NAGRA makes high end audio equipment, that are very expensive, I had no idea this company was making equipment from the 1960's,but looking at this little recorder,it oozes quality and engineering.
Rolex sucks though hehe; Rolex is mostly marketing which is why it fetches high end prices not because quality. (…all staring with James Bond, before that they were known as Affordable, good watches) Nagra is high quality which fetches high end prices more akin to Patek Philippe ;) …Just to keep the watch company examples proper. …the reason people think Rolex is so great is James Bond and marketing so that began in earnest in the 60s. Now it’s propelled Rolex to the forefront of “luxury” watches for the mass of consumers. Which in turn has made it one of not the brand for those who purchase things in general or specifically watches for investment or flipping purposes…and this is something that’s become more prevalent since the early 2010s. Non watch people getting interested not because of any type of appreciation for watches but because of the moneymaking that could be had from rare pieces or wanted companies and combined. An appreciation of $$$. As well Rolex currently feeds off this whirlpool as they artificially keep numbers low for models being produced to help boost they’re sales numbers which keep the secondary market prices skyrocket’ed and drive people to buy more new and MSRP. ….none of this was the case let’s say before 2009. It’s all very interesting.
Very cool! When I "worked in the film industry" Nagra was the got-to recorder for film production. This little "spy" recorder is so cool and likely would still work like a champ!
These Nagras are really astonishing "little" pieces of fine engineering, so small but really precise work. funny that this and studer is actually swiss made, truly some milestones among tape machines. Of course there are other fantastic brands too!
Such a cool piece of gear. Not necessarily practical or useful by today's standard but so much mojo! Those mics and that little speaker unit have got such a characterful and clear sound (as you'd expect from Nagra gear!)
Thanks! I have always wanted one of these but have not seen one demonstrated so clearly. It is a wonderful machine and the low level detail from those mics is amazing. Tape machine sound is so comforting.
A fascinating piece of vintage gear with some very colorful history. The fact that they were originally used by the CIA is an additional coolness factor.
Fascinating - just appeared in my RUclips feed and sparked a lot of thought. Firstly, incredible engineering at very small scale. Secondly, reasonably good quality recording. But finally, there's two ways that it seems many people look at technology and history. The first one is mostly total ignorance - absolutely zero awareness of history itself, to the point where a person is unaware just how magical some of our technology is. The other one being sort of similar, but more that a person is unaware that 60 plus years ago technology was close to as advanced as it is now. Everyone waxes lyrical about the internet - and indeed it is as profound an invention as the printing press, if not more so. However, a huge amount of "everything else", including EV's, rockets, computers, the silicon chip, plastic ... the list goes on and on - all invented as far back as 60 years ago. So, you say this is an 80's version - and I guess the 60's version was much the same. I'd argue anyone getting their hands on this device and using it would be absolutely amazed by it, I know I would. Our modern devices have been digitised and packaged into smaller and smaller units to the point that they are inaccessible - just a black box, input/output. You can see this device working, see the tape reels turning. It's incredible. Sci-Fi has been created from this kind of concept - where digitisation never happened, yet technology flourished to become hi-tech - an analogue world more advanced than our digital one. I'll stop now...
4 месяца назад
For many years in the film industry, Nagra was the standard recording device for shooting on location and in the studio, to the point where 'The Nagra' became a synonym for 'sound recording device'. And yes, it was top notch quality and totally indestructible.
This little machine looks like it came from another dimension, another time line where the automaton maid serves me coffee every morning with a vanilla cigar.
Yeah whatever. This reel to reel recorder is by far the most beautiful piece of functional design ever made. You could as well frame it and hang it on your wall. The speaker is also a gem on its own. It makes for a nice couple, _almost_ matching.
Maxwell Smarts' Zoom H4n! Next we need the shoe phone! 😎 Your voice is good enough for broadcast, in fact, this sounds like the voice in the "Takes a licking" Timex ads! Great video and demo - a million thanks!
