Re: Reel to reel quality

["Scott M2" <scott@dreamstate.to>]

From: <SoundFNR@aol.com>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 04 June, 2003 4:16 AM
Subject: Re: Reel to reel quality


> >      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 :-( 

In the 80's Ampex, no doubt inspired by the "Save The Whales" campaigns,
changed their formula for the oxide binding material from a whale-oil 
derivative
and created a generation of 456 tapes which now need to be 'baked' for
24 hours before playing. (The formula was later improved.) Some people
use incubators, others food processors. A friend of mine had some luck
with a gas oven - but it's not recommended. A steady temperature is
required to drive out the moisture for a single play or two as you back it 
up.
This PDF recommends 120 degrees F
http://www.flash.net/~mrltapes/pubshed2.pdf  

Cheers,
Scott M2

http://www.dreamSTATE.to
ambientelectronicsoundscapes
http://www.THEAMBiENTPiNG.com