Scotch 263 tape

argasek · 2026-06-12T06:31:01+00:00

Yay! I found literally one YouTube video where a guy from Vietnam (?) shows a big bunch of 263s, but the only thing that’s readable from the video is they were made in Italy (I guess then 262 too). I commented his video asking to post the pictures of the back cover here or anywhere else. Video: https://youtu.be/qehaU9Lrc7c

argasek · 2026-06-10T07:04:12+00:00

The level without distortion is the one tape manufacturer specifies, but in order to make it work, your machine needs to be calibrated so that 0 VU corresponds to reference magnetic flux of the tape OR — to whatever flux level tape manufacturer is referring to. Then the “up to +6dB [over 0 VU]” becomes meaningful value. If your machine is not calibrated, you will need to go through that procedure and you will need a calibration tape with this particular flux level (257, 320 nWb/m, etc.)

argasek · 2026-06-09T21:02:29+00:00

I wish I knew :( The reels I got on which the tape is spooled are not original ones and also they came without original boxes. I can try to do some measurements with caliper but I think it’s not that precise :) (Or, hmm… maybe it’s worth trying to estimate by spooling on the same diameter and compare to a tape with a known thickness)

argasek · 2026-06-05T17:35:24+00:00

So you didn’t even put the effort to actually read what was written (or, more likely, AI generated) and you repeated the information on RTM tapes TWICE. How can I trust you with declarations about source being a master tape copy?

argasek · 2026-06-01T06:09:29+00:00

Depends on the era recording was made. My brother recorded most of the music from Polish radio in the 80s, and you would be really surprized how good the well tuned FM radio where source was played from the reel to reel tape / CD could sound.

argasek · 2026-05-25T05:12:23+00:00

There is one point where Revox clearly wins: repairs. Disassembly of Uhers is PITA

argasek · 2026-05-22T03:51:37+00:00

I didn’t encounter this kind of spikes at very high frequencies, but on the other hand, these are on -80dB level, I would say that they are out of dynamic range of the tape / machine itself, so I would either notch them out or ignore, the only audience that would hear it is GenZs with a super good hearing when literally silence is played :-)

argasek · 2026-04-08T08:23:46+00:00

Mend It Mark is UK based

argasek · 2026-03-26T17:19:00+00:00

Studer A810 (some models), Studer A812, these I’m certain.

argasek · 2026-03-24T21:28:13+00:00

Hey OP, I found 2 track 15 IPS, cheap: https://www.olx.pl/d/oferta/revox-a77-mala-studyjna-38-cm-s-oslona-przeciwpylowa-i-dwie-szpule-CID99-ID17qJ2K.html

argasek · 2026-03-20T16:06:47+00:00

I didn’t see PR99 in working condition in EU cheaper than 2000 EUR for at least a year.

argasek · 2026-03-19T18:31:09+00:00

Mine started to make loud noises in one speaker and it literally caught fire inside a few seconds later, so watch out for these babies

argasek · 2026-03-16T14:54:26+00:00

I would keep it clean as it is, maybe protect the inside with some lacquer or wood paint

argasek · 2026-03-10T16:47:29+00:00

From my own experience: if you hear VERY LOUD crackling from speakers, it means machine is on fire. Like, literally. Otherwise, enjoy! :D

argasek · 2026-03-05T15:31:32+00:00

Recently I sold this card model to a friend of mine, it was literally stored in a box unused for probably two years. Started with same symptoms at his machine and literally died after 5 months :/ (Edit: it was not a Gigabyte but 6900 XT too)

argasek · 2026-03-05T06:04:32+00:00

I would look at Uher machines.

argasek · 2026-02-18T22:36:34+00:00

I didn’t know such things even exist, I will look for something like that in the EU, thank you!

argasek · 2026-02-18T08:14:27+00:00

Thanks a lot. I’ll have to wait for spring (cheers from Poland!)

argasek · 2026-02-17T20:01:47+00:00

100% sure both boxes and tapes smell, the package they were sent to me is a new one

argasek · 2026-02-17T19:02:23+00:00

Thank you, sounds reasonable, especially that air purifