Revox A77 2 track or 4 track?

[Neilbo75]

Thanks, Paul, for the very helpful comments.

I have some more newcomer questions:

My Revox is sized for 26 cm (one inch) tape. It looks like a lot of the older pre-recorded tapes were 18 cm (3/4 inch). Can my machine play / record on 18 cm tape?

You mention "domestic market". Do you mean the USA? I am based in Europe (although I am an American). Reading the A-77 manual -- which is available online -- I see that on the back of the machine there is a switch that allows the input voltage to be set either for USA or for Europe. More quality audio equipment should be like that !

I would like to make some stereo recordings, mostly just of people talking in my living room. People at a party, for example.

Can you recommend any microphones? Used gear would be fine if in good working condition.

What about tape? I have read that some of those old tapes that come up for sale may be degraded even if NOS (new old stock). What would be a good choice for new?

Finally, cassette decks improved the sound quality significantly when metal tape came along. Considering the small width of cassette tape and the slow speed of the deck, the results are impressive. Did metal tape also become available for 26 cm? Just curious, as I suppose my older Revox would not be set up for metal.

Kind regards,

Neilbo

 

[paul bi]

Hi Neilbo I assume this is not a wind up but someone without any R2R experience

In order to stop any confusion we will recap on where we are please correct if I am not correct
First the machine you are using I believe it is a Revox A77 this being a stereo machine
Set up is Halftrack as in only 2 tracks and used in the same direction when used for stereo
Speed is low speed so 3 ¾ and 7 ½ IPS tape stock / width is ¼ inch

Ok can we please keep to British units as in ips feet and inches etc
You say your machine is for 1 inch if so it cannot be a Revox A77
Your next concerning comment is can you play smaller tape stock on a machine that is meant for larger tape this is a very destructive practise for heads and will destroy the head also the tape guides will not work so you will get the tape wondering DO NOT DO IT

At this point it is worth noting that video tape is made differently to audio tape so you must use audio tape as Vidio required different bias and high frequency response will be drastically low

You then say “It looks like a lot of the older pre-recorded tapes were 18 cm (3/4 inch)”.
I have never heard off ¾ inch tape so I would strongly say this is incorrect

When I say Domestic market I mean as sold hear in the UK
Regarding types of Microphones and how to use them
there are volumes of articles on that subject but you can ask your sylph the following
do I require a stereo recording
do I want to keep conversation arears separate as on film set Stage Left and Stage Right
do the microphones need to be directional
how many microphones do I require for each group to be recorded
best suggestion is
get an audio mixer with at least 6 mic inputs that can be mixed to either the left or right channel
look at boundary layer microphones , Ribbon microphones , my go to manufacture is AKG
suggest you by new as second hand microphones are not always worth it

Tape look at BASF SM 911 but this manufacture was bought out
alternatively RTM SM 911 2500 Ft at £ 56 as a pancake (no real )
so for new stock I will be using the
long play version of SM 911 RTM LPR 90 3600 Ft at £49 as a pancake (no real )
there is a slightly cheaper type RTM LPR 35 3600 Ft at £47 as a pancake (no real )
add about another £50 for metal real and box

Regards Paul South Coast UK

 

[Neilbo75]

Dear Paul

Not a windup. I really didn’t know.

The A77 was described as « 26 cm » but that is the maximum diameter of the reel. I confused cm and mm. Probably because l am an American living in Europe. One inch would be wide tape for something not being used for mixing many tracks.

I do see now that 1/4 inch (6.5 cm) is the standard tape width for consumers.

Thanks much for your advice on microphones and tape. This should help me avoid more blunders.

Neilbo

 

[paul bi]

You can see on the one page for Tape 21 I used the leader color. Mostly Maxell tapes and they are two different colors. Not always the same since I have two-three different Maxell tapes in the collection.

For the Tape Index I don't need to concern myself with which side as that info is in the tape itself, the contents page and when I open the box, I see what side will play next and can either play it or rewind before play as needed.

The Quantegy tapes I have did not come with leaders and I added them and put sharpie labels on them for side identification.

Dear Paul

Not a windup. I really didn’t know.

The A77 was described as « 26 cm » but that is the maximum diameter of the reel. I confused cm and mm. Probably because l am an American living in Europe. One inch would be wide tape for something not being used for mixing many tracks.

I do see now that 1/4 inch (6.5 cm) is the standard tape width for consumers.

Thanks much for your advice on microphones and tape. This should help me avoid more blunders.

 

[paul bi]

Dear Neilbo

I am an English man living in England so this should relate to those from the USA
my profession is Electronics relating to Aircraft, Automotive, Communications, Satellite ground stations, Military vehicles So I have a back ground of different measurements

Unfortunately you are making life difficult for your sylph as you are taking names such as ¼ inch tape and converting to a metric value and then not accurately
as your line “I do see now that 1/4 inch (6.5 cm) is the standard tape width for consumers”.

This confuses all when we went metric a lot of thing were resized to match a new metric size
so for example metric pipe is different to the old imperial pipe and both are available today

We have 1 inch = 25.4 mm and ¼ inch = 6.35 mm ( not 6.5 cm )
To make life more confusing the tape might actually be slightly under ¼ inch

So in Europe the tape is sold by its name ¼ inch in metric lengths admittedly people advertising the tape are starting to make the same mistakes hence this confusion

Regards Paul