Re: [ARSCLIST] Tape transport gentleness was delicacy WAS reel choices was help in fair pricing of reel to reel machines

[Parker Dinkins <parker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My first A820 (a MkII version) occasionally oscillated mechanically (which
would force a shutdown but not damage tape); this was cured by downgrading
the firmware at the recommendation of the Studer people in Nashville.

Since we're talking about Studer, I'd like to recount a story about their
parts culture. 

After my building flooded, Studer in Switzerland recommended that I contact
their tech guy in California for an assessment of the unit. Before removing
the A820 from the my dark, wet room, I scavenged the 1/4" kit from it,
figuring that it might be reusable even if the machine was destroyed. As it
turns out, the machine was beyond repair.

It was not apparent until almost a year later when I was able to get another
A820 (with a 1/2" kit) that I discovered that I had lost one, unique pulley
from the 1/4" kit. Since I have three 1/4" headblock assemblies and most of
my work is in 1/4", this was a real problem....

Anyway, I contacted Studer in Switzerland, even offering to pay for
fabricating this particular pulley if a replacement could not be found. It
would have been expensive; the "professor" at Studer said fabrication wasn't
practical. 

A few days later I heard from Switzerland. One of Studer's machinists,
during a two day national holiday, came in on his own time and located the
pulley!!! 

I have five head block assemblies (four with the vernier azimuth KNOBS), and
changeovers are a piece of cake with parameter backups made to a PC via RS
232. 

I have been told that Sony in New York uses Studer instead of their own
brand.

So, yes, I like the A820 very much.

It doesn't play severely warped acetate tapes well, and we use another
machine for that. 



At 01:31 AM 2007-01-27, Steve Puntolillo wrote:

>> I should mention that the truly lovely Studer A820 1/4 and 1/2" machine
>> (which is the *other* darling of mastering decks) can also lose control
>> of its tension sensing mechanism and "lose it's mind". I have not
>> experienced this first hand, but have heard so from reliable sources who
>> own and love these machines.
>> 
>> A possible advantage of the Studer is that it has a pinch roller and so
>> at least will power its way through tapes with little bits of residual
>> SSS without changing pitch. The ATR100 has no mechanism to combat
>> temporary speed fluctuations due to tape that sticks or drags.

And on 1/27/07 10:03 AM US/Central, Richard L. Hess at
arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
 
> I think Parker Dinkens might be able to shed further light on this
> particular item (see I keep bringing everyone into this thread) as he
> has now owned two A820s.

-- 
Parker Dinkins
MasterDigital Corporation
Audio Restoration + CD Mastering
http://masterdigital.com