EMI TR51A valve (tube) tape recorder

[aashton]

I am considering buying one of these little beasties just for the looks - does anyone have any info on what they are like sound wise ?

Much appreciated :)

All the best - Andrew

[Steve Hoffman]

Post us a picture!

[aashton]

Thar she blows

All the best - Andrew

[Steve Hoffman]

Pretty nifty. Of course I have no idea what it sounds like. :)

[aashton]

I thought it looked like a neat deck to stealth into concerts ;)

Any idea Steve as to what the deck at the front of this picture is

http://www.bakerlite.co.uk/pics/Cyprus/audio.jpg

All the best - Andrew

[Steve Hoffman]

Yeah, I've seen one of those in a picture of Joe Meek's flat studio. I can't remember right now though.

[Cafe Jeff]

Looks a bit like my Ferrograph 3A which is free to anyone who can come to pick it up from my house in Toronto. Whether it works or not I do not know. It's a heavy beast though. Jeff

[Jeffrey]

Originally posted by aashton
I thought it looked like a neat deck to stealth into concerts ;)

All the best - Andrew

Hey Andrew,

What do you Potatoes smoke and where do i get some??? :laugh: ;)

-Jeffrey

[RetroSmith]

Jeff....please send me a PM.

thanks.

Mike

[RetroSmith]

Thats a TR51A alright!!

A Good sounding deck, however, the Bias adjustment is very very sensitive.
Just a hair too much and you will hear "bumps" in the playback. a hair the other way, dull sound.

I wonder what tape stock its biased for? You should try to get some of that type stock. Or, of course, get the service manual and rebias it for Quantegy 456. I did that with my TEAC 3440 and it sounds quite amazing for a transistor deck.

[aashton]

Originally posted by Jeffrey


Hey Andrew,

What do you Potatoes smoke and where do i get some??? :laugh: ;)

-Jeffrey

Spinach - in a pipe :D :laugh:

All the best - Andrew

[sgraham]

Originally posted by mikey5967
Thats a TR51A alright!!

A Good sounding deck, however, the Bias adjustment is very very sensitive.
Just a hair too much and you will hear "bumps" in the playback. a hair the other way, dull sound.

I wonder what tape stock its biased for? You should try to get some of that type stock. Or, of course, get the service manual and rebias it for Quantegy 456. I did that with my TEAC 3440 and it sounds quite amazing for a transistor deck.

If you mean what I think you mean by "bumps" that sounds like there's an assymetry in the bias oscillator resulting in a DC component getting on tape. This ought to be repairable (but don't ask me to do it!)

I'd also keep in mind -- though I have no specific knowledge of this particular machine -- that some older decks may have trouble generating enough bias current to work properly with modern tapes, unless modified. And if it can deal with the bias requirements, the high frequency characteristics of the really high energy tapes (those designed for "+9" use) may still make it hard to get flat response. (Take it from someone who has fiddled extensively with Ampex 300's, for better or worse!)

[Cafe Jeff]

Mikey,
I sent you a PM but am having account problems. Jeff

[RetroSmith]

sgraham is right about the bias stuff.

What you'll need to do is change the bias circuits entirely for optimum sound. This isnt as hard as it sounds, the REAL problem is figuring out what the new component values should be.

Or, you could just rebias the existing and be happy with the best sound obtainable from modern tape stock. BASF makes one stock that is VERY similar to the tape made in the 60s. Its actually "Retro Tape"!!

[aashton]

Looks like the TR51A will be coming home to stay with me :D I just have to work out a way of smuggling it in and keeping it un-noticed by my beloved :love:

Next task to find a cheap EMI Redd 37 ;) :laugh: :D

All the best - Andrew

[RetroSmith]

Get some Fairchild Tube limiters so that when you record the Hi Hat, it splatters all over the place........