Hello, electronics service tech here, I'd recommend getting all the electrolytic capacitors replaced regardless of their ESR just for peace of mind, wouldn't want that beauty popping a cap 🙂
Hey brother, thank you for the shout out. Yes, yes, and yes…. David Fincher 100% was extremely meticulous about detail on this reel to reel. His specifications was .005 of an inch chamfer on the reels edges alone. We had two machines at our disposal and I took one to create a superhero prop for that opening sequence alone. Since a good portion of the recorder had damages, such as deep scratches, gouges, etc etc, I had to re-create those parts by CNC machining. The seal for the top cover I 3-D print it and even the top cover is not original. I had to make a new one from scratch. The top cover where the pick ups are that says Sony, I did not remove the logo, because that part as well I had to remake from scratch. Again, CNC machining. There were areas of machining that I was holding half a thou tolerance. Lol, I know, crazy. But, I was instructed that this would be an extreme close-up scene. The rest of the machine I tore down, refinished the side panels the back panel to take out all of the scratches gouges and then did a refinish using KG gun coatings. There was some Cerakote as well in there. The real’s were probably the most pain in the butt. Machining, thin metal like that can be problematic with vibration so I had to form a custom jig that sandwiched the reels down so I can machine the chamfers. The center hub is 3-D printed and if you look closely on the Opening sequence when he is tightening the reel knob, you will see my company initials KCP. That actually was an accident and no one was supposed to see that but someone put the reels upside down. I’m not gonna complain. Lol. Truth be told this task of refinishing/fabricating. This reel to reel went in front of two other prop shops before it ultimately ended up in my hands. David was extremely adamant about the quality of this prop that the Prop Master took it to two shops. One of the shops tried, but could not give the quality level of work David was asking for. That second shop gave me a call one day and said “on “Kenney don’t be mad at me but I’m sending somebody your way. They are being truly anal about the detail and I told them if you’re looking for someone that’s anal, you need to go to Ken shop“. Not five minutes later Prop Master called me at about 20 minutes later I was on a flight to Pittsburgh for a morning meeting the next day. I looked at the previous work done by the last shop, and thought to myself this is some pretty good work and question whether I could pull off with David wanted. Ultimately, that opening sequence is a project I’m most proud of being a part of and definitely one of the most beautifully done. And last, I did make mention to the art department that in exchange for the hard work, David needed to bring me on for World War Z 2. Lol there was a lot more to this project but that’s pretty much the gist of it. Thanks again, brother, for the shout out. If by any chance, you would like files to the the reel to reel or any of the other parts, let me know.
I admire the beauty of the sequence, but I cannot wrap my head around the fact that this is not accompanied with the same meticulousness about the usage. In the sequence, they start the tape, and the recording, and just then plug in and position the mic. It really took me out of the sequence when I first watched it, and I kept thinking why anyone would DO such a thing. I also learned that the guy in the sequence is fiddling with a knob which does absolutely nothing. Again... maybe that's just me, but if you do tech porn incorrectly, I get infuriated. (I'm getting seriously ecstatic when obscure stuff is done correctly, so porn is the appropriate word here ;) )
10:10 - hoohhhhh, I have never heard this skipping as a REAL SOUND, I've only ever heard it digitally re-created, and now I understand what it IS! The SOUND that came outta that reel was WILD, man, absolutely peak for an analogue-horror short, my lord!
It's considered technically correct practice to store your reels end-out, so that if someone threads it up to play, it will be playing backwards. Just put it onto the other reel, and then play it. The reason for storing reels "tails out" is so that if there is bleed-through (magnetic imprinting from one layer of tape to the next) it will sound like a natural echo, and not a creepy pre-sound.
The reason why it's playing backwards is because it is playing the wrong tracks. The recorder recording that tape may have a different track layout than this player thus you are actually playing the track that was recorded on the other side of the tape (the take up spool on the recorder became the supply spool) as the tape was flipped over on the recorder to record the other side.
If I remember correctly, Matt had his reels custom made and shorts after, the company he had bought them from started selling the replicas on their online store.
I remember having Mononucleosis in high school and I watched 5th Element, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Empire Strikes Back on VHS time and again as I was relegated to the couch.
My "Strange and Unique Tape Recorder" is a Tascam 488MkII Portastudio, which takes standard Phillips Cassette Tapes. What makes it special, however, is that it's a _8 track_ tape recorder. On a standard (although Chrome) Phillips Cassette Tape *_EIGHT TRACKS_* It uses both the A side and B side at the same time (that's 4 tracks, 2 stereo pairs normally) and squeezes another 4 tracks in between. To make that possible, as well as a Tascam designed custom 8 track head, it doubles the transport speed. This means that a C60, the longest tape recommended, gets it's run length quartered and you really should only use brand new sealed tapes and it's specifically biased for TDK Type II tapes. It's wild and great fun to use.
Translated the backwards audio: "Satan is your pal, Satan is your friend". Great vid. In the 70s our neighbor Charlie was a tech/DJ for WLLE am radio. In his basement he had a huge HAM radio set up and would let us suburban kids check it out from time to time. He also had a work bench full of Nagras of all kinds. I got obsessed with the Nagra SN Portables, just a work of art. I remember tons of government license plated cars stopping by at all hours dropping off and picking up boxes of stuff. At his funeral I asked his wife about those sedans, she said that Charlie did lots of work for the government. Nice.
Many moons ago, I recorded the field audio for five of the Public Service Announcements in MTV’s “Rock Against Drugs” on-air campaign, and for every one of them I used the Nagra IV-s version of this machine, along with a portable mic boom and a selection of shotgun condenser mics. All the audio (even though each one was filmed in a different location) came out sounding GORGEOUS! I have no experience with the SONY version of this machine. But I can say that the Nagra version was a true gem. And it would most likely take me as long as it took to thread the tape through the machine to have mastered every function. As far as I can see, the meter panel (and its attendant switches and such) are identical to the ones I used on each shoot I worked on for that campaign.
I can remember as a 3-4yo boy recording tapes that my 2 brothers and my Mom sent and received Tapes from my dad while he was deployed in Vietnam. Probably 1966 thru 1968ish . He served 2 tours and this was my first memory of my Dad. I miss you Dad
I owned one of these (well, the TC-510-2 export version) in the 70s. Used it to gather, edit and replay sound effects and music for stage productions. A great machine, and one of my most prized possessions at the time. Great to see it highlighted!
Hi David, seeing this vid reminded me of your beloved TC-510-2 from the 70s, which in turn reminds me of the Sony MXP-42 portable audio mixer which I bought in 1985. Very similar aesthetic, very high performance and built to last. It met with a Nasty Accident a few years ago; its storage case got filled with rain water when the grip truck roof leaked! After carefully drying it out it worked perfectly. Most unexpected. Still working today as a constantly-on pre-amp on my office desk. Big ups to the golden age of Sony. 🎤😊
@@wombatperson Hi Peter, great to hear from you! Funny, another TC-510-2 came across a friend's workbench (he mainly services musical gear). He was overloaded so I said I'd have a crack at repairing it. I found out the battery pack connections had come adrift inside the case. Opened it up and put them back in place. It worked perfectly. Yes, great gear.
Just watched opening scene from Mindhunter. Remarkable. The juxtaposition of the pristine TC-5550-2 stereo tape recorder with murder victims was truly jarring. Question: will Adam rebuild/refurbish his recorder to match the one in Mindhunter? Would be magnificent and completely insane if he did.
What a wonderful piece of technology. I love classic tech like that, so tactile, with switches and dials and knobs that move with a satisfying click, none of the swipie swipie technology we have now.
Adam thank you for bringing up "Mind Hunter" series. Didn't take long to find both seasons to download and watch. Such a pleasure to see Anna Torv back on the tube, I truly loved watching her on "Fringe", it's just a treat to see her do something else...
I still have mine that was bought for me as a gift by my grandfather in 1976. The orange pause knob broke off many years ago, so that's missing and the two recessed volume knobs on the left but otherwise it works and just needs a service. I wish I could get those parts . . . .
I'm so old, that I used to mix sound on commercials on a Nagra. It was during the waning years before tascam, but I was lucky enough to learn on that piece of machinery!
Matt's awesome. He doesn't care much for doing interviews....BUT I think he might give it more thought for Adam :) ...if it were ever to be. Love reel to reels. Refurbing a Teac 3300S right now and it sounds (and looks) astonishing!
@AdamSavage: reel to reel tapes are normally stored "tail out" to avoid "bleed-through" pre-echoes. To play a tape, you'd need to load it the opposite way, rewind the tape, and then play it back onto the original reel.
Sony’s 70s and early 80s stuff is gorgeous. Great industrial design. They started cheaping out on build after they became a major prestige brand in the States, they made a lot of ugly black plastic lumps in the 80s/90s. But man, their early metal stuff looked so sweet. Also, reel to reel is always stored ‘backward,’ "tails out." Keeps it from getting noticeable pre-echoes due to print-through during storage.
The way the head stack looks, black anodize on top and individual heads mounted to and adjusted from it looks very muck like the MCI JH-110 style of tape deck. As I recall, MCI was originally a Florida based company. Their decks were interesting in that the capstan motor shaft was ceramic, not metal and the speed was controlled like a PLL synthesizer referenced to a crystal clock! The supply and takeup motors were dc motors that were in a loop that monitored and adjusted the tape tension before and after the capstan and corrected the drive automatically. They were nice decks that recorded and reproduced very cleanly. I still have a couple "kicking around, including a JH-24, 2" 24 track that was produced after Sony took over the company! Enjoy your deck!
I'm glad the capacitors didn't explode on you. I once restored an Ampex Quad videotape machine with serious pyrotechnic tendencies. I also restored a Sony 1/2 inch open reel video tape machine that was much better behaved, so it's not inevitable.
The fact that he's talking about a reel-to-reel recorder reminds me of something. Statement Of, Adam Whitney Savage, regarding his encounters with one... "Walrus Man" while working for the Discovery channel. Statement Begins
There was a recorder similar to that in a john Travolta movie a long time ago, he played a sound man who recorded a traffic accident involving a senator and a young lady.
WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. I have been looking for the Nagra like this since I saw one at a garage sale more than 40 years ago... That one was not for sale and I never saw it run, but just from how it looked, I could tell it was a masterpiece of design engineering that nothing on Earth could hold a candle to... I bet if you shined a laser on the turning reels, the reflected dot would not move a hair's distance.. I just love how the power unit slides into the back... I design electronics and look at EVERYTHING for inspiration in how to make something. I am in the process of developing robots and see design concepts in this tape recorder that I want to incorporate in my designs. I bet they put the tape on the reel flipped upside down.. Just put the outfeed reel on upside down and rewind the whole tape onto the other reel. Then it might work correctly after the whole tape is flipped.
Great video! I know why it's backwards. The tape label means "4-track entertainment music" - the tape has two stereo tracks (one pair each direction, like a cassette). The Sony machine is 2-track for better audio quality. The playback heads are misaligned to the recording. I'm the proud owner of a TEAC X2000M which is one of very few machines with both modes
As an ethnomusicologist, I revere these tools. Many were lugged into exotic places and recorded for all time rare instances of traditional music. I used one many times to record concerts at a university in the 80s and 90s. Tip: get yourself a demagnetiser for the heads.
Audio played backwards should not count as infringement as it is a significant transformation of the content. It'd take me some work to turn it back around the right way.
Mr Savage thanks for another collection video. You have tons of stuff in your shop, have you ever thought of another show that uses that stuff randomly? Get some numbers on that stuff and roll some DND dice and make something out of what you roll up! I have a feeling your shop will have some trash in there, but also hidden gems that could make a new widget. Just s thought sir, I’ve been a fan for few years now, thanks again for your genius.
I love the older mechanical gear that can be operated without even looking at it. Same for cars. I'll take knobs and switches over a touchpanel any day of the week. Off to watch the Techmoan video. :)
Your tape was stored "tails out" to paly it you put it on the take-up real side and rewind it back onto another spool. Thisis partly done because on most player tape winds more stablely (tension etc... straight pack with no layers sticking out, best configurationto mask print-trough) in play mode than in rewind mode. This puts the tape in a more ideal configuration for storage when you arefinished listening to it.
Never knew Sony made a recorder like this. It's beautiful. I don't have a Nagra sadly but I do have a couple of UHER machines, my father's original that he used in light aircraft when recording lessons teaching people to fly - and a stereo 4400 Report Monitor, which is beautiful like this.
