Please Welcome USRecording

[Des-Lab]

Fellow Tapeheads:

I am proud to announce that TapeHeads has its first official sponsor:

The good folks at USRecording (http://www.usrecordingmedia.com) have agreed to advertise here on TapeHeads. As many of you know, I have had nothing but great things to say about them even long before any discussions took place regarding a partnership.

As you can see, their logo (complete with clickable link) is now here on TapeHeads. Please be sure to visit them (through the link added for your convenience) for any taping needs you have. If you are a NOS junkie, well so be it. There probably isn't much they can do for us in that department. But if you MUST have the newest and best tape out there, please be sure to buy from these guys. Where do you think I got the tapes to do the RMGI/EMTEC LPR-35 review? (http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=4)

I believe this will be a great synergy for both of us: USR will have additional traffic and customers directed to them. And TapeHeads will get additional exposure through USR. For those of you who have (and haven't) dealt with them, all of them-especially Kurt are *THE* experts on tape and both pro and audiophile recording. They are also very knowledgable when it comes to things like archiving, microphones and mixing (VinylDavid ya listening? These guys can help). So it will benefit everyone. And by having an established sponsor, it gives TapeHeads that much more legitimacy in that it is a reputable site that is very passionate about the hobby and is here for the long term.

So once again: Welcome USRecording and thank you for the sponsorship.

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/usrecordingmedia-store_2014_5104497 (http://www.usrecordingmedia.com)

[Scorpion8]

YEA!!!! Yippee!!! Congrats!

[BroonsBane]

Most excellent! Congratulations! :-)<-

[Web Police]

Woo Hoo. Yes!

[Scorpion8]

Hopefully USR will see the need and start stocking more stuff, like getting the Maxell Professional series back.

[Jay Pemberton]

If they could persuade Maxell to get back into making reel-to-reel tape again, that would be wonderful!

[vinyldavid]

YEA!!!! Yippee!!! Congrats!

Seconded.

They are also very knowledgable when it comes to things like archiving, microphones and mixing (VinylDavid ya listening? These guys can help).


Loud and clear, Des. Loud and clear. *reelspin*

If they could persuade Maxell to get back into making reel-to-reel tape again, that would be wonderful!

Agreed. That would be a great thing.

[Acoustic]

That is sure excellent! Great job landing them!

[Scorpion8]

And here we thought Matt just sat around eating bon-bons and watching soaps all day..... :D

[Des-Lab]

Thanks guys. Now we need y'all to help both of us out by buying from them when you can, preferably by following the link here on TapeHeads.

As for Maxell getting out of the business? Yeah. That sucked. But I guess at the time, it made sense. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, their decision to bow out seems remarkably ill timed. Quantegy was teetering on the brink. ATR was gestating, but no one was taking them seriously. And EMTEC had ceased ops as well. In short, the days of reel to reel recording-even as a niche format-seemed to have its days numbered.

And this was all right before the renaissance in analog had begun to take place. Had they hung in there just a few years longer, they'd now be selling tape like hotcakes. Perhaps they could've done a possible XLI-S version of reel to reel tape: the existing XLI formula but as a 1.5 mil only tape with a thicker coating and base. I think it would've given #456 and the RMGI tapes a run for the money. Granted, Maxell did make some 1.5 mil tapes. But they suffered from the stigma of being "consumer grade only" tapes. And were all but impossible to find. Even when sold new.

Rumor has it that Quantegy is toying with the idea of restarting GP9 and/or #499. But their history has been so checkered and volatile that I wouldn't count on seeing it happen anytime soon. If ever.

But yeah. Some new Maxell would be great.

[Des-Lab]

And here we thought Matt just sat around eating bon-bons and watching soaps all day..... :D


No. You are thinking of Stuwee being "Don-Juan" and playing "drop the soap" all day.

[Rex Everything]

Welcome US Recording.*Hi5*

Proud to have ya a sponsor to this excellent site and looking forward to doing business with ya.

[retrokeeper]

Great Deal...Great Deal indeed!! Rob

[MacGyver]

And here we thought Matt just sat around eating bon-bons and watching soaps all day..... :D



:-oo:-oo:-oo:-oo ...anyway,:-)<-boss!!

[Fast Forward]

Thank you US Recording

[braxus]

Excellent! If I ever get around to getting a reel to reel deck, I'll definately be ordering some tapes from them. I wonder if they could get some better cassettes going with someone.

But I will need a demag wand sometime down the road, so they are on my list.

[utahusker]

Welcome USR!! I've always had great transactions with your company.

