lo123 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I have a Tandberg 9200XD that is in pristine condition but has not been used for years. Local audio shop that lubed and serviced my vintage Dual 1229 turntable indicated that servicing Tandberg decks was a high risk effort with certain high costs and potentially obsolete parts - in other words, high bench charges with no certainty that they could provide a certified unit. Any other Tandberg owners who have had better luck with their decks? I am in St. Louis area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 Thanks again for the additional info. Unfortunately, I'm having a tough time finding anything decent that isn't $1000 or more. The few that I have found in the $300-400 range are out of driving distance. I refuse to have something like this shipped, as I would like to get a unit in one piece instead of 70, which UPS and FedEx are famous for. I just don't trust someone on ebay to pack it properly to survive shipment. I have had too many things damaged that were less fragile than a RTR deck. Any Klipsch'sters within a few hours of Stroudsburg, PA that want to sell a RTR unit? [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hello Jon.... Great on your work at Full Sail ! Being a pro musician and recording at some pretty nice studios, we have seen many of the machines you have worked with. We have even LINKED two Studer 24 tracks machines in sync so we could get all the vocal overdubs !!! At home, I still have my pride and joy SONY TC-388-4 quad deck I bought new in 1974.. SEE PHOTO as it looks today... Since I am now updating a pair of Dynaco MK III amps for my K'Horns (see 'Blown Away' thread in this forum), I am now adding to my tape collection. Yes, they are 7" reels running at 7.5 IPS... For me, this is the way to listen to analog recordings! Most would agree that a wider dynamic range, no clicks-pops and better channel separation can be had in this format. (after all, most LPs are copies made from TAPE MASTERS!) I just purchased a Neil Diamond reel in mint shape from EBAY for $10. with shipping ! (buy it now - NOT auctioned) At this time, I have some really nice recordings of various symphonic works, some pretty important on LP format. There is not even a finger print on the solid grey colored reels [] For those into Leroy Anderson, I have a reel featuring HIMSELF as the conductor of his own works!! I can't believe how good this 1950ies recording still sounds! You'll love this hobbie, good luck hunting........... All best, Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nu2toobs Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I'm using a Tandberg TD 20A. I'm having it freshened up at the moment with one of the 2 guys that has nos parts in the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipbarrett Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Unfortunately, I'm having a tough time finding anything decent that isn't $1000 or more. They come up on Craigslist all the time, just keep an eye open, you'll find a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hello again, Hope you don't mind if I ask your advice on particular units as I find them as I've never owned one before. I found a Tandberg 9000X for $400 with several tapes. The owner claims it was used from 1974 to 1982 then stored in climate control, given TLC, etc. However, much like Picky's RTR that has sat in storage, my worry is that this unit won't come out of retirement well. Is there a good chance that this guy will have developed problems- i.e. solenoids, belts, dry rotted rubber, etc? Also, it seems to be the opinion here that Tandbergs can be unreliable / difficult to service. On the flip side, this is not on eBay, so I would be able to evaluate the unit without commitment to buy. So, I would insist on threading it up and seeing how it works. Any thoughts on this one? I'm sorry for not posting a link. In years past, I would not have hesitated. However, as we can recall from the Klipsch pro speakers incident, while most people are VERY decent and honorable here (the best I've found), there are a few lurkers that can steal a deal. I would really rather that not happen to me! On another note, I did find a stereo outlet that is having a massive used equipment sale today and tomorrow. They have RTR, and say all equipment is fully functional and serviced if necessary. I called at 10:30 and got the machine stating they were still closed! I left a message; we'll see what happens. -Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipbarrett Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Any thoughts on this one? I'm sorry for not posting a link. In years past, I would not have hesitated. However, as we can recall from the Klipsch pro speakers incident, while most people are VERY decent and honorable here (the best I've found), there are a few lurkers that can steal a deal. LOL - happened to me, as soon as the seller said, oh the guy pipped you, he's travelling in from XYZ state I knew exactly what had happened. Sadly, it's best to keep those sweet CL deals to yourself around here. As to the RTR, the most popuar domestic machines in the US were probably Akai, Sony & Tandberg with the higher end dominated by Technics. These machines will probably have worn belts & rubber by now with little or no chance of finding spare parts particularly since many different types & models were imported. Conversely the pro machines from Revox, Teac/Tascam & even Otari were destined for heavy duty use, designed to be regularly servicible and since fewer model types were available, should have a good selection of parts & service information available. For example, my local studio service technician works on all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 For example, my local studio service technician works on all of them. Where are you located? I might possibly be in he market for a 1/2 -1 inch 16 track. Price range would probably go from a Fostex - Tascam - Otari. I'm just south of Chattanooga, so I could drive to Atlanta or Nashville pretty easily for transport. Memphis would work...Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 I heard back from the stereo outlet, and they have three decks available, that have all been serviced. All are 3 head, 3 motor. They are: Akai GX-270D - 7" - $165 Teac X-300R - 7" came in still in the box - $165 Sony TC-755 10" with adapter hubs - $225 It's a little over 2 hour trip, so I'll have some time to think. These are at a good price point for me. I have a feeling if I were to try to get a Revox, Studer, etc that they would be a lot more. I'll see what they're like. If they're in as good shape as he says they are, I have a feeling I'll be coming home with one tonight. I'll let you guys know. It would be even sweeter if they had some reels to pick up as well, then I could start using it right away. Can you tell I'm impatient? LOL. -Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I would probably go with the Sony of those you listed. The 10" reels are way cool and that unit is nice looking. Making tapes especially compilations from cds and lps is fun and it gives the digital cd sound a little analog warmth. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Well, I am happy to say I now the owner of a reel to reel tape deck! I did end up going with the Sony TC-755 as the allure of the 10" reel was too strong to resist. Plus, it was the most solid and substantial of the three. The Akai and Teac were pretty small by comparison. When we first set it up, sound was intermittent. It turned out to just be a dirty contact in the pause switch, which was causing the mute relay to engage. he still took $75 off, bringing the price to $150, and threw in two unopened boxes of BASF tape. It's 7", 1200' "Durable / High Performance Magnetic Recording Tape". I have no intentions of doing any recording, thus I won't open them. Still they're nice to have, and if I ever sell the unit, I'll it would make a nice bonus to throw in. I also bought three tapes for $15, which can be seen in the next pic. The Brahms and Rachmaninoff are RCA Living Stereo, the E. Power Biggs is Columbia. As I type this, I'm listening to the Brahms. I can't really make a good determination of sound quality yet, as this tape seems to be pretty noisy. I notice a fair amount of background hiss on this particular tape. Next, I'll throw on the Biggs and see what happens. What I can comment on so far is that everything works, which is good. Being from the 70's, I'm thinking this may need to be recapped eventually, if it hasn't already been done. In the interest of looking ahead, is there anyone you guys would recommend to do such a job when it became necessary? In the pic- note the Interclean head cleaner bottle in the bottom right, and the hub adaptors on top. The interclean was not part of the purchase, I already had that. I pulled it out to give the unit a once over. I was glad I did, it was kinda dirty. -Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Here's the tapes: Left to right- 1. Brahms Concerto No. 2 - RCA Living Stereo 2. Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3 / Symphony of the Air - RCA Living Stereo 3. E. Power Biggs "What Child is This" Christmas Festival - Columbia 4. Two packs of BASF blank tape, still wrapped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 I thought I should add my impressions after listening to another tape. As it turns out, the Brahms tape was at fault. The E. Power Biggs tape is nice and quiet, and sounds far better. Clearer, quieter, and less compressed. I guess the Brahms tape just isn't in good shape anymore. Glad it was just the tape and not the machine. I can see that I'm going to have an interesting hunt ahead of me to find tapes that are still in good shape. How long were reel to reel tapes made? I'd like to find some from the 70's and 80's - classic rock and jazz especially. -Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Bear in mind that, as always, it's about the engineering, not the medium. I have the vinyl of that Biggs Christmas album and it's a very fine piece of engineering and artistry. I am not suprised that it sounds great on R2R. R2R was high speed dumped by a wide variety of means, some good, some not so good, and to a wide variety of tape stock of various characteristics as well. As a professional audio engineer in those days I spent hours testing tape stocks and the differences were striking. I recall one type that sounded good, but if you stretched it ALL the oxide would simply fall away. In the end days, I genearlly relied on TDK-SA and Ampex 407, 457 when I needed the very best and was willing to pay for it. Get on ebay and do a search. You will find a wide variety of pre-recorded R2R often at bargain basement prices...especially when someone is selling a group of them. Some great stuff is out there. I have the Beatles "Meet the Beatles" US debut album on R2R and it is FAR superior to any of the vinyl of that I've heard. I have "Revolver" transferred Dolby C and DBX to metal cassette from an R2R I found in the National University of Singapore