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From: bilver!bill@uunet.UU.NET (Bill Vermillion)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: Tape AMPEX 456!
Message-ID: <7300@uwm.edu>
Date: 29 Oct 90 13:58:59 GMT
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In article <7246@uwm.edu> jdobbs@director.beckman.uiuc.edu (Jim Dobbs) writes:
>UNSUBSTANTIATEDRUMORUNSUBSTANTIATEDRUMORUNSUBSTANTIATEDOHYOUGETTHEIDEA
>I was told about a year ago by a friend that there was a _BAD_ batch
>of Ampex 456 on the shelves.  I never had any problems during that
>time, and the rumor may not be true, but the story was that it was
>_BAD_ in the sense of a tape whose coating and backing refused to
>remain together in eternal bliss for MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS-ONTHS-onths.
Jim - I have been out of active studio work for several years now,
but many times the rumors are just that.  When there has been a
real problem, I have to respect Ampex, Scotch and Agfa for the way
they handle things.

They let you know so you don't lose sessions.   Ampex had a problem
like this several years ago.  A vendor of chemicals to their tape
division in Opeleika changed a formulation.  The changes reacted
adversely with other components of the mix and caused similar
problems to the one you mentioned.

Scotch showed up at our door one day and "confiscated" about 10
reels of 2" 226, as they had found a bad batch and wanted none of
it to be used.  They gave us a receipt for the bad tape.  We were
into a session using the tape and could not change in mid-stream.

They located 1/2 dozen 2" reels of 226 in San Francisco and had
them overnight air to Orlando AT NO CHARGE.

If you have any questions rely on the reps, and not the rumors.
Since problems with tape will be known throughout the industry in a
matter of days these companies respond very well.


-- 
Bill Vermillion - UUCP: uunet!tarpit!bilver!bill
                      : bill@bilver.UUCP