DIY reel-to-reel ?

[happycat]

I have two books on this subject. unfortunately they are all in Chinese.

it even gives detailed information on making tape heads from scratch.

definitely for hard core diyers only.

 

[EC8010]

Important question:

Where are you going to get the tape for this project? I have a Nagra T and some tape, but as far as I'm aware, tape is no longer made. (I'd be delighted if someone could prove me wrong on this assertion.)

 

[SY]

RMGI/US Recording still does. There may be others.

http://www.usrecordingmedia.com/1oprereta1.html

 

[EC8010]

Thanks for that. "Made in Holland," so I don't think they make it themselves. Still, the graphs suggest it's pretty similar to the Ampex Grand Master we used to use that gave good noise and 3% THD at 1000nWb/m.

OK, so now I know you can still get the feedstock, is anybody interested in a Nagra T?

 

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

I thought those guys bought the tape manufacturing equipment at the Quantigy fire sale....?

Mark

 

[lcsaszar]

I also have a project given up due to lack of time. It would have been based on an industrial tape recorder made by RACAL. The transport has 8 speeds (15/16 to 60 ips), 3 motors and a capstan roller-less tape drive, optical tape tension control and heavy cast chassis.

I removed the original rec/pb FM boards and heads, and purchased a new set of Revox A77 stereo heads and a bias oscillator board for the project. I intended to build new record and playback amplifiers, but I have not too much motivation since I purchased a Sony TC-645 which I don't use too much these days, either.

 

[cerrem]

Just to throw my 2 cents in.....

Although the elctronics in a reel-2-reel can be gutted and rebuilt to higher standards... The main concern when purchasing a used machine is mechanical integrity.... Most R-2-R machines have poor speed regulation and the internal frame structure is not sturdy.... Wow & Flutter is a problem....even the Revox machines have Wow & Flutter that i find unacceptable...
I had to modify the machines to run more smoother...

I have some original RCA "Living Stereo" R-2-R tapes that are beyond amazing!!!! Both in 2-Track and 4-track/reverse ..and it is scary to listen to ..I compared it against the CD and vinyl release and it was like 5 times better!!!

I can say that R-2-R is definately worth the trouble when you get it right....

Chris

 

[btown2009]

magnetophon

i always wanted a magnetophon like a phillips 3505 or a aeg k1 or k4 and i am in the early stages of building my own reel to reel.🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[binspaul]

Any updates ???

 

[makaiyumtony]

Any updates ???

Hi Bins
How are your tonearm cable project going ? I did mods in playback amp of R2R decks, got a lot of fun and had a great surprise in result, I changed all the caps in the sound path of a REVOX PR99 and the result with a great clarity, also a tube out put section in STUDER A810, that make sound warm and live, source with a TAPE PROJECT's tape or record by yourself with a high end MIC, no other systems can match to this I believe
tony ky ma

 

[buchhemi]

tape preamp

Anyone have schematics for a modern tape head preamp for rec/pb?

 

[rrrremus]

Anyone have schematics for a modern tape head preamp for rec/pb?

I am currently working on restoring a reel tape recorder and i also can't find a modern schematic for rec/playback. I am thinking of building one using op-amps, but i do not know what EQ curve is applied for tape playback/rec. I guess they must also differ according to tape speed.

 

[lcsaszar]

This book may be of your help:

Magnetic recording handbook

 

[barrymagrec]

The design of the Replay and particularly the Record Amplifier will be dependent to some extent on the type and impedance of the heads you are using, bias and erase current and frequency for instance.

Barry

 

[rrrremus]

Oshifis' link was spot on. Exactly what i needed. Thank you. Now follows the hard part

 

[cbdb]

Quote:
I have several commercially recorded open reel tapes. The dynamic range is incredible! Nothing else I've ever heard can match it.
Yep...digital recording/replay definitely has a problem there.

Ever heard some tiktiktik on a CD?

That were them gates going into saturation....

This is just wrong. The dynamic range of tape (properly aligned machine without noise reduction ) is about 70 to 75 db.

You guys need to recognize bad recording techniques and not blame the recording medium.

Gates going into saturation? What does that mean. Gates are either open or closed. A bit is either 0 or 1

 

[rrrremus]

This is just wrong. The dynamic range of tape (properly aligned machine without noise reduction ) is about 70 to 75 db.

You guys need to recognize bad recording techniques and not blame the recording medium.

Gates going into saturation? What does that mean. Gates are either open or closed. A bit is either 0 or 1

I completely agree that tape has limited dynamic range to somewhere around 70dB. I am assuming that the statement made about tape's superior dynamics has something to do with the tape's behavior during recording ( bad recording ). If you clip an ADC's input, the recording will be unusable, but i noticed that if i clip the tape during recording i get a compression effect and the clipping is hard to detect by ear. IMO this is why some think tape has greater dynamics. But it just doesn't.

 

[Jonathan Bright]

I have just skimmed through the previous posts so someone may have mentioned it already but the English magazine "Wireless World"* ran two diy tape projects in the 70's. Both used pre-made decks and focussed on the electronics. One was a reel to reel by a guy named Stuart, I think. The other was 3-4 articles by John Linsley Hood who did a cassette version.
Both were reissued in compendiums of diy hi-fi articles.
It was fascinating to read through Linsley Hood's work on noise etc. A real education for the amateur.

*Btw "Wireless World" has had TWO name changes since then. I think it may be "Electronics World" these days but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[cbdb]

The transport is probably the hard part. And the hard part of the transport is controlling the tape tension during the different modes, FF REW PLAY (at various speeds).

 

[gain wire]

Wow, I am surprised and glad this thread exists. It helps me get through a tough day, I am rejoiced (somewhat😱). Anyway, I too am building an open reel deck, but aimed at studio 8 track recording rather than home audio use. For fun, and because I had the parts. And time. Here are some pictures: