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Our products in depth
Re-Mastering
Music is deconstructed, cleaned up, and then re-mastered to suit 192K HD and ¼” masters. This unique technique of deconstruction has been developed over the past 15 years, which allows music from many years ago to be mastered with current technology. This technique involves both digital and analog steps; including the use of valve circuitry to regain the original purity of the music
Magnetic Tape Sound
Magnetic tape stores the music in a magnetic image of the recorded music. The magnetic image of a sound can be stored on a tape through magnetized iron oxide or chromium dioxide granules. The granules are lines on the polyester base (tape). However, the direction and extent of granules magnetization can be changed by the recording head to record an input signal. Similar to analog tape recorders, discrete digital levels are not used where recorded signals can be encoded.
The original signal can be preserved within the dynamic range of the recording system. In contrast to digital audio, the analog tape does not require band-limiting filters. Although the digital noise seems lower than an analog tape, tapes do not show unnatural phenomenon such as ‘jitter’ (jitter refers to the undesired deviation from true periodicity of an assumed periodic signal in electronics and telecommunications. It often relates to a reference clock source). Unlike Wow and Flutter - with magnetic tape, depending on where it is on the tape, you can get a variance with the pitch, jitter variations have a higher frequency and are less easy to perceive but are more annoying for listeners.
Analog tapes should produce an inherent noise (like the tape hiss), which occurs parallel with the recorded noise, similar to the ambiance room noises at a concert. Interestingly, the digital noise while not separately perceptible is integrated into the music and does not occur as a parallel ambiance sound.
The original signal can be preserved within the dynamic range of the recording system. In contrast to digital audio, the analog tape does not require band-limiting filters. Although the digital noise seems lower than an analog tape, tapes do not show unnatural phenomenon such as ‘jitter’ (jitter refers to the undesired deviation from true periodicity of an assumed periodic signal in electronics and telecommunications. It often relates to a reference clock source). Unlike Wow and Flutter - with magnetic tape, depending on where it is on the tape, you can get a variance with the pitch, jitter variations have a higher frequency and are less easy to perceive but are more annoying for listeners.
Analog tapes should produce an inherent noise (like the tape hiss), which occurs parallel with the recorded noise, similar to the ambiance room noises at a concert. Interestingly, the digital noise while not separately perceptible is integrated into the music and does not occur as a parallel ambiance sound.
Reel to Reel Tape / Open-Reel tape
Reel-to-reel, or open-reel tape, is the format of a magnetic audiotape that is held on a reel/spindle, rather than an enclosed cartridge or cassette. Two reels, the feed reel, and take-up reel are required to record or play the tape. The feed, or supply, reel contains the tape which is pulled manually out of the reel and fed into the tape head assembly and attached by friction to the hub of the take-up reel. While the tape is recording or playing, the feed reel empties and the take-up reel fills.
The tape machine (Recorder/Player) used motors to wind the tape from one reel to another, passing over tape heads to read, write or erase the tape’s information while it moves. Reel-to-reel tape consists of a magnetic tape coated in a metallic compound(iron oxide of chromium dioxide), fixed by an adhesive binder, to store a specific pattern of magnetization. The recorded magnetization, which varies in strength and direction, represents the original sound waveform. In Other Words, the magnetization patterns correspond with the air pressure variations of the original sound. A typical open-reel/reel-to-reel tape is approximately 50 microns thick (sometimes referred to as Standard Play’). With a full 10 inch reel of tape (the standard studio recorder size) the playtime is a bit over 30 minutes at 15 IPS (inches per second), which is the common speed for a professional machine. Most modern tapes are ‘back coated’, meaning the tapes are slightly matted and rough-feeling surface (instead of a shiny, slippery one). The back coating is used to improve the tape winding characteristics. It improves the friction between layers by providing better ‘drive’ across the tape heads, excludes trapped air during fast winding is less likely to stretch or break. A proper winding is essential to avoid damaged edges of the tape, which is the main cause of dropouts and poor head-to-tape contact.
The tape machine (Recorder/Player) used motors to wind the tape from one reel to another, passing over tape heads to read, write or erase the tape’s information while it moves. Reel-to-reel tape consists of a magnetic tape coated in a metallic compound(iron oxide of chromium dioxide), fixed by an adhesive binder, to store a specific pattern of magnetization. The recorded magnetization, which varies in strength and direction, represents the original sound waveform. In Other Words, the magnetization patterns correspond with the air pressure variations of the original sound. A typical open-reel/reel-to-reel tape is approximately 50 microns thick (sometimes referred to as Standard Play’). With a full 10 inch reel of tape (the standard studio recorder size) the playtime is a bit over 30 minutes at 15 IPS (inches per second), which is the common speed for a professional machine. Most modern tapes are ‘back coated’, meaning the tapes are slightly matted and rough-feeling surface (instead of a shiny, slippery one). The back coating is used to improve the tape winding characteristics. It improves the friction between layers by providing better ‘drive’ across the tape heads, excludes trapped air during fast winding is less likely to stretch or break. A proper winding is essential to avoid damaged edges of the tape, which is the main cause of dropouts and poor head-to-tape contact.
History of Reel to Reel
The original reel-to-reel tape recorder was invented during the later 1920s in Germany. Tapes were made by biding ferrite oxide to a long paper strip that was magnetized by a tape head. Early Tape recorders were made with values (vacuum tubes) and were mono (single channel). By the mid-1950s, two-channel (stereo) machines were produced. Bing Crosby invested in Ampex Corporation, which was a key partner in the development of high-quality reel-to-reel tapes, resulting in the Early Ampex Vale Tape Deck. Advancements in technology, including solid-state circuits, direct-drive motors, and other refinements, made reel-to-reel decks more reliable and improved the frequency response. Due to the digital revolution, most manufacturers discontinued reel-to-reel tape recorders. The Remaining reel-to-reel brands at this stage are Akai, Teac/Tascam, and Otari. During 2016, Otari ceased the manufacturing of the MX-5050mklll. Ballinger M-063 released a new reel-to-reel tape deck for domestic use.
