Recording

[jcmusic]

I want to record from a 4 track stereo tape @7.5ips to a 2 track stereo tape @ what speed is going to produce a better recording 7.5 or 15ips?

Jay

[jan_stevns]

Originally Posted by jcmusic

I want to record from a 4 track stereo tape @7.5ips to a 2 track stereo tape @ what speed is going to produce a better recording 7.5 or 15ips?

Jay

15ips should give the best result (depending on the equipment)

[MelodyMaster]

You get less generation loss if one generation is better quality than the other. In other words you'll save more of the frequency range by dubbing to 15IPS. Plus dropouts are less noticeable at 15IPS. Having said that, one should consider the importance of this material versus tape and playback machine cost.

[jcmusic]

Originally Posted by MelodyMaster

You get less generation loss if one generation is better quality than the other. In other words you'll save more of the frequency range by dubbing to 15IPS. Plus dropouts are less noticeable at 15IPS. Having said that, one should consider the importance of this material versus tape and playback machine cost.

Ok based upon what you said that would mean that 30ips would be even better? Now is the difference going to be noticable is the question?

Jay

[goldear]

In theory, yes. In practice: It really depends on a number of factors such as how good your machine is, and how well calibrated is for recording at a given speed, and if your recording has a lot of high or low frequency content. For example: A dub on a very transparent machine like a Tandberg TD-20A, in excellent working order at 7.5 ips will probably sound better than on a lesser machine running at 15ips. Or in the case of a machine which is perfectly calibrated for 7.5 ips operation, but is not as well calibrated for 15ips, the slower speed may sound better in some regards as well. Also, if a recording is of something like an Organ which extends very deep into the bass, then 30 ips may actually be inferior, as a machine's LF response actually tends to suffer as the tape speed is increased.

But since 30ips machines are pretty rare, so I doubt that this speed even factors into this discussion. But as a general rule of thumb, I'd probabaly be inclined to dub the tape at the same speed on a really good machine.

[jcmusic]

Originally Posted by goldear

In theory, yes. In practice: It really depends on a number of factors such as how good your machine is, and how well calibrated is for recording at a given speed, and if your recording has a lot of high or low frequency content. For example: A dub on a very transparent machine like a Tandberg TD-20A, in excellent working order at 7.5 ips will probably sound better than on a lesser machine running at 15ips. Or in the case of a machine which is perfectly calibrated for 7.5 ips operation, but is not as well calibrated for 15ips, the slower speed may sound better in some regards as well. Also, if a recording is of something like an Organ which extends very deep into the bass, then 30 ips may actually be inferior, as a machine's LF response actually tends to suffer as the tape speed is increased.

But since 30ips machines are pretty rare, so I doubt that this speed even factors into this discussion. But as a general rule of thumb, I'd probabaly be inclined to dub the tape at the same speed on a really good machine.

goldear thanks for your response, my deck is a Studer A810 so the 30ips is a reality, but at that speed it goes through tape!!!! My intention is to record from some pre-recorded 7.5ips 4 track tapes to 2 track. I was just wanting advice on the speed, would 7.5 do it or would 15ips be noticably better?

Jay

[MelodyMaster]

Originally Posted by jcmusic

My intention is to record from some pre-recorded 7.5ips 4 track tapes to 2 track. I was just wanting advice on the speed, would 7.5 do it or would 15ips be noticably better?

Jay

Since prerecorded tapes are only 600-footers or so anyway, I'd certainly go for 15ips on the destination tape. You could put a full album on 2400 feet without going to 10" reels. 30 ips is overkill and you may have trouble finding a machine in the future to play it.