3 new reel to reels! NEWBIE!

[tyler477]

3 new reel to reels! NEWBIE! with Pics

Picked up a teac 3340s, teac 2340r and an akai gx-365d all for 300 bucks.... these are my first reel to reels... any advice on tuning/checking them? i have a lead on some ampex 641 tapes as well, would they work with the teacs bias range?

 

[Garrard201]

Wow- each of those alone is probably worth almost 300. Good work! Can't speak to tuning/checking them, except the Akai... be careful with the play lever since the mechanisms often start to crumble after sitting for a while. I've always had good luck with 641. Anyone else want to chime in?

 

[Vintage TX]

Congratulations to your 3 decks, the 641 tape will work but both Teac's like high-bias tape if you planning for some serious recordings.
641 is "normal" bias.

 

[tyler477]

attached some pics;
maybe i'll get that tape just for the akai. there are 15 1800' reels for about 10 bucks. how about tuning them up? how do i check the heads for wear? man i'm such a nooooob:drool:

 

[jdandy]

I got a crick in my neck.

 

[tyler477]

I got a crick in my neck.

next time i'll put them the right way

 

[Vintage TX]

You can use the tapes on all three decks, but high bias tape = better result.
Check out the sticky thread for Maintenance and start with cleaning the heads + travel path first.
Which one are you planning to test first ?

 

[tyler477]

You can use the tapes on all three decks, but high bias tape = better result.
Check out the sticky thread for Maintenance and start with cleaning the heads + travel path first.
Which one are you planning to test first ?

well, i've heard the 2340r play already (when i bought it he played it for me on late 50's wharfedale bookshelf speaks nonetheless!) and it sounded awesome! just the right amount of hiss. He mentioned it needed some oiling... i think the next i will try is the 3340s, can't wait to try the "simul-sync" out....

 

[vinyldavid]

well, i've heard the 2340r play already (when i bought it he played it for me on late 50's wharfedale bookshelf speaks nonetheless!) and it sounded awesome! just the right amount of hiss. He mentioned it needed some oiling... i think the next i will try is the 3340s, can't wait to try the "simul-sync" out

BTW.
Simul-sync: Turns the recordhead into a play head so that you can listen to the other tracks in real time while you record ones on other tracks.

It's individually track switchable, so say you wanted to record track 4, but have already recorded tracks 1 and 3 with say....guitar and vocal, and 4 was going to be the bass. Switch tracks 1 and 3 to symc and you can listen to the output from those while you record the bass part, and everything will be synchronized.

If that made no sense, just play around with it. :yes:

 

[tyler477]

BTW.
Simul-sync: Turns the recordhead into a play head so that you can listen to the other tracks in real time while you record ones on other tracks.

It's individually track switchable, so say you wanted to record track 4, but have already recorded tracks 1 and 3 with say....guitar and vocal, and 4 was going to be the bass. Switch tracks 1 and 3 to symc and you can listen to the output from those while you record the bass part, and everything will be synchronized.

If that made no sense, just play around with it. :yes:

Yeah, i figured as much.... i used to use the old tascam portastudios which is the same concept.... you can bounce tracks down on this too huh? to get a total of 9 tracks? super cool!

 

[tyler477]

Yaaay!

tried out the a-3340S tonight and it works flawlessly! still haven't checked the heads but herb alpert sounded mighty excellent through my ar-2ax's! no mum or hiss or noise whatsoever.... i'm as happy as a clam!