Interview with Dr. Edward Pong of UltraAnalogue Recordings

[amirm]

Was researching one of their titles and ran into this fascinating background/interview with Dr. Pong with a mention of our web site on page 2! http://www.dagogo.com/interview-with-dr-edward-pong-of-ultraanalogue-recordings

Lots of neat pictures of equipment and everything from making instruments to reel to reel recordings and tubes. Very worthwhile read.

Hey, I have got him beat as I have the differential stax tube amp and he has single-ended.

More images in the article.

 

[astrotoy]

Amir, thanks for posting the interview with Ed. I think I have more titles of Ed's tapes than any other label, even a few more than the 27 Tape Project albums. Ed's are all one reel long - generally slightly over 30 minutes and all classical chamber music. He has found some quite exceptional young artists and they are a treat to listen to. Since he does all of his own recording, in the concert hall in his home, he has control of the conditions and no worries about licenses, like many of the other producers of 15ips 2 track tapes.

If you have the equipment to play 15 ips 2 track and have any interest in classical chamber music, try one of Ed's tapes - you are in for a real treat. Ed prefers NAB EQ, which he does his recording on - rather than the more standard CCIR that most everyone else uses. Both my machines have switchable EQ, so I order all my UltraAnalogue tapes with NAB EQ. I just have to remember to change the EQ when I start and when I finish playing his tapes. If you prefer CCIR or only have that option on your machine, Ed will make your copy with CCIR.

Larry

Larry

 

[amirm]

Thanks for the recommendation Larry. Based on that and reading the interview and their web site, I will be buying their latest title as I post in the other thread.

My deck has both NAB and IEC eq but like you, I have to remember to switch it back and forth. It also has level calibration (flux level). So I am good I think.

 

[Edward Pong]

Amir, that's great - I would suggest NAB for you.

Actually, since the masters are all recorded in NAB, the real character of the recording is NAB... even if I make you a CCIR tape...
If I recorded in CCIR, the violins would sound different & have a CCIR character.... does that make sense?

The tapes are recorded at 396 nW/m, so 4 db more range than all the current crop of available tapes. There is almost 2x the dynamic range & you will hear more resolved low level detail as it will lower the noise floor. Both good things.... that is why I record at 396 & not 250....

It's not just the absolute dynamic range, but much more resolution of the low level signals as they are higher up on the curve - I believe the music really lives in these very low level details....