Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 1, 2007 Moderators Share Posted May 1, 2007 A couple of us on the forum got some 2 track tapes decks to play around with. I will posts some photos later on, I am actually waiting to testify before the Texas legislature, but they have not even recessed from the general session yet. I got mine so that I could do some more playing around with 2 track high speed and be able to do comparisons. I already own a 2 track deck, an Ampex MR-70, the finest tape recorder ever made, and certainly the best tube machine Ampex ever produced. A "loan" from my father, but I don't really have the space for it at home, and it is just way over kill so I got something more practical for home use. However, for those of you who wish to own the finest R2R ever made here is your chance, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150116254911&rd=1&rd=1 Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hey Travis, I resent the DBX info again let me know if you got it. Quite an impressive looking machine with an equally impressive price tag. I am originally from Texas and my aunt's sister is a Texas Senator, ever been to Webb County Laredo, TX area? My uncle was the DA there years ago and practiced criminal law, my grandfather was a real estate lawyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Travis: That site is very confusing. The images are NOT any vacuum tube machine, and that trasnport is a 450 which I spent many hours behind...superb machine with a plinth outweighing many other machines. The electronics appear to be the last gen version. Was the easter bunny a road kill victim? Haven't seen anything yet and I am on days off with time to play... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 the nuvisters are vacuum tubes.....the electronic acccess covers have been removed to show screw slot adjustments...That transport is a MR70 very large top plate 24 1/2" X 19" X 12" deep 130 lbs. I wish i could afford it..But I,m looking for some thing portable......Ive never seen a Ampex 450, perhaps a photo can be found....Ive used a 440B they look simmiler but the 440 is smaller 19" wide. Travis your breaking my heart...I dream of that machine more than my wife...Of course she dreams of that recorde too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Maron: You are correct, sir. It's been 20 years. 440B it was. Controls are nearly or exactly identical. The time period would appear to be about the same, but I cannot help but wonder why they would have used nuvisters? Did they have an early re-ignition of interest in tubes? The old 350 (correct the model number if I am still memory challenged) was a classic VT design with a similar form factor responsible for many classic recordings. When Travis said "Worlds finest..." I started to suggest Kudelski might wish to debate that but decided against it. However, since you mention portability my favorite of all time are the Nagras. Built for combat duty and sweet, sweet, sweet. Carried one on film duty on an Air Force contract for several years and never had a failure, except on operator error when I plugged a camera sync cable in backwards and blew a fuse. Fixed it temporarly with a paperclip and got the shots... Good thing, too, as the 1rst Cav gets ornery when you ask for take 2 on the helicopter assualt. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 The nuvisters were a fast transition to solid state but a great analog sound....440 came after that but the ATR 100 sreies was the killer of killers for a great transport....To bad Ampex got out of the tape recorder market but Japan came out with great competition...Otare etc. Nagra for its size is built like a tank ,,,Love them..MkIV Mk V Cinema industry has stacksof them & still uses them. Travis can give you a better history on the MR70 i believe his dad worked there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hmmm.... I recall the ATR 100 as a single box upright machine which I did not like. I could be memory challenged again. We had a couple of these (if I am thinking of the same one) at my last audio engineer job. What I recall was the transport controls not functioning as precisely as I was used to. Best in that regard was the big old Crown (800, I think) I could rock in and out of record and lift a page noise from between words without so much as a softened consonant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornman Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Travis regarding your earlier post on the DBX, I have a DBX 240 you are welcome to if that will help any? Joe the Cornman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 2, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 2, 2007 Mallette, Are you sure you are not thinking of the ATR 700? The 700's were the last machines and made in Japan by TEAC/Tascam under license from Ampex and were fraught with problems. The ATR 100's were were the last US made Ampex machines and were widely considered to be some of the best they every made. They came in multiple variations, track widths, etc. They are so well regarded there is a company that does nothing but restore and service these machines including the relapping of heads (ATR Magnetics) for the recording industry to keep them going. By the way that thing from Easter shoud be to your place by Sat. or Monday. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 2, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 2, 2007 Maron: You are correct, sir. It's been 20 years. 440B it was. Controls are nearly or exactly identical. The time period would appear to be about the same, but I cannot help but wonder why they would have used nuvisters? Did they have an early re-ignition of interest in tubes? The old 350 (correct the model number if I am still memory challenged) was a classic VT design with a similar form factor responsible for many classic recordings. When Travis said "Worlds finest..." I started to suggest Kudelski might wish to debate that but decided against it. However, since you mention portability my favorite of all time are the Nagras. Built for combat duty and sweet, sweet, sweet. Carried one on film duty on an Air Force contract for several years and never had a failure, except on operator error when I plugged a camera sync cable in backwards and blew a fuse. Fixed it temporarly with a paperclip and got the shots... Good thing, too, as the 1rst Cav gets ornery when you ask for take 2 on the helicopter assualt. Dave Mallette, Marron is correct, my Dad did work at Ampex, for many years, and worked on the MR-70. It is an anomaly, it was an engineer's dream. They were told to make a cost no object machine as a sort of flagship for their professional recorder line. Unfortunatley, it was at a time that when the world was going from tube to solid state. Thus the reason for the nuvistors. They were made right at the cusp of the two. The machine was much more costly then the other machines in the Ampex line, and after the MR-70 they went to their really good SS decks, the MM's. No one seems to really know how many were actually MR-70's were made, some say as many as 100, I have also heard as few as 35. My Dad says that it was closer to 100 then 35, and he seems sure it was 75. He has loaned me his for to use and play with with the agreement that I donate it to the Ampex Library which is at Stanford University. They have all of Dr. Polikov's papers, along with exhibits, several decks and other Ampex artificats, but they don't have an MR-70-yet. The answer to the true number of machines probably lies in the 1000's of documents that are on file there. As to how good a machine it was, and why it is generally considered the finest reel to reel machine, all I can tell you is this: Willie Studer said that after seeing and hearing one operate he made it his life's ambtion to make a better machine. He said he was only able to equal it with the 801, but he never could suprass it. Ampex had no real compitition other then Studer and MCI/Sony. I have never heard anyone with as much authority or experience as Willie Studer say there was a better deck. There was certainly no better tube machine that Ampex ever made. So that is where the "world's best" came from. Now those Naga portables are a thing of beauty, so are the Stellavoxs. But if you really want a nice Nagra, check out the Nagra T-Audio below, now that is a beautiful machine, Swiss made, and only $3,500. The MR-70 on ebay did not sell, which I am very surprised at, given that he is selling a fully functional machine, minus some motor caps, plus spare parts to essentially replace the entire transport, plus the parts to make it a 1/2 inch machine, plus a lot of hard to find nuvistors. I have a good stash, but that guy really hoarded them. I have turned down $10,000 (didn't want to get disowned) for mine and people hunt these things down like sunken treasure (just ask Marron). Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 2, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 2, 2007 Hey Travis, I resent the DBX info again let me know if you got it. Quite an impressive looking machine with an equally impressive price tag. I am originally from Texas and my aunt's sister is a Texas Senator, ever been to Webb County Laredo, TX area? My uncle was the DA there years ago and practiced criminal law, my grandfather was a real estate lawyer. Frzninvt, No wonder you think it is so cold there, no way a Texas boy can survive in VT. I have been to Laredo numerous times, always for pleasure (Nuevo Laredo), but never on business. The dope that runs through there seems to end up being caught in Williamson County which is better from me anyway. Have not been down to Laredo in awhile, too dangerous on the Mexico side. Been a lot of murders and kidnappings of gringos like me. Gilbert is from Laredo, and he was telling me that people he knows, or knows of, who are hispanic and have lived in Laredo their whole lives in Laredo have even been kidnapped and held for ransom. My wife is Silcilian, so I would be afraid if I were kidnapped and she received a ransom she would try and negoiate with them for a lower price![:'(] The nicest bar there, the Cadilac Bar, with sports betting and the whole works, has closed down because of no business. They say they are going to try and go in and clean things up but it could be a long time before that happens. I did not get the email yet, maybe if you try a test one without any attachements we might be able to get it figured out. You can try tcwesq@texas.net or wedefendyourdwi@yahoo.com. But thanks for trying again. I will reply immediately upon receipt. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 2, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 2, 2007 Travis regarding your earlier post on the DBX, I have a DBX 240 you are welcome to if that will help any? Joe the Cornman Is a 240 a router? If so that would help a great deal, I could hook it up just to see if I can get things working right. Frzninvt is also going to get me some advice, hopefully, on the pros and cons between the 400 series router and the 200 series and I will decide on which one to finally go with. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornman Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Correction, it is a DBX 224. Some days I get it ALL wrong it seems. Anyway if you can use it - it's yours. All I ask in return is for an opportunity to hear your Corner Horns someday. Joe the Cornman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted May 2, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 2, 2007 Cornman, Thank you very much for that gracious offer. I have a 224 NR Unit, and I think I need to have this hooked up to the 200 in order for that unit to work properly. You are welcome to listen to my system anytime you like, however, I sold my corner horns last month to Shinerman, and am in the process of getting different speakers in there now, and possible some surprises as well. I am getting requests to have a repeat Centex Klipsch meeting and I will make sure you are invited if we do that. Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsched with Yamahas Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Looks similar to those used in Radio Station recording........air checks, ads, promo's, etc. Would that be circa mid-70s? Intimidating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted May 2, 2007 Share Posted May 2, 2007 Travis....You dont have a safe big enough to hide your MR70....Im slithering up your lawn as you read this !!! I have a brochure on the Nagra T,,,,Thats all covered with slobber.... never saw one live...Yes I understand a MR70 is still crated here in the mid west...A aquaintence order,d one,, it was delivered the day he died, no trace of the unit has been found. The family dont know where its at....Tis a mystery ive been trying to solve...No money drawn from his personal account to pay for it...or who might have attempted delivery...Its a mystery to me.. The alledged owner was a albino who collected all kinds of things...I saw in his home Parts of Titan rocket engins....Parts of GE jet engins,,,, all kinds of rare metals,,,A small lead container with some radio active particles......He had a rare AMPEX recorder that had the capstan on the left side and was a pusher type transport....It was origionally owned by Washington Univ....and was discarded...It wound up in his closit....But where is that darn MR70? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn51 Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Don,t forget there was a little company call 3M that made killer decks that many studio's bought over Ampex and Studer back in the day. 3m even built a 3" deck to bad they stoped making tape and decks. The had a nice simple transport that was very stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Was,nt that the closed loop 3M-79 ? A beautiful machine with a 1" capstan.......Technics 1500 was a copy of that design but not as robust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn51 Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Yes that the beast the m79 I have the two track version that came out of Electric lady land.I wounder how many hits were recoded on it. I use it to mixdown on and play some killer sounding live tapes I have made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 Wow that must be some historicle machine....I still have some pics of those recorders somewhere. I still have box,s of master tapes of St. Louis Philharminic,, Archived in storage. got rid of the big recorders AMPEX 440 etc....Looking for a lightweight playback only,, like a Studer PR99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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