If You Need Any Analog to Digital trasnfers, Hit Me Up

[Beck]

philboking's post about his interesting copy job got me to thinking. I don't operate a commercial studio anymore, but I have a lot of equipment still operational for my own music that I might be able to help people out with transfers. Feel free to drop me a line if I can help. Here's what I have:

 

- Tascam TSR-8 perfect condition (Brand new heads from Tascam within the last two years) It has DBX NR, which is defeatable. I have 8 channels of Dolby SR/A (Model 363s if you recorded with Dolby A or SR). So I can transfer about anything with or without NR. The TSR-8 will handle tracks recorded on any of the 1/2" 8-track Tascam machines... 38, 48, 58, as well as the Otrai MX5050, Revox C278 and others.

 

- Tascam 32 1/4" half-track (Electronics heavily moded and sounds sweet)

 

- Tascam 22-2 1/4" half-track

 

- Fostex R8

 

- Like new Tascam 246 Portastsudio. And again I have outboard Dolby C units in case you recorded with a Fostex product. or no NR

 

- I also have single ended noise reduction so I can quiet hiss down quite a bit in the analog realm if you didn't use any NR

 

- And last but not least a Sony Super-Beta Hi-Fi I used for mastering back in the 80s. It will play back BI, BII, and BIII.

 

- Oh and almost forgot... a couple nice Tascam cassette decks

 

I bring analog into the digital world with an Echo Layla 24/96 (Have two of those) and a computer optimized to the max for audio. Yeah, I know the Echo Layas are getting long in the tooth, but honestly I've found nothing I like better, and I've test driven a lot of products since then. The people that designed the Echo Layla did it right. I'll likely keep them until I die.

 

So anyway I thought I'd put that out there since I've been on this forum since 2005 and Music Player before that, and I haven't done a whole hell of a lot but talk shop and cause trouble. I'd be happy to help anyone who wants to save their old analog stuff, but doesn't have the means.

 

Cheers!

 

PS: I bake reel-to-reel tapes if you have issues with Sticky Tape Shed. You could say I wrote the book on that... if you search the web. Which tapes are prone to Sticky Shed and which aren't and what to do about it if your tapes are afflicted. I use a Nesco SnackMaster dehydrator at a carefully controlled temp monitored by a digital thermometer. Works like a charm!

[philboking]

I had considered doing this business model at one point. It seems a bit of a niche market, but if you are in a population center (or a strong web presence), you might have enough clients to make a go of it. Good luck on your new endeavor. And may it be more fun than I experienced... ;-)

[Beck]

I had considered doing this business model at one point. It seems a bit of a niche market' date=' but if you are in a population center (or a strong web presence), you might have enough clients to make a go of it. Good luck on your new endeavor. And may it be more fun than I experienced... ;-)[/quote']

 

Thanks for the thumbs up and encouragement, but I'm just doing this stuff on the side these days. I operated three different recording studios over about three decades in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois area, but ultimately went into Information Technology. I did a lot of transfers over the years, salvaging badly stored tapes, treating Sticky-Shed and all that, as well as tracking new material for bands around central Illinois. This area was once a hot spot... quite an active music scene.

 

I still have all my old analog gear, as well as decent digital capabilities. I could sell half of it and still have more than I need. I started out as an apprentice in a TV studio, learning all about audio and video at 18 years old. I was already a composer/musician, so was able to translate that pretty easily into music recording.

 

The first piece of recording gear I bought for myself was a new TEAC (Tascam) 144 Portastudio. I used to carry that thing to a friend's church at night and record with a full Steinway and Sons Grand Piano. One of my good friends was the son of the pastor of that church, so he gave me a key. Those were the days! I upgraded to Tascam 246 and the rest is history. Now I have about $40,000 worth of gear, most of it in boxes.

 

So anyway, I've been reading more about people digging up old tapes, so I thought I'd put myself out there as a resource. I'm not planning on making any money out of it. I even use USPS Media Mail because recorded tape qualifies for that. Anything to keep costs down for people. I've also been a seller on eBay for many years, so I have the whole packing/shipping thing down... and 100% positive feedback.

[philboking]

Off topic...

I, for some reason, pictured you as being on the east coast... You're actually sort of in my neighborhood. I live near Cedar Rapids Iowa. I sent a copy of my new CD to a radio station in Champaign recently. (I met a DJ from there at the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest in Davenport and he gave me a card).

[Beck]

That's pretty cool. I wish you good fortune with that CD. CU isn't as hopping as it used to be, but a lot of bands or big name band members got their start here. I had a few somewhat popular songs on a station that used to have a Local Lunch hour for local artists back in the day, and we still have variations on that theme. CU is a big college town with large venues for big name bands. It still has that heritage and pretty decent music scene for these times. University of Illinois has a great music school. My ex was an opera singer and accomplished pianists. You name it you can still find a great diversity of music in these parts. I was actually born on the west coast, so I'm a Californian, but spent most of my life in Illinois. I've lived in Texas and Georgia for a while, but always ended up back here in good old CU. It is a unique area. We had the University of Illinois and until recently an Air Force base, so I met people from all over the country and the world without having to go anywhere. I've been to Cedar Rapids a few times. It's a nice area.