RS-1500 or RS-1520. These allow you to switch between half and quarter track at the flip of a switch.

For your project, I would not use the Revox without testing for better results on a half track deck.
 
Ed in Tx said:
Probably half track mono, the tape is split into two tracks one for each direction. Your quarter track Revox will play it on the left channel. You'll hear what's on the other side in reverse in the right channel, so you'll want to use only the left channel to feed the left and right inputs of your CD recorder or computer with a Y cable or adaptor that will feed mono to both inputs.
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Exactly.
 
Cadillac Kid said:
Maybe you can find someone with a deck like the Technics RS-1500 or RS-1520. These allow you to switch between half and quarter track at the flip of a switch.

For your project, I would not use the Revox without testing for better results on a half track deck.
Click to expand...

Or an Otari MX-5050 B2HD or B2II.
 
If these tapes are professional half-track tapes, definitely. If they're amateur tapes they could be 1/2 track mono too which means you don't loose anything when using only one channel of the Revox output. Should be easy to determine - if the tape comes on standard reels try to play both sides of the tape, if it's 1/2 track mono you should hear something playing properly on both sides, if it's 1/2 track stereo it's completely backwards on one side of the tape.
 
Ragnar - I feel these are professional 1/2 track tapes. And just to confirm - I take it that you feel that if I play back with my 1/4 track A77 I should get a good, meaning complete, transfer? (Using just the left channel to get the mono material on the 1/2 track tapes.)

If you have a moment - how come it will work? I feel like the 1/4 track has a smaller width pickup area on the playback head - how can I get all the material from the 1/2 track mono which was recorded with a wider head configuration?

Thanks I appreciate the help. (I do understand the other responders suggesting that I get a true 1/2 track machine - I am exploring options at the moment.)
 
For correct 1/2 track playback, you need a 1/2 track head. If it is mono, I am surprised it wasn't recorded single direction full track mono if it came from a professional studio (since you mentioned a limited CD release, I'm wondering if it's a pro recording or something done at home).
 
OK117 said:
The transfer I make needs to be good - for a limited CD release.

Do you think the process you describe using the quarter track A77 machine is a valid method of transferring the half track mono tape?

Am I going to get all of the material? Or am I going to lose some frequency response and dynamics? My quarter track machine must have a smaller play head than the width of the mono track on the half track tape?

What do you think? Or have I got it wrong?
Click to expand...
If you want the absolute optimum quality you would need a machine that has the same head configuration as the one that recorded the tape. But you said you have a quarter track Revox to use, so with that you should get good results. You won't "miss" anything. A few negatives I can think of: Playing with a quarter track head makes PB more sensitive to dropouts. Depending on how well isolated the stereo channels are in the Revox, if it's playing a half track tape you might hear down in the background a trace of the track in reverse being picked up by the R channel of the PB head. Any variation in head azimuth between the recording machine and the PB machine could effect high freq response. Best thing I think would be to play the tape on the Revox and evaluate for yourself how it sounds.
 
Sounds reasonable. The project requires the best that can be done without taking it to a studio - so I am trying to use what I have - as yet I don't have the tapes. (I have the digital end covered with Pro Tools HD and Euphonix converters.)

Actually I just posted an image of my A77 heads as I am not actually sure if this machine is 1/2 track or 1/4 track - if you can see that image and let me know - the badge says REVOX High Fidelity.
 
If you intend on releasing it, and the recording is halfway decent, please use the correct machine.
 
Bogframe said:
Too bad you're not in NYC, I have 4 or 5 half track mono decks you could use.
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I am in NYC. I might take you up on that offer.

I posted an image of the heads of my A77 - can you identify from the heads if it is a 1/2 track or a 1/4 track?

I am actually not sure what kind of machine it is.
 
OK117 said:
I am in NYC. I might take you up on that offer.

I posted an image of the heads of my A77 - can you identify from the heads if it is a 1/2 track or a 1/4 track?

I am actually not sure what kind of machine it is.
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There shopuld be a label on the pinch roller arm - 4t or 2t

else look at the erase head - if there is a clear distance between the to shiny surfaces it's a 4 track - if they're very close, it's a 2 track - if speeds are 3 3/4 and 7½Ips, it's normally a 4 track version

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Thanks that does seem to clarify it is a 4 track. It is 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips and the erase head looks just like the one in the image you posted.
 
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