It would be fun to get this going again.
Any Reel guys interested in a tape swap?
- Thread starter Wardsweb
- Start date
LAB3
AK Member
I have been in the tape swap several times, some went fine others were delayed from some members NOT mailing every two weeks. Someone kept one my 7" tapes so don't use a new 7" tape.
We always used 7" 1/4 track 7.5 ISP. I am waiting for this virus to end USPS Media Mail is not reliable right now.
Louis
We always used 7" 1/4 track 7.5 ISP. I am waiting for this virus to end USPS Media Mail is not reliable right now.
Louis
Skylab
Watcher of the skies
I’m afraid my days of running these are done...I was going to run another this year, but Covid killed that, and now I’ve had to change jobs and the one I have leaves me very little free time except on weekends, unfortunately. So if someone is going to resurrect this here, it will have to be someone else. The ones we did sure were fun, though!
LAB3
AK Member
After Covid is over I will make a tape but I won't run it or schedule the mailing list and keep track of who has who's tape.
Skylab you and Catcher 10 and several others had great sounding recordings. Wish my friend /member Mike Khul would come back and run the next round...hint.......... hint
Mine will sound better next time too as I upgraded TT, cart and pre/amp, now my MOFI, QRP etc LP sound better then my CD's now.
New job? Hope for good reasons?
Agree. Maybe take the effort to private conversations? These days I only do 2 track recordings at 15 ips on 10.5” reels of SM911 using IEC EQ. I also use 12.5” reels but those are going nowhere! Much value in the recordings (not to mention the equipment I use to play and record) so really not open to taking a chance on tossing them out the door. It would be interesting to have others provide independent critiques of the results. Just because it sounds good on my equipment may not mean it sounds good on someone else’s setup?
Another option is to exchange recordings? I could do a 2 track, 15ips NAB or IEC recording on LPR35 (maybe on 10.5” plastic reels?) and exchange it with someone else’s similar effort?
Just ideas better discussed in private sessions with trusted individuals?
Catcher10
Prog-tastic!
They will start when someone takes the lead role of coordinating and scheduling the tape route and monitoring the schedule once it starts. As mentioned by a couple already, the last one was a mess, we had some that did not send their tapes after 2 weeks, so the chain becomes broken. We had lost tapes too, which is not cool at all since we all know who gets what when.
It seems Covid has changed a lot of our lives with job changes and time, my job is now 100% home based so I would participate for sure.
For more history on this you can go back a couple pages and read on the past swaps.........Cheers!
Remember way back when? For a couple rounds we did both 10.5" and 7", and even at the same time, I believe. I lost a 10.5" but not the end of the world. Newbies be aware that historically with a 2 week listen time and a week to 10 days shipping with some allowance for late shipping, and 10-12 people in a round, the whole thing takes about a year to complete (go full circle and get your tape back). Didn't at the end there we all agreed to send by PO priority? I think we sped it up somehow.
I always thought it might be more interesting if the tapes were full recordings of unique releases we have. The mix tapes were nice, but rarely did you (I) get something I didn't already have on some media or another.
All in all, it was a gas. Lots of very well recorded tapes, too.
I always thought it might be more interesting if the tapes were full recordings of unique releases we have. The mix tapes were nice, but rarely did you (I) get something I didn't already have on some media or another.
All in all, it was a gas. Lots of very well recorded tapes, too.
Catcher10
Prog-tastic!
I remember that one swap that included both 7" and 10.5", I think Skylab was the leader on that one. That's true, depending how many are in the swap it could take 8-12 months to complete. I always tried to record stuff that was more obscure on the prog rock scene, but yea I don't need to hear any classic rock stuff. I think we changed from Media mail to Priority, that was better for sure, for me mailing a 7" tape was running about $6-7 back to Skylab in Chicago. So yea newbies need to calculate the total cost gonna run you $80-90 in postage.
Everything I did was analog off my TT........agree it was lots of fun!
Skylab
Watcher of the skies
Media mail would never work for these anymore - it’s become a disaster. LPs I buy on Discogs (where media mail is still often the only option offered, sadly) have taken 2-4 weeks to get to me, sometimes more. Even stuff sent priority isn’t 2-3 days anymore like it once was. Tough times at the USPS.
most people, even "vinyl guys" do not know how to handle lp's. Everyone pinches the record between their thumb and index finger, I have been in high end audio stores and have seen people demonstrating systems that cost more than mine do it. Ever wonder why the first 2 mins of the start of the side of almost EVERY used record you buy is noisy? I was at the capital audio fest and watched many people , who I am sure were not new to vinyl handle things terribly. I do not like Lending vinyl to most people I actually knew in real life, let alone people I have never met.
don;t get me wrong, I love my fellow AK'er's. so many nice and helpful people here, but, my LP's do not get loaned out. plus there's the post office and that lottery no one wants to win. the your item is lost or broken lottery.
don;t get me wrong, I love my fellow AK'er's. so many nice and helpful people here, but, my LP's do not get loaned out. plus there's the post office and that lottery no one wants to win. the your item is lost or broken lottery.
Holy cow, this was nearly 20 years ago we started this. Time marchs on.
mkuhl2000
Tape Rotation Coordinator
So I know we haven't done any reel tapes swaps for a while, I had my deck go out with needing the deadly Akai transistor swap needed and could not find anyone to repair it so I sold it off. I have just got my hands on another reel deck. An Akai GX-620 for $200 with NAB adapters and original 10.5" Akai metal takeup reel! A quick $45 trip to have it lubes and switches/pots cleaned and it is ready to go! So is anyone interested in reviving the ol' tape exchange rounds?
I haven’t done one but they always sounded like fun (at least for all but the organizer perhaps) … will stay tuned …
I still use my A4010S daily so in the spirit of the topic I'd be interested, what are ya looking for?
My Teac A-4010S with Sanyo N55 Super-D on the top.
Catcher10
Prog-tastic!
Mike I like your avatar title.....Late in my reply but I am game if this is still on. Considering I'm replying a week before Turkey day and the start of pure USPS hell for the next 2 months. Seems best to start this in February.....So I know we haven't done any reel tapes swaps for a while, I had my deck go out with needing the deadly Akai transistor swap needed and could not find anyone to repair it so I sold it off. I have just got my hands on another reel deck. An Akai GX-620 for $200 with NAB adapters and original 10.5" Akai metal takeup reel! A quick $45 trip to have it lubes and switches/pots cleaned and it is ready to go! So is anyone interested in reviving the ol' tape exchange rounds?
To be clear, I'm game for the old format we started a hundred yrs ago LOL......... 7"/7.5ips