UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players

Notices

Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 18th Mar 2019, 10:57 pm   #1
goldenfleece
Tetrode
 
goldenfleece's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 60
Default 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.
goldenfleece is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 12:09 am   #2
jamesperrett
Octode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,870
Default 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.
jamesperrett is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 1:00 am   #3
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default 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.
Ted Kendall is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 3:00 am   #4
TIMTAPE
Octode
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,965
Default 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.
TIMTAPE is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 6:07 am   #5
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
Default Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder

There's also Stellavox which is in the Nagra league.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 6:18 am   #6
TonyDuell
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,190
Default 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.
TonyDuell is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 10:10 am   #7
goldenfleece
Tetrode
 
goldenfleece's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 60
Default Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Kendall View Post
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...
There's a TC800 on ebay now actually, but not the 'b' variant.
goldenfleece is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 10:41 am   #8
Studio263
Octode
 
Studio263's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,574
Default 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.
Studio263 is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 11:51 am   #9
Ted Kendall
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kington, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 3,657
Default Re: Best 'portable mains/battery vintage tape recorder

Quote:
Originally Posted by Studio263 View Post
The Sony TC-800B is a very poor substitute, it was a domestic model really.
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.
Ted Kendall is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 1:48 pm   #10
TIMTAPE
Octode
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 1,965
Default 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.
TIMTAPE is offline  
Old 19th Mar 2019, 2:09 pm   #11
wd40addict
Octode
 
wd40addict's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,515
Default 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!
wd40addict is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:15 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.