Does anyone know where to find information about track widths of various recording formats? I’m interested mainly in the TSR-8 and 688, but I also want to know about the large formats like the Studer A820 24 track, for example. I’ve read in forums that the TSR-8 has similar track width to 24 track 2 inch machines (only with a smaller gap between tracks) and am curious if this is true. Surely there are some reference materials on this somewhere.
Track width data
- Thread starter JonHunt
- Start date
Several measurement conversations over the years. I believe gearspace is where I've noticed most.
Yes, 2" twenty-four trk machines are pretty skinny. Arguments abound that 2" 16trk studio recordings (at the time before the intro of 2" 24) were better due to wider trk width...or the same conversation about 1" 8.....but those conversations imo are typically missing the point of.....
the final result of a 2"-24....2"-16....1"-8....1"-4trk....depended on lots of variables, not least of which is...what console...how many in/out passes....the types of frequencies being recorded (big boomy toms in 1966 are nothing like big boomy toms recorded with 1976-overall tech etc).
A half-inch 8trk....when considering its pure gap/guard widths....can be equated to other gap/guard widths....but then you have to factor in other important sound-altering realities.....one for example being the typical electronics of half-inch machines.
The electronics section of a tsr8 (a machine I really like in many ways) consists of way less circuitry than say....the 40pound electronics drawer inside an 85-16. Which does indeed affect the printed signals whenever I've compared. Same with the atr series.
The input/output circuitry drawers of jh24 machines and 827s are other examples of extensive in/out amps etc that dwarf what's found in a tsr8 or 5050 series.
Gap widths themselves don't necessarily translate into bigger being better imo.
Yes, 2" twenty-four trk machines are pretty skinny. Arguments abound that 2" 16trk studio recordings (at the time before the intro of 2" 24) were better due to wider trk width...or the same conversation about 1" 8.....but those conversations imo are typically missing the point of.....
the final result of a 2"-24....2"-16....1"-8....1"-4trk....depended on lots of variables, not least of which is...what console...how many in/out passes....the types of frequencies being recorded (big boomy toms in 1966 are nothing like big boomy toms recorded with 1976-overall tech etc).
A half-inch 8trk....when considering its pure gap/guard widths....can be equated to other gap/guard widths....but then you have to factor in other important sound-altering realities.....one for example being the typical electronics of half-inch machines.
The electronics section of a tsr8 (a machine I really like in many ways) consists of way less circuitry than say....the 40pound electronics drawer inside an 85-16. Which does indeed affect the printed signals whenever I've compared. Same with the atr series.
The input/output circuitry drawers of jh24 machines and 827s are other examples of extensive in/out amps etc that dwarf what's found in a tsr8 or 5050 series.
Gap widths themselves don't necessarily translate into bigger being better imo.
“Gap widths themselves don't necessarily translate into bigger being better imo”
100% agree. Many people I’ve talked to act like it’s solely what determines what is and isn’t a good machine. I wish I had some actual track width data to compare two machines with. Surely there’s some reference materials somewhere
100% agree. Many people I’ve talked to act like it’s solely what determines what is and isn’t a good machine. I wish I had some actual track width data to compare two machines with. Surely there’s some reference materials somewhere
SkywaveTDR
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SkywaveTDR
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