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[ggidluck]

Those of you that master to tape sometimes, what type of NR do you prefer? Are some more transparent than others?

I have gotten a 1/4" machine in good shape and I'm looking at getting a noise reduction box for it of some type.

Gordon

[BiigNiick]

Dolby A and Dolby SR are both great.  Although, when i'm laying back to tape, usually i go with no NR. . .  they are looking for that 'tape sound' which includes the noise. . .


 - nick

[djwaudio]

I actually did a layback to tape with SR once.  It was pretty cool.  Usually no noise reduction if going 30 ips, but I do like 1/4" 15 ips SR.  You'll recognize the sound right away. 

[ggidluck]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, this will be 15 ips also. I'm seeing the Dolby makes a model 363 chassis that can house modules for A/SR, SR only or A only. That seems like the way to go.

[Jerry Tubb]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, this will be 15 ips also. I'm seeing the Dolby makes a model 363 chassis that can house modules for A/SR, SR only or A only. That seems like the way to go.

If its hard rock or similar you may not need any NR.

If it's flutes, zithers, & winds chimes... perhaps : - )

Best, JT

[ggidluck]

Yeah, that's what someone else told me as well. Thanks Jerry!

[TotalSonic]

My personal preference is NO noise reduction.  Hiss doesn't usually bother me - but lack of air nearly always does.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Andy Krehm]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, this will be 15 ips also. I'm seeing the Dolby makes a model 363 chassis that can house modules for A/SR, SR only or A only. That seems like the way to go.

I might consider selling you my Dolby SR 360 (with 350 modules)! It's been sitting in my rack since 2006.

Like a said in my email to you, I bought it before my ATR 102 purchase, thinking I'd need it and, as it turns out, have never used it.

When mastering various popular genres, and when laying back to tape sounds good, I simply run the quiet parts without tape, like a piano/voice intro before the body of a loud busy song, and edit it to the version that I ran with tape. In an average pop song the worst that can happen is a sparse intro, perhaps an ending where most instruments have dropped out, and, very occasionally, a small section in the middle. Takes a couple of minutes extra and avoids running a whole master with Dolby on.

I do a lot of unattended mastering these days and learned long ago that ppl that aren't familiar with tape would inquire as to why there was now a hiss in their track where there wasn't one in the mix! However, 99.999% of my clients do not notice the tape hiss when the rhythm section is playing steadily.

Of course if they are here, I ask them if the hiss bothers them and lots of times, they say no.

[ggidluck]

Andy, thanks for your always great advice. I think by and large the tracks I get will be quite busy in terms of content so no NR is going to be acceptable. Having an NR option in the long run is probably a good idea.

I will be in touch about your eq, as that is my first priority.

[GYMusic]

I have a client that loves to mix to my Ampex 350.  We have tried dbx and Dolby SR to get the hiss out.  Something always seemed to be missing.  Now, we do noise deduction on the digital files from the 350.  Digital noise reduction seems to get in and out quicker and leaves the important information, plus you can adjust the amount and frequency range of reduction.

[Greg Reierson]

One very important thing to know about NR is that you have to use conservative recording levels. Any amount of tape compression or saturation and the encoded audio will not properly decode. Dolby can be damn transparent when used properly but sounds pretty strange when the tape is hit too hard or the system is not properly aligned.

GR