Need help with a Sony TC 510-2 - Page 3 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

TIMTAPE · Yesterday, 1:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbiscuits

When it comes to distortion, I want to confirm that this thing does magic to drums, bass and even some keyboard instruments if I crank up the gain gently..

Many Motown hits from the 60's used tape distortion/compression especially on the drum tracks. Here's an example track from the Four Tops:

https://youtu.be/CkKJy4UaPHM?si=x4Vrh-q9CB12OsBP

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbiscuits

Moreover, the built in limiter feature is also surprisingly good on this thing. I am almost tempted to try and master a song for the experiment. With the limiter on, it's doing a really good job on the signal.

Well the purpose of the machine's limiter was actually to avoid tape saturation distortion. Possibly you're enjoying compression more than the saturation. With tape saturation we do get some compression but if we want all or mostly compression there are more dedicated compressors/limiters that do that better and without us having to endure massive tape saturation which comes with it. The two effects sound quite different but with tape only we're stuck with the saturation and the compression in a fixed ratio. Dynamics compressors/limiters have been used for a long time in recording, TV, radio and communications etc.

paulsherwin · Yesterday, 6:05 pm

Without wanting to take this thread OT, I've always thought many of the mid 60s Four Tops singles had tremendous drum tracks, but I never realised H-D-H were using this technique. 'You keep running away' is a particular favourite. Thanks for the info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7y9t4yVBKg

You could probably achieve an identical sound digitally today of course.

Ted Kendall · Today, 1:28 am

Noting the above, BBC Transcription Service used tape compression on recordings of the Ted Heath band from the mid-1950s. When copying some of this material, I was getting levels around 8dB above the 2% distortion level of the tape stock used, which was EMI H77. This gave the brass section a sound roughly equivalent to having your brains smashed out with a gold brick.

Yesterday, 6:05 pm	#42
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 30,581	Re: Need help with a Sony TC 510-2 Without wanting to take this thread OT, I've always thought many of the mid 60s Four Tops singles had tremendous drum tracks, but I never realised H-D-H were using this technique. 'You keep running away' is a particular favourite. Thanks for the info. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7y9t4yVBKg You could probably achieve an identical sound digitally today of course.

Today, 1:28 am	#43
Ted Kendall Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 4,013	Re: Need help with a Sony TC 510-2 Noting the above, BBC Transcription Service used tape compression on recordings of the Ted Heath band from the mid-1950s. When copying some of this material, I was getting levels around 8dB above the 2% distortion level of the tape stock used, which was EMI H77. This gave the brass section a sound roughly equivalent to having your brains smashed out with a gold brick.