Hi Thomas,
Since this is just for PB, you may reap dividends in performance by converting the transport to a single-head player, and turn any needed dummy heads into rolling guides. I am not familiar with that machine's transport geometry, but, as you know, some machines' head assemblies require support in more places than others (for tape tension and how it bows the head gap).
(Time to call JRF)
The flutter spec. of the MX-55N is twice that of the stock ATR transport (or Studer A 80), and the speed accuracy is an order of magnitude tighter on the stock ATR... so there is a need to do some re-engineering of the transport for pro transfers to disc/k, but the electronics are not shabby (in spite of the almost-"in band" bias signal (150k (
) "Also dann...is really same as Studer A 80..." )...
(...from the Otari web site:
http://www.otari.com/support/vintage/mx55/spec.html)
The tests were able to done at 1040 nWb/m, just like the ATR manual tests. The ATR has 30 in/s capability, by design, and A 80, by model, for 3 dB better Rec/Rep Signal-to-Noise... But at 15 and 7 in/s, the MX-55, ATR, and A 80 seem to be neck and neck for 2-track R/R SNR.
PLUS, you seem to have MIC inputs as well as LINE.
Too bad, since the mods that make this hum for repro precludes use of any of the input capabilities. The erase depth is also, for MX, 10 dB lower than that of ATR, but matches A 80. So, for virgin laysback, you should be rockin'... );
Wonder if you can make this have very slow library spool?
Have fun with the new gadget, Inspector. (:
Andrew