Beautiful little machine 😊 Not exactly the most "user friendly" but that's kinda part of the charm. I used to work with a Nagra T-Audio stereo timecode deck back in the early 90s...gorgeous thing...company long since closed, often wonder what happened to all the amazing gear - probably auctioned off for pennies 😥
I had only heard of these as legend, and then stumbled across one at a flea market a few years ago. It wasn’t exactly flea market pricing, but it was still a good deal. Mine is a mono unit. I only wish I could stumble across one of the DPS speakers too. It is a thing of pleasure to admire. One of my absolute favorites.
looks like a 60's versiob of my 90's panasonic walkman. very sleek. i love that battery meter. its like a brute force where there needent be on, very 50's
My first reel-to-reel was an AIWA something I got when I was maybe 11, back in 1870. 😄😄 I've been around some huge units since then, but do I EVER like this thing!! 👍🏼👍🏼😀
That is crazy cool!!! [looking at prices for Nagra SNST recorders on the internets] And also way out of our gear budget. But still wicked cool! Thanks for sharing the gizmosity! 🔊🔊🔊🔊
@@bertroost1675 Yes! The internets are all conveniently connected via a series of tubes. There are multiples in case one (or more) of the tubes get clogged.
I have the mono version of this machine; there is only one microphone input. Adjacent to that is 6 pin slot for a remote. Also, there is only a mini headphone jack. There is no output jack to hook up a stereo speaker. When I play back a recording, using a stereo headphone, I only hear sound in the right channel, so presumably I need to use a mono mini adapter for headphones. Also, there is an indication that with each different tape thickness the machine records at a different speed. The other speeds are 1 7/8" per second (which I believe is the standard speed for cassette tapes) and 3 3/4" per second. You sort of, but don't quite, say that as the thickness of the tape increases so does the speed. But I don't understand by what mechanism this occurs. Furthermore, there is a tiny speed adjuster, which could be operated with a mini screwdriver, but it only gives options for High and Low speeds, nothing in between.
@@chaddraizin6616 If someone from today went back in time to the 1960s and told CIA (or KGB) operatives just how willing everyone was to willingly give away sensitive personal information they never would have believed it.
It was told that one recorder like this was made with great precision and that one machine costed something like 10.000,- guilders, now after inflation correction that would be around ten to twenty thousand Euro's. And I guess it was worth the money..
I can imagine the CIA Director's disappointment when Special Agent Johnson (no relation) manages to record the latest plans for world domination, only for a transcription typist to erase the lot by leaving the mics connected.
Weird that they would make these stereo if they were mainly intended to be used for recording interviews and such by the CIA. Not like the CIA was dropping music albums.
Anyone ever seen "The Informant" starring Matt Damon? Its about the price fixing scandal of Archer Daniels Midland the giant Agriculture corporation and Mark Whitaker, a high level "company man" executive turned whistle-blower for the FBI that initially exposes the scandal. Its a good movie, and very funny. It opens with the image of a Nagra field recorder precisely gliding through its motions on a sparse table, setting up the themes of spying, intrigue, and information gathering that the movie explores. 😀
Can't playback with mics attached...that's nuts. haha Saved a lot of room in the case not having that massive push/pull multi contact switch that was common for play/record function.
I subscribed to the channel for the tech- and found extra bonus in comment section! Best wishes! ( I went through hyperinflation back in the days in Poland - stack coffee too!)
🟦…Even though the unit Is obviously built with precision the functions are arranged in an onerous manner, way too easy to erase things and they made putting it in playback to find where you left off a ridiculous arrangement. .... Even recorders made for the general public at the time (although considerably larger) had functions that were Much more easily engaged.
I was thinking the same: Way too many things that can go wrong due to user error. But I guess the secret service had units that was only used for recording and units that was only used for playback.
Haha, okay, tell the truth: how many seconds in were you all before you gassed and jumped to eBay to see what Nagra tape recorders sell for? (Me: 20 seconds.)
Aesthetically pleasing, and the sound of the recording has that genuine 60s/70s timbre that is so evocative. Gorgeous.
NAGRA makes high end audio equipment, that are very expensive, I had no idea this company was making equipment from the 1960's,but looking at this little recorder,it oozes quality and engineering.
NAGRA was created by a Polish guy. NAGRA literally means "it will record".
What a beautiful piece of engineering
Nagra seems like the Rolex of high-end portable audio recorders. Great presentation and explanation of how this unit functions.
