From dacc@yiffy.tigerden.com Thu May  5 09:29:38 1994
Date: Wed, 4 May 1994 20:34:58 +0100
From: "D.A.C. Crowell" <dacc@yiffy.tigerden.com>
To: Thomas C Butcher <tb303+@CMU.EDU>
Cc: analogue@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
Subject: Analog tape machines



On Wed, 4 May 1994, Thomas C Butcher wrote:
> 
> Anyone want to sell me a Teac 3340?  While we're on the subject, what
> other reel-to-reel ANALOG :) 4-tracks would you guys recommend?  After I
> invest in a DAT, the 4 track is my next big anticipated investment...
> what models/brands/features are important?

I'd recommend just about anything by TEAC/Tascam, save for the 
bidirectional 4-track machines that they built just prior to coming
out with their first serious home studio stuff. Their stuff is
built like a tank, as a rule, and you can get a decade or more
of use out of one of their machines, typically. Models to look
for include the 3340, 3440 (pro version of the 3340), 34, and 40-4.
	Otari also made four-tracks, although you're going to of course 
pay more for one of their machines. They also had 1/4" _and_ 1/2"
4-tracks, and having that doubled track width is a _killer_ plus!
Look for various versions of the MX5050, as well as the MkII-IV.
One of these, hotrodded with mods from Athan Corp., is a monster
machine to contend with!
	The top of the heap is occupied by _serious_ machines. There
is a 4-track version of the JH-110 series made by MCI, as well as
the Ampex AG-440C-4. Both of these will set you back a pretty penny,
and you'd best be ready to deal with the vagaries of a pro-level
tape machine, but these will last until hell freezes over given 
proper parts and maintenance. These are not for the space-limited
studio, either; the MCI machine is about the size of an overgrown
dishwasher.
	You _will_ want NR. If you don't have dbx I built into the
machine (some Tascams do), get it. The dbx 150X halfrack module
provides two channels of NR encode and decode, with 100+ db of
dynamic range after companding, for only $239 from Veneman's. These
are +4 db balanced-line boxes, btw...which means they won't be so hot
with the lower-end TEAC and Tascam models, but will work like
gangbusters with the Otaris and on up the scale. Other dbx I (NOT
dbx II...this is not nearly as good!) boxes for unbalanced -10 db
lines can be gotten, however, with a bit of digging.
	Use hot tape, also. I recommend Ampex 406 for the lowest grade
TEACs, 456 up thru the Otaris, and since they can be rebiased and
recalibrated relatively easily for it, 499 for the high-end units.
	Good hunting sites for this sort of gear will be in areas where
there's lots of music activity, such as Nashville, NYC, LA, etc, 
particularly if you want a higher grade machine than a Tascam. Check
_Mix_, and some of the used equipment dealers in the want-ad section
there. Another source that seem to turn up some great deals is _Radio
World_, if you have access to that publication. 

	Good luck!

D.A.C. Crowell
Audio Design and Programming
KnowledgeMedia/The Aerodyne Works
Champaign, IL, USA.
(dacc@tigerden.com)
