Wardsweb Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Here is my latest project. I totally went through this deck cleaning, lubing and a new factory capstan belt. While I as at it, I veneered the case in Brazilian rosewood. All that's left now is to machine some billet feet. Vinyl and now tape, I guess I'm an analog guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 How does that machine compare to the Revox A700? Just curious, I have a little-used A700 that sounds wonderful when I fire it up. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsweb Posted August 14, 2006 Author Share Posted August 14, 2006 How does that machine compare to the Revox A700? Just curious, I have a little-used A700 that sounds wonderful when I fire it up. Larry That was wierd. When I posted nothing came through. Anyway, I was saying this is my third X-1000R deck. It is one of my all time favorites. When setup correctly you will be hard pressed to tell the difference between the tape and source. Besides those big reels turning just look cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Nice! Here is a r2r site with lots of good info... http://vsg.cape.com/~pbaum/magtape.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Wardsweb, nice deck I have Revox B77 that I went through awhile back. Like you it does not get fired up alot, but I really enjoy having it. I will look for a pic. You like big reels. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Looks great. Relative to consumer open reel decks, that was definitely new school! Had dbx, bi-directional record and playback, could use the EE tape that came out very close to the end of consumer interest in reel-to-reel. But I know what you mean, open reel is definitely old school compared to DAT and other digital formats. Larry, ReVox is great. I have owned four of them (2 quarter track A77s, 1 half track A77, and 1 half track PR99), but never the A-700. Its retail was way higher than the A77. It was their top semi-pro machine for some time. http://www.reeltoreel.de/worldwide/A700.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted August 15, 2006 Moderators Share Posted August 15, 2006 How does that machine compare to the Revox A700? Just curious, I have a little-used A700 that sounds wonderful when I fire it up. Larry That was wierd. When I posted nothing came through. Anyway, I was saying this is my third X-1000R deck. It is one of my all time favorites. When setup correctly you will be hard pressed to tell the difference between the tape and source. Besides those big reels turning just look cool. Luther, As you know, I love R2R and have a ton of it. Right now I am running a Tandberg 10XD and Technics RS 1700 for high speed, both will run up 15IPS. I have a rack mount RT 909 coming for that rack you dropped off and I still have that Pioneer RT 1011, I just can't seem to part with it. My next project is to restore my Ampex with my Dad's help. I have tons of tape so let me know when you are really to record. That 3M 996 you have is great stuff. Stay away from Scotch, 3M and Ampex vintage tape unless you can test it and check it out personally, there are just too many pitfalls. The great news is that Emtec is being made again, it's pricey but excellent, I will give you a reel of that to try. The kind I have is eq for +9 db if your deck will let you read that. I also have several cases of 456 and 499 pancakes so if you have some extra metal reels we can slap some new pancakes on them. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Larry, ReVox is great. I have owned four of them (2 quarter track A77s, 1 half track A77, and 1 half track PR99), but never the A-700. Its retail was way higher than the A77. It was their top semi-pro machine for some time.Oops, misremembered -- mine is an A77, quarter track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Is there that much interest in Reel to Reel. First stereo set-up I bought Overseas included an Akai glass X field heads, Auto Reverse, record, playback either direction, all the belles and whistle's for an early 70's tape machine....................Found not many people liked the Big Reels, tapes didn't store well over long periods, and a buddy kept after me to sell it to him, he wore me down, and I sold it, funny, ran into the guy last week, sold it 30 years ago, and he still has and uses it, unbelievable..................Akai built nice tape equipment............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsweb Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 Luther, As you know, I love R2R and have a ton of it. Right now I am running a Tandberg 10XD and Technics RS 1700 for high speed, both will run up 15IPS. I have a rack mount RT 909 coming for that rack you dropped off and I still have that Pioneer RT 1011, I just can't seem to part with it. My next project is to restore my Ampex with my Dad's help. I have tons of tape so let me know when you are really to record. That 3M 996 you have is great stuff. Stay away from Scotch, 3M and Ampex vintage tape unless you can test it and check it out personally, there are just too many pitfalls. The great news is that Emtec is being made again, it's pricey but excellent, I will give you a reel of that to try. The kind I have is eq for +9 db if your deck will let you read that. I also have several cases of 456 and 499 pancakes so if you have some extra metal reels we can slap some new pancakes on them. <>Travis Very cool Travis - We have more in common