I have just recently bought a Otari MTR90 MK2 and was wondering...

What tape machines are you guys using?
Why did you choose that tape machine?
Any tips for your specific machine you would like to share?

Also how do you "generally" like use it, do you track to it then covert to digital?
or do you stay on tape all the way to mastering?


I've done a search on tape machines and found random things, just thought it would be good to have an idea of what everyone has and junk like that in one place...

i expect some kind of kerble any second.

A Studer A810
This is only for personal use and for laying mixes i've done in PT through to give it more character.
It was given to me so no reason really why I got that particular one

Well i guess i should state my own intentions...

I bought the Otari MTR90mk2 as i have a friend who owns a studio nearby who has the exact same model, we actually did our last album on his machine.

My thoughts on buying that model were kinda based on, if something does go wrong i will know someone who can help out and junk like that.

it also sounded really good compared to the way we have been doing the last few records.

...in the past we have recorded on hard disk in logic, pro tools, and the first record was done in '92 on adats... horrible.

My intention was to track to tape and then go to pro tools to mix, but after doing some tests i think i want to stay in the analogue world a bit longer.
i think it must be the converters in pro tools (002) that sound so shitty.

i will be using a 1/4" ATR800 as a mixdown machine for now... one day i will be able to afford some kind of awesome 1/2 inch but until then i guess i will have to make do.

Now i just have to find a suitable analogue desk...

We also have an Otari MTR90 as well as a Studer A827. Don't really have much else to say about them other than I'd go to the Studer first (which actually broke down this afternoon. )

So far I've been transferring to digital off the tape only to have backups. This will change, as I do bigger sessions with my limited amount tape. Then I will track onto the tape, transfer into PT for editing, and then bring back into the board for mixdown. How big is the audible difference from staying on tape all the time? A surprizing (to me) amount.

punk wrote:i think it must be the converters in pro tools (002) that sound so shitty.

I think you think right. The clock would also be a culprit.

skatingbasser wrote:The clock would also be a culprit.

I am curious as to how the clock might affect a mix.

The studio I have access to at my school recently picked up a Yamaha 02R-96 and I've been running that into Pro Tools, mostly through ADAT, as I have noticed that the 002 pres are complete crap, and configuring the board to output ADAT is actually easier than patching direct outs to the ins on the 002.

Most of the time, I run the clock source from the 02R into PT so that I can use the Remote layer of the board for automation control.

I haven't particularly heard a difference when running it from the 02R clock as opposed to the 002 built in clock, but then, I'm not really sure what I should be looking for...

We did also just get the good old Otari MTR-10 up and running with a 2-channel 1/4" recording block. It looks like it can handle 4 channels though (4ch meter bridge, and the cards appear to be installed).

thebookofkevin wrote: I am curious as to how the clock might affect a mix.

It was my understanding that the clock quality is a more important issue when crunching zeros and ones in real time. Especially tracking or bouncing in real time. Would also make a small difference in the quality of the sound you hear while mixing... but if you're doing an offline bounce as slow as you can make your DAW go, I wouldn't think it would have nearly as big a difference. We A/B/C'ed running PT from the clock from an M-box, 002, and some MOTU timepiece while bringing the tracks into a board to mix. Differences where pretty subtle.

MCI JH24. I enjoy living on the edge.

I just bought a TEAC 3340 which needs a head alignment for $200 along with a Tascam m312b. Both in great shape.

TEAC 3300 for live-to-two and mastering.

An out-of-commission 80-8 I am in the process of fixing (new belts, head alignment, two new input jacks).

I'm a big fan of Otari 8-tracks, which I've messed around with but never owned; after I move I'm going to actively pursue one.

My JH24 does not like the heat at all. Where it is now, it gets cooled pretty well by the aircon and we are both much happier. I check the tape tension every day. On one session, a couple of years ago, it drifted and I started having problems at the end of the tape. Not fun.
It needs to be turned on for a while before adjustments stay where they should be.

I don't know but I imagine most of this is specific to my machine and it's troubled history before I bought it.

I much prefer to work with tape through the whole session. The entire process is faster and the decisions don't get postponed as much.

I chose this machine because it was recommended by a friend. It does sound fine, no complaints there. Plenty of maintenance. You've got to keep those molex connectors clean. A toothbrush and some deoxit seems to solve most problems.

I've got a Sony APR-24. This is an awesome tape machine. Functions are digitally controlled with a 100% analog signal path. It stores alignment presets and has LED bar-graph metering. It sounds clean and handles tape delicately. Aside from a Studer A820 or A827, there is no other machine that compares. Oh yea, it stripes time code to a user assigned track.