library and it is unbelieveable compared to the album in other media. DWILawyer (Travis) sent me a Theatre organ tape that ROCKS with bass you can hear for a block. Have fun...but digitize them. While much less prone to wear than vinyl they are still analog sources and will deteriorate from wear eventually. The Europeans used to store theirs tails out to minimize print through. However, 90% of the print through that will ever happen to magnetic tape happens in the first year when the field are most strong, so such precautions are meaningless for 40 year old tapes. Also, you should obtain a DBX unit for maximum pleasure. If you don't have a good enough ear yet to properly set it to restore dynamics from gain riding, just set it at 1.1 to eliminate hiss. You'll be glad you did. As I've said before I find the failure of analog audiophiles to apply dynamic restoration as incomprehensible as someone who'd refuse to use RIAA or NAB decompensation. Plain silly. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 Dave, Any specific DBX model you would recommend? I see there are multiple units out there. I found a DBX II 122 unit for really cheap, it looks to be from the 70's. Were there different units used for different tapes at different times? If so, are they compatible? Also found a 224 for cheap that's in good shape. The 128 seems to be the most adjustable of the ones I've discovered so far. Some of the others just had a few push buttons and that was it, whereas the 128 has the threshold knob. Would that be the one to use? -Jon EDIT: My Dad has an old noise reduction unit that he used to use with records. It's a Phase Linear if I remember correctly. It's in a big wood case. Don't know if that would work or you specifically need a DBX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 122 and 224 are for recording, and work very well. However, I was talking about post processing pre-recorded tapes with the DBX dynamic expansion units like 1BX, 3BX, 4BX, etc. These apply a user-controllable amount of dynamic expansion...making loud parts louder and soft parts softer. If you have a good ear for dynamics, a precise setting can be found that will fully restore LP's, cassettes, R2R and any other dynamically compressed recordings to digital dynamic range. If you are used to using one, the best way to start is by setting the volume you wish to listen at, then find a bit of unrecorded tape. Set the DBX just until the noise disappears and that is a minimum setting. Rock and Roll has a LOT of compression, a violin sonata very little. Each recording has a sweet spot. I've been using DBX since the '70s and pretty deftly just hit the spot without much thought. Do a bit of research. You'll find lots of luddites who eschew this, but, I've said for years that it is just as essential as reversing RIAA compensation as far as I am concerned. I have a 4BX (which are fairly pricey), a 3BX (which many like because they are an older 100% analog design) which is much less expensive, and my original 117, which can be had really cheap and is a good unit if you just want to surpress tape noise. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 An old friend of mine has one of these DBX units, I am not sure which model, but I thought the name given on it was called a 'Compander', is that right ?? I know they were known for there noise reduction and compressor units. It worked pretty well from what I remember... ......Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 An old friend of mine has one of these DBX units, I am not sure which model, but I thought the name given on it was called a 'Compander', is that right ?? I know they were known for there noise reduction and compressor units. It worked pretty well from what I remember... ......Gary See if you can borrow it. Use it VERY judiciously at first, just to silence tape hiss and LP surface noise. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipbarrett Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Let me just clarify the dbx thing. The 122 & 224 models are noise reduction systems using an encoding process on recording which is then decoded on playback. Use of one of these units on an unencoded tape will sound truly dreadful (horrendous pumping & HF noise). The system was available in both 2 & 24 channel versions but never tracked quite right and was always seen as a poor-man's substitute for Dolby-A (unless you wanted a sloppy drum track tightened up). The BX series are purely a playback only process as my fellow Texan points out (I have a BX-3) and can be quite effective if used judiciously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Let me just clarify the dbx thing. The 122 & 224 models are noise reduction systems using an encoding process on recording which is then decoded on playback. Use of one of these units on an unencoded tape will sound truly dreadful (horrendous pumping & HF noise). The system was available in both 2 & 24 channel versions but never tracked quite right and was always seen as a poor-man's substitute for Dolby-A (unless you wanted a sloppy drum track tightened up). The BX series are purely a playback only process as my fellow Texan points out (I have a BX-3) and can be quite effective if used judiciously. Correct on all points except that DBX precode is what you use right now on TV. It worked well and artifact free, and still does. On the post side, DBX companders work as well as the ears of the person setting them. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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