I just spent almost a week with Greg Beron of United Home Audio at his house in rural Virginia. Not only is this tape machine a potential USA option, it is the only new production, made-in-the-USA option, and it is a fantastic option!
Analog Audio Design TP-1000
- Thread starter stellavox
- Start date
Greg's UHA tape machines. After examining closely his Ultima 5 and, especially, his SuperDeck, I think it is more accurate to characterize these decks as new production machines than to characterize them as anything else.
The SuperDeck uses Greg's proprietary brand new head block, proprietary brand new outboard power supply, proprietary brand new outboard repro amplifier, custom capacitors from Wilson Audio, DC only in the vestigial transport section, new internal damping and new attachment techniques, and numerous other changes. I believe that very little Tascam remains.
I'm not a movie person, so please forgive the analogy, but it would be a little bit like suggesting the Terminator is best characterized as really still just being Arnold Schwarzenegger, the original human.
well, i'm not any high level techie tape expert; but re-done decks based on vintage prosumer or broadcast deck chassis will not reach master recorder levels of build. what exactly the performance consequences of that are not entirely clear. but there was a reason master recorders were as big as washing machines. the best tape transports have relatively massive structure for a reason. and that is mostly transport and mechanical things. the UHA has extra chassis for tape repro and power supply.
probably the most telling thing is that these new smaller form factor decks, whether new builds or based on vintage mid sized chassis, are aimed at consumers, and not the pro market. is there a pro market? seems like there is.
i'm sure the UHA performs at a high level. is it a studio horse? maybe. we see some really fine vintage tapes where the recorder used was not the big master decks. situations where a smaller deck was taken to a location and magic happened. so it's not such a simple issue.
but for daily use commercially, that is a particular set of needs.
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The main problem with BR-20 is that its drive unit is a decidedly consumer level piece with all its sheet metal stampings, where the pro equipment uses cast and machined parts. With the front cover removed it looks like a Teac X-series. I am also not clear regarding the "DC only transport" statement. Motors don't run on DC, strictly speaking.
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All three motors in the BR20 are definitely driven with a DC voltage. I have measured those voltages on numerous occasions. The level of the DC voltage going to the motor is regulated by circuits. Inside the DC motors, the voltage is directed to different coils via a type of switch called the commutator. That voltage still remains DC, however. There is no AC voltage going to the motor or inside the motor.
This is just a word play, since as we know the so-called "DC motors" use the commutators (unless it is a brushless motor), and their current waveform is crazy. Brushless motors also switch currents. Anyone who ever worked/designed with motors knows that. If the concern is introduction of noise, then DC motors do their share. They produce both the conducted and radiated interference.
www.portescap.com
DC Motors with Electromagnetic Compatibility
www.portescap.com
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I don't understand the point of this largely inapposite comment. Where did I say, or where did anybody say, that Greg is building these machines specifically for commercial studio use?
You have your own reasons for preferring old reconditioned studio machines. We get it. I don't see the reason for making this point every single time anywhere on the forum somebody mentions a new production machine.
I keep my ear pretty close to the tape railroad tracks and in all of these years I have not heard of one single malfunction of one of Greg's machines. (The only other zero malfunction audio product I am aware of personally in this industry is Gryphon amplifiers.)
So repeating an argument against the easiest and warrantied entry method for an audiophile to get involved with tape (buying a new production machine with a factory warranty with I think at least a 10 year track record of zero problems) -- which I think we should encourage -- seems odd to me.
And if you're saying this at least partially to promote and sell "AKs" reconditioned ATRs then, if this is correct, I personally think you should disclose this informal business affiliation with your comment.
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Here’s how I use view reel machines used for playback. The recording side is a whole other animal and most of us aren’t making production duplicates.
Similar to playing a record, there are 3 main elements to playing a reel: transport, head and playback electronics. To me, they align with a turntable platter, arm and cartridge, and phono preamp.
I have had used mainly Studers (A810 and A812) and Technics (RS1500) although I also have Tascams (BR-20) and Otaris (MX5050). Based on my experience, the Technics transport is as good as the Studers. It handles the tape just as well and operates as smoothly.
On both the Studers and Technics I have wired out Flux Magnetic heads so there is little, if any, difference there.
Finally, I use a Doshi EVO tape preamp for both so that is the same too.
My point? A Technics RS1500, wired out to a quality phono pre is going to perform as well as all these “commercial” units since I am using it just as a transport. I have seen how the Ampex units as well as some of the other units handle tape. They are all great machines. However, once you wire out the head they are reduced to being a transport.
Similar to playing a record, there are 3 main elements to playing a reel: transport, head and playback electronics. To me, they align with a turntable platter, arm and cartridge, and phono preamp.
I have had used mainly Studers (A810 and A812) and Technics (RS1500) although I also have Tascams (BR-20) and Otaris (MX5050). Based on my experience, the Technics transport is as good as the Studers. It handles the tape just as well and operates as smoothly.
On both the Studers and Technics I have wired out Flux Magnetic heads so there is little, if any, difference there.
Finally, I use a Doshi EVO tape preamp for both so that is the same too.
My point? A Technics RS1500, wired out to a quality phono pre is going to perform as well as all these “commercial” units since I am using it just as a transport. I have seen how the Ampex units as well as some of the other units handle tape. They are all great machines. However, once you wire out the head they are reduced to being a transport.
Wow and Flutter @ 15ips - per DIN 45507
Per their spec sheets - Ampex ATR-100 .03% TP-1000 .045%
My Technics 1500, just measured with my Sound Technology 1500A .02%
The drive in RS-1500 is substantially better, than the usual consumer deck standards. It just lacks a couple features that are important to some of us - the larger reels ability and variable speed or just slow rewind. It was a lot of deck for its retail of just over $1000 back in 83 - about one half of the Revox B77 price.
All the W&F numbers you are quoting are very good, although the .045% could be slightly better.
All the W&F numbers you are quoting are very good, although the .045% could be slightly better.
David , Were these modifications made by your own fair hand or did you have the work conducted by an outside agency , curious as I will be looking at completing the same procedure on a spare RS 1500 of my own .
I sent the Technics head block to John French at JRF and he installed the Flux Magnetics head and wired it out.
That always reminds me of an ICU patient with a naso-gastric tube sticking out of his nose. 
Direct and efficient... but ain't pretty.
Direct and efficient... but ain't pretty.
i made the same comments for over a decade as a Studer A-820 owner. the same exact master recorder comments. and when i made those comments over those many Studer owning years, i also acknowledged the service and parts advantages of the ATR-102 and even the A80. nothing has changed in my views or postings regarding deck rank. even in past UHA threads prior or other newcomers.
i have always believed that when spending big dollars ($20k+) on a tape deck, the buyer is better off with the best platform. and when i read magazine reviews of these newly produced decks that really ignore the vintage decks (i understand why) and what their upside is to me that is mis leading the reader. so to me i'm doing a service.
trust me i paid retail for my ATR-102's plus MR 70's from AK. very painful. i have no connection to him other than he is my friend and i do believe in him and his products because of what my ears tell me. the hot rodded ATR-102 + MR 70 is epic sounding to me and anyone who hears it.
which does not make me right. it's just opinions. i don't own this forum or accept ad dollars from UHA either.
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Can we get back to the subject of this thread, the Audio Design TP-1000?
Personally, I don’t want a refurbished unit and space and aesthetics are important, so the TP-1000 is interesting, as is the Ballfinger (but will keep comments on that in a separate thread).
Personally, I don’t want a refurbished unit and space and aesthetics are important, so the TP-1000 is interesting, as is the Ballfinger (but will keep comments on that in a separate thread).
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