Perhaps Charlie could chime in on the Dolby since he's worked on and fixed a few in his lifetime.
More High Resolution Software for Tapeheads!
- Thread starter MylesBAstor
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Perhaps Charlie could chime in on the Dolby since he's worked on and fixed a few in his lifetime.
Thank you.
The way I understood it as that A Dolby tape has a number of test tones and that the decoder must be calibrated for every tape that is to be played.Also that a tape is useless unless it has the tones on it. Is this correct?
Furthermore the way I have it is that Dolby HR that is found on some later Studer machines is not compatible with Dolby A? If one wants to replay Dolby A tapes you have to have an outboard Dolby decoder. Are there different models available,what is the sonic impact if set in "Bypass" mode for non Dolby tapes and lastly,is there a "Bypass" mode?
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
me neither
Let's keep this discussion on the straight and narrow. Illegal copies and their distribution etc are taboo here. Kindly take those discussions off-line
Dolby A encoding is not compatible with any other encoding process.
The Dolby A 361 series has balanced input and output transformers.
The Dolby A/SR 363 is electronically balanced, no transformers.
For the 361, BYPASS - Provides relay-controlled "hard" bypass of all circuitry.
As for tones, I own a DECCA 15ips master tape of sessions done for a CBC produced film
about the Choir at Kings College Cambridge. (I worked for CBC for 30 years as a recording engineer)
They recorded a frequency run of 13 tones from 50 Hz to 15 KHz at 0 VU to align the reproducer machine, Dolby disabled.
The final tone is the Dolby warble tone with the unit in record mode, in the circuit.
For playback, the output of the tape machine is adjusted so that the Dolby tone reads on the dot on the Dolby level meter on the decoder unit.
I doubt that all recording companies were as thorough with their alignment tones.
For a minimum on a tape at 15ips, you would hope to see 1 KHz, 10 KHz, 15 KHz, and 50 Hz all at O VU, followed by Dolby tone.
The Dolby A 361 series has balanced input and output transformers.
The Dolby A/SR 363 is electronically balanced, no transformers.
For the 361, BYPASS - Provides relay-controlled "hard" bypass of all circuitry.
As for tones, I own a DECCA 15ips master tape of sessions done for a CBC produced film
about the Choir at Kings College Cambridge. (I worked for CBC for 30 years as a recording engineer)
They recorded a frequency run of 13 tones from 50 Hz to 15 KHz at 0 VU to align the reproducer machine, Dolby disabled.
The final tone is the Dolby warble tone with the unit in record mode, in the circuit.
For playback, the output of the tape machine is adjusted so that the Dolby tone reads on the dot on the Dolby level meter on the decoder unit.
I doubt that all recording companies were as thorough with their alignment tones.
For a minimum on a tape at 15ips, you would hope to see 1 KHz, 10 KHz, 15 KHz, and 50 Hz all at O VU, followed by Dolby tone.
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Thanks for the info Myles, I just ordered the opus sampler tape - looking forward to hearing it in my store!!
and btw, like Ki i infected John with the tape bug.
Wonder if this statement could be used to argue in support of self-defense against eviction from my own house someday...?
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Wonder if this statement could be used to argue in support of self-defense against eviction from my own house someday...?
Only if it can be delared a pandemic by the CDC...
I received my Opus3 sample tape on Monday. It is quite fabulous. I have one of the cuts on vinyl - on a really fine sounding album - the Stockholm Guitar Quartet Transcriptions and the tape has depth and detail and subtlety that the vinyl doesn't. Very similar results as the Tape Project tapes, for which I had the vinyl - I think 5 of the 6 classical (Exotic Dances was not released in vinyl until this month). I'm preparing an order of about 10 of the Opus3 tapes. Costs a lot more than the vinyl or SACD releases, but a lot less than a new car or a set of highest end power cords. The tapes are being duped directly from the original masters - so they are limiting the number copies they will produce to no more than 50. They are recorded with CCIR EQ, like the Tape Project.
I also received a sample tape of some of the UltraAnalogue tapes. I have ordered a bunch of these, which should arrive later this week. Again quite fabulous sound. The tapes are cut at a higher level 396 vs the standard 250 - the sample was sent to me to check that my Bottlehead tape pre would not overload - it doesn't. Edward Pong also recorded it in NAB rather than CCIR, He thinks the NAB sounds better.
I also have the Yarlung tapes. They sound quite fine also, except for the violin recital which lacks the realism of violin sound that the UltraAnalogue tape has.
I even have one of the Quinton tapes - Sabina Hank, a fine jazz vocalist.
This looks like a mini boom in R2R 15ips 2 track, for which we tape enthusiasts have to thank the Tape Project folks. This is definitely a cottage industry, which very little economy of scale - lots of real time duplication. But we are getting some incredible sounding stuff. With the Tape Project we get to hear some of the best artists of all genres, while with the others we hear lesser known, often young classical artists (except for Opus3 which also has jazz, folk and pop).
