ATR magnetics announced to day that their long awaited 1/4 inch back coated magnetic tape is now available. It is produced in the USA. All except some early tube machines should have enough bias and Eq adjustment to handle the tape. Bias and Eq will need adjustment. The tape is back coated so it will not be suitable for machines with pressure pads. There has been no source of tape available for these machines for quite a few years. The new tape should be suitable for the machines like the Revox A 77 series, the B77 series, the A 700 PR 99 and many other brands as well.
http://www.atrtape.com/
Analog tape production has been intermittent over the last three years.
Major Herbert Orr founded Orradio Industries after WW II and started producing magnetic tape in Opelika Alabama. In 1959 this became Ampex corporation. In 1995 Ampex divested itself of the Opelika plant and it was bought by investors and became Quantegy. They filed for Chapter 11 in January 2005. At the time this plant was the only source of analog mastering tape, and production ceased for a period of time. Quantegy was sold to Dicount Tape out of Georgia. They resumed tape production in April 2005. They continue to operate the facility. They stopped taking orders for analog tape February 28 2007.
http://www.quantegy.com/
Since then the BASF plant which became EMTEC was sold. RMGI bought the equipment and moved it from Munich to Oosterhoot Holland and started production of analog tape. There have been concerns that the quality of the tape has not been as good from the Oosterhoot plant. There have been reports of excessive oxide shedding. So the ATR announcement today is welcome.
http://www.rmgi-usa.com/rmg_studio.html
ATR magnetics is a subsidiary of ATR services, founded and owned by Michael Spitz. He does a first class obsessional job of everything. This is a fascinating site.
http://www.atrservice.com/
I have a good stock of Quantegy 256 Grand Master on hand, so I will not be rebiasing my current machines at this time. However I have a couple of standard speed Revox 77 two tracks waiting for me to get a chance to restore them. I also have a Revox B77 standard speed four track waiting restoration also. I think I will set these up for the ATR tape. If any one would like one of these machines please let me know. I restore to original or better specs. I do have a spare four track head block and correct bias boards to make one of the A77s four track if desired.
