Tim,
The recorder was my father's, and I don't think he recorded over previous recordings.
But, yes, the erase head was a permanent magnet. The noise level was no doubt due
to the electronics and would certainly be higher than with a more modern recorder.


Date:    Mon, 29 Oct 2018 22:26:55 +0800
From:    Tim Gillett <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Soundmirror tapes

Thanks Douglas,

It seems then that so far, the sticking winds is an isolated case.

I mentioned earlier that the very high noise floor seems confined to the 
actual recording. I suspect the machine used initially (early 1950's) was a 
Soundmirror which apparently used a permanent magnet erase head.  When I 
made a new recording on an unused piece of the paper tape, on a modern era 
machine (Nagra 4.2), the noise was  much lower than on the original 
recording.

Tim Gillett
 Douglas Pomeroy
Audio Restoration and Mastering Services
193 Baltic St   
Brooklyn, NY  11201-6173
(718) 855-2650
[log in to unmask]
Music Over Business