Rolex sucks though hehe; Rolex is mostly marketing which is why it fetches high end prices not because quality. (…all staring with James Bond, before that they were known as Affordable, good watches)
Nagra is high quality which fetches high end prices more akin to Patek Philippe ;)
…Just to keep the watch company examples proper.
…the reason people think Rolex is so great is James Bond and marketing so that began in earnest in the 60s. Now it’s propelled Rolex to the forefront of “luxury” watches for the mass of consumers. Which in turn has made it one of not the brand for those who purchase things in general or specifically watches for investment or flipping purposes…and this is something that’s become more prevalent since the early 2010s.
Non watch people getting interested not because of any type of appreciation for watches but because of the moneymaking that could be had from rare pieces or wanted companies and combined. An appreciation of $$$. As well Rolex currently feeds off this whirlpool as they artificially keep numbers low for models being produced to help boost they’re sales numbers which keep the secondary market prices skyrocket’ed and drive people to buy more new and MSRP.
….none of this was the case let’s say before 2009.
It’s all very interesting.
Very cool! When I "worked in the film industry" Nagra was the got-to recorder for film production. This little "spy" recorder is so cool and likely would still work like a champ!
Interesting. Thankyou. Such a beautifully engineered device, as is the speaker.
Amazing miniaturization. I owned a IV-S and marveled at its impeccable construction.
These Nagras are really astonishing "little" pieces of fine engineering, so small but really precise work. funny that this and studer is actually swiss made, truly some milestones among tape machines. Of course there are other fantastic brands too!
Very cool thing. Funny how it instantly sounds like an actual recording from the '60s. But then perhaps you have an old school cadence as well.
If I didn't know any better, I would've thought the recording was actually from the 60s. I want it now!
Such a cool piece of gear. Not necessarily practical or useful by today's standard but so much mojo! Those mics and that little speaker unit have got such a characterful and clear sound (as you'd expect from Nagra gear!)
Thanks! I have always wanted one of these but have not seen one demonstrated so clearly. It is a wonderful machine and the low level detail from those mics is amazing. Tape machine sound is so comforting.
A fascinating piece of vintage gear with some very colorful history. The fact that they were originally used by the CIA is an additional coolness factor.
Fascinating, what a jewel of a device.
Sound quality is surprisingly good!
Fascinating - just appeared in my RUclips feed and sparked a lot of thought.
Firstly, incredible engineering at very small scale.
Secondly, reasonably good quality recording.
But finally, there's two ways that it seems many people look at technology and history.
The first one is mostly total ignorance - absolutely zero awareness of history itself, to the point where a person is unaware just how magical some of our technology is.
The other one being sort of similar, but more that a person is unaware that 60 plus years ago technology was close to as advanced as it is now.
Everyone waxes lyrical about the internet - and indeed it is as profound an invention as the printing press, if not more so.
However, a huge amount of "everything else", including EV's, rockets, computers, the silicon chip, plastic ... the list goes on and on - all invented as far back as 60 years ago.
So, you say this is an 80's version - and I guess the 60's version was much the same.
I'd argue anyone getting their hands on this device and using it would be absolutely amazed by it, I know I would.
Our modern devices have been digitised and packaged into smaller and smaller units to the point that they are inaccessible - just a black box, input/output.
You can see this device working, see the tape reels turning. It's incredible.
Sci-Fi has been created from this kind of concept - where digitisation never happened, yet technology flourished to become hi-tech - an analogue world more advanced than our digital one.
I'll stop now...
For many years in the film industry, Nagra was the standard recording device for shooting on location and in the studio, to the point where 'The Nagra' became a synonym for 'sound recording device'. And yes, it was top notch quality and totally indestructible.
This little machine looks like it came from another dimension, another time line where the automaton maid serves me coffee every morning with a vanilla cigar.
Yeah whatever. This reel to reel recorder is by far the most beautiful piece of functional design ever made. You could as well frame it and hang it on your wall.
The speaker is also a gem on its own. It makes for a nice couple, _almost_ matching.
That was a marvel; really beautiful.
Beautifully done video. Thank you.
Maxwell Smarts' Zoom H4n! Next we need the shoe phone! 😎
Your voice is good enough for broadcast, in fact, this sounds like the voice in the "Takes a licking" Timex ads!
Great video and demo - a million thanks!
Woah…the sound off the tapes is something I wish I could find today digitally rofl
What awesome piece
Cool share mate *thumbsup*
Amazing piece of hardware
Love these exact sounding clicks...... Quality 🕴
Beautiful little machine 😊 Not exactly the most "user friendly" but that's kinda part of the charm. I used to work with a Nagra T-Audio stereo timecode deck back in the early 90s...gorgeous thing...company long since closed, often wonder what happened to all the amazing gear - probably auctioned off for pennies 😥
Amazing. Never knew of such a device
that toasted sound ! 😍📢
I hear you loud and clear, surprising good sound.
That thing sounds amazing for its age
Very great sound! Interesting by those times
Real cool stuff.
Your mission, Mr. Phelps...
Peak human analog achievement
This is really cool, Zach!
The sequel to the legendary Nagra SN video!
Very cool.
Don't understand tho, is ZVEX gonna make a cool, crazy tape delay??
We can only hope
Hopefully with the same Swiss quality! If true, I'd happily splurge on it no problem whatsoever!
Oh please!
I had only heard of these as legend, and then stumbled across one at a flea market a few years ago. It wasn’t exactly flea market pricing, but it was still a good deal. Mine is a mono unit. I only wish I could stumble across one of the DPS speakers too. It is a thing of pleasure to admire. One of my absolute favorites.
We just thought you guys would enjoy this.
I first learned of Nagra recorders when I saw them being hidden under the robes of various cast members of the original _Star Wars._
looks like a 60's versiob of my 90's panasonic walkman. very sleek.
i love that battery meter. its like a brute force where there needent be on, very 50's
What a gorgeous piece of kit. I need one in my life. New subscriber ✌🏻
I just noticed this tape recorder can be seen in a clip for "To the Moon and Back" by Savage Garden.
@zvex could read me any technical manual and I would enjoy 😂 Thank you!
My first reel-to-reel was an AIWA something I got when I was maybe 11, back in 1870. 😄😄 I've been around some huge units since then, but do I EVER like this thing!! 👍🏼👍🏼😀
Women have dimensions.. man have this... beautiful piece of engineering
sorta made me think of Beatles recordings - I love the sound of the unit!
If my wife found out I bought one of these, the CIA would be investigating a gruesome murder.
Probably used during the movie. The Conversation.
Weird awkward but interesting film
First time I saw one was during one of Edward Woodwards equalizer episodes. Red reels if I recall.
You can tell that this video was made long long ago by the abysmal camera-work and all the superfluous words.
Amazing.
It's funny how he sounds a bit like Johhny Carson.
Agree, just started to write the same when I saw your post!
That is crazy cool!!! [looking at prices for Nagra SNST recorders on the internets] And also way out of our gear budget. But still wicked cool!
Thanks for sharing the gizmosity!
🔊🔊🔊🔊
Are there more than one internet???
@@bertroost1675 Yes! The internets are all conveniently connected via a series of tubes. There are multiples in case one (or more) of the tubes get clogged.
This is Really Cool! 🤘👽👽👽
That's a very cool looking thing
I have the mono version of this machine; there is only one microphone input. Adjacent to that is 6 pin slot for a remote. Also, there is only a mini headphone jack. There is no output jack to hook up a stereo speaker. When I play back a recording, using a stereo headphone, I only hear sound in the right channel, so presumably I need to use a mono mini adapter for headphones. Also, there is an indication that with each different tape thickness the machine records at a different speed. The other speeds are 1 7/8" per second (which I believe is the standard speed for cassette tapes) and 3 3/4" per second. You sort of, but don't quite, say that as the thickness of the tape increases so does the speed. But I don't understand by what mechanism this occurs. Furthermore, there is a tiny speed adjuster, which could be operated with a mini screwdriver, but it only gives options for High and Low speeds, nothing in between.
Back when the CIA was fully analog, I miss those days...
Are you a CIA employee?
Psy-Ops required way cooler gadgets back in the 60's.
@@chaddraizin6616 If someone from today went back in time to the 1960s and told CIA (or KGB) operatives just how willing everyone was to willingly give away sensitive personal information they never would have believed it.
😆
Been great if had existing recording...
What did you give me?
I feel really weird.😆
Incredible technology for the 1960’s
SO... when, where, how much??? Looks and sounds cool!!!