[Doug_Olitsky]

not that my thoughts of summer are fading and my winter recording sessions are coming to mind I have a nice big order I'm working on that WILL be placed w/ USR Tape, de mag, cleaning supplies and leader tape.


Do they sell RtR themed t-shirts???

If anybody lives in the North Shore area of Long Island and is planning an order let me know we could combine.

[Jay Pemberton]

And this was all right before the renaissance in analog had begun to take place. Had they hung in there just a few years longer, they'd now be selling tape like hotcakes. Perhaps they could've done a possible XLI-S version of reel to reel tape: the existing XLI formula but as a 1.5 mil only tape with a thicker coating and base. I think it would've given #456 and the RMGI tapes a run for the money. Granted, Maxell did make some 1.5 mil tapes. But they suffered from the stigma of being "consumer grade only" tapes. And were all but impossible to find. Even when sold new.

But yeah. Some new Maxell would be great.

As I understand it RMGI bought the manufacturing equipment from EMTEC (or its receivers) and moved it from Germany to Holland; perhaps they could do similar with Maxell's equipment for producing the RTR tapes? (That's assuming both the equipment still exists and Maxell still has it in Japan.) Even if the only way USR could get Maxell tape would be in pancakes, loaded then by USR onto whatever types of reels here in the US (even if that was only on plastic NAB reels!), that would be enough for lots of folk here, I'm sure. And USR'd have NO trouble selling it here!

They wouldn't need to offer that many different types; I think we'd all be grateful just to have XL1 on both 1.5 mil and 1 mil, on both 7" and 10 1/2" reels. Even just the UD (non backcoated) tapes would be nice to have!

[Des-Lab]

I don't know that I totally agree with that. Maxell tapes in pancake form (or at least on plastic reels) would, in my opinion be a difficult sell. Especially when the LPR-35 (current and only new equivalent tape) is also too available in traypacks. Not saying NONE would sell, I'm just saying it would be a HARD sell. Although Maxell tapes *ARE* good, I think a large part of their charm is the retro-classic "double M" reels. Some folks are in denial about it, but the truth is that aesthetics do play a large role in our equipment and tape choices. I know it's superficial and not always the best way to evaluate what's best, but it's reality.

Now maybe what might be a better idea and less cost would be for Maxell to license out their logo and trademark and some other company can begin selling ONLY THE REELS. And that way we can fill them with whatever tape we want-perhaps some LPR35 (or whatever) pancakes.

But of course in a perfect world, the entire package of UD and/or XLI tapes in all their former glory would be best. Having access to some new reels would be the next best thing. That way Maxell can still get back into the business with minimal cost. Some new production MR-7's (currently going for about $50 a pop) and MR-10's (going for around $30) would feed our appetite for vintage tapes while at the same time not eroding or siphoning sales of actual tape away from RMGI and ATR.

[Jay Pemberton]

I think you have a point too. It's one thing to open a blank white cardboard tape box, even though you know the reel inside will have Maxell tape on it, in every respect the same technical quality as it had 20 or 30 years ago, but nothing puts the buzz in the brain like the total sensory assault of sitting the wrapper off one of those gold Maxell UD 35-90 (or 35-180) boxes (my personal faves), the smell that greets you when you open the box, and the excitement of extracting that virgin reel from its plastic bag, and finding that decal/technical info card behind it, and the little reversing foil stick-ons. Or whichever era of cosmetics you prefer them having.

[Doug_Olitsky]

Wanted to let all know that while I have not placed my order yet, US Recordings definately has a good customer service ethic.

I was going to place an order for tape and supplies, but their new hold down tape was not availible for order yet.

I emailed them last night and this is the reply I received first thing this morning


Hi Doug,

As with everything else we offer, this hold down tape is being tested. We want to make absolutely sure it meets its specifications especially with regard to real world long term adhesion characteristics which takes a bit of time. We *should* have this item "tested available" in less than two weeks. Right now it appears this hold down tape is a real winner.

We're going to enable people to order this hold down tape later today (this morning) but we'll ship it separately after testing at no additional cost. If the hold down fails in some way, we'll credit your card or Paypal back.


Now that's a company I want to give my business to!

[TeacGuy]

I love USR and all that they stand for *reelspin* *reelspin*
heheheh. My order was just received now and im raring to record! Yippee!

[braxus]

Wow this post reappeared! That or I couldn't find it to begin with.

Anyway glad to see these guys are still supporting this site. When I finally get my r2r decks, these guys will be getting an order.