  
Q:
Who's the new tape
manufacturer in Pennsylvania?
A. ATR Magnetics.
Q: When is their tape going
to be available? I really want to try it.
A. They're shooting
for spring 2006. But they won't release tape for sale until
they're positive
it's perfect.
Q: What type of tape are they
going to have?
A: The tape is
going to be high output tape for the best noise characteristics. It
will be available in all sizes from 1/4" up to 2"
Q: Why would anyone want to
make analog tape anymore. I thought digital recording took over.
A: Hardly. Although
there's plenty of digital recording going on, there's a majority of
people who record that still like and prefer the analog sound. Also,
analog recording does not suffer from constant and expensive software
upgrades and the fear of computer viruses wiping out not only your
current work files but your backups as well.
Q: What's the future of
analog hardware?
A: There's plenty
of analog hardware being made and soon there will be brand new
manufacturing of tape decks here in the USA. From US Recording's
standpoint, we see analog recording as gaining strength in the last couple
of years.
Q: I just got some brand new
tape, and the one channel drops out yet none of the other tapes
do it. Why?
A: Whenever you get a new
roll of tape, it should be run through the deck to help it relax and to
allow the deck's standoffs to set the height of the tape pack within
the reels. The tape pack can be shifted within the reels through
shipping. If this happens, the standoffs may flex the tape trying to
adjust the height and may bow the tape very slightly over the
heads. You need intimate contact between the tape and the heads.
Q: Someone said I should
never use reels with a tape end slot. How come?
A: The tape end slot can cause the tape to dip slightly to span the gap
and this can cause a repeating dropout at that same spot over many
wraps of tape. This problem can be more pronounced with 1 mil tape
because it isn't as stiff as 1.5 mil tapes or especially +9 operating
level tapes.
Q: How should I store my
tape? Vertically or horizontally?
A: Vertically. In a dry cool place. No attics, garages, hot warehouses,
or damp basements.
Q: What are the reel flanges
actually for?
A: They're there
simply to protect the edges of the tape from handling. They do not
"guide" the tape onto the hub which is the "thing" in the middle that
the tape actually winds on.
Q: Why are there holes in the
flanges?
A: They're called windage holes. They're necessary to allow the
air to escape from the reel in fast forwarding or rewinding the tape.
Without them, the tape pack could be very uneven.
Q: How come the edges
of my tape are cupped over in places?
A: Most likely you're not storing your tape in a "played"
condition. In other words you're rewinding the tape and storing it that
way. Due to the tension on your tape, the edges that stick out can try
to curl over. Always store tape after it's recorded or played without rewinding it. Remember,
it's the edges of the tape that guide the tape into proper postition
over the heads. If the edges are cupped you might have your tape
wandering vertically slightly and this can cause changes in the output
level.
Q: What advantage does using
a high output level tape have? They're more expensive tapes.
A: The more sound level you can lay down on a tape, the lower the
noise (hiss) level will be compared to 0 VU on your meters. Also, a
half track deck lays down more sound level than a 1/4 track and this
also affects the noise level. With a good tape deck and high output
tape, noise can be practically inaudible.
Q: What tape speeds
should I use?
A: At least 7.5IPS for the best performance. Distortion at lower
speeds is much much higher. Modern tape is designed to be used at
7.5IPS and above. If you need longer recording time use 1 mil tape like
RMGI-Emtec LPR-35 which is excellent tape.
Q: What are pancakes and why
are they so much cheaper than tapes with flanges?
A: Pancakes are identical to tape without the metal flanges, and it's
the flanges that make such a difference. Flanges are very expensive due
to the cost of aluminum, stamping, finishing, and anodizing.
Copyright© 2006 US Recording. All
Rights Reserved
|
|