Does it self-destruct too?
this thing is worth more than my car lmao
A walkman in all but name.
I really enjoyed this demo except for your left arm blocking the view for most of the switching operations.
they lovely things
It was told that one recorder like this was made with great precision and that one machine costed something like 10.000,- guilders, now after inflation correction that would be around ten to twenty thousand Euro's. And I guess it was worth the money..
Ah but does it's tape self destruct in 5 seconds?!
I can imagine the CIA Director's disappointment when Special Agent Johnson (no relation) manages to record the latest plans for world domination, only for a transcription typist to erase the lot by leaving the mics connected.
Why is it that the Nagra is picking up a whole lot of natural reverb in the room, but your DAW recording is picking up absolutely none?
I hear the DAW room reverb in my headphones.
Weird that they would make these stereo if they were mainly intended to be used for recording interviews and such by the CIA. Not like the CIA was dropping music albums.
Maybe so it would clearly be audible who is speaking, when. The interrogator and suspect would each have their own microphone.
I have so many questions
🟦…Why not TELL us a couple of 'em?
WHY DOES IT HAVE REVERB THATS THE SAME REVERB FROM DR STRANGELOVE
I have one of these in my closet. A few spare tapes too! The rewind feature is annoying.
What’s your closets address? I’m a part of the national closet awareness association 😏
Expensive toy but I WANT IT!
Anyone ever seen "The Informant" starring Matt Damon? Its about the price fixing scandal of Archer Daniels Midland the giant Agriculture corporation and Mark Whitaker, a high level "company man" executive turned whistle-blower for the FBI that initially exposes the scandal. Its a good movie, and very funny. It opens with the image of a Nagra field recorder precisely gliding through its motions on a sparse table, setting up the themes of spying, intrigue, and information gathering that the movie explores. 😀
Thought it was something from Teenage Engineering on the thumbnail. After watching, I think Curtiss Judd maybe wouldn’t rate it so highly.
Me too
Looks very MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE 😎
'series noir', in reference to its CIA origins.
Can't playback with mics attached...that's nuts. haha Saved a lot of room in the case not having that massive push/pull multi contact switch that was common for play/record function.
Quick note, house might be bugged.😂
We ripped off a bunch of these when I was with the GRU! 😀
I wonder how much this cost tax payers 60+ years ago?😆
Super high tech back then.
It sounds like the Nixon tapes.👍
I want one
First Walkman
The army of banking families (the CIA) had some pretty snazzy devices to work with in the 60's.
Fiat currency and demonic agendas can create some interesting offspring out of necessity.
@@JackNance22 The fun of creating a one world government/"Greater Israel" isn't achieving it, it's the journey to get there that we must savor.
@@MiamiVisorYes, but unfortunately that journey is rapidly coming to an end. Red heifer/Drumpf incoming. #it_is_written
I subscribed to the channel for the tech- and found extra bonus in comment section! Best wishes! ( I went through hyperinflation back in the days in Poland - stack coffee too!)
Oh , wow...
These are stupid expensive.
droolin
ipod from 1960
The original Nixon recorder sold on E bay for 100 grand. Lol😂
so good, its too good. like nasa hired someone better to build it.
Please stop hiding the button pushes etc with your hands.
Don’t tell my boy what to do!😡
Johnny Carson
my like is the number 666 like
🟦…Even though the unit Is obviously built with precision the functions are arranged in an onerous manner, way too easy to erase things and they made putting it in playback to find where you left off a ridiculous arrangement.
.... Even recorders made for the general public at the time (although considerably larger) had functions that were Much more easily engaged.
I was thinking the same: Way too many things that can go wrong due to user error. But I guess the secret service had units that was only used for recording and units that was only used for playback.
Haha, okay, tell the truth: how many seconds in were you all before you gassed and jumped to eBay to see what Nagra tape recorders sell for? (Me: 20 seconds.)
It's sometimes better to not go so far down that financial rabbit hole. 😄
Waited until the video was done, because we couldn't look away. It was a mere fraction of a second after the video ended, tho.
5
I knew better from seeing Hainbach's video about it. Check out "Ambient With a Spy Recorder and Ciat-Lonbarde Synthesizers"
No need to go on eBay.