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From: eatond@mail.enet.dec.com (My name is...)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers,rec.music.synth,comp.music
Subject: Re: Sync'ing a Sequencer to a Tape Recorder
Message-ID: <1455@shodha.dec.com>
Date: 20 Jul 90 19:01:59 GMT
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Followup-To: rec.music.makers
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
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	I am in a similar position as you, making preparations to buy a tape
deck (4 tracks) and have narrowed it down to either of the two Yamaha 4-tracks
- the MT3X ($679 at Sam Ash) or the MT100 mk II ($379 at Sam Ash).  I also plan
on syncing my MC500 to it.  

	Let me fill you in on some of the conclusions I've come up with...

	1)  Regarding FSK sync...  It would appear that some sequencers send a
	strong enough signal to stripe a sync track and later read it even with
	dbx on that track.  My MC500 is one that fits in this category.  I did
	an experiment with my home stereo deck using external dbx (a dbx 122
	unit) and it responded exactly the same with dbx either on or off.

		Note:  I did have a problem at the tail end of the piece where
		the sequencer would hang up until the trailer signal stopped.
		It did this with dbx both on and off on seven out of eight
		trys.  If it persists, I'll simply add a few extra measures
		(empty ones) at the tail of the sequence on the MC500.

	For what its worth, dolby NR (either B or C) seems to cause no problems
	with FSK at all (Fostex makes this claim on their dolby C decks).  Dbx,
	as stated above, *can* be a problem, but also can be no trouble.  As 
	an interesting aside, Tascam's Porta 05 entry level 4-track (usually 
	sold for around $400), claims to accept sync signals on track 4, but 
	has no dbx defeat option for that track.  It *does*, however, offer a 
	bandpass filter on a special sync output jack.  The more expensive 
	decks have a switch to defeat NR on the 4th track.

	2)  Feature for feature, quality vs. quality, the Yamaha decks seem to
	win out over the competition for decks of equal price.  I have never
	personally done side-by-side listening tests, so all this is from
	people I have heard tapes os and from their comments.


	What I would like to add to this discussion is to ask people who may
have actually done side by side comparisons and see what their conclusions were
on the Yamaha decks.  

	Also, it is my hunch that the actual recording mechanisms and
electronics for both the MT100 II and the MT3X are the same and that the
differences between them are in other areas (extra channels on the internal
mixer, auto-punch, and dbx defeat on track 4).  Does anyone have any
information on this?

	Dan Eaton

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*   Opinions Expressed are not necessarily those of my employer                *
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