Larry
I also received a sample tape of some of the UltraAnalogue tapes. I have ordered a bunch of these, which should arrive later this week. Again quite fabulous sound. The tapes are cut at a higher level 396 vs the standard 250 - the sample was sent to me to check that my Bottlehead tape pre would not overload - it doesn't. Edward Pong also recorded it in NAB rather than CCIR, He thinks the NAB sounds better.
I also have the Yarlung tapes. They sound quite fine also, except for the violin recital which lacks the realism of violin sound that the UltraAnalogue tape has.
I even have one of the Quinton tapes - Sabina Hank, a fine jazz vocalist.
This looks like a mini boom in R2R 15ips 2 track, for which we tape enthusiasts have to thank the Tape Project folks. This is definitely a cottage industry, which very little economy of scale - lots of real time duplication. But we are getting some incredible sounding stuff. With the Tape Project we get to hear some of the best artists of all genres, while with the others we hear lesser known, often young classical artists (except for Opus3 which also has jazz, folk and pop).
Larry
Good report Larry. I don't own all the tapes you had mentioned but do agree with Ed's UltraAnalogue tapes. I first heard them in Jonathan Tinn's room at the CES in Jan and was hooked within few min of reels turning...
I have a Bottlehead modified Technics 1506 with the JRF extended range heads. I bought the machine from Bottlehead with all the mods. All Technics electronics are bypassed and the signal is fed into a Bottlehead Tape Pre. It also has a remote control, so I can start, stop, FF and Rewind from my listening chair! I can only playback with the deck, not record. There is a picture of the deck (and me) on the Tape Project website. Click on Machines and the photo shows the machine in the background. We are at the Tape Project SF Studios listening to machine for the first time. TP principal Paul Stubblebine is closest to the camera. For recording I have an Otari MX5050BIII.
Opus 3 Sampler Tape 2 now in da house!
Featuring:
NEW!
”One” Open Reel Selection of Opus 3 Analogue Recordings, Vol.II AMC-23120
1. Meetin´At The Building (Trad./adapted by Eric Bibb & Göran Wennerbrandt) 4´01
From: Eric Bibb, ”Spirit & The Blues”, SACD 19421
2. My Heart Stood Still (R. Rogers) 2´35
From: Johan Dielemans Trio, ”Round Midnight” CD 19302
3. Blues Opus 3 (Öhman-Gustavsson-Vinding-Dahlberg) 4´34
From: Kjell Öhman, ”Hammond Connection”, CD 19402
4. Gammal Fäbopsalm (O. Lindberg, 1872-1950) 4´22
From:”Horn and Organ Recital” CD 19501, Sören Hermansson: Horn & Per-Ove Larsson:Organ
5. Fantasie (S.L. Weiss, 1686-1750), 2´38
From Peder Riis, ”Classical Guitar”, CD 8015
6. Fasten Seat Belts (Wager-Åstrand) 3´07
From: ”Live at Vattnajökull”, CD 19802
7. Stealin´ Away (C. Greaves), 4´23
From: Kenneth Arnström, ”Rhythm King”, CD 19502
8. Easter Parade (I. Berlin), 6´29
From: ”The Lars Erstrand Sessions”, CD 19405
Total playing time: 32´30
One 10,5” metal reel
Playback EQ: IEC/CCIR (35uS)
2-track, 1/4” at 38 cm/s (15”)
Catalogue no. from the original album
One, Open Reel.-Vol.II
Featuring:
NEW!
”One” Open Reel Selection of Opus 3 Analogue Recordings, Vol.II AMC-23120
1. Meetin´At The Building (Trad./adapted by Eric Bibb & Göran Wennerbrandt) 4´01
From: Eric Bibb, ”Spirit & The Blues”, SACD 19421
2. My Heart Stood Still (R. Rogers) 2´35
From: Johan Dielemans Trio, ”Round Midnight” CD 19302
3. Blues Opus 3 (Öhman-Gustavsson-Vinding-Dahlberg) 4´34
From: Kjell Öhman, ”Hammond Connection”, CD 19402
4. Gammal Fäbopsalm (O. Lindberg, 1872-1950) 4´22
From:”Horn and Organ Recital” CD 19501, Sören Hermansson: Horn & Per-Ove Larsson:Organ
5. Fantasie (S.L. Weiss, 1686-1750), 2´38
From Peder Riis, ”Classical Guitar”, CD 8015
6. Fasten Seat Belts (Wager-Åstrand) 3´07
From: ”Live at Vattnajökull”, CD 19802
7. Stealin´ Away (C. Greaves), 4´23
From: Kenneth Arnström, ”Rhythm King”, CD 19502
8. Easter Parade (I. Berlin), 6´29
From: ”The Lars Erstrand Sessions”, CD 19405
Total playing time: 32´30
One 10,5” metal reel
Playback EQ: IEC/CCIR (35uS)
2-track, 1/4” at 38 cm/s (15”)
Catalogue no. from the original album
One, Open Reel.-Vol.II
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