8mm Forum: Reel to reel audio player

This is topic Reel to reel audio player in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Adam Deierling (Member # 2307) on June 12, 2016, 11:12 PM:

I recently acquired some audio tapes from my grandfathers estate and have no idea what's on them or have a player to test them. Does anyone on here have one I could borrow or rent for a few days?

Email me at onedelorean@yahoo.com

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on June 15, 2016, 12:38 PM:

Hi Adam be nice if its family talking or communications etc.

Best Mark.

Posted by Adam Deierling (Member # 2307) on June 15, 2016, 12:43 PM:

My grandfather used to play the banjo. He and his buddies would get together on Friday nights and play bluegrass all night. I am crossing my fingers that this is a recording of some of that!

There are about 4 full tapes here in this box. One 400' reel and 3 200'. I have no idea how much recording time can be on them as I have never played around with reel to reel audio tapes.

Posted by Tom Spielman (Member # 5352) on June 15, 2016, 02:18 PM:

What's the diameter of these reels? We had a really old reel to reel recorder in our family that wasn't even stereo and it used reels about the size of a 50 ft film reel. I'm sure it could hold a lot more audio tape though since it's quite a bit thinner.

I couldn't say how much recording time you've got there. Like film, higher end audio tape decks can record and play at different speeds. Instead of frames per second, they deal in inches of tape per second. Professional quality audio would be 15 inches per second, - which is why those really nice reel to reel decks needed to handle such big reels. Thats over a foot per second !

Further complicating it is that tape thickness varies.

Posted by Tommy Woods (Member # 2437) on June 15, 2016, 03:39 PM:

Hi Adam
I have an Akai db4000 which I use to take audio from, this takes a 7" reel, if you rent or buy one here's just a couple of things you will need to consider.

Tape speed; make sure it will play 2 speeds

Audio channels: again make sure that it will play muliple channels

I offer this to give you the best chance of recovering the audio successfully

Posted by Michael Lattavo (Member # 4280) on June 16, 2016, 02:48 AM:

Hey Adam!

I found several reel to reel players on ebay for around $50, and a lot of 30 tapes for $30. One option would be to buy off ebay, get proficient with the other reels, then play/record your grandfather's. When done, sell it on eBay (or keep for your kids to listen to someday!).

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 16, 2016, 04:01 AM:

This is the tape recorder I once had.
http://www.johansoldradios.se/tape-recorders/grundig-tk-5
Most tape recorders of the period were twin track. The running speed was often 3 3/4 inches per second, although the better home recorders ran at 7 1/2 inches per second.
A 5" spool would run 30 minutes at 3 3/4 and 15 minutes at 7 1/2.
A 6" spool would run 45 minutes at 3 3/4 and 22 1/2 minutes at 7 1/2.
A 7" spool would run 1 hour at 3 3/4 and 30 minutes at 7 1/2.
The above times were doubled by turning the tape over at its end and running back on the second track.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on June 16, 2016, 08:33 AM:

I see them from time to time in thrift stores and on Craigslist. With Craigslist you can bring a tape along and try it out. Don't forget you'll need a take-up reel.

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on June 16, 2016, 10:56 AM:

As a follow on from Maurice, There were also 4 track reel to reel tape recorders. These enabled one to record in stereo, 4 mono tracks or play back 2 tracks simultaneously. Useful for movie makers sound tracks e.g. music on one track and commentary on another. Just as you can on your stereo projectors. One of my sons was into writing and recording music and used an 8 track recorder in conjunction with a mixing desk! I have a 2 track and a 4 track machine which still work (touch wood, except that the 4 track, a Phillips, needs a new take up reel belt. It has turned to horrible black sticky gunge. If you see one on E Bay, best to make sure it still works, particularly the electronics, before bidding. Do not touch it if the seller says it has not been tested. Ken Finch.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on June 16, 2016, 11:11 AM:

Better to say half track and quarter track as there were some real 4 track quarter track machines (3 head) that could record each track at a time and play back all 4 tracks for mix down. Very handy but expensive, as they could also play back from the record heads for musicians to listen to previously recorded tracks when recording (simulsync mode). I used one in amateur theatre for sound effects, good for building up layers of sound.

These would produce all tracks in the same direction so if played on a normal quarter track machine 2 tracks would play in reverse.

Posted by Jean-Christophe Deblock (Member # 792) on June 16, 2016, 11:18 AM:

I love Bluegrass. It's my favorite music!

Tony Rice, Jimmy Arnold, Don Reno, Earl Scruggs, etc..

Listen to "Dueling Banjo" in "delivrance".

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on June 19, 2016, 05:11 AM:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myhnAZFR1po

Best Mark.

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