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Looper's Delight
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> 1) Is 456 really the way to go? Or are there other high quality tapes > out there that would > serve me well? Does it depend on the application? I'm recording >mostly > electronic music along > with a fair amount of musique concrete. By electronic music, I mean modern > day synths and analog > and digital processors. Ampex (now Quantegy) seem to be the inventors of the "tape that degrades", I have tapes from the 80's by Scotch(3M), Maxell, Agfa, BASF, they're all fine. (only BASF are still producing). The Ampex stuff I have from the same period has real problems :-( Quantegy claim to have fixed the problem, and I tend to believe them, but I'd rather stick with BASF. BASF is CHEAPER Whatever tape you get, the bias and EQ on your deck need to be accurately set to match that tape (so if you know what it's set up for.....) > > 2) On eBay there are many auctions for used tape that has been >bulk > demagnitized as well as > "new" tape that is several years or decades old. I am aware of the > difference in quality between > virgin and demagnitized tape, "virgin" tape goes past the erase head before being recorded, so that's demagnetised as well :-) bulk erasing is good, problems are if the tape is worn, was left on the machine to gather dust, or has been spliced. > and I am also aware of 25 year old tape > starting to delaminate or > have the oxide coating come off as you play it. The questions are: How old > can "new" tape be for > it to still be viable (assuming good storage conditions), it can degrade in 10 years, i've seen it, depends on storage conditions, definately avoid old ampex stock > and Does used tape > degrade faster once > it's been run through the machine and then put into storage for many >years? I'd guess so, as the winding won't be as even. > Any specific advice would be welcome and especially any links to > websites that contain more > info. www.studiospares.com to see what the pro's use and see prices. andy butler