reel to reel to CD

[Deleted]

Hi
Back in 1990, I cut an EP onto vinyl (still have most of them in my garage)
Anyway, I have the mixed master 'reel to reel' tape which has a few tracks that have never been played really, and I want to put them all onto CD if possibe. Only problem is that I can't find anyone with a reel to reel locally. I'm also uncertain what speed it ran at. Its an ampex 456 tape if that any sort of clue. Any help out there? Cheers
TT

[Stevie]

Hi TT, I have a working R2R Sony deck, but I'm not exactly "local" If I can help, then I'll try. If it has not been played in all those years, won't there be a little magnetic particles creep with the resultant negative effect on the recording? I'm thinking of old old cassettes that are a cause for great disappointment when given an airing.....

[Deleted]

Hi Stevie
There may well be some extra adverse noises from lack of use, but that will save me artificially reproducing them a la Massive Attack. If I posted it to you, could you have a go? I'll pay studio rates if you like (not abbey road rates mind).
TT

[Stevie]

Hi TT, having a working deck is only part of the equation. I bought it from a work colleague for £50 described as working, a clear out from his father's estate. He also gave me a belt drive Technics deck that I took rather than see it go into the skip.
Here's the thing, are you prepared to chance your luck with someone who (allegedly) grew up in the cassette era and who has never even threaded a tape through the transport mechanism to make free with your precious archive? In my time I've managed to total one "precious" super 8 film (probably due to alcohol though!)
If you are still up for it, them PM me and we'll sort something out. I can do the transfer to CD bit, but you're challenging me to bring it down from the loft and hook it up. I did buy a repair kit for it from eBay containing instructions and 4 belts in "just in case". What if it turns out that it doesn't actually work or even worse- chews up your tape?
Let me know what you think, preferably via PM to avoid cluttering up the forum.

[Michael Messer]

I have missed this thread until now....

Steve, I think you have to go up in the loft....

TT, If Steve's reel to reel doesn't work out, I can point you at a few studios who would transfer the analogue tape to digital. In fact there is probably one in your neck of the woods, so you could take it in to be done, rather than posting it.

I used to have a Revox and could easily have done it for you, but it went a few years ago.

There are probably a few forum members with with Revox or Studer tape machines....?

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

On balance, I might ask you MM for a couple of leads in my area first, and then get Stevie in the attic if required!
Thanks very much both so far.
TT
BTW, I used to have a lovely teac four track reel to reel, which I would bounce down to a second reel to reel for a few extra tracks. Some skill was required when stopping one at the right time with braking applied by finger, as half a reel could often propel itself up the wall / ceiling etc. Good times....

[Stevie]

TT, it's a Sony TC377. The electrical inspector at work who sold it to me is a capable and reliable, old-school type. When he said it worked, I believe him.
Michael, I know what you're driving at! If I had the space, it would at the very least be on display. ;<D. He threw in several reels and some unused blank tapes too.

[blueshome]

Whilst I have access to various studio tape machines and could possibly have helped with a recent tape, there is a major problem with a reel like yours is that it is very likely to shed the magnetic coating as it passes through the machine after all this time and be unplayable.

To prevent this, and get one shot at a transfer it may need to be "baked". This is quite specialist. If you search the web you should find someone that can do this and make the transfers. This is probably your best chance and is the route I would take if I were desperate to recover the material despite having access to tape machines myself.

[Deleted]

Thanks Phil
I'll give that some serious thought.
I have masses of cassettes some from late 70's that don't sound too bad (or different at all). I'm hoping the reel will be at least salvageable and at best still near perfect.
TT

[toremainn]

I was searching for the same thing and found this 3 years ago:

www.ebay.de/itm/Phillips-Compact-Disc-Recorder-CDR-870-Schwarz-/221036062727?pt=DE_Elektronik_Computer_Audio_Hi_Fi_CD_Player&hash=item3376c6a807

I didn't know it excisted.
Great for everything.

Tore

[Michael Messer]

Phil does make a good point about old tapes, but I don't think 20 years, if the tape has been stored properly, is long enough for any damage to occur.

I too have old cassettes, some from the 70s, that are still perfect. They are good quality TDK SA and Metal cassettes. I do have lots of cheap cassettes that have had sound drop out. The worst I have experienced was with audio masters made in the mid 80s on Betamax video tape! It sounds crazy now, but when I recorded Diving Duck we mixed it on to Betamax video tape. Ten or so years later, I tried to play the Betamax masters and they had lost most of the music. There were large areas of drop-out with nothing there at all.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

Thanks for those replies - I like that CD recorder idea. Maybe I'll get one, and a reel to reel, and set up a new business!
TT