1/4" Recording Tape

JezWynd

Where is a good source for 1/4" tape on 7" spools? 

Kittyfrisk

I was looking for some reel to reel tape a while back for a friend with an old TEAC.
Thomann does some  https://www.thomann.de/gb/recording_tape.html?price-first=0&filter=true&feature-13374%5B%5D=1%2F4%22
Amazon have some too  https://www.amazon.co.uk/EMTEC-Studio-Mastering-Tape-Inch/dp/B00890FFJY
Otherwise eBay & Gumtree are sources, but obviously the usual caveats apply.
Specialist places like http://http//www.tapecity.co.uk/acatalog/0.25--Tape-1-1.html

I understand that the tape specifications are far more complicated than just width & length, so I hope you get sorted.

JezWynd

Thanks for those links @Kittyfrisk, I was aware of Thomann but the others are new to me. Tape seems to be a lot more costly than then I last used it, prob. 20+ years ago.

Can anyone tell if if buying new old stock, in sealed boxes is safe to do? I suppose that's a 'suck it and see' thing, as it's impossible to know how it has been stored but if anyone has hints or tips on brands/stock to look out for it would be very helpful.

MartinBush

If I was you I'd ask on this forum - this thread may also be helpful - https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=149878

JezWynd

MartinBush said:

If I was you I'd ask on this forum - this thread may also be helpful - https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=149878

Thanks Martin, I'd already gone ahead and got some lightly used old Maxell stock but it's good to see that it gets good reviews. Getting a reel to reel has been a game changer for me, I'm doing away with my amps and going straight into the Sony and out to phones and hi fi speakers; at the volumes I use at home it works fine and sounds really excellent.

Funkfingers

Time I dusted down my Tascam TSR-8.

MartinBush

JezWynd said:

MartinBush said:

If I was you I'd ask on this forum - this thread may also be helpful - https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=149878

Thanks Martin, I'd already gone ahead and got some lightly used old Maxell stock but it's good to see that it gets good reviews. Getting a reel to reel has been a game changer for me, I'm doing away with my amps and going straight into the Sony and out to phones and hi fi speakers; at the volumes I use at home it works fine and sounds really excellent.

Sounds good. That forum is a great place to find stuff out if you have any problems with your machine or want to service it etc. You also see the odd tape pop up on there from time to time.

Look up "sticky shed" and, in particular, Scotch tapes,

JezWynd

Funkfingers said:

Time I dusted down my Tascam TSR-8.

That looks to be an excellent machine; certainly several steps above my humble Sony TC377.

MartinBush said:
Sounds good. That forum is a great place to find stuff out if you have any problems with your machine or want to service it etc. You also see the odd tape pop up on there from time to time.

Look up "sticky shed" and, in particular, Scotch tapes,

Yes, it looks to be an excellent resource, I've bookmarked it for future reference.

Wouldn't you know it; the other brand I've bought was a Scotch; it's NOS, sealed and fortunately wasn't expensive. I'll monitor it closely if I decide to use it. I do have quite a collection of old Ampex 5" reels from when I did sound recording onto Nagra but that brand seems to have a particuarly poor rep so I haven't tried playing them.

Funkfingers

JezWynd said:

Funkfingers said:

Time I dusted down my Tascam TSR-8.

That looks to be an excellent machine; certainly several steps above my humble Sony TC377.

It is/was.

Somebody on this forum occasionally expresses a vague interest in acquiring my TSR-8 but, always, for less money than it is worth. 

At the time of this posting, the rubber "tyre" on one of the guide rollers is perishing. It would probably be wisest for me to sell the machine *as is*, priced to allow for the fact that it requires a service. 

robgilmo

Its not just a case of buying tape, your deck has to be set up to each individual type of tape, for instance my Revox G36 is biased to AGFA PE31, some other tapes sound Ok on it, some sound utter pants.

JezWynd

robgilmo said:

Its not just a case of buying tape, your deck has to be set up to each individual type of tape, for instance my Revox G36 is biased to AGFA PE31, some other tapes sound Ok on it, some sound utter pants.

While definitely the case on high end machines, I think on domestic level reel to reels like the TC377 there is less fine tuning of tape available.

robgilmo

There is a record bias adjustment on the deck, the service manual is in hifi engine.