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Where can you buy new reel to reel tape?

beesonthewhatnow said:
I just can't see the point anymore. Even 5 years ago you might have had an argument from the audio side of things, but now? Nah.
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ska invita said:
and to pre-empt any "just use a saturation plugin" comments - ive tested it with plugins and recorded to some old tape, and fact is tape is the magic ingredient <not up for debate
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that was for you bees

but go on then, lets do this, whats changed in five years? becasue of new audio plug ins are you suggesting?
 
ska invita said:
oh sure - nightmare - though in terms of film edits, the old cut and stick did lend itself to some interesting cutting styles...

...but my theory here is Digital recording is neutral - it doesnt add anything or take it away - its transparent. So recording to digital and getting the mix as best you can, and then bouncing to tape to add tape character, and then recording back from tape to digital, should create exactly the same sound as if you went straight to tapein the first place and cut from there. Im happy with that anyway. So yeah, do all your chops and arrangements on digital and then master to tape at the very end, and even bouncing back to digital should sound exactly the same as playing it from the tape.

what do you reckon
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well, there are endless discussions on this very subject.
one thing to bare in mind is that mixing ITB is said to be different to Analogue Summing, so anything you might gain by bouncing a full mix onto tape you might render worthless by mixing ITB in the first place. But opinions vary.
I don't have experience in digital mixing -> tape -> re-digitalising, so dunno.
I reckon: Trust your ears. If it sounds good to you and the process enhances your mixes, go for it, and experiment with levels etc until you are satisfied.
I like it when people experiment and try things out :)
 
do you still have your Mackie?
it might be worth running your mix through that, all faders and knobs on neutral / zero (to avoid the Mackie sound as much as possible), and summing all your individual tracks through that before using the stereo buss to print onto tape. that's what i'd try.
 
the way im going to bounce to tape is to take 8 channels (some stereo pairs and some monos) and record to tape, then bounce back the 8 tracks sepereately so taht theres still some level control possible...in effect this is the same as recording live to an 8 track. I can see how maybe bouncing the whole track as a stereo out wouldnt work as well. Anyhow, ive been doing lots of tests, with plugins and on scraps of tape and listening carefully back on headphones and the difference is significant. I dont want to pay for tape and piss about for fun - it really does do something special that cant be reproduced by plugins - or at least no the plugins ive tried, and ive tried a fair few
 
mackie sold, but mate with tascam has desk, so goign through that on neutral like you say (in fact some minor eqing on bass parts)
 
ska invita said:
the way im going to bounce to tape is to take 8 channels (some stereo pairs and some monos) and record to tape, then bounce back the 8 tracks sepereately so taht theres still some level control possible...in effect this is the same as recording live to an 8 track. I can see how maybe bouncing the whole track as a stereo out wouldnt work as well. Anyhow, ive been doing lots of tests, with plugins and on scraps of tape and listening carefully back on headphones and the difference is significant. I dont want to pay for tape and piss about for fun - it really does do something special that cant be reproduced by plugins - or at least no the plugins ive tried, and ive tried a fair few
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good!
ska invita said:
mackie sold, but mate with tascam has desk, so goign through that on neutral like you say (in fact some minor eqing on bass parts)
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if he has a desk with decent eq's etc you should def experiment with them and see what the difference to your plug in eq's is.
let us know how you get on ;)
 
seriously beesonthewhatnow, what can you recommend from the last 5 years that can do the job? Im genuinely all ears.
I'll try and list the plugins ive tried. Its not that the plugs dont do anything, theyre good, they just dont do what tape does...

littleseb, yes will keep you posted - home stretch!
 
So here are the plugs ive used, some of which i like enough on individual instruments, or even across a mix, but none of which have matched what tape does
RSO Extreme Punch 3
VTMM2
Ferric TDS
Tape harmonizer
PSP Vintage Warmer <one of my favourite plugins this, rate it
iZotope Ozone
 
I visited a studio recently that had some crazy set up linking Digital Performer to a tape machine with SMPTE timecode. Seemed like a lot of faff to me and I still don't understand his setup exactly, but the guy certainly seemed to know what he was doing. I'm willing to accept that tape sounds different, and if that's the sound you want then it's worth doing properly, but for the amount of time and money it saves to do everything digitally I can live without it.
 
ska invita said:
seriously beesonthewhatnow, what can you recommend from the last 5 years that can do the job? Im genuinely all ears.
I'll try and list the plugins ive tried. Its not that the plugs dont do anything, theyre good, they just dont do what tape does...
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Slate VTM

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/slate-vtm.htm

I could make this section really short by saying that, to my ears, Slate's VTM sounds just like tape — end of story
.
.
For me, VTM supplies the essential magic of analogue tape in a manageable and utterly convincing manner, without the cost of maintaining a tape machine, buying tape, spending time aligning the thing and then having the tape run out just before the end of the only perfect take of the day! Having used it, I'd find it very hard to go back to mixing without it.
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I will say though, there are occasions when using tape can be fun - for certain styles of music tracking direct to tape puts you into a way of working, a certain mindset*. If that's for you, then fine. But the audio effects can be done a hell of a lot easier now if that's all you want.




*If you want to have a listen to the last thing I produced this way have a listen on Spotify to "The Psychic Foot EP" by Vinny & The Curse. This was all done in an entirely analogue studio without using a computer at all until final mastering :)
 
Thanks a lot bees, im downloading the demo of that now. As it goes, my friend says is machine is playing up (its oooold) and so if this does the trick id be more than happy to buy it rather than spend £100 on tape. Will report back! will give your track a listen too next time im on spoty ;)
 
well i think i cant try the demo... i hav downloaded the before and after mp3s and tbh i can barely hear the difference - becasue theyve replicated a brillant tape machine working perfectly the effect is tiny - with a creakier model you know about it...maybe this plug in is too good iyswim...needs a Black Ark setting :D
 
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beesonthewhatnow said:
I've got one, use it when I'm doing shows on an Avid Profile
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can i ask a favour bees? Could you download the demo of this and report back on its functionality? I.e. does it have full functionality for 14 days? If it does, I only need it for fourteen days and would be happy to pay for the dongle for that. If its any good I might buy it.

The demos ive watched/heard arent convincing for me, but Id probably push it all a bit harder, and the only way to do that is to do it yourself...
 
Bees I owe you an apology. Due to a combination of my mates tape deck developing some issues + your indefatigability Ive had a go with the one plug I could get (Satin), and i have to say im very impressed with it.

Ive really been able to achieve everything i was after, and with a lot more control than i would've otherwise. Id still like to do some tape experiments, but its expensive stuff to play with, but maybe one day...
So thanks for plugging away. I wont be giving up the vinyl any time soon though ;)
 
If you still want tape i have a roll. Its hardly been used(i think) but i have had it years ,but its allways been in its box. Dont want anything for it
 
ska invita said:
I cant find any anywhere...

Ideally after RMG SM911 1/2 inch tape, but other 1/2 inch tape would be considered
Studiospares are out
118059.jpg

thanks

and to pre-empt any "just use a saturation plugin" comments - ive tested it with plugins and recorded to some old tape, and fact is tape is the magic ingredient <not up for debate ;)
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Dunno but I have been "gifted" (lol) a Denon cassette tape to cassette tape player.... :hmm:
 
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