Cool. I'm working my way through Mindhunter. From what you say, this Sony recorder would have been anachronistic for the era of the show. From what I know, the FBI during that era primarily used Marantz audio equipment, which was high end at the time.
Beautiful! I have a love of high-grade field recorders as strong as yours but, regrettably, a much smaller disposable income to work with. One day . . .
I also collect technology. PRE DIGITAL technology. I despise digital with a passion no words can express. I'm 64, and I remember just how wonderful the pre digital world was.
Real reel to reel affectionados don't have a leader sticking out like that. Just barely put the leader into the slot, hold the tape with your finger and turn the reel to hold. Keeps the leader from creasing and subsequently breaking. So jealous of that deck, have had a longing for one since they were contemporary. Nagras and Uhers were really unobtainable back when, still are. Closest (portable) I had was a Grundig which was pretty good but not in the same league. Have had other Sonys (still do) and was a tech back when. Still have many of the service manuals. Try to score a TC 766-2 if you really want to get hot over a deck. When I first saw that opening of Mind Hunter I exclaimed it was A Sony! so cool.
Back in the early 70s I had a Sony reel to reel video cam Corder. It used a lead acid battery and a camera the size of a Bible connected to it by a wire as big as your little finger. If you could find one I would love to see a review of it. Thx
Check out @techmoan's channel here: www.youtube.com/@Techmoan
Techmoan does awesome videos! Never disappointed over on his channel!
@@silveradoguy87 100% agree, been looking forward to Techmoans weeklyish videos for a long while now.
@@warhamsterful I've been watching him for years now. I miss the puppets! Lol
Hello, electronics service tech here, I'd recommend getting all the electrolytic capacitors replaced regardless of their ESR just for peace of mind, wouldn't want that beauty popping a cap 🙂
@@dizzy2020 that name (which may not be his real name ) has been used on RUclips by his friends
Hey brother, thank you for the shout out. Yes, yes, and yes…. David Fincher 100% was extremely meticulous about detail on this reel to reel. His specifications was .005 of an inch chamfer on the reels edges alone. We had two machines at our disposal and I took one to create a superhero prop for that opening sequence alone. Since a good portion of the recorder had damages, such as deep scratches, gouges, etc etc, I had to re-create those parts by CNC machining. The seal for the top cover I 3-D print it and even the top cover is not original. I had to make a new one from scratch. The top cover where the pick ups are that says Sony, I did not remove the logo, because that part as well I had to remake from scratch. Again, CNC machining. There were areas of machining that I was holding half a thou tolerance. Lol, I know, crazy. But, I was instructed that this would be an extreme close-up scene. The rest of the machine I tore down, refinished the side panels the back panel to take out all of the scratches gouges and then did a refinish using KG gun coatings. There was some Cerakote as well in there.
The real’s were probably the most pain in the butt. Machining, thin metal like that can be problematic with vibration so I had to form a custom jig that sandwiched the reels down so I can machine the chamfers. The center hub is 3-D printed and if you look closely on the Opening sequence when he is tightening the reel knob, you will see my company initials KCP. That actually was an accident and no one was supposed to see that but someone put the reels upside down. I’m not gonna complain. Lol.
Truth be told this task of refinishing/fabricating. This reel to reel went in front of two other prop shops before it ultimately ended up in my hands. David was extremely adamant about the quality of this prop that the Prop Master took it to two shops. One of the shops tried, but could not give the quality level of work David was asking for.
That second shop gave me a call one day and said “on “Kenney don’t be mad at me but I’m sending somebody your way. They are being truly anal about the detail and I told them if you’re looking for someone that’s anal, you need to go to Ken shop“. Not five minutes later Prop Master called me at about 20 minutes later I was on a flight to Pittsburgh for a morning meeting the next day. I looked at the previous work done by the last shop, and thought to myself this is some pretty good work and question whether I could pull off with David wanted. Ultimately, that opening sequence is a project I’m most proud of being a part of and definitely one of the most beautifully done.
And last, I did make mention to the art department that in exchange for the hard work, David needed to bring me on for World War Z 2. Lol there was a lot more to this project but that’s pretty much the gist of it. Thanks again, brother, for the shout out.