than I thought. Thanks for the offer. I'll have to drive up some time for another listening session. I have several reels of the 3M and Maxell. I even have a "bankers box" with reels of 1/2" tape, if anyone has a use for some. I sold that deck years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 i have a silver face x-1000 R, setting here in my system now also, nice looking and sounding deck just doesnt get used near as it should, neither does the nakamichi 505 for that matter vinyl spins 90 percent of the time when im home and wifey likes fm, or digital, im waiting for winter to post them for sale hate to see them set around if anyone is interested in either i am willing to listen Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Nice to see reel to reel is still alive....But I,m getting out..Sold my Ampex 440 & Technics 1500. Sold my Sennheiser & Neumam mics. Now I,m looking for a buyer for my master tapes (19 yrs worth) No problems with oxide, no stickys...All live recordings of the St louis Philharmonic. Ive been givin permission to get rid of them. I just sold all of my commercial prerecorded tapes. RCA, Col. Barkley Crocker etc etc. If any body is interested ?? send me a PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldenough Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I've got the x-2000-r, this series of deck were supposed to be about as good as it get's for home use. Hav'nt used mine in a long while, not even sure if i have any tapes anymore. But i've got a lot of empty 10" reels. I remember that it was a good sounding deck, got it from a relative who had hardly used it, thought it looked really cool. Maybe i'll get it out of the attic and fire it up later. John... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Maron, you have a PM. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WS65711 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Stay away from Scotch . . . Is that what you advise all your clients ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Nothing wrong with Scotch.....or Ampex ...The problem only lasted a couple of years ...poor binder batch that everybody was useing. It hit every body. I had bought in bulk years before that happened. So I got off unscathed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsweb Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 Stay away from Scotch . . . <> >Is that what you advise all your clients ??? Even if it's single malt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Don't let Nic get ahold of all this Scotch talk[] I sure wish I had never sold my baby, on 10" reels I could run 6hrs straight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted August 15, 2006 Moderators Share Posted August 15, 2006 I've got the x-2000-r, this series of deck were supposed to be about as good as it get's for home use. Hav'nt used mine in a long while, not even sure if i have any tapes anymore. But i've got a lot of empty 10" reels. I remember that it was a good sounding deck, got it from a relative who had hardly used it, thought it looked really cool. Maybe i'll get it out of the attic and fire it up later. John... Looking forward to hearing what you think, and how it is working. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted August 15, 2006 Moderators Share Posted August 15, 2006 Nothing wrong with Scotch.....or Ampex ...The problem only lasted a couple of years ...poor binder batch that everybody was useing. It hit every body. I had bought in bulk years before that happened. So I got off unscathed. No, no, no, no, no I wish that were the case, but it's not. I don't want anyone to get any false sense of security in looking for used tape. There are two issues with the binder, one results in the form of sheding. This is the problem with Ampex. The other issue causes goo to leach out from the tape on the head side that slimes up the whole tape path. This slime builds up to the point where the tape will just stop, or build up on the heads where the recording level drops to dead quiet. This is caused by humidity being absorbed by the tape, and then later being released as goo. With Ampex 456 the shedding problem went all the way up to 1995, spanning over two decades. It was not a problem with 499 or GP9. It was not a bad batch of binder, it was using short strand fibers vs. long as raw material for the binder. It did not hit everyone, Emtec/BASF never had a problem with it nor Maxell or TDK. Do not buy used Ampex/Quantagy 456 pre-2000 unless you are very familar with the lot numbers and you KNOW how the tape was stored. Temp is not as much a problem as the humidity it was kept in. The Scotch 956 prosessional mastering tape uses a different binder and there are few problems with it. As to the other 3M, 806, etc., it is a crap shoot and you need to have assurances they will allow it's return. Don't take my word for it, Steve Hoffman talks about trying to remaster with 456 and encountering problems with tape from the 80's. He probably has more experience with trying to work with 456 then anyone on the planet. Ampex had so many problems with the shedding issue they issued white papers about baking (which only buys you a couple of weeks of use) down to the temp of the oven (125) and the time to bake it for. However, if you like to hear squeel from your tape as it is played, buy up all of the 456 you can find. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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