Reel-To-Reel Tutorial

[@dougfluegel]

Great video! Thanks! I'm brand new to r2r and just ordered my first reel off ebay. It sounded awesome for the first song. Then all the sound stopped. I ffwd and it came back but it sounded like it was underwater for most of the rest of the album. The tape also looked different than the opening track. It was kind of spotty-looking. Mottled? Not sure how to describe it. Does that mean this tape is pretty much toast? Or is there something I can to do revive it? I wonder if the seller will take it back? Is there a way to avoid getting bad tape or is it rolling the dice?

[@ScottGrammer]

OH, my. Yes, what' you're seeing is called "sticky-shed syndrome," or "SSS." I'll try to explain it here, but it's probably going to be kind of long-winded. It needs a video of its own. So recording tape is made up of either three or four layers. Older tapes had three layers; the clear plastic backing, the brown oxide that the music gets recorded on, and a binder, or glue, that holds them together. In the early 1970's, two changes were made. First, whaling was banned worldwide, and as the binder was made from whale oil, they had to come up with a synthetic alternative, which they did. Second, the fourth layer was added to higher quality tapes, a black graphite or carbon layer on the back of the tape, referred to as "back-coating." This combination would later lead to sticky-shed syndrome. The new binder material turned out to be hygroscopic, which means it absorbed water out of the air. This would not have been much of a problem, as the tape is packed tightly in layers on the reel, so air can't easily get in. This is where that back coating comes in. The back coating lets air and moisture get into the tape pack, where the moisture is absorbed by the binder, and the binder oozes out through the oxide layer, making it sticky, and later, making the oxide fall off the tape. When you play a tape with SSS, the binder sticks to all the parts of the tape deck that the tape touches. It can grind the machine to a halt and it will inevitably foul the entire tape path with goo that must be carefully cleaned off before the machine can be used again. Usually, no damage is done to the machine, but the tape can be ruined by playing it this way. The "spotty-looking" area on the tape is where the oxide has flaked off. There's no fixing that. SSS can be TEMPORARILY reversed by baking a tape in a temperature-controlled environment at around 135 degrees F, for four to eight hours. This is for normal 1/4 inch tape - wider tapes take longer. The baking process drives the moisture out, and the binder recedes, and the tape may be playable for upwards of a month thereafter, but it will usually do it again. New tapes, made in the last half-dozen years or so, supposedly have this issue licked. Older tapes that are not back-coated rarely have SSS - almost never. It's back-coated tapes made from the early 70's through the early 2000's that you have to be wary of, with the exception of Maxell-branded tapes, which for some reason never had the problem. I'll try to do a video on it eventually, but here lately I just have not had the time or energy to make many videos. I can fix your machine, though. Until I can make my own video, here is one from Canada that explains it well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4jIaIlqo6mthZI

[@dougfluegel]

@@ScottGrammer Thanks for your thorough and educational reply. I'll contact the seller and see what they say. Any advice on how to buy tapes that won't have this problem? I imagine most tapes fall into the category of 1970-2000. Is it likely that they all will have this problem?

[@ScottGrammer]

@@dougfluegel No, mainly the ones that have the black back-coating. Tapes without a back coating, regardless of age, rarely have SSS, but it does occasionally happen. Usually, pre-recorded tapes, that is, ones sold by record companies back in the day, do not have SSS. It's ones that were home recorded, or studio tapes (which your Akai will not play) that you must inspect for SSS before playing. The Canadian video I linked to in my earlier comment shows how to inspect a tape before playing.

[@ScottGrammer]

BONUS REPLY! While I'm sitting here at home with my legs up in the recliner, dealing with lymphedema issues, I wanted to add that there is an excellent video out there on SSS, by Gene Bohensky of Reel To Reel Warehouse. I've done business with Gene, and he's a great guy who knows EXACTLY what he's talking about. Here's the video link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2SVmp18dstoqpY. BTW, he uses the exact same food dehydrator to bake tapes as I do. I don't know which of us bought it first....

Super video! In Argentina we can not buy anything like this because 300 % inflation so we have your tutorial to enjoy. Cheers from Patagonia Argentina

[@thomasleith2513]

hay una bocha de estudios que todavia tienen, fijate alguno que suelte una

[@MoggysHiFiAntics]

Even though I know most of this I found this to be concise and informative. Well done.

[@ScottGrammer]

Thanks!

[@ThomasBock-pm5ll]

You have a great way of presenting the infprmation.. I don't know if I will ever dip my toes into tape machines but enjoyed the video. Aso great channel!

[@ScottGrammer]

Thanks !

