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How many and what kind of RTR tapes do you have?

Orcinus

Orcinus

Active Member
Just like the topic says: How many and what kind of RTR tapes do you have? And, which is your favorite tape to use? Not talking about pre-recorded, just stuff you buy blank and record yourself.

I'll start things off. Of course, my collection is small (it recently shrank in an equipment trade), so it won't take long. :D

(3) Maxell UD 35-180 3600' 10.5"
(2) 3M 986 2500' 10.5"
(1) Sony ULH 11-1100-BL 3600' 10.5"
(1) Quantegy 406 1200' 7"

All tape is 1/4" wide.

I'm not really sure which is my favorite tape yet...
 
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One of my all time favs for blank tape, was Scotch Professional Mastering #207

The Quantegy 456 Mastering Tape is very good also, but I understand this is also becoming hard to acquire.

It appear that there's a new kid on the block, called US Recording, and thier tapes do sound quite promising for both the home user, and for semi pro-pro applications. Mark
 
My three ten inch decks all have 3M 996 Mastering tape and I am pleased with the recording.

Quantegy is still in business, so you can buy new from distributors. A ten inch 456 on metal reel goes for about $33 if I remember correctly. You can buy pancakes also.

Gary
 
What US Recording is selling is Dutch made RMG International tape. In a past life it was BASF. They have the 468 (originally Agfa PEM 468), SM 900, 911, and 911's 1 mil opposite number, LPR 35. And they're adding more tapes to the line as well. Good stuff--highly recommended!
 
Oh, gosh, gotta count them all ... all 7" reels recorded on an Akai GX-267D:

(~15) Maxell UD-35-90
(~15) TDK Audua L-1800
(2) Scotch Master 1800
(2) BASF
(1) Something funky, think it's Scotch, came in a brown plastic roll-out fold-down drawer ....
 
cableguy2 said:
My three ten inch decks all have 3M 996 Mastering tape and I am pleased with the recording.
Click to expand...


Hmm! I would be very interested in aquiring a reel of 996. Could I perhaps convince you to part with a reel? Or even just an empty reel with no tape? Or one of each?? :D


:music:
 
Been buying tape like crazy on ebay. List is now as follows, in order of preference:

(7) 3M 996
(2) Quantegy GP9 (only second place because of lower-quality reels compared to 996)
(3) 3M 986
(1) Maxell XLI 35-180B
(1) Sony ULH (strong suspicion reel contains TDK tape, 2500' instead of 3600' quoted on box)
(4) Maxell UD 35-180
(1) Quantegy 406
(2) Sony FeCr (backing sheds, have to omit left tension arm when threading tape for use, otherwise would be much higher on the list)
(1) Agfa PE36 (reeeaaaallly long tape. 4200')

all on 10.5" reels.
 
Here's some estimates (Preferred tape at top, all 7"):

(30) Maxell UDXL/XL1
(4) TDK GX35/90
(10) Ampex 456/457
(15) NOS BASF SM468 (Ex-BBC)
(40) Maxell UD
(30) TDK LX35/90B
(4) TDK Aududa 1800LB
(25) NOS Zonal 675 (Ex-BBC)
(2) BASF LP35 LH-super
(25) TDK Aududa 1800L
(8) BASF DP26 LH
(12) BASF LP35 LH
(10) Capitol 2

About half have been recorded on myself, and all (aside from the NOS) were second hand. I have been actively buying and selling tapes for 3-4 years to get these, keeping the best tapes.

I do have one Maxell XL-II as well but don't get on with EE tapes, they don't sound right. Would like to try some GP9 to see what the fuss is about. But with XL1 I can record to +8 db now without bother on my Akai GX-77's
 
I just acquired an AKai 280 D-SS RTR that appears to be in mint condition (was mininally used by the original owner and then stored in original box and packing since June 1989) last week and have been trying to find out which types of tapes to seek.

This thread has been a huge help. I've been watching several Ebay auctions to get an idea of what to pay for various RTR tapes but wasn't sure which ones to pursue. I feel like I'm much more solid ground now. Thanks for the info, everyone.
 
Well I have Maxell, TDK, Scotch, Quantegy, BASF, 3M,Radio Shack and a few others that have no name. As I am at work, I can't count them. But my favorites in this order would be 3M, Quantegy(essentially the same tape),Scotch, Maxell, TDK, BASF then all the rest. I think my 3M 456 & 356 reels, had the least amount of dropouts, followed by the Scotch 207. Then Maxell TDK and the rest. The 3M and Scotch also wore the best. Seemed to me they had the best oxide binding out of all of them. Of course the worst would have been Radio Shack made by Memtek (memorex) :thumbsdn:

Frequency response would probably follow the same pattern, Tho I did like the Maxell UDXL II, It seemed to have the best high end out of all of them.

That is just my two cents worth. :D
 
can anyone hear give me some info on Scotch 150 Extra length tape. The details that I do know are that it has polyester backing, and it has silicone lubrication. does this tape have the sticky shred problem ? The tape I am looking at has never been opened, new in the box. Could this be a problem also, after all those yrs of not being used ?
Thanks for any advice :)
 
No. In my experiences with it that tape has been nothing but excellent. Esp if it's the dark graphite grey color. No shedding, glides over the mechanism like silk.

And I have 10-12 various assorted tapes, 3-4 ampex reels.

i prefer ampex. and i still refuse to call them quantegy, I call it ampex, LOL
 
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