Ampex 632 (the case against old tape)

[Lance Lawson]

I learned when I bought my NOS pancakes of Ampex 632 that while the tape sounded very nice it couldn't tolerate a great deal of recording and re recording. While I was setting levels earlier today I used my test reel of Ampex 632 so as to preserve the LPR-35 the final recording would go on.

Now I was expecting there would be dropouts since the dropouts were happening when I ran this reel last. However while I was making a test recording I hit a nasty dead spot in the tape. I stopped the transport and carefully hand wound the tape to where the sound loss occurred. I found a section of tape about 1/16" square where the coating had flaked off to the clear backing.

Yes this Ampex has had a lot of running but I don't think that is the issue here. I believe its just old tape and thankfully it was just a test recording. But age matters and there's things other than sticky shed to concern with regarding older tape.

[vinyldavid]

Have you ever thought that most tapes weren't made to withstand repeated recording and rerecording? Especially stuff like 632, which is not exactly mastering stock....

[Lance Lawson]

Have you ever thought that most tapes weren't made to withstand repeated recording and rerecording? Especially stuff like 632, which is not exactly mastering stock....

Anything is possible. I don't think that the 632 is junk tape at all. But my stock is genuine Ampex so it's fairly old. In the past I'd run tape on the level of 632 without total oxide shed. Then a couple of decades later those same tapes when pressed back into service/listening did on occasion lose the full coating. I think it still comes down to not relying on old stock. I purchased my 632 because the price was right and its a known non sticky tape. The 632 is an extremely clean running tape so the failure is the primary binder to tape failure.

That said I've gotten my $$$ worth out of the 632 but it's worth passing this on since there's a lot of older 632 out there.

[goldear]

One time I experienced complete and total tape failure, on a reel of Radioshack Concertape. I don't remember anymore what tape Radio-Shakc used for this, but I'm pretty sure that it was made by Ampex. The reason why I believe that it was made by Ampex was because when it was new it had a colored tape with numbers on int holding the reel together, exacly like Ampex tape did. But I did not recognize these numbers at the time, and I have long since forgotten them.

Anyways, the failed tape seemed sticky, so I baked it as I have often done (sucessfully) with skicky Ampex tape. But the result was disastrous: The tape litterally split in two. The Oxide shed-off in sheets at the first guide on the machine. It literally looked liek the tape had split in two. More oxide was on the floor than was on the tape.

But that said: I'm pretty sure that this was NOT 631, 632, 641, 642 because it was a far darker in color.

[toddbailey]

I've always kept Radio Shack products at arms length, sort of the KMart of audio and imho, their product quality was on the same level, or less. No self respecting audiophile would give them any business. And that was back in their heyday, to visit one of their stores today is quite a shock, and I wonder how much longer this patient has to live. They don't seem to have much of any thing to sell.

[bob955i]

I've always kept Radio Shack products at arms length, sort of the KMart of audio and imho, their product quality was on the same level, or less. No self respecting audiophile would give them any business. And that was back in their heyday, to visit one of their stores today is quite a shock, and I wonder how much longer this patient has to live. They don't seem to have much of any thing to sell.

Tandy more or less died over here back in the late 90's. I tried their Concertape and Supertape stock back in the 80's and invariably found them wanting. The final straw was in 1988 when a reel of Memorex Quantum I was using to record the JMJ Docklands gig suffered a massive and sustained drop-out part way through, completely ruining the recording. I had and still have another reel of the stuff - still sealed to this day and unlikely ever to be used.

[Listens2tubes]

Tandy more or less died over here back in the late 90's. I tried their Concertape and Supertape stock back in the 80's and invariably found them wanting. The final straw was in 1988 when a reel of Memorex Quantum I was using to record the JMJ Docklands gig suffered a massive and sustained drop-out part way through, completely ruining the recording. I had and still have another reel of the stuff - still sealed to this day and unlikely ever to be used.

*eyepop* You have Super Rare NIB NOS Memorex tape!!! *hypnot* Set up a Buy-It-Now on feebay. Price 375.00 is an f-in' deal! Too bad the fees will only net you the 10 bucks you originally paid. *fit**lmao**lmao**lmao**lmao*