If by any chance, you would like files to the the reel to reel or any of the other parts, let me know.
Beautiful and considerate work. Loved the titles and it looked pristine.
the reel's edges .... The reals
Where can we find the video of you making the reels? Couldn’t find them @kcpstudio RUclips. Amazing work!
I admire the beauty of the sequence, but I cannot wrap my head around the fact that this is not accompanied with the same meticulousness about the usage. In the sequence, they start the tape, and the recording, and just then plug in and position the mic. It really took me out of the sequence when I first watched it, and I kept thinking why anyone would DO such a thing.
I also learned that the guy in the sequence is fiddling with a knob which does absolutely nothing. Again... maybe that's just me, but if you do tech porn incorrectly, I get infuriated. (I'm getting seriously ecstatic when obscure stuff is done correctly, so porn is the appropriate word here ;) )
This feels like a sequel for the Techmoans' video.
Just the good quality vu meters would sell it for Techmoan 👍
lol He was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thumbnail
I like that Adam name dropped Techmoan
This is what makes RUclips so awesome
both tech nerds need to meet up and nerd out some more about vintage tech
Bring. Back. Mindhunter!
It was fantastic television.
Netflix cancels all their good shows.
SO good, right?
10:10 - hoohhhhh, I have never heard this skipping as a REAL SOUND, I've only ever heard it digitally re-created, and now I understand what it IS! The SOUND that came outta that reel was WILD, man, absolutely peak for an analogue-horror short, my lord!
Ditto. Wow, so glad that happened.
👍 Gonna capture/sample that RIGHT NOW! 😛 And then reverse it as well for a "ramp up".
That was way worse that it typically would be on a properly working machine
@@MrJMS814 Worse... or better? :3
A good looking reel-to-reel is a work of art!
I used to repair Nagra 1/4" stereo tape recorders. Absolutely beautiful piece of Swiss engineering. I also repaired Uher recorders.
hah! love the shoutout to Techmoan ... he's definitely the king of retro audio on youtube
Can't wait to see what type of case you are going to make for it.
You know Adam well!
It's considered technically correct practice to store your reels end-out, so that if someone threads it up to play, it will be playing backwards. Just put it onto the other reel, and then play it. The reason for storing reels "tails out" is so that if there is bleed-through (magnetic imprinting from one layer of tape to the next) it will sound like a natural echo, and not a creepy pre-sound.
Props to Adam for citing Techmoan
I also love Techmoan, thank you for plugging him!
Appreciate the 5th Element joke, I say it all the time! "Aziz...LIGHT!!"
The reason why it's playing backwards is because it is playing the wrong tracks. The recorder recording that tape may have a different track layout than this player thus you are actually playing the track that was recorded on the other side of the tape (the take up spool on the recorder became the supply spool) as the tape was flipped over on the recorder to record the other side.
Correct
I just love the way you communicate with your audience, just brilliant !
If I remember correctly, Matt had his reels custom made and shorts after, the company he had bought them from started selling the replicas on their online store.
Let's all show some public appreciation for Matt @ TechMoan and all the great work he does.
5:20 "Aziz light!" - I had to laugh at that. Usually if I use that, no one gets my 5th Element reference (any more) ;-)
I remember having Mononucleosis in high school and I watched 5th Element, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Empire Strikes Back on VHS time and again as I was relegated to the couch.
Techmoan: officially goated 🙏🏽 that's it for the moment
My "Strange and Unique Tape Recorder" is a Tascam 488MkII Portastudio, which takes standard Phillips Cassette Tapes.
What makes it special, however, is that it's a _8 track_ tape recorder.
On a standard (although Chrome) Phillips Cassette Tape
*_EIGHT TRACKS_*
It uses both the A side and B side at the same time (that's 4 tracks, 2 stereo pairs normally) and squeezes another 4 tracks in between.
To make that possible, as well as a Tascam designed custom 8 track head, it doubles the transport speed.
This means that a C60, the longest tape recommended, gets it's run length quartered and you really should only use brand new sealed tapes and it's specifically biased for TDK Type II tapes.
It's wild and great fun to use.
Great tape machine, thanks for showing it! The tape was stored tails-out which is why it played backwards.
