I don't drink coffee! Tried... couldn't handle it...
But, I have backed off on my case of Pepsi a week, down to about one bottle a week. Maybe it'll help??? Now, if I can just stay awake..?
And poster, werewolf10, don't get "caughtup" going along with these guys by making cutesie comments on my mental attributes. I am not a desenter. I give you my opinion, which you asked for, for free, on my own time. READ WHAT I SAY! READ WHAT OTHERS SAY! DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH/EXPERIMENTATION! Make your choice.
I have to admit, if you get Eddie Celletti to drop in for even an hour, maybe there's a chance..? I really enjoy - and learn - from his writings, I envy your proximity!
A forum wish: That all you guys would forget the "quote" button and just "talk" - whatever you have to say. Holler if you like - but don't "react", think, espose, enjoy. This is OUR, collective life, here.
A comment - MY COMMENT - or two:
The Beatles used what they had, good, bad or indifferent. You will attain little new fame doing what the Beatles did. The Beatles, the early Beatles, at least, if they were recording today, would be recording on ProTools, or something very like it and would not be involved in the mastering process at all, as they were not then(The Mastering Department at Capitol Records would be handling that.). Though, probably some time, early-on in their recording career, they did get a "tour" of the mastering department, where they were likely kind enough to "ooh and ah" at the mysterious equipment and the, equally, mysterious people, who ran the gear. "This is where your recordings go to get them ready to be pressed to records, boys!" "Well, it sure is im-press-ive!(They were "cutesie", too!) Thankyou very much for doing such wonderful work on our songs!"(I hear they were also very polite.)
Here's something I really hope you DO read - again:
DO WHAT YOU WANT! JUST DO NOT THINK THAT MASTERING TO TAPE, ANY TAPE, ANY MACHINE, IS SOME SORT OF HOLY GRAIL!!! It's just "a way". My worst thought is that someone should "try analog tape"(Holding up some of these outlandish statements made here as their "guide".), using a cheap, antique machine, improperly maintained and setup, running inferior tape, get to the end of the "process"(Likely incorrectly implemented) and say ..."Gee, that doesn't sound very good..?" and quit. You guys get so wrapped-up in your "vast experience and knowledge" that you forget just how much experience and knowledge is(Was) needed to make this stuff work correctly! As well as to how much of this technology is just no longer there, for the potential 'entrant' into it, today...
ATR, said they were getting into the tape providing biz, 'cause there ain't no more tape(At least good tape) - or something like that? Didn't they? I have no "quote button", for their comments. If ATR is now making tape, I trust it is "good tape". I guess I could jump in the pickup and drive over and ask them(About 30 miles west), been a long time since I've been there..? Maybe next week?
The original question was something like - Is 1/4" good enough for mastering? MOST OF US SAID, YES. Most of us, conveniently, left out the "qualifiers" - lots of "quotes" on things we felt we could fight with, but, not enough of the "oxide shed and tears", not enough reality. Not "knowing" the technology, I have to say(I have no other choice), that if 1/4" was "best", that's what ATR would push. Is 1/4" "good enough"? Yes - a definite, qualified, yes.
Did the Beatles use 1/4"? I'm sure they did. A 30 year old Otari 5050B? Did John Lennon, himself, align the tape machine? Did he ever see the tape machine? Maybe..? Was there anything else the Beatles could have used, besides 1/4"? I don't know? For sure, they used what Capitol Records mastering department used - period. If 1/4" was it, that's what the Beatles used. Today it would be Protools, or something very like it, for recording and whatever Capitol Records would be using today for mastering. If it's still 1/4" tape(And the same old guys in the dept.), that's what they'd be using. This, in itself, does not make it "right". Right? Today, "Luck Lindy" would take a 747 to Paris(Though it is rather an antique itself!). Though, that, in itself, does not make the "Spirit of St. Louis, somehow, "wrong", just that he would not still be flying it, today - and I'm sure it was a fine plane and - still is - far as it goes... I would like to learn to fly, today. If it ever happens I will try to learn in a Piper Cub, from the 50's. Why? Not because it's "still the best plane, dammit!", just because, to me, personnally, the piper Cub "is" flying(I was born and raised in the town where they were made) - but, that's a personal thing, from it's history... and mine. "The sound", would, I'm sure... be a beautiful thing...
I've got to get some work done(Painting the living room, today - notp flying or recording - dammit!), so I'll leave you to your "fightin' quotes" and the latest episode of "The Antiques Roadshow" - already in progress:
...ankyou very much for bringing in this, delightful, Otari 5050B, model, tape recorder! As I said, it was not exactly the "premier" machine of it's day, and it's not worth much this day, in the best condition(And, of course yours is missing the STOP button and the take-up arm is quite bent-over, like so many others, heh, heh...), but it looks in good shape, otherwise, and as long as you're willing to take the time to know how to make it work, you're going to have alot of fun with it. It was a pleasure showing the young folks in the audience how audio recording used to be done! Thankx again, for lugging that brutally heavy thing in here for all to see! Ya'know that case is made of wood! well, sort've wood, anyway... And... heh, heh, a little Tiger Balm, may sooth those back muscles tonight... ha, ha... Now here's Jane with a lovely 1966 Chevrolet Corvette operators manual discovered in an old garage, right here in Portland...
TG