30 ips to 15 ips MS 16, Is it possible to convert my machine?

[SoundBeing]

Is it possible to convert my machine, which is currently running at 30 ips, to run 15 ips? Is it something I can do myself? I'm handy with a soldering iron, but not crazy mechanical in the sense of circuit boards and such. If not myself, is there someone in the Brooklyn area, or a tech nearby that can help me with the conversion at an efficient cost?

I run an independent recording studio called SpeakerSonic. I replaced my machine last year, which was in horrible condition to this beautiful, pristine, and clean Tascam MS 16, only to find out later that it was running 30 instead of 15. It's damn near impossible to find any info about this, from my research. I'd be thrilled to find I could make the conversion easily to be able to transfer all my old tapes, not to mention the exorbitant cost of new tape these days.

Any help, direction, leads would be much appreciated!

 

[Gravity Jim]

As I understand it, you can change the speed by moving some internal jumpers, but the recording EQ curve is set for either one speed or the other, depending on how the machine was set at manufacture. If all you wanted to do was play back old recordings for transfer, that shouldn't be a problem. I'd contact Tascam for instruction on the jumpers.

 

[SoundBeing]

Thanks Jim! I will do just that. I would much rather my machine be completely changed over to 15 ips, because tape is just so darn expensive. I wonder if there's something I can do in calibration that will adjust the EQ curve accordingly.

 

[wkrbee]

If you can solder -to mod the 16 R/P cards-PM me I will give you the info.

 

[SoundBeing]

Yeah, ok. I can at least have look at it and if I think it's something I can do, I'll give it a go. I also have a tech I could ask for help. I've been using the machine this week and it sounds pretty good. But I've heard am familiar with the 15 ips machine, and I find that it sounds better in the low end for rock and roll music.

 

[SkywaveTDR]

If this was not resolved yet, a person in that area of excellent reviews is Bob Shuster or Shuster Sound. I though the MS16 was a 15 IPS unit from the factory- the ones I saw were.

 

[evansmalley]

if anyone needs parts for an MS-16 I just put one on ebay FYI- hope that helps!

 

[SkywaveTDR]

I presently have a Tascam 48 that some idiot converted to 30 IPS and then wrecked a lot of the cards and then the power supply. Be careful with whom you let work on these machines they can easily be damaged by incompetent hands- and there are a lot of those people out there and few of the good ones.

 

[wkrbee]

Lots of Capacitors get changed on every R/P card to compensate for the difference between the IEC curve and the AES curve along with the changes on the motor drive PCB.
Sky-Some Ms-16s were made in Japan-MS16 HS was the model.I modded a number of them to 30 ips during my time @ Teac.

 

[SkywaveTDR]

Well now I know who to contact should I ever come across such a job.. I have too many in my shop now to deal with one now.

 

[kazarkazam]

I have an MS-16 that runs at 30 ips as well and would like to convert it to 15 ips. I see wrkbee has some information. Can you share that with me?

 

[SkywaveTDR]

It's very good to have Jim here to help out. Sometimes I am too busy with units to answer or I take some time to get back to you. I am overloaded with over 200 units today but should get that down to 198 by days end. Wheew.