Thanks, Richard. If I'm using the varispeed method, what do you and others think about modifying the machine to defeat the playback EQ when desired, then doing it digitally? I realize this touches on another ongoing dispute about transferring 78s flat and using digital eq, but has anyone done this?
Thanks,
Stephen
On Apr 13, 2012, at 3:11 PM, Richard L. Hess wrote:
> Hi, Stephen,
>
> I agree with Tom for the most part, although I do have a 1.88 in/s MRL test tape and I often run 1.88 in/s tapes at real time using -50% varispeed on a Sony APR-5000. For each head assembly and each speed for that machine, there are three presets. I keep the third one calibrated for 1.88 and the other two for 3.75 in/s. If I have a big 1.88 project, I may use preset two for that as preset 1 is the MRL for 3.75 and preset 3 is the MRL for 1.88.
>
> To do it right, you want 50 µin gap length heads, which I don't have for all formats, but still, getting 8 kHz or better at 1.88 off a reel isn't bad.
>
> For 15/16, I do what Tom did, using 1.88 as my starting point.
>
> Another option I have, but it only works for four-track, as if it's a two track tape, I'd rather use a two track head, is the four-track Racal Store 4DS. It has 15/16 to 60 in/s, but requires re-equalization as it's constant flux IRIG EQ.
>
> The slow-speed Revox B77 and C270 machines are probably the best choice if you don't want to do it the way Tom and I do <smile>.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Richard
>
> On 2012-04-13 3:31 PM, Tom Fine wrote:
>> Hi Stephen:
>>
>> I had a small pile of slow-speed reels a while back. Same thing as you, amateur-made oral history material. I decided, rather than find some lousy old slow-speed machine to play them, I'd transfer them at 3.75IPS on my Technics 1520 machine (perfect to handle the tiny reels without over-tensioning and stretching the tape). I transferred them a 96/24, and then lowered the pitch accordingly. It worked just fine, even the stuff recorded at 15/16IPS (which was fascinating, it was the person's full-blood Navajo grandmother talking about the early 1900's and growing up on an Indian Reservation). The key thing was that both the client and I realized these were not high-fidelity items, so losing some digital resolution to get to the proper speed (pitch) was OK, in fact there were no digital artifacts. We were both somewhat surprised how well the audio turned out, you could clearly hear crickets and birds behind people's voices, old 1960's cars starting up and going by, propeller and older jet airplanes passing overhead, etc. It was a true time capsule.
>>
>> In fact, the worst reel in the bunch was a 3.75IPS that had been recorded on a Uher with failing batteries. It ended up easiest to ramp up the speed adjust knob on the Technics, using me ears to keep voice pitches in a reasonable range. It was tricky but it worked on the third try. I also transferred at exactly 3.75IPS and tried to get better results with DSP pitch. It was time-consuming and the "steps" were more audible. Once again, ears trump gadgets.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Bolech" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 2:57 PM
>> Subject: [ARSCLIST] Slow Reel-to-reels
>>
>>
>> Hi everyone, I'm hoping some of you could give me recommendations for good options to play back 1 7/8 ips and even the occasional 15/16 tapes. We have a large oral history collection, and though the majority are at 3.75 ips, there are some at these slower speeds. What are you guys using for these speeds, and what do you recommend?
>>
>> Thank you,
>> Stephen Bolech
>>
>
> --
> Richard L. Hess email: [log in to unmask]
> Aurora, Ontario, Canada (905) 713 6733 1-877-TAPE-FIX
> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm
> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.
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