Doshi Tape Preamp Versus deHavilland Model 222 Mk. II
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
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The question you should be asking is whether or not you can fully calibrate using either of these.
Okay! And what’s the answer?
PS: I think Charlie Bolois, who is reconditioning my A820, will do whatever calibration is needed.
With the Doshi preamp you can calibrate the levels and high frequency using an MRL tape. There are independent adjustments for IEC and NAB. In addition you can make a low frequency adjustment for IEC only. Finally, there is a 3 level load adjustment which would be used to make the tape repro head.
I don’t know anything about the deHavilland.
I don’t know anything about the deHavilland.
But you concluded that external was the best path forwards hence all the thread comparisons?
You might want to add the Master Trident to your list of comparisons. Best to ask Larry about that.
www.merrillaudio.net
MASTER TRIDENT Tape Head Preamplifier - Merrill Audio
The Merrill Audio MASTER TRIDENT Tape Head Preamplifier design for is to be the ultimate for Professionals in Tape Reproduction of Master Tapes working....
www.merrillaudio.net
David, the last time I used one it had very limited calibration available. Same with the Merrill. It is kind of like partly adjusting a phono cartridge.
Also, for another discussion, I do not believe the MRL tapes are consistent or accurate.
Jonathan, take a look at the v3. I has all the calibration adjustments I mentioned.
Regarding which tape to use, I am all ears. Or are you suggesting I just pump in a tone? I do that for record and bias calibration.
I normally use a tone generator for bias and EQ adjustment of tapes. For my two Ampex ATR-102's, I have 3 sets of audio cards, so normally I have them set up for three different tape types.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of a Merrill Trident vs. the Doshi (haven't heard the newest Doshi). The main reason I switched to the Merrill was that I could connect all three of my tape machines which have been all rewired to use an external preamp and switch between them from the front panel. It also has memories for EQ setting and volume for 3 different settings for each machine.
Larry
There are some advantages and disadvantages of a Merrill Trident vs. the Doshi (haven't heard the newest Doshi). The main reason I switched to the Merrill was that I could connect all three of my tape machines which have been all rewired to use an external preamp and switch between them from the front panel. It also has memories for EQ setting and volume for 3 different settings for each machine.
Larry
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Only speaking for Doshi Audio - the above statement is not accurate.
Please contact me directly for a complete description on the capabilities of the Evolution (and V3) series of tape preamps.
Additionally, I would refrain from making disparaging remarks about industry benchmark companies like MRL without proof.
Jeff Polan and Charles King are working on internal boarding cards for the A820. I have their repro cards for the A80 and they are amazing. Post in thread 'New Repro cards!'
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/new-repro-cards.33585/post-795441
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/new-repro-cards.33585/post-795441
Exactly - that was precisely what I was referring to in the above. It seems Ron has decided external.
Personally I think the the Polan and King boards make enormous sense. I know Leif is pleased with his on his A80. I spoke to my Studer calibrator over here about this earlier in the year (ex BBC engineer FYI). He said why would you go to all that incredible trouble of screening every tiny little piece as per A820 to extract the best signal to noise only to attach a long wire from the headblock to an external preamp.
It appears from what David has said that maybe you addressed those issues in your recent model. I have not tried the v3.
Thanks for the advice, but I certainly would not make disparaging remarks without proof, which I do have.
Try borrowing a MRL tape from someone who has one supposedly the same as yours and there is a really good chance they are not identical. When confronted, MRL said they had a a bad batch that they made and if both tapes were sent back, they would replace them. Once received they were compared with another supposed identical tape from an entirely different MRL calibration tape owner and it didn't match either.
Is that proof enough. Industry benchmark company... not even close.
Ron,
To mix the waters further - I have put together a "final 5 unit run" of my K/C preamp, mainly because Bob Visentainer of Rhapsody Audio wanted two for his Brooklyn listening rooms. Please contact me if you're interested in this as a possible alternative. And I understand that Kara Chaffee is out of the deHavilland audio business.
THANKS
Charles
To mix the waters further - I have put together a "final 5 unit run" of my K/C preamp, mainly because Bob Visentainer of Rhapsody Audio wanted two for his Brooklyn listening rooms. Please contact me if you're interested in this as a possible alternative. And I understand that Kara Chaffee is out of the deHavilland audio business.
THANKS
Charles
Larry - eventually, there will be an ATR audio card produced that can handle multiple calibration settings without having to swap cards.
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