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#1
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Mara Machines
I've always wanted a rebuilt ATR-102 to transfer all of my reels, but
the $10K price tag is hard to swallow. Now there's an option at half the price: The Mara Machines 2-track 1/4" is $5,000. They rebuild MCI machines. What do you think? I thought about buying one, using it for a year or two, and selling it. However, things I buy tend to depreciate rapidly. http://maramachines.com/machines/ |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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Mara Machines
On 10/12/2018 10:04 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
I've always wanted a rebuilt ATR-102 to transfer all of my reels, but the $10K price tag is hard to swallow. Now there's an option at half the price: The Mara Machines 2-track 1/4" is $5,000. They rebuild MCI machines. What do you think? I thought about buying one, using it for a year or two, and selling it. However, things I buy tend to depreciate rapidly. Mara will be at the AES show next week. Go there and check them out. Advance registration closes after this weekend, so the Exhibits Plus pass is still free with a promo code. AES18NOW is a good one. http://www.aes.org/events/145/registration I'm sure Mara will sell you a good JH-110, but that's no ATR-102. I think this is a fad and in a couple of years, you'll have a hard time selling it, but I could be wrong. There are lots of nutty people in this business. Will it make you enough money so you can afford a loss or not selling it at all? Or is this your midlife crisis Ferrari and you don't care how much you lose as long as you're having fun? Frankly, I think you'd have more fun and learn more with an easier-to-maintain 16- or 24-track like an Ampex MM1200, and for probably less money. -- For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com |
#3
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Mara Machines
mcp6453 wrote:
I've always wanted a rebuilt ATR-102 to transfer all of my reels, but the $10K price tag is hard to swallow. Now there's an option at half the price: The Mara Machines 2-track 1/4" is $5,000. They rebuild MCI machines. What do you think? I thought about buying one, using it for a year or two, and selling it. However, things I buy tend to depreciate rapidly. http://maramachines.com/machines/ I saw the folks at the AES show. What they are selling is a beautifully rebuilt MCI JH-110 with Mara logos glued on the front. It's a nice job, but it's still just a JH-110. Honestly, $5000 for a JH-110? I don't care how nice it looks, it's a JH-110. The JH-110 is a decent broadcast-grade machine, but really. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#4
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Mara Machines
Scott Dorsey wrote: "The JH-110 is a decent broadcast-grade machine, but really.
--scott" If I could run signal through a kitchen toaster and it sounded great at the other end, why not? |
#5
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Mara Machines
In article ,
wrote: Scott Dorsey wrote: "The JH-110 is a decent broadcast-grade machine, but really. --scott" If I could run signal through a kitchen toaster and it sounded great at the other end, why not? That's fine but I'm not paying $5k for a toaster even if it makes me sound like Jascha Heifitz. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#6
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Mara Machines
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#7
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Mara Machines
On 10/20/2018 3:37 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
mcp6453 wrote: I've always wanted a rebuilt ATR-102 to transfer all of my reels, but the $10K price tag is hard to swallow. Now there's an option at half the price: The Mara Machines 2-track 1/4" is $5,000. They rebuild MCI machines. What do you think? I thought about buying one, using it for a year or two, and selling it. However, things I buy tend to depreciate rapidly. http://maramachines.com/machines/ I saw the folks at the AES show. What they are selling is a beautifully rebuilt MCI JH-110 with Mara logos glued on the front. It's a nice job, but it's still just a JH-110. Honestly, $5000 for a JH-110? I don't care how nice it looks, it's a JH-110. The JH-110 is a decent broadcast-grade machine, but really. --scott What machine would you suggest as an alternative? It has to be something with excellent tape handling since a lot of these tapes are old and brittle. And they are broadcast tapes, for the most part. |
#8
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Mara Machines
mcp6453 wrote:
What machine would you suggest as an alternative? It has to be something with excellent tape handling since a lot of these tapes are old and brittle. And they are broadcast tapes, for the most part. Revox B77 or PR99. Watch out for the button assembly on the front panel, they are not repairable and if the plastic is brittle, wait for another unit. The Revox machines are unbelievably light on tape compared with the studio machines. They do have a lot of fixed surface area in contact with the tape so they have more issues with sticky tapes than an ATR-100. The flutter is higher than on an ATR-100 but no worse than a 440. They are a major pain to align but for playback only you don't care. I don't know who is doing refurbs on Revoxes but they have to be out there. Jon Hall used to do very good work. They are easy machines to work on and everything is modular. If the heads are good and the buttons are good, buy the machine and put a new pinch roller on it as soon as you get it. The A77 is as good a machine, and they don't have the button issues, but they are a good bit older and parts are harder to find. Watch out that some of these machines were quarter track/7.5 ips, and not only don't you want one of those but you don't want a machine that was badly converted to high speed because there are some of those out there. If the capstan area has been crudely drilled out, stay away. If you're looking for a studio machine, the JH-110 is not a bad one, nor is the Ampex 440. Both can be had for a few hundred dollars in good shape. Ask on the Ampex Mailing List or the equivalent MCI list. But if I were dealing with tapes in poor condition I'd go the Revox route. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#9
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Mara Machines
On 12/15/2018 10:13 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
mcp6453 wrote: What machine would you suggest as an alternative? It has to be something with excellent tape handling since a lot of these tapes are old and brittle. And they are broadcast tapes, for the most part. Revox B77 or PR99. Watch out for the button assembly on the front panel, they are not repairable and if the plastic is brittle, wait for another unit. The Revox machines are unbelievably light on tape compared with the studio machines. They do have a lot of fixed surface area in contact with the tape so they have more issues with sticky tapes than an ATR-100. The flutter is higher than on an ATR-100 but no worse than a 440. They are a major pain to align but for playback only you don't care. I don't know who is doing refurbs on Revoxes but they have to be out there. Jon Hall used to do very good work. They are easy machines to work on and everything is modular. If the heads are good and the buttons are good, buy the machine and put a new pinch roller on it as soon as you get it. The A77 is as good a machine, and they don't have the button issues, but they are a good bit older and parts are harder to find. Watch out that some of these machines were quarter track/7.5 ips, and not only don't you want one of those but you don't want a machine that was badly converted to high speed because there are some of those out there. If the capstan area has been crudely drilled out, stay away. If you're looking for a studio machine, the JH-110 is not a bad one, nor is the Ampex 440. Both can be had for a few hundred dollars in good shape. Ask on the Ampex Mailing List or the equivalent MCI list. But if I were dealing with tapes in poor condition I'd go the Revox route. --scott Fascinating. Back when I had Revoxes, I "Jonesed" for an AG440, 280B, or J110. If anyone finds a good PR99, I would appreciate the referral. |
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