analogue tape question

[RadioMoo]

We had gigantic Ampex machines at a radio station where I worked in the eighties; you wouldn't believe the hefty sound (yes, you would: put on an old record).

I also worked at a station that had an Otari MX 1/2" 8 track; not quite as beefy as the Ampex's, but very full and smooth. We also had that Fostex 8 track the poster is inquiring about; you might check to see (I can't remember after fifteen years) if there's a"-10/+4" switch on the back.

By the way, if I were recording music today, I'd want tape; there's no sound like it on earth, even DSD (the format used for SACDs), but for producing commercials, I would never want to have to go back to tape.

[elheehaw]

thanks for all your suggestions , will test a few things out, tape head has been aligned and its been calibrated so i dont think thats the problem. cheers

[jtarbutn]

Here in Nashville, I use Radar fairly often, then import to Pro Tools. I like the way Radar sounds (it's probably the converters) compared to ADAT or other hard disk systems. I'm an "old school" guy...used analogue for most of my career until just a two or three years ago. I love what can be done with Pro Tools from an editing and automation standpoint. I have an R&B project coming up that I will probably use a Studer 24 track for tracking then go into Pro Tools. Lacking an analogue machine, I find that using a great analogue console (Neve, SSL) for the recording gets me the "fat" sound I'm going for.

[O.G. Killa]

Sounds like the heads on the tape machine are out of alignment. Use frequency generator in protools and start with 20Khz and let it stand there and gradually move down to 20hz pausing here and there to get a good estimate. Send those levels in at 0VU on the tape machine. Once you have recorded them, play it back and you will be able to tell if they aligned or not, if not you will lose a lot of frequencies in the process. When I did that with my fostex 1/2" I lost around 12db from 20khz to 1.4khz... If it is out of align then you will be in the same situation I am in right now, you must find a test tape...

Hey nobody's mentioned this yet...but the deck is a Fostex, doesn't that mean it's got -10dBv outputs instead of +4dBv? This would explain why the level is so low, Since the 002R is calibrated to 0dBvu(+4dBv) = -18dBfs, at 0dBvu on the deck it will show up in protools as -32dBfs right (-18dBfs - 14dB)?

[RadioMoo]

Hey nobody's mentioned this yet...but the deck is a Fostex, doesn't that mean it's got -10dBv outputs instead of +4dBv? This would explain why the level is so low, Since the 002R is calibrated to 0dBvu(+4dBv) = -18dBfs, at 0dBvu on the deck it will show up in protools as -32dBfs right (-18dBfs - 14dB)?

We also had that Fostex 8 track the poster is inquiring about; you might check to see (I can't remember after fifteen years) if there's a"-10/+4" switch on the back.

[sugarfuzz]

Jtarbutn:

I really want to give that recording to RADAR mixing in protools a shot. I guess my only fear is learning to record to RADAR, then transfering files. I would hate for it to be a major process, and slow down the way I work. I guess it would be worth the quality difference.?.?.?

[where02190]

We record to a Mackie HDR 24/96 Pro, and if reuired transfer to Protools for indepth editing, then back to the HDR for mixing....the Mackie AIO-8 converter are superb.

We use out 001 for additional tracks past the HDR's 24 for mixdown, giving us a total of 56. we mix the second dary tracks in PTle via an 001 (with apogee converters) bringing a 2 mix back into the console for monitoring and mixdown. we are very ahppy with the results, as are all our clients.

[sugarfuzz]

Where:

Its funy you mention that, because I just received some tracks from a guy who recorded them on the mackie HDR 24/96. He wants me to mix them down for him, and I am noticing how nice the tracks sound.
I have never nailed a mix as fast as I have on these tracks. We use a good bit of the same mics and techniques, and neither one of us has an outstanding sounding room, as a matter of fact, I know my room sounds better than his, and the tracks are really nice.

Anyway, the whole reason I am looking into another recorder, is because of the difference I have noticed. So I figured recording to RADAR would work wonders for my mixes. I love mixing in protools, and am caught between betting the rosetta 800 or just a better recorder.

I am going to make a new post with this dilema, and see types of responses I get.

Thanks
Chad

[where02190]

The Radar converters are killer, but about 3x the price of the HDR. as you ahve heard for yourself, the Mackie AIO-8 converters are superb quality, and the intuitive desing of the machine is fantastic. With the HDR Pro package, you can import/export Protools sesssions to and froma Mac, but even without it, if you have a Firedock you can quickly transfer tracks between the HDR (or MDR or SDR) and Protools, or any DAW.