Re: [ARSCLIST] Consumer open reel EQ curve?

[Jos Van Dyck <jos.van.dyck@xxxxx>]

Yes, there IS a difference.

European eq. depends on age, brand and market segment (home vs.
studio).
Most older recorders till early 60's used 140 µs at 3.75 ips (9,5
cm/s) (old German DIN standard).
In fact, eq. stayed the same rel. to recorded wavelength: 35 µs at 15
ips, 70 µs at 7.5 ips, 140 µs at 3.75 ips.

However, not all brands adopted the same standard: e.g. Grundig used
70 µs (CCIR) for 19 cm/s, whereas Telefunken used 50 µs (NAB) on their
consumer (tube) recorders.

On more recent consumer recorders (late 60's), this was changed to 90
µs for 3.75 ips and 50 µs for 7.5 ips (new DIN standard for home use).

Studio (broadcast) recorders use CCIR (now ITU-R) standards, adopted
eventually by IEC.

Your ears are probably the best judgement on the right eq. to use when
playing back old tapes.

Proper azimuth adjustment is even more important than eq.
Have you got a headblock with external azimuth adjustment screw?

Cheers,

Jos Van Dyck
New Generation Media
Digital archiving & Restoration


-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Richard L. Hess
Sent: maandag 15 november 2004 23:13
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Consumer open reel EQ curve?


Hi, Jeff,

What's wrong with the internal preamp on the A807? (I have my own pet
peeves, but I'm wondering why you're going the external route).

AME was never a consumer format, so I would dismiss that. I am one of
a
handful of people equipped for AME reproduction on current equipment,
and
I've supplied some of the AME filters to other transfer houses. You'll
find
it on 2- and 3-channel masters from the 1960s at 15 in/s. See the info
at
http://www.flash.net/~mrltapes

CCIR is widely used in Europe, but I doubt (m)any of your tapes will
be
that format. A stock A807 can be set up to switch between CCIR and
NAB.

Please note that at 3.75 in/s, there is no difference between U.S.
(NAB)
and European practice. Again, see the MRL Web site. The table on page
3 of
the "Choosing and Using..." document indicates that the IEC EQ was
used
only in professional circles in Europe. Consumer machines and
pre-recorded
tapes worldwide apparently followed the NAB standards.

Cheers,

Richard