Rangertone reel to reel recorder

[mrmagnetophon]

I have been having a look at this odd reel to reel recorder.

It's described as a Rangertone Reel to Reel Mono Analog Recorder.

I am not quite sure if it's actually a reel to reel recorder or some type of film recorder, as the heads don't look quite right, anyone have info on this machine?

Chris.

[mrmagnetophon]

XLR input looks like its a audio recorder, the monitor would be useless unless it was some type of recorder. But the confusion is why does the tape run through the middle? was this some type of special engineering to keep noise and flutter, etc, down?

-Chris

[Synchrodyne]

Rangertone was an early North American tape recorder, I think based upon the German Magnetophon. The company was also involved with pulse-type synchronizing systems for film sound recording; perhaps as an extension of that activity it also made recorders for magnetic coated 16 and 35 mm films?

Cheers,

[mrmagnetophon]

Here is the confusing part though, this isn't a copy of the magnetophon, its entirely different, this doesn't look like 16mm, more like 8mm which would not be professional.

Either its a machine that has something to do with film recording, or its just an oddly built reel to reel recorder.

The sync makes it look like its just a special type reel to reel recorder, but those heads look odd.

-Chris

[Synchrodyne]

The attached pages 259 & 260 provide a brief mention of Rangertone, which evidently was the first pulse synchronizing system in 1949. Page 239 has a diagram of an (unnamed) magnetic film recorder whose layout is offered as a general representation of the type. Maybe this will offer a pointer or two.

Cheers,

[Ted Kendall]

The Rangertone Magnetophon clone appears in an American book which I have somewhere - it covers sound recording technology in general from a 1950-ish perspective, so includes the Ampex 200, wire and tape-based Soundmirrors and the aforementioned Rangertone. The model illustrated seems to be something along the lines of the Leevers-Rich Synchropulse system, though whether one followed the other or it was a case of simultaneous development I couldn't say.

[mrmagnetophon]

Ted, does that mean that its still a reel to reel, or some type of syncro machine??
-Chris

[Ted Kendall]

Well, if it's like the Leevers-Rich system, this would be standard quarter inch tape with a pulse sent to both the tape and the camera to allow post-sync. So yes, it's a reel to reel machine with added facilities, although unlikely to be used in other than film work.

[brenellic2000]

Chris,

Following on from Ted's comment, he may be referring to "Recording and Reproduction of Sound" by Oliver Read. Its a big American book, circa 1950, which goes into the whole subject in great detail plus historical evolution of tape and tape decks. You'll easily find a copy in the USA.

Therein is a full decription of the similar Rangertone R-5 film synchronised tape deck.

Barry

[Ted Kendall]

Sounds about right...

[vabascal]

Hi
Would you be interested in selling that little Rangertone machine?
Thanks
vabascal

[ricard]

Originally Posted by mrmagnetophon

But the confusion is why does the tape run through the middle? was this some type of special engineering to keep noise and flutter, etc, down?

Especially in the early days of tape recording there were a lot of variations in tape path layout. The BK-401 Soundmirrors also had the heads vertically arranged between the reels, and there are countless others. I would think that having the tape path between the reels might have been to keep the machine's dimensions down, especially if it were intended for film work, where the size, or the form factor, would have been important.

[CHICAGOAUDIO]

Just ran across your excellent website during a search. Always good to hear from across the pond!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but this looks like one of the earlier Rangertone tape machines equipped for sync recording using the Rangertone system. They did make a few models that used a narrow width film (about the size of 8mm) as well. I can't tell from the photos, but if there is no sprocket drive, then it was probably one of the 1/4" recorders. I have some documents somewhere on the early Ranger recorders, but would have to do a bit of digging. They had quite a few variations over the years.

--Scott

[suebutcher]

The Rangertone synchronising system for 1/4" tape records a modulated 14kHz signal down the centre of the tape using a head set at an angle to the replay head. The deliberate azimuth error stops the sync signal appearing in the replayed audio signal. (Info from "Sound Recording For Motion Pictures" by Frater.)