Reply To: DAW in sync with taperecorder

[Anonymous]

A MRL tape is necessary for the calibration because you have to adjust the PB head (Azimuth, Zenith, Angle, Elevation, the whole nine yards) first before you can adjust the REC & ER head. It is true that once this is done, you can print tones on the tape from your DAW, it is even very clever to do this. This tape can then be used for future calibrations on your tape recorder. Once your machine is calibrated, you are good for the next five years or so, but still…

A complete maintenance is required if you buy a used analog machine! It is not cheap at all, but you have to do it. Other else, the sound will be terrible, you will destroy your tapes, you get wow & flutter and all kinds of misery, and you will be frustrated every time again that you will use the recorder.

There is only one good device for degaussing the heads and that is the HAN-D-MAG. Again, not cheap, but necessary. Furthermore, you only need patience, 99% alcohol and a mountain high ear sticks from the pharmacist to clean the heads.

You know that once you decide to take the step to go hybrid, nothing is cheap especially with analog tape recorders! However, I see it as the absolute best “plug-in” that I ever bought! I do not regret the investment for one single day, seriously. Although, I had to skip skiing vacation for the next 2 years. 🙂

David, minor correction in my previous post: The 16 tracks machine I wanted to buy was a TASCAM MS-16 and not the TSR-16.