[Vintage-Audio] 2Track Vs 4 Track

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Bob, 	
	
How does the calibration tape work for the Teac AN-180 external Dolby and
equalization unit? It is my understanding that once it is calibrated, the tape
is not needed again. True or myth? 		
	
Duane W8DBF	

	
 
----------
From: wolfbob <wolfbob at csnsys.com>
To: Mark - AA6DX <aa6dx at pacbell.net>; Vintage home and professional audio
equipment from 1975 back <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] 2Track Vs 4 Track
Date: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 11:30 PM

No sorry but wrong again. All the test tapes I have (about 12) all are full
track and are not ever used to align the heads in any dinmension that would
influence crosstalk. That is done by mechanical alignment of the tape edges
and the head gaps. Test tapes are used for setting levels, aligning azimuth
and correcting equalization, not for setting where the tape goes by the
heads. Again after aligning, testing and using about three different 1/4
inch 4 track reel to reel decks per week for the last five years, that I
have never heard ANY crosstalk on an aligned deck either with it's own or
other decks tape or with prerecorded tapes (which I have about 100). You
possibly are mistaking print through for crosstalk.

If you think the gap spacing is tight in 1/4 inch 4 track, it is the same as
1/2 inch 8 track and 1 inch 16 track, the very popular standards for the
recording industry. Carrying it to an extreme look at the cassette where you
have 4 tracks in 1/8 inch or so. Yet the cassette is not driven by the
appearance of any crosstalk.

Now it was a problem in the decks made in the early 40s before they figured
out how to get some shielding between the gaps, but all of the Japanese,
most of the US and all but some early European decks have never had this
problem. Certainly any 4 track stereo deck used adequate shielding and
therefore no crosstalk as they were all built after about 1950.

WBob


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark - AA6DX" <aa6dx at pacbell.net>
To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back"
<vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 7:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] 2Track Vs 4 Track


> Cross talk is indeed an issue.  One may never hear crosstalk on a properly
> aligned 4 track, but, if you purchase pre- recorded tapes, or the product
> comes from a different recorder, you may well have your recording invaded
by
> other way sound.  Industry standard test tapes are designed to eliminate
> this problem, but a lot of audiophiles never bothered, because the tapes
> played back swell on their own machine.  Signal to noise is very
> important... but so is equalization and head room.  As an aside, most home
> users did not set their equalization to match their chosen brand and
> specific blank tape, and lost much of the quality they hoped to gain by
the
> expenditure for the "high priced spread".
>
> Why do you suppose the broadcast industry universally uses half track?
> Surely not so they can spend more money on tape!  If your local radio
> station gets its ads (hopefully for your favorite presidential candidate)
> via ancient reel to reel tape, it will be half track.
>
> 15 IPS and half track was (or is, I don't know) the professional standard
> for high fidelity stereo content using 1/4" tape.  One inch tape if you
were
> serious, and could afford the hardware.
>
> I spent 10 years in the sales part of audio, and 10 years in Broadcast,
and
> throw in a few years in the advertising agency business.  But there are
> those who know more than I.
>
> Far West Mark
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> ** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>
>
>


_______________________________________________
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/vintage-audio
List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF
** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **