1/2", 1/2 Track 15 ips Recorder

[tomacco]

Hello: Any recommendations for a 1/2", 1/2 track, 15 ips recorder?

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

None of these type machines were factory original. The main machine used for this format is a modified Ampex ATR-104. ATR Services specializes in them. Drawbacks are: 1. Superbly expensive! 2. 1/2 Inch tape will cost you $70-90 a reel. 3. If you own an ATR-104 you need an experienced technician to maintain them and these people are very few and costly.

[tomacco]

Hi,

None of these type machines were factory original. The main machine used for this format is a modified Ampex ATR-104. ATR Services specializes in them. Drawbacks are: 1. Superbly expensive! 2. 1/2 Inch tape will cost you $70-90 a reel. 3. If you own an ATR-104 you need an experienced technician to maintain them and these people are very few and costly.

Thanks for the eye-opener. I think I have to move down to 1/4", 1/2 track. Any recommendations here?

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

I would highly recommend the following: Otari MX 5050 Mk II, ReVox B 77 High Speed, ReVox A 77 High Speed, Technics RS 1500 and 1506, ReVox A 700 or Studer B 67, and the Tascam BR 20. The Otari is still made (by special order). Many of that model saw broadcasting use.

[tomacco]

Thanks Kent: While hearing excellent reports on the Otari 5050, I understand that parts are impossible to come by. The TASCAM BR 20 rates a lot of respect, but I don't know about parts. I think I'll investigate it since TASCAM has such a respectable name.

[tomacco]

Hi,

I would highly recommend the following: Otari MX 5050 Mk II, ReVox B 77 High Speed, ReVox A 77 High Speed, Technics RS 1500 and 1506, ReVox A 700 or Studer B 67, and the Tascam BR 20. The Otari is still made (by special order). Many of that model saw broadcasting use.

Kent, I forgot the most important question: if you had to pick one, which would it be?

[Brent71]

Thanks Kent: While hearing excellent reports on the Otari 5050, I understand that parts are impossible to come by. Watch ebay, there's parts for sale quite regularly. For the low prices they're currently selling for you could probably buy an entire non-working deck for a couple hundred bucks and have all the parts you'd need.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

For me, it is either the Otari, the ReVox, or the Studer of the choices I list. The Technics would be nice if I could find one at a reasonable price. I like the Studer and ReVox because they are easiest for me to service. The Otari is easy to repair for me and there's lots of them around. I also like the fact that they have CCIR EQ and NAB EQ as well as a 1/4 track play head.

[SaSi]

I am partial to the Revox for their simplicity in servicing and abundance of parts, especially if you visit the German ebay. As I live in Europe, shipping costs are a fraction compared to buying from the USA. The same deck shipped from Germany to Greece would be $100 instead of $240. So I guess shipping from Germany to USA would be similarly more expensive, although the quoted prices appear to be much less than $200 (~130).

The best Revox half track 15ips (for a modest price) would be the PR99 MkII. Mechanically it is very similar to the B77HS, sharing most of the components, but with the PR99 having much better tape motion sensing and real time tape counter with locator and memory.

The "Soft" part of these decks are their heads, as they wear a lot and most of the decks on sale come with worn heads. BUT you can get almost mint and mint heads, for a price. I have succesfully replaced my PR99 heads with Nortronics brand new that come for less than $200 and the results are spectacular.

Best bet, if you are mechanically inclined, is to find a cosmetically excellent unit sold as partially defective or with mechanical problems, like worn/stuck breaks or with missing parts, like reel platters, pinch rollers, or even blown reel motors. Such a unit will probably sell for less than $300.

These things are cheap to get and a snap to replace.

Even a good and working PR99, selling for $400+, would need work to bring the best out of it.

[dshoaf]

Don't forget the Crown series of tape decks. That would be the SX or CX electronics with the 700 or 800 series transports: CX-822 or SX-722. They'll be hard to find, though, in those configurations.

Cheers,

David

[tomacco]

Thank you all for your I/Ps. The 1/2", 1/2 tracks have been stated as being prohibitively expensive. The TASCAM BR-20 is too expensive, and Revox seems to want a lot because their name is Revox. The Technics 1500, and TEAC A-6100 are likewise too pricey. So I think that leaves me with the TASCAM 32, or Otari MX 5050.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi tomacco,

Get thee the Otari! You will like it's sonics and rugged, no nonsense reliable work ethic. It's a keeper. You will need adapter cables from XLR Balanced to RCA. Enjoy!

[Brent71]

There was a Tascam 32 on the Portland craiglist just a couple days ago for $300. It came with a Tascam DX-4D dbx unit and both were supposedly in great shape. The ad expired today or yesterday but I have his email if you want to contact him.

[vincedog3]

half inch half track, the Studers. They are amazing. At 15 ips or 30 ips.

[tomacco]

Hi tomacco,

Get thee the Otari! You will like it's sonics and rugged, no nonsense reliable work ethic. It's a keeper. You will need adapter cables from XLR Balanced to RCA. Enjoy!

All: I am in your gratitude for all your intelligent advise. However, the more that I read, the more Otari wants me to become its master.