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#1
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low-rent 1/4" machines
A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4"
machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? |
#2
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low-rent 1/4" machines
On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 14:17:38 -0800, Robert Orban
wrote: A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4" machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? The Otari. I don't think parts are available for the Technics machines anymore. Rick Ruskin Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA http://liondogmusic.com |
#3
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low-rent 1/4" machines
The Technics has an excellent transport, just make sure that the heads are
in good shape, and possibly have John French at JRF do some work for you. All things considered I feel that the Technics is on of the better Open Reel decks every manufactured. Marko. "Robert Orban" wrote in message ... A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4" machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? |
#4
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low-rent 1/4" machines
Actually, you can still get new heads, motors & most other parts for the
Technics RS-1500/1506/1520/1700 decks, which are absolutely superb machines, via Panasonic's excellent online ordering system. The only weakness of these decks are that the permalloy heads are a bit softer than usual, so you have to inspect for head wear when shopping a used deck. The Otari decks are primitive by comparison, but may sound as good. However, the Technics has the advantage of 3 speeds(3.75/7.5/15), so should prove more useful. Both have extra Pb heads, so can play 1/2 & 1/4 track tapes. I have both a Technics RS-1506(1/2trk rec/pb & 1/4trk pb) and an Otari MX5050(forget the mk version) available for sale. The Technics' heads are in excellent shape, and it's in it's original Anvil-type case, unfortunately minus the lid. -- Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer Talking Dog Transducer Company http://stephensank.com 5517 Carmelita Drive N.E. Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111] 505-332-0336 Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer Payments preferred through Paypal.com "Rick Ruskin" wrote in message ... On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 14:17:38 -0800, Robert Orban wrote: A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4" machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? The Otari. I don't think parts are available for the Technics machines anymore. Rick Ruskin Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA http://liondogmusic.com |
#5
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low-rent 1/4" machines
On Sun, 13 Jul 2003 14:17:38 -0800, Robert Orban
wrote: A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4" machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? Definitely go with the 5050. Parts have not been available for the Technics for years, and there are probably many more 5050s available on the used market at low prices. The Technics isoloop transport may have been slick, but the 5050 is a workhorse. Phil Cibley |
#6
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low-rent 1/4" machines
In article ,
Robert Orban wrote: A friend of mine wants to buy an economical used 2-track 1/4" machine for digitizing jingles and commercials from old reel-reel tapes. (He's in the broadcast business, and this stuff is history to him.) These tapes may not be in good condition any more. He's narrowed his choice down to the Technics RS-1520 or Otari MX- 5050BIII. Which would you recommend that he buy? I'd tell him to buy a Revox A-77 since it is lighter and easier on tape than either of those machines and has great playback electronics. The RS-1520, though, has a hell of a good transport, one that isn't matched by anything short of the ATR-100 for low flutter. And it's very good at handling sticky tape too. The electronics are sort of doubtful, though, and no fun at all to align. The MX-5050 is easier to set up and align and it will stay aligned for longer. But the transport isn't half as good as the Technics even though the electronics are far better and MUCH easier to maintain. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#7
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low-rent 1/4" machines
Hi Scott,
Scott Dorsey wrote in message ... I'd tell him to buy a Revox A-77 since it is lighter and easier on tape than either of those machines and has great playback electronics. Can you actually get A-77's with 15ips? All I seem to come across lately is just the 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips units. Cheers :-) |
#8
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low-rent 1/4" machines
The Cableguy wrote:
Scott Dorsey wrote in message ... I'd tell him to buy a Revox A-77 since it is lighter and easier on tape than either of those machines and has great playback electronics. Can you actually get A-77's with 15ips? All I seem to come across lately is just the 3 3/4 and 7 1/2 ips units. Yes, and you _want_ the 7.5/15ips version, because doing the conversion properly requires replacing the motor and the capstan assembly as well as changing the time constants. (You can do it with the low speed motor and drill new holes in the brackets but it's no fun and it's not recommended). You could order them with half or quarter track heads, or even full track mono heads, and with either of the two speed pairs. It's possible to do conversions between configurations but it's not worth the time and money these days for such an inexpensive machine. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#9
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low-rent 1/4" machines
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#10
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low-rent 1/4" machines
The RS-1520, though, has a hell of a good transport, one that isn't matched
by anything short of the ATR-100 for low flutter. And it's very good at handling sticky tape too. The electronics are sort of doubtful, though, and no fun at all to align. I'm convinced the RS1520 was designed by a guy whose wife was seduced by a repair tech. Biggest pain in the ass analog machine I've ever been inside, lots of disassembly required to get to things that need ongoing maintenance. Scott Fraser |
#11
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low-rent 1/4" machines
I'm convinced the RS1520 was designed by a guy whose wife was seduced by a
repair tech. I've had a 1500 for almost 20 years and found it to be the "best" machine for my needs. I have never been unhappy with it. --------------------------------------- "I know enough to know I don't know enough" |
#12
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low-rent 1/4" machines
Yes, but have you ever tried to do something seemingly simple, like get to
the back of the record level pots to shoot some pot cleaner inside? No. I always keep it covered. But I could see that as a major pain. --------------------------------------- "I know enough to know I don't know enough" |
#13
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low-rent 1/4" machines
In article , Rick Ruskin
wrote: I don't think parts are available for the Technics machines anymore. True however I understand working machines are very common on e-bay. The Technics is easier on tape and has lower flutter. It's also a consumer machine and lot less likely to have had the crap beat out of it. -- Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery Recording Project Design and Consulting Box 90412, Nashville TN 37209 Tracking, Mixing, Mastering, Audio for Picture 615.385.8051 FAX: 615.385.8196 Mix Evaluation and Quality Control 40 years of making people sound better than they ever imagined! |
#14
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low-rent 1/4" machines(Technics parts are available, damn it)
Again, I say "not true!" about parts availability on the Technics decks. If
you go to http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/epartr/ & search by model on RS1506US, you'll get a long list, including all heads, motors, reel tables, etc. of available parts to order right there online. The RS1520 list is short, for some reason, but virtually all 1506 parts, including heads, are identical. -- Stephen Sank, Owner & Ribbon Mic Restorer Talking Dog Transducer Company http://stephensank.com 5517 Carmelita Drive N.E. Albuquerque, New Mexico [87111] 505-332-0336 Auth. Nakamichi & McIntosh servicer Payments preferred through Paypal.com "Bob Olhsson" wrote in message ... In article , Rick Ruskin wrote: I don't think parts are available for the Technics machines anymore. True however I understand working machines are very common on e-bay. The Technics is easier on tape and has lower flutter. It's also a consumer machine and lot less likely to have had the crap beat out of it. -- Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery Recording Project Design and Consulting Box 90412, Nashville TN 37209 Tracking, Mixing, Mastering, Audio for Picture 615.385.8051 FAX: 615.385.8196 Mix Evaluation and Quality Control 40 years of making people sound better than they ever imagined! |
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