[@searchiemusic]

2:45 oh absolutely, I thought 7 1/2 ips quarter track was mind blowing then got a master recorder, it's a fostex but still, that width makes such a difference, you can record something that sounds silent and barely moves the vu's and boost it up to a listenable level with acceptable noise, i'd not do it willingly but the noise performance is absolutely stunning, even compared to digital

[@searchiemusic]

9:22 eh, yeah the emphasis curves make a difference but also higher tape speeds push more hiss out of audible range, it effectively is reducing the hiss the higher speed you go, but yeah it's a lot of things adding up of course

[@searchiemusic]

10:02 my multitrack recorder is a 16 track 1/2 inch that I weirdly run at 30ips, it works absolutely stunningly in terms of distortion levels, using bog standard 456 I can print off the meters with no sound difference, though you'd hear it on 4 other tracks haha

[@searchiemusic]

14:04 can attest, even said weird 16 track 1/2 inch, possibly the worst setup imaginable for high frequency reproduction, absolutely demolishes 25khz sine tones stably, I can even phase cancel a 20khz with the original tone generator

[@searchiemusic]

16:49 and apparently cheapo supreme fostex!

[@alvarovelasco5217]

Thanks a lot Scott... really good explanation!

[@ScottGrammer]

Glad you liked it.

[@edwardlon]

Really enjoyed this video. Learnt a lot. You have a great concise way of presenting a lot of information in a way that is very understandable. Looking forward to Part Two (and Three?)

[@ScottGrammer]

Thanks! Glad you liked it. There will be at least a part two, and perhaps a part three. Part two I hope to have up later this month, but I'm so busy trying to catch up on repairs I have little time for making videos.

[@stackoverflow8260]

Wow! This is a very informative video. Thank you.

[@ScottGrammer]

Glad you enjoyed it. I will eventually get to part two, I just don't know when!

[@stackoverflow8260]

@@ScottGrammer In our area I saw a technics 1500us(1200$) and Fostex model 20(650$) for sale, which one is a better option? I want to use these machines to record my playlists from Tidal.

[@ScottGrammer]

@@stackoverflow8260 The Technics will be, in my opinion, the better machine by quite a margin. That said, the Technics, which uses 3M's Iso-Loop tape drive, is very critical when it comes to the adjustment of the transport and the condition of the pinch rollers. And being as it is 35-45 years old, it will likely need to be serviced. The Fostex is a good bargain at that price, if it's in fair shape. Check out the LED VU meters first, as Fostex has problems with those meters losing segments. And of course, check the heads on either machine for a wear groove. Worn heads can sometimes be relapped, but until that's done, the machine will not perform correctly.

[@stackoverflow8260]

@@ScottGrammer The owner of fostex says that all the LEDs function well and and the Technics guy says that it works but recommends servicing. Thank you very much for your response.

[@stackoverflow8260]

Hello! I just pulled the trigger on the Technics, it works but I can hear break rubbing on one side in ffwd mode...I will get it fully serviced soon. I was wondering if I can run 1/2 inch tapes on this? Is 2 track same as 1/2 track and 4 track same as 1/4 track? I know that it currently has a 1/4 inch reel on it.

[@celioazevedo4848]

Boa noite! Melhor vídeo que assisti no KZbin com respeito a gravadores de rolo! Parabéns pela excelente didática e explicação 😊. Suas palavras mostram que entende muito do assunto! Obrigado pela aula! Congratulações do Brasil 🇧🇷

[@ScottGrammer]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@ScottGrammer]

Something I should have said in this video: If you are buying your first reel-to-reel, sort of "dipping your toes into the water," look for a quarter-track machine that runs at 3.75 IPS and 7.5 IPS, and which supports 7-inch reels. This will be the most plentiful and least expensive variety of machine, and will allow you to play (relatively) inexpensive prerecorded tapes from the 60's-80's. You can find decent machines like this starting at about $150 on eBay, but as usual, caveat emptor!

[@searchiemusic]

teac 4010 is the perfect entry model reel to reel in my opinion, exactly these requirements

[@ScottGrammer]

@@searchiemusic The Akai GX-4000D is another. It has its faults, but they're cheap and plentiful and usually work well.

[@machoenid44]

I’m a Studio Musician and Im exited to use Analog Gear ,most Reel to Reel.I have Teac Cassette Deck and Yamaha Md4 for experimenting.Thanks for Share your Great Knowledge and simple Understanding facts for me and the World.Sorry my English is poor.🤗👍🙏

[@ScottGrammer]

You're welcome, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Your English is fine, I understood what you meant.😀

[@german_dude_]

Thank you! Great explanation!

[@ScottGrammer]

Thanks. As soon as I get caught up a bit, I plan to make part two.

[@audiotomb]

Very nice tutorial Bad analogy -If you hit a pothole at 70 you are dead

[@featuringdave]

Thanks for the great video! Where's part 2?