Translated the backwards audio: "Satan is your pal, Satan is your friend". Great vid.
In the 70s our neighbor Charlie was a tech/DJ for WLLE am radio. In his basement he had a huge HAM radio set up and would let us suburban kids check it out from time to time. He also had a work bench full of Nagras of all kinds. I got obsessed with the Nagra SN Portables, just a work of art. I remember tons of government license plated cars stopping by at all hours dropping off and picking up boxes of stuff. At his funeral I asked his wife about those sedans, she said that Charlie did lots of work for the government. Nice.
Loveddd Mindhunter! I have done a couple rewatches. This is such a cool machine.
Many moons ago, I recorded the field audio for five of the Public Service Announcements in MTV’s “Rock Against Drugs” on-air campaign, and for every one of them I used the Nagra IV-s version of this machine, along with a portable mic boom and a selection of shotgun condenser mics. All the audio (even though each one was filmed in a different location) came out sounding GORGEOUS! I have no experience with the SONY version of this machine. But I can say that the Nagra version was a true gem. And it would most likely take me as long as it took to thread the tape through the machine to have mastered every function. As far as I can see, the meter panel (and its attendant switches and such) are identical to the ones I used on each shoot I worked on for that campaign.
Thanks for getting me to finally watch MINDHUNTER! It’s been on my list but the mention of Anna Torv got me to mash play.
Also a huge Mindhunter fan. Cool piece, Adam. Thanks for the show-and-tell!
I can remember as a 3-4yo boy recording tapes that my 2 brothers and my Mom sent and received Tapes from my dad while he was deployed in Vietnam. Probably 1966 thru 1968ish . He served 2 tours and this was my first memory of my Dad. I miss you Dad
I owned one of these (well, the TC-510-2 export version) in the 70s. Used it to gather, edit and replay sound effects and music for stage productions. A great machine, and one of my most prized possessions at the time. Great to see it highlighted!
Hi David, seeing this vid reminded me of your beloved TC-510-2 from the 70s, which in turn reminds me of the Sony MXP-42 portable audio mixer which I bought in 1985. Very similar aesthetic, very high performance and built to last. It met with a Nasty Accident a few years ago; its storage case got filled with rain water when the grip truck roof leaked! After carefully drying it out it worked perfectly. Most unexpected. Still working today as a constantly-on pre-amp on my office desk. Big ups to the golden age of Sony. 🎤😊
@@wombatperson Hi Peter, great to hear from you! Funny, another TC-510-2 came across a friend's workbench (he mainly services musical gear). He was overloaded so I said I'd have a crack at repairing it. I found out the battery pack connections had come adrift inside the case. Opened it up and put them back in place. It worked perfectly. Yes, great gear.
Just watched opening scene from Mindhunter. Remarkable. The juxtaposition of the pristine TC-5550-2 stereo tape recorder with murder victims was truly jarring.
Question: will Adam rebuild/refurbish his recorder to match the one in Mindhunter? Would be magnificent and completely insane if he did.
What a wonderful piece of technology. I love classic tech like that, so tactile, with switches and dials and knobs that move with a satisfying click, none of the swipie swipie technology we have now.
Adam thank you for bringing up "Mind Hunter" series. Didn't take long to find both seasons to download and watch. Such a pleasure to see Anna Torv back on the tube, I truly loved watching her on "Fringe", it's just a treat to see her do something else...
I still have mine that was bought for me as a gift by my grandfather in 1976. The orange pause knob broke off many years ago, so that's missing and the two recessed volume knobs on the left but otherwise it works and just needs a service. I wish I could get those parts . . . .
I'm so old, that I used to mix sound on commercials on a Nagra. It was during the waning years before tascam, but I was lucky enough to learn on that piece of machinery!
Matt's awesome. He doesn't care much for doing interviews....BUT I think he might give it more thought for Adam :) ...if it were ever to be.
Love reel to reels. Refurbing a Teac 3300S right now and it sounds (and looks) astonishing!
@AdamSavage: reel to reel tapes are normally stored "tail out" to avoid "bleed-through" pre-echoes. To play a tape, you'd need to load it the opposite way, rewind the tape, and then play it back onto the original reel.
I had never heard of it
Just saw episode 1
I'm sold!
Thanks Adam
🇳🇱🥰
Sony’s 70s and early 80s stuff is gorgeous. Great industrial design. They started cheaping out on build after they became a major prestige brand in the States, they made a lot of ugly black plastic lumps in the 80s/90s. But man, their early metal stuff looked so sweet.
Also, reel to reel is always stored ‘backward,’ "tails out." Keeps it from getting noticeable pre-echoes due to print-through during storage.
The way the head stack looks, black anodize on top and individual heads mounted to and adjusted from it looks very muck like the MCI JH-110 style of tape deck. As I recall, MCI was originally a Florida based company. Their decks were interesting in that the capstan motor shaft was ceramic, not metal and the speed was controlled like a PLL synthesizer referenced to a crystal clock! The supply and takeup motors were dc motors that were in a loop that monitored and adjusted the tape tension before and after the capstan and corrected the drive automatically. They were nice decks that recorded and reproduced very cleanly. I still have a couple "kicking around, including a JH-24, 2" 24 track that was produced after Sony took over the company!
Enjoy your deck!
In the ever-going contest of "whoever has the most stuff when they die, wins" , I think Adam is a solid contender.
Need to see more of this stuff ahead =) !!!!
I'm glad the capacitors didn't explode on you. I once restored an Ampex Quad videotape machine with serious pyrotechnic tendencies. I also restored a Sony 1/2 inch open reel video tape machine that was much better behaved, so it's not inevitable.
As one tech collector to an other bless you for taking care of and loving them all.
Nothing more beautiful than anologue VU meters that are lit up.
The fact that he's talking about a reel-to-reel recorder reminds me of something.
Statement Of, Adam Whitney Savage, regarding his encounters with one... "Walrus Man" while working for the Discovery channel.
Statement Begins
The cinematic tape recorder I think of is the Nagra in the French movie Diva. It was used to make a consequential bootleg.
Immediately gave a like as soon as Adam said "Aziz... LIGHT!"
Very well explained, also technically (audio) excellently recorded!
There was a recorder similar to that in a john Travolta movie a long time ago, he played a sound man who recorded a traffic accident involving a senator and a young lady.
WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. I have been looking for the Nagra like this since I saw one at a garage sale more than 40 years ago... That one was not for sale and I never saw it run, but just from how it looked, I could tell it was a masterpiece of design engineering that nothing on Earth could hold a candle to...
I bet if you shined a laser on the turning reels, the reflected dot would not move a hair's distance..
I just love how the power unit slides into the back...
I design electronics and look at EVERYTHING for inspiration in how to make something.
I am in the process of developing robots and see design concepts in this tape recorder that I want to incorporate in my designs.
I bet they put the tape on the reel flipped upside down.. Just put the outfeed reel on upside down and rewind the whole tape onto the other reel. Then it might work correctly after the whole tape is flipped.
Great video! I know why it's backwards. The tape label means "4-track entertainment music" - the tape has two stereo tracks (one pair each direction, like a cassette). The Sony machine is 2-track for better audio quality. The playback heads are misaligned to the recording. I'm the proud owner of a TEAC X2000M which is one of very few machines with both modes
As an ethnomusicologist, I revere these tools. Many were lugged into exotic places and recorded for all time rare instances of traditional music. I used one many times to record concerts at a university in the 80s and 90s. Tip: get yourself a demagnetiser for the heads.
Audio played backwards should not count as infringement as it is a significant transformation of the content. It'd take me some work to turn it back around the right way.
Very cool piece of equipment and history and a Fifth Element reference as the cherry on the top. 😀
5:20 Lights! I was half expecting Adam to put on his best Colin Clive voice and scream "It's alive! It's alive! It's alive!"
AHHH, Taylor! We finally get to know his last name! Thanks, Adam!
Mr Savage thanks for another collection video.
You have tons of stuff in your shop, have you ever thought of another show that uses that stuff randomly? Get some numbers on that stuff and roll some DND dice and make something out of what you roll up! I have a feeling your shop will have some trash in there, but also hidden gems that could make a new widget.
Just s thought sir, I’ve been a fan for few years now, thanks again for your genius.
I love the older mechanical gear that can be operated without even looking at it. Same for cars. I'll take knobs and switches over a touchpanel any day of the week.
Off to watch the Techmoan video. :)
"Today on one day builds, we're summoning a *daemon!*"
Your tape was stored "tails out" to paly it you put it on the take-up real side and rewind it back onto another spool. Thisis partly done because on most player tape winds more stablely (tension etc... straight pack with no layers sticking out, best configurationto mask print-trough) in play mode than in rewind mode. This puts the tape in a more ideal configuration for storage when you arefinished listening to it.
Never knew Sony made a recorder like this. It's beautiful. I don't have a Nagra sadly but I do have a couple of UHER machines, my father's original that he used in light aircraft when recording lessons teaching people to fly - and a stereo 4400 Report Monitor, which is beautiful like this.
I was waiting to hear Techmoan referenced!
Giving Tech-moan a shout out... talk about my two worlds colliding!
This is such a cool piece.
When machines were made properly and to last 👌
Hey Mr Savage, great videos of all kinds, thanks! As for the backwards music is concerned, the playback tape head just needs a little adjusting.
Cool. I'm working my way through Mindhunter. From what you say, this Sony recorder would have been anachronistic for the era of the show. From what I know, the FBI during that era primarily used Marantz audio equipment, which was high end at the time.
As a young man I had the Concord 509D funny how specific memories are triggered.
I'm so tickled by the shout-outs to @Techmoan.
The depths of your nerdiness know no bounds
Amazing Tech
I've always had the old Nagra 4S on my bucket/wish list.
I love Sony 80s/90s quality!
Nice Techmoan credit!
Mind hunter was excellent!
Beautiful! I have a love of high-grade field recorders as strong as yours but, regrettably, a much smaller disposable income to work with. One day . . .
I've seen enough movies to know that whatever you just played has cast a curse upon us all. Good lookin out, Adam
Check the tape machine's belts, grease, rubber, felt, cork etc. and it might run perfectly. Nice piece, good choice, enjoy it!
I also collect technology. PRE DIGITAL technology. I despise digital with a passion no words can express. I'm 64, and I remember just how wonderful the pre digital world was.
Real reel to reel affectionados don't have a leader sticking out like that. Just barely put the leader into the slot, hold the tape with your finger and turn the reel to hold. Keeps the leader from creasing and subsequently breaking.
So jealous of that deck, have had a longing for one since they were contemporary. Nagras and Uhers were really unobtainable back when, still are. Closest (portable) I had was a Grundig which was pretty good but not in the same league. Have had other Sonys (still do) and was a tech back when. Still have many of the service manuals. Try to score a TC 766-2 if you really want to get hot over a deck.
When I first saw that opening of Mind Hunter I exclaimed it was A Sony! so cool.
Old Sony tech is rock solid.
The item from Mindhunter that intrigues me is Bill Tench's plastic raincoat. So cool and retro. Where can I get one??
I was getting some Evil Dead vibes when you got the sound to play, remember, it’s “Klaatu barada nikto" 😅
Adam I think we would get along like best friends because we love the same things.
dude when the tape recorder started playing it was so creepy!!!!
5:23 so many Easter Eggs I love it 5th E is such an underrated movie 5:23
Back in the early 70s I had a Sony reel to reel video cam Corder. It used a lead acid battery and a camera the size of a Bible connected to it by a wire as big as your little finger.
If you could find one I would love to see a review of it.
Thx
Looking forward to the sync recordings ☺
какие крутые вещи из прошлого 👍😊
And now we wait for the kickass case he’s inevitably going to make for it
Gosh 4 years ago already!
Crikey. Time moves at 15 inches p.s but it drags by more like 1.5 inches p.s.
Viva Techmoan.
And Fincher too.
Sweet retro!
Best made... Especially for the time
You need a Geochron in your collection. It is a marvel of horology developed in Northern California in the 1960s and currently is produced in Oregon.
👍 for Adam and 👍👍 for Matt.
Be great if you two could get together sometime.
Techmoan and Tested. When worlds collide!
I was hoping for the recording to be a recitation of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis.
Its not backwards, its HAUNTED!
You even mentioned Nagra, so there are like 5972 from Switzerland.
Trippy!
Lol, got me with the 5th element reference.