reel to reel

[oblioblioblio]

I've just finished reading the autobiography of Margrit Schiller and the forces used by the state against her and those associated with her, and the last thing I would want to do is use the power of the state against anyone.

[oblioblioblio]

some discoveries.

Tape is pretty hard work, I have a huge to do list to learn how to properly calibrate my unit. The thing I said about VU meters not being worth it probably isn't true, they are really essential for proper calibration of your machine. I'm trying to work out a hack way to do it but the result isn't going to be as good or easy as if I had in built metering.

The sound is really phenomenal, there's no contest with digital. Digital is accurate and detailed I guess but it doesn't have the vibe, and it's such a nice thing to have the studio wired into the analogue domain.

You don't get any free lunches and the unit that I purchased is not in quite as good a condition as I initially believed and I've got some work (some probably expensive) to get it to where I want it. For me right now I'm really happy to invest my time into doing this myself, the machine is built like equipment should be and is a joy to poke around in.

So if you've got time, some money and want to know the best medium for sound then get involved.

[lem]

The heads are normally the biggest expense. if they arent too bad you can get them re-lapped and that will add years to them. Motors and other bits can also be a bank breaker. Its hard to say with a struder though. i never looked into them just because of the initial outlay.

You know i enjoy a good poke around... in electronics i mean! but reel to reels can be nasty buggers. more like cars in terms of mechanics. I had a grundig tube r2r that was completelly mental. The service manual was just a part list and one of those diagrams where everything is spread apart. but all on one page. confusion city. There was a lot of, unscrew something, hear something else drop and 4 springs fly out. Finally getting it all back together only to find it still doesnt work!

Anyway, im glad you are having good experiences with yours! Calibrating tape machines isnt too hard, a lot of it is common sense and you are right about the meters they are pretty essential. Regardless of overall accuracy, as long as they can tell if something is louder, they should do the job. If i remember rightly, a good effort at calibration should preserve your heads aswell.

[oblioblioblio]

I think I'm going to have to be very smart about finding the good deals with spare parts... I could easily spend 2 times what I paid for the unit to get everything NOS, but if I'm smart I can do it much cheaper.

Still got lots to learn though.

The Studer is built like machines should be... the whole construction is totally modular and you can easily access any part that needs replacement or adjustment. Proper gear!

[oblioblioblio]

still voyaging in the R2R world.

I realised recently after wandering around in all the music technology that I use, that technology is the new jungle. Or maybe the forest was the old technology? Didn't chlorophyll kinda take up residence in trees? Symbiotic, like.

OK enough of that.

I got a brand new capstan motor for my A810 for 35 squid on ebay.

I've got a feeling that the right pair of hands can make an old motor work like a new one... might be true but I'm still gonna keep my eyes open for bargains. My aim is to get 30 years at least out of my A810.

Got a set of power supply capacitors that were custom made to the very high standards of a Studer expert, but they didn't come cheap!

[oblioblioblio]

and about metering... I got a VERY high quality AC millivoltmeter from Ebay US for $10.

HP 400FL

bit cheaper than the inflated price you have to pay to get an R2R with built in VU meters.

[oblioblioblio]

Still here and slowly building up the R2R for long term use.

Whopped down a big amount of cash for some custom made replacement PSU caps built to exact specifications of an expert on these Studer decks. Was a big expenditure but will hold good for the next 30 years.

Found a company in Switzerland which has nearly all the spare parts available for Studers.

Also found a company in the US which will relap the heads and are also selling new ones.

Pretty happy with this investment TBH.

[oblioblioblio]

there are loads of good quality Revox decks available right now for really cheap prices. I kinda think the Studer is worth aiming for though and will be easier to keep running into the long distance.