[@ScottGrammer]

I'm in the process of making it. Be sure to subscribe and hit the notification Bell so you can find out when it drops.

[@ScottGravlee]

Very useful video learned a lot I didn't know .

[@ScottGrammer]

Thank you, and I'm glad to hear it.

[@johnlee7691]

Great video!

[@ScottGrammer]

Thank you very much. I'm working on part two, hope to have it out before the end of the year.

[@Dave64track]

Great video very informative I have subscribed

[@ScottGrammer]

Thanks!

[@hemfri07]

OMG, in 5:45 now,i know why 15 years ago,i took reel from Radio /TV fono archive,into production studio -that was all digital,but still had, some old reel to reel,etc,to convert to digital,anyhow,when i threded the tape WE ONLY HEARD LEFT CH Ok,but the RIGHT CHANNEL was so quiet ,that it was allmost (read unusable),ok, we fixed it in comp,but ,i wondered to this day,-to this clip video that you posted-WHAT THE HECK was the problem?,...now i know the reason,,, :( , boy where were your advice then,i could search appropriate reel to reel machine to play it from........somehow,we maneged to "FIX" the RIGHT chaneel that was allmost inaudible,but,i should of knew WHAT is the reason..(and on the cover it only was typed 15 inch p/s , stereo,and NOTHING MORE-phisicly it looked like any normal 1/4 inch tape..i am ashaimed of myselfe now ,how come NO ONE KNEW or ASK itselfe out loud what might be the priblem/issue ?...and it was all happening in BIG PRODUCTION STUDIO that costed about Million $ in equipement,and with "PROFFESIONAL PODUCTION STUDIO WORKERS"... :( DAMN! Me feeling so sade and STUPID! :-o(

[@ScottGrammer]

Don't feel bad. This is all fairly arcane stuff, and unless you have studied it or are trained in it, you have no way to know. The tape, coming from a studio, should have been labeled more fully, as in "1/2 track stereo." I'm glad I could answer this question for you.

[@hemfri07]

@@ScottGrammer Thank you with all my heart for this video ♥ P.S. I hope that No One will make this mistake,all the best bro

[@runepedersenDK]

Wow, the guideband in the two track system is wide - quite a waste of tape, unless you want infinite channel separation.

[@ScottGrammer]

There was a variant of the two track system that recorded three tracks to quarter inch tape, it was for use in three channel stereo recordings, and was sometimes used as an early form of multitrack. The third track went into that wide guard band in the middle. As an example, check out the 1958 Dave Brubeck Quartet album, "Take Five." It was originally recorded in three track, and was mixed down to two tracks. Later, a third track was inserted into this guard band for time code, which was used to synchronize the tape to video. There is also a slightly different two track standard, which you'll see on machines that feature what are called butterfly heads. In these machines, the tracks are wider and the guard band is narrower. You get better signals noise ratio and fewer dropouts, with a very slight drop in separation. Tapes recorded in this manner can be played back on normal two track machines, with only a slight bottom end boost on playback from fringing. I'll talk about fringing in the next video. EDIT: To clarify, when I said, " Later, a third track was inserted into this guard band for time code, which was used to synchronize the tape to video," I was not talking about the Brubeck tape. I meant that the two-track format later was given the option of a time code track in the guard band, for synchronization to video.

[@laverne506]

Hi what tape can I get for a reel to reel recorder 4000D BY AkAi thank you

[@ScottGrammer]

I assume you mean recording tape, not prerecorded tapes. Look for a brand called Recording The Masters.

[@massimo790]

I have Akai 4000D. Maxell 35-90 is one of the Best Tape you can Use.

[@Raul-yg5oz]

can you record modern music from your computer ?

[@ScottGrammer]

Yes. I use a Presonus Audiobox USB 96 audio interface connected between my stereo and my computer. I can stream from Spotify (set to highest audio quality) and record to reel-to-reel or cassette, or both. You don't have to use that particular interface, it's just the one I happen to use. It's about $100 new or $40-$50 used.

[@josefregoso1998]

Part 2?

[@ScottGrammer]

It's in the works, I'm just so busy repairing stereos and doing other things I haven't had time to finish it. Be sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you'll know when it comes out.

[@TheChadPad]

This is a very misleading video title. There was no tutorial about how to use a reel to reel machine, and the title made me expect to find that. “Tutorial” is a loaded word here. I would say “information” instead. Otherwise, good video with useful information

[@ScottGrammer]

When I titled the video, it was intended to be part one of a two-part set. The second part was to be an actual tutorial on how to use a machine. I just never got around to making it. My apologies if the current title led you to believe the video was other than what it is. Hopefully, I will get to make that second part before I leave this planet!

[@TheChadPad]

@@ScottGrammer ok I understand! Yes that would be great. Thank you for the information anyway though!