Got an email from my tape supplier, Total Media, that follows:

"Hello,

As a valued customer of Total Media, I wanted to inform you that Quantegy (Ampex) Recording Media will soon cease production of all blank audio open reel tape. We are in the process of scaling down our existing inventory of open reel tape and there are no assurances of future product availability.

According to a recent memo from Quantegy, they will continue to accept orders from their distributors until February 28, 2007. They will evaluate those orders and where economically feasible, manufacture both audio and video recording media to fill those orders during March and April 2007. There is no guarantee they will be able to fulfill all the orders they receive.

They have also instituted an immediate price increase of as much as 20% on some items.

If you are going to need Quantegy open reel tape in the near future, I would suggest you visit our website http://www.totalmedia.com, enter with you id GW1206A and go to the +Audio > +Open Reel Tape section and place your order as soon as possible. Again, please understand we cannot guarantee availability or a shipment date. We will advise you accordingly.

As a Quantegy (Ampex) distributor for 17 years we deeply regret this news. Started in 1957 as Ampex Magnetic Tape, this fine company was a pioneer in both audio and video recording and they will be missed as a valued supplier.

As always, if there are any questions or if I can be of addition service, please be sure to contact me

Jerry Ghinelli

President
Total Media Inc.
295 North Street
Unit 5
Teterboro, New Jersey 07608
1-800-355-4400
1-201-393-8989
1-201-393-8977 (Fax)
jerry@totalmedia.com
www.totalmedia.com "



Is this BS? I thought Quantegy had been bought by Discount Tape Inc. from Peachtree City, GA and that they were going to continue manufacturing tape. Is Total Media trying to panic me into buying inventory? Or are they saying there may be a lapse in production and I should buy some now just in case? I have replied to the email and I'm waiting for their answer. But I thought I'd see what the "word on the street" was.

I got Total Media's reply:

"Hi Steve,

They did. Peter Hutt, however, left a few weeks ago and the company is ceasing production (once again) in April.

Regards,
Jerry"

Wow!

That looks to be true...I just checked out the Quantegy web site, and they say the same thing:

http://www.quantegy.com/

Well...so far there is still RMG International (former EMTEC brand).

They just got into full swing...so I doubt they will be closing any time soon...and in fact, the Quantegy shut down may actually push RMG into first place, being the only real supplier of decent tape.

I was lucky to purchase up a few cases of the EMTEC 911 right after EMTEC shut down and right before Quantegy shut down the first time...
...so I got it a close-out prices instead of the bloated prices that followed after Quantegy's first closure.

I'm sure if RMG is the only real player left...their prices will go up...so you better grab what you can now.
Even though I’m not a Quantegy user…this is not good for all of us, as it will place tape in the extreme esoteric market.
I bet you’ll start to see machines up for sale, cheap...unless RMG really steps up to the plate and covers the void the Quantegy closure will create...if it really folds for good………?

Seeing the lack of posts to this thread...I'm courious....
...is no one else here concerned at all about this news...?

Hopefully someone else will take over and keep manufacturing. I'm new to reel to reel and I just got my Tascam 38 back from the tech and started some recording projects. I assume I can use other brands of tape other than Quantegy 456? The Emtec version is 911? Does it "sound" different?

hi, i received that bad news about quantegy me too!
however, ATR magnetics are starting to manufacture tapes with the intention to replace quantegy!
please take a look at their site: http://www.atrtape.com/#

yes, as said on RMGI website SM911 are the equivalents of ampex/quantegy 456, sorry never tested!

ATR is still in a "testing" phase, it appears....thought they do promise a newer, better manufacturing process than how it's currently done by anyone.
We'll see...and also how much $$$.

RMGI is pretty much EMTEC under a new name...so no surprises there...
...and IMO...EMTEC is/was a better quality tape than any of the Ampex/Quantegy stuff.

And I don't think you will really hear any sound differences...and certainly you will NOT be dissapointed by switching from 456 to 911!!!

RMG is not EMTEC. RMG is located in the Netherlands, EMTEC was located in Munich, Germany. But RMG did buy some machinery and know how from EMTEC. The RMG tapes are similar to the old EMTEC tapes but definitely NOT identical. And my impression is that they are not superior to Quantegy tapes at all.

That Quantegy is giving up once again is very bad news indeed. Prices for RMG tapes will go up. And who knows for how long RMG will exist? If Quantegy are not successful with the production of analogue tape, who says that RMG will be?

we should understand of marketing and business to say if RMGI could stay there for a long time to come.
For example i guess a big difference is that Quantegy invested a lot in any kind of media storage (both digital and both analog and both audio and video) instead of RMGI which is much more analog audio oriented.
that's IMHO!

Here's a letter from RMGI:

RMGI letter

Names and locations aside...the RMGI tape is made to the EXACT formulations of the former EMTEC company...and, using all of the EMTEC machinery and processes that they purchased from EMTEC.

Is a batch of RMGI 911 100% identical to an old batch of EMTEC 911...maybe not, but then neither is batch to batch of the EMTEC....or any other brand.

It's a chemical/mechanical process that has a certain amount of tolerances built in.
I'm sure no one will tell the difference between the RMGI and EMTEC.

And why do you feel that EMTEC/RMGI is NOT superior to Quantegy?

Are you talking sonics...or transport handling and storage?
Sonics can be a personal thing, and I find the Quantegy tape to be much more “colorful” and susceptible to “signal slamming", if that’s what you are after...where the EMTEC/RMGI tape is pretty much what goes in, comes out…it’s very transparent.

But for transport handling and long term storage...EMTEC is superior.
I've convinced myself of that several times now from hands-on experience...so it's not just my "impression".
Quantegy is not as smooth handling….and it does not hold up as well as EMTEC/RMGI to long term storage.

I can second Miroslav's comments. Emtec tape would pack perfectly even in fast wind where quantegy would still be somewhat uneven, even with the machine in spool mode. I recently purchased some 1 inch RMG and it packs as sweet as the Emtec did. The reel it comes on is definitly thicker and held together with 6 fasteners instead of quantegy's 3. The only thing I miss is Emtec sold their tape with a plastic band with velcro on the end that you would place around the reel for storage. No sticky hold down tape needed and no crinkled tape ends. The RMG product I just purchased did not have the bands All in all the RMG product seems identical to the old Emtec. Regards, Dave

Yes, miroslav, I am talking about the sonic quality. For now I have only compared Quantegy 457/ 407 to RMG LPR35 and to EMTEC LPR35 and I must say that both Quantegy and RMG are not up to the sonic standards of EMTEC LPR35. But I was more satisfied with Quantegy 457 and 407 than with the RMG LPR35.

I am familiar with both EMTEC 911 and Quantegy 456, but have not compared it to RMG 911 so far. But as soon as I have, I will tell you about my impressions. I can even compare it to the original BASF 911 because I still have a reel of this in stock.

How can you say anything about the quality of EMTEC or RMG tapes regarding long term storage and handling, miroslav? RMG has been existing for little more than a year and EMTEC just for a few years, after BASF gave up their tape manufacturing and handed it over to EMTEC. So far it has not been possible to store any EMTEC or RMG tapes for a really "long term."

EMTEC was around for more than just a few years.
BASF was NOT really a different type of tape company than EMTEC tape...it was just a different name...or different ownership.
EMTEC tape was EMTEC tape even when it was under the BASF brand.
For awhile, they ran it as BASF/EMTEC...and then EMTEC cut its ties to BASF and became just EMTEC.

Here is the History/Millstones of BASF/EMTEC, from their website…of course they are no longer in the analog tape business. (They’ve been around as long as Quantegy/Ampex.)

1934: Invention of the first magnetic tape for audio recordings
1953: Launch of consumer tape products for audio recordings
1966: Start of Audio-Cassette production
1973: Start of Floppy Disc production
1977: Start of Video-Cassette production
1996: BASF Magnetics becomes an independent Inc.
Launch of the CD-Recordable range
1997: New company name: EMTEC Magnetics
1999: Launch of the DVD-Recordable range
2000: World-wide introduction of the EMTEC brand
2004: Acquisition by MPO Group
2006: Acquisition by Dexxon Group

EMTEC analog tape production stopped in ‘03 as I recall.


As far as RMGI...I'm just basing my perspective on the fact that RMGI is using all the same EMTEC formulations and all the same EMTEC machinery.
So...I'm pretty confident that it will feel, run...and store…as well as EMTEC.

I also happen to have some NOS EMTEC reels from at least the early 90s/late 80s judging by the packaging and codes...and they are silky smooth.
Quantegy...out of the box...makes more transport noise…and does not stack as well.
And...I've already tossed out a few reels of Quantegy that was less than 10 years old...and that alone was enough to make me switch.
Those were full tapes….nothing I could not live without…but it didn’t make me happy to have to toss them...or to clean the sludge off my guides/heads when I tried to check them out…

But everyone should use what they like…even if their preferences are based mostly on beliefs and impressions. You have to feel good about your tools....and you have to feel some "vibe" too.

But…this is all pretty much moot…as you will soon not be able to get Quantegy.
And until ATR coughs up their brand of tape…you will have to use the RMGI unless you can stockpile some Quantegy while it’s still available.
Though IMO…I would rather have a few cases of EMTEC laying about for 5-10 years before I get to use them…than any Quantegy tape…and certainly, NOTHING that still has “Ampex” on the box….even if it’s NOS!!!

Oh..and I'm not sure if you have to use the 1 mil tapes, like LPR35 and 457/407...
...but the EMTEC/RMGI 911 is a bit more robust, and thicker...like the 456.

Also...the EMTEC/RMGI 468 is really nice, close to the 911...and a great archiving tape (lower print-through)

If you are stuck on the LPR35...I know where there are cases available of 1/2" original EMTEC brand that was a special run...it had the SM900 formulation on the 1mil LPR35 base.

Last time a talked to the supplier...he was looking to unload it at a great price if you buy it by the case (6 reels per)...and even better price if you buy a few cases.

I've been considering getting a couple of cases myslef...but I'm really stuck on the 911...and 468.

I am really happy with the RMGI tape. Its just as good as the old EMTEC stuff. As much as I hate to see Quantegy stop production, Im not. For what you paid for a reel of Quantegy tape, it should have been perfect.

I can't wait to try out ATR magnetics tape!!

Just got a message that RMGI tape will be seeing a 12% cost increase in the next month or so.

I guess that's the start of the Quantegy fallout...