8mm Forum: Second audio track on super8 film?

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Posted by Gregory Oliver (Member # 5803) on May 28, 2018, 12:40 PM:

I came across a super8 film with the normal magnetic stripe opposite the perforated edge, but it looks like there is a thinner stripe along the edge with the perfs. Is this a secondary audio track?
It's the first one I have ever seen.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on May 28, 2018, 01:10 PM:

Gregory,

That is the balance stripe. Originally used to balance out the weight of the main stripe so that the film remains flat when going through the gate of the camera/projector, the balance stripe has often been used as an additional channel for stereo playback. It really is amazing how good the audio quality can be from that 0.45mm tape.

Doug

Posted by Gregory Oliver (Member # 5803) on May 29, 2018, 06:42 AM:

Thanks, Doug.
I wonder what make/model projector would have dual audio heads?
Gregory

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on May 29, 2018, 06:57 AM:

Gregory, there are lot of machines out there able to play both mag tracks. Projectors manufactured by Elmo, Eumig, Bauer, Beaulieu, Yelco... They are generally identified as "duoplay" or "dual track" or "twin track".

Posted by Oliver F. R. Feld (Member # 1911) on May 29, 2018, 08:47 AM:

...or „Stereo“!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on May 29, 2018, 11:10 AM:

... and the neat thing about having two tracks to work with, is that you can have "dual languages, (especially if the original source track was mono to begin with), or, if you are even more adventurous, you can record an "audio commentary on the balance track onto you're films!

A dual language super 8, if it's a popular film, can make it even more marketable in the future. I bought a L.P.P. print of "The Adventures of Robin Hood", thought it was english (well, I bought it from a U.S. bloke off ebay) and found the main stripe to be German, (didn't state that in auction) ...

... but thankfully, the balance stripe was still english, (with no "bleed" friom the german soundtrack), so, yay!

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on May 29, 2018, 07:07 PM:

I have recorded the DVD special features commentary onto the track 2 stripe of my Derann print of Shane. Works very well, and I think it adds value to the film.

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