2''Tape machine

Marty Smith · Post by **Marty Smith** » 4 Aug 2009 4:41 pm

I have set up a recording studio here at the house. We have a mobile recording unit in the back that has a 2'' 32 track tape machine,mixing console,all the goods you can imagine,we run snakes out into the livingroom and have some of the Best Vintage Mics. We started out recording with one room mic ,then we ended up with a mic on each amp,insterment,vocals,etc.
We have made some real nice recordings, now I really apriciate the work of tape recording,and how much nicer it is than digital. We have been recording all live with steel,SG,banjo, uke,bass fiddle, fiddle,trombone,trumpet,clarinet,sometimes drums (our drummer has a killer 20's dixe setup).
Acustic rythm guitar.
Its really a great sounding recording.Soon I will have an album , recorded live in the livingroom.
I have been lucky to know a great sound engineer is sort of an analog purist. Studio quality!what do you think? In LA on friday night? Let me know if you want to check it out here exept Truck Drivers Blues,and Steel Guitar Rag http://www.myspace.com/martysmithandthemooneyhams

Marty

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 7 Aug 2009 10:36 pm

Gotta love some 2"--we have a MCI JH110 24 track and an Ampex MM1100 16 track at our studio--we track onto the 2" a lot and then transfer into Pro Tools HD...

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » 14 Aug 2009 8:59 am

I worked at a studio that had an Ampex MM1000 16-track (2") with a switchable headstack and hub adapters for 1" 8-track. We also had an Otari MX80 32 Track machine. That big ol' Ampex had the fattest sound I ever heard. We'd mix down to digital audio tape (this was in the '80s before Pro Tools).

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 17 Aug 2009 6:51 am

You are to be commended on your zeal for recording and your deep pockets in actually using a 2" tape machine!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 17 Aug 2009 11:04 am

Some people would use a different work than zeal...

:)

Walter Bowden · Post by **Walter Bowden** » 23 Aug 2009 7:11 pm

If you are using analog tape machines w/ 2" tape, 16 individual tracks have more width per track than 24 sharing the same 2" tape width. If you cut at 30ips (if the machine runs at that speed) and use a high saturation level tape like Scotch 996 or equivalent, you can get a really fat, low noise recording IF the machine is properly lined up. You will burn through tape faster but, it is a great sound and you can cut a REALLY HOT signal that digital will have a hard time emulating.

Ian Sutton · Post by **Ian Sutton** » 5 Nov 2009 11:22 am

great recording - the Bob Wills-esque yelling in the background is great too!

Jim Patton · Post by **Jim Patton** » 11 Dec 2009 6:26 am

I've got a hybrid setup at my studio. I still mix to my MTR10 every once in a while but for the most part I just record straight to Logic these days. Mixing is another story. I still take the time to route analog audio to my desk and mix down through it. Voltage summing!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 11 Dec 2009 7:04 am

Nice Jim--are those custom echo returns with preamps on top on your Neotek? We just installed a 36 input Neotek Series 3C that was custom built for the legendary Lonnie Mack around 1979. The only Neotek I have seen that has all VU meters. Great sounding consoles...I had a Series 2 in the '90's also....

Ian Sutton · Post by **Ian Sutton** » 11 Dec 2009 7:11 am

Tell me a little more about these channel strips if you don't mind.

I'm really interested in building up an API Lunchbox for my home studio.

Jim Patton · Post by **Jim Patton** » 11 Dec 2009 7:49 am

Actually they have a few functions. My series 1 was short loaded (channels 1-4 were blank panels). So there are 4 Neve clones built into each strip (N72 SCA kits). So channels 1-4 are Neve mic preamps with direct outs. Flip switches on channels 1&2 and the OTs feed the 2-mix...flip 2 switches on channels 3&4 and the Neves become the consoles 2 mix (since Neve 1272s were always used as buss summing amps you wire the buss wire to the top of the input transformer with a switch). I know weird huh...took me a few years to dream this up. So the Neotek's original 2-mix I rewired to the buss 7-8 switches (extra buss outputs). So the 2-mix I use is actually located at channels 3&4 on the console. Plus mic channels 1&2 can be summed next door at 3&4 depending on where you pan them (I sum 2 mics to one output to save track space). The knobs closest to the scribble strip are passive inputs that feed the 2-mix with pan pots and mute switches. I patch 4 channels of trident 80B I racked up to them for drums! To make this all possible, channels 1-4 run on their own 28VDC supply independent from the neotek. The Neve clone mixbus has enormous headroom and it's own current. I bought this desk in 2002 for $900 becasue it didn't work. I recapped and rechipped everything in it a few years ago and put P&Gs in too. ProGold clearner has keptall the switches clear too. And I agree...Neoteks sound tremendous. What API modules are you looking at? I have a bunch of other console modules I racked into oak cases...QuadEights, Langevin, etc..

Ian Sutton · Post by **Ian Sutton** » 11 Dec 2009 9:17 am

Wow, that's quite the setup. Nice work. I recently had the epiphany that keeping it all "in the box" doesn't offer many options for coloring your tone before you get in the box. Right now my only outboard gear is an FMR Audio RNC, and a Studio Projects Solid State/Tube VTB-1 pre into an Edirol UA-1000

For the API stuff - a couple 500 series mic pres would certainly be nice, and probably a pair of 500 series comp/limiters, maybe an EQ too - though there is a cool pre kit out there that is lunchbox compatible too. Trying not to go too gear-crazy...

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 11 Dec 2009 9:28 am

Here is a piece of my "tek...we're are hanging the output trannies from a Helios console on the 2Mix out...it also has the mod that lets the inline monitor volume pot switch to either monitor, aux 5 or aux 6....

Plus, it has Lonnie Mack mojo all over it...

Here's some pres and 2 inchers...

Jim Patton · Post by **Jim Patton** » 14 Dec 2009 5:58 am

Here's a record I finished up last Septemeber where I tracked to tape (and mixed) on a few songs and straight to converters for the rest. The whole record was tracked, mixed, and mastered at my place. Curious to see if anyone can tell the difference. So take the Pepsi challange! These are just clips so you can make your mind up fast.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/darcieminer3

Ian Sutton · Post by **Ian Sutton** » 14 Dec 2009 6:53 am

Hmmm, after a quick listen - to my ears it sounds like "loneliness annonymous" was straight to converters, and "bad habits..." was hitting tape first.

Survey says?

Jim Patton · Post by **Jim Patton** » 14 Dec 2009 11:26 am

Ding! You are correct on that account! Nice!