Fascinating experiments/measurements! I find it particularly interesting that I recently saw a video on the Parlogram (TH-cam) channel in which the host visited Abbey Road Studios with a 30 ips copy of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The two tapes (vinyl sides 1 and 2) had been created at Abbey Road during the '80s(?) for use in Australia to cut a run of audiophile vinyl records for the Australian market. The Parlogram host somehow acquired the pair of tapes, and took them to Abbey Road to be played and transferred to digital for the new owner (who lacked a 30 ips machine). The Parlogram video is quite interesting. It shows that Abbey Road has a collection of multiple Studer A80s (and perhaps other Studers not seen in the video?). But well-seasoned master recording engineer Miles Showell sang the praises of Abbey Road's AMPEX ATR-102 as being his favorite / best-sounding machine. Naturally, I love all these machines! I hope to own a Studer A80 someday. I will probably never own an AMPEX ATR-102. I will have to see if I can find a collector or a studio within reasonable traveling distance of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania so that I can see and hear one of these phenomenal machines someday! It would be interesting to see the Studer A80 (which, like the AMPEX, lacks phase compensation) subjected to these same tests. I wonder how close the A80 comes to the ATR-102. Thanks as always for sharing your collection and knowledge, Victor! 😎👍❤️
As usual, you nailed it! Seriously I have been learning more with your channel than anything before! Thanks a lot once more! P.S.: If you allow me a question, apart from the fact that the Studer A810 can record up to 30 ips, and the A807 will go “only” to 15 ips, do you see much of a difference between then? For home use, of course. Thanking you in advance, best!
It's so interesting. I'm amazed it could even be done (but I am a complete layman). It's fascinating to wonder to what extend it is actively changing things in a piece of music - and are there types of music where it intervenes more. Does it have any effect on sine waves? I would hope not!
@@Foxbat9000 i've not seen that document before, thanks. While readinng A810 service manual, in a section about repro amplifier, i noticed a stetement about "phase linear gap loss correction" (4.1.2), and i thinked thas was all studer phase trick. So i need to investigate that deeper.
It would be interesting see how it works with MTR-15 with computer calibrated phase compensation. Also compare with Ampex ATR-800, which is some kind similar in circuit to ATR102 but not exactly the same.
That question gets asked frequently, but there are two reasons I don't do that. One - there is already wealth of material written. If you go on Tapeheads.net forum and do a search there you will see tons of discussions, both general and specific to your model. I STRONGLY recommend that. And two - while the general approach is standard, the particular routing for each machine can be different. So when it comes to a particular model my best advice is to obtain the service manual, which are generally widely available on line and on ebay, then then follow it step by step. Of course you would need some test equipment and tools and some basic electronic skills.
Fascinating experiments/measurements!
I find it particularly interesting that I recently saw a video on the Parlogram (TH-cam) channel in which the host visited Abbey Road Studios with a 30 ips copy of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The two tapes (vinyl sides 1 and 2) had been created at Abbey Road during the '80s(?) for use in Australia to cut a run of audiophile vinyl records for the Australian market. The Parlogram host somehow acquired the pair of tapes, and took them to Abbey Road to be played and transferred to digital for the new owner (who lacked a 30 ips machine). The Parlogram video is quite interesting. It shows that Abbey Road has a collection of multiple Studer A80s (and perhaps other Studers not seen in the video?). But well-seasoned master recording engineer Miles Showell sang the praises of Abbey Road's AMPEX ATR-102 as being his favorite / best-sounding machine.
Naturally, I love all these machines! I hope to own a Studer A80 someday. I will probably never own an AMPEX ATR-102. I will have to see if I can find a collector or a studio within reasonable traveling distance of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania so that I can see and hear one of these phenomenal machines someday!
It would be interesting to see the Studer A80 (which, like the AMPEX, lacks phase compensation) subjected to these same tests. I wonder how close the A80 comes to the ATR-102.
Thanks as always for sharing your collection and knowledge, Victor!
😎👍❤️
Thanks Fox Bat! I look forward to your next test!👍🏻
Thank you for this part 2
As usual, you nailed it! Seriously I have been learning more with your channel than anything before! Thanks a lot once more!
P.S.: If you allow me a question, apart from the fact that the Studer A810 can record up to 30 ips, and the A807 will go “only” to 15 ips, do you see much of a difference between then? For home use, of course.
Thanking you in advance, best!
It's so interesting. I'm amazed it could even be done (but I am a complete layman). It's fascinating to wonder to what extend it is actively changing things in a piece of music - and are there types of music where it intervenes more. Does it have any effect on sine waves? I would hope not!
Otari (like a Sony) implements phase compensation in record side of tape machine, Studer - on playback side. You must cosider this fact.
Are you sure of that? Here is the original Studer material: www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Catalogs/Studer/Studer-A810-PhaseCompInfo.pdf
@@Foxbat9000 i've not seen that document before, thanks. While readinng A810 service manual, in a section about repro amplifier, i noticed a stetement about "phase linear gap loss correction" (4.1.2), and i thinked thas was all studer phase trick. So i need to investigate that deeper.
@@Foxbat9000 seems like studer guys do the both, REC and PLAY phase compensation.
It would be interesting see how it works with MTR-15 with computer calibrated phase compensation. Also compare with Ampex ATR-800, which is some kind similar in circuit to ATR102 but not exactly the same.
I'm a newbie to RTR with a Revox PR99 mk3. Maybe in a future video, you would do a tutorial on how to calibrate a tape machine? Thank you in advance
That question gets asked frequently, but there are two reasons I don't do that. One - there is already wealth of material written. If you go on Tapeheads.net forum and do a search there you will see tons of discussions, both general and specific to your model. I STRONGLY recommend that.
And two - while the general approach is standard, the particular routing for each machine can be different. So when it comes to a particular model my best advice is to obtain the service manual, which are generally widely available on line and on ebay, then then follow it step by step.
Of course you would need some test equipment and tools and some basic electronic skills.