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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc. |
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18th Mar 2019, 10:57 pm | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 60
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Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
Looking at a few recently, but discounting any UHER semi-pro machines, can anyone recommend a decent mains/battery portable reel to reel machine, I am looking for something well built and good audio quality for the size. I want a portable machine that can take at least 4" reels, pref 5", nothing smaller than that, so not a mini machine. Also 2 track, pref with 1 7/8 speed option as well as 3 3/4 IPS, and manual and auto recording settings.
These come up on Ebay from various brands, but if anyone has any buying advice, would be very useful. I am sure some brands were more reliable at this size than others. |
19th Mar 2019, 12:09 am | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,870
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
Nagra are generally considered the best manufacturer of portable recorders but they'll probably be more expensive than Uher.
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19th Mar 2019, 1:00 am | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
The Sony 510-2 is a decent enough bit of kit, but why the aversion to Uhers? Granted, most of the available ones are ex-BBC and hence thrashed, but a good one offers decent performance, plus the speeds you require, which the Nagra doesn't. You could try a Sony TC800B - four speeds, half track mono, servo motor, good all-round performance. Avoid EMIs - even the BBC shunned the L4, which ended up being sold off at half price in Tottenham Court Road...
Last edited by Ted Kendall; 19th Mar 2019 at 1:06 am. |
19th Mar 2019, 3:00 am | #4 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,965
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
I have a Uher 4000 Report, a Sony TC800B and a Nagra 4.2. All in good working condition. Useful to play/transfer old tapes, but for new recordings, so much better ways these days IMO, especially out in the field.
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19th Mar 2019, 6:07 am | #5 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
There's also Stellavox which is in the Nagra league.
David
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19th Mar 2019, 6:18 am | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,190
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
A little cheaper, but still good quality is the Tandberg 11. Mono, 2 tracks (flip the tape over for the other track as usual) but some had full-width heads with the other coils brought out to sockets to use with a film synchroniser.
1 motor, 3 heads (so off-tape monitoring is possible), 3 speeds (1+/8, 3+3/4, 7+1/2 ips). Built like the proverbial brick outhouse on a diecast metal chassis. Plug-in PCBs for most of the electronics. Runs off internal batteries or a DC input power socket (there is no internal mains supply but one can be connected externally). I was attracted to the one I bought for 2 reasons. Firstly it's heavy (generally means its solid). Secondly the microphone connector is an XLR, which generally means a semi-professional machine. It's not as good as a Nagra, sure, but it is a lot better than the common portable machines. |
19th Mar 2019, 10:10 am | #7 | |
Tetrode
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 60
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
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19th Mar 2019, 10:41 am | #8 |
Octode
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,574
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
There is a reason that the Uher 4000 was the most popular machine in this class, it was because it was the best. Over a million were sold, so there will always be a good one out there somewhere if you look. The Sony TC-800B is a very poor substitute, it was a domestic model really. Of all of them, the Report 4000L offers the best combination of features, solidity and recording quality.
A quality portable cassette deck will rival the Uher though, just. I'm not talking about the Nakamichi 550 (too big), the various Marantz ones (too rubbish) or Uher's attempts to capture this market (CR124, CR210, CR240), but something like the Sony TC-D5 Pro II can rival any open reel portable, especially if you have to carry it around all day. |
19th Mar 2019, 11:51 am | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
Arguably, so was the Uher - its big break was getting picked up by the BBC. I came across an 800B for very little once, and was pleasantly surprised by its general competence - the capstan drive is a deal more elegant than the Uher, too...
Last edited by Ted Kendall; 19th Mar 2019 at 12:08 pm. |
19th Mar 2019, 1:48 pm | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,965
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
Yes the TC800B's direct drive, four speed capstan motor is a killer, plus there's varispeed on playback.
On mine, the capstan motor does induce some motor noise into the playback head though. Adjusting the head shield for minimum noise helps somewhat. I once serviced a Tandberg 11. It seemed competent but this particular one needed an idler wheel rerubbered, which ended up being a custom rubber vulcanising and lathing job. The tiny bronze bearing in this idler wheel also seemed a little undersize and prone to wearing out. I dont know if these are known weaknesses with the model. A similar issue with 2 head Uher Reports where the vulcanised rubber drive surface on the capstan wheel goes hard, causing rumbling noise and eventually loss of capstan drive. Not an easy repair. |
19th Mar 2019, 2:09 pm | #11 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,515
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Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder
I have a Tandberg 11 and a Uher Stereo. The Uher would get the vote if I had to carry it round all day. The Tandberg is blooming heavy *before* you put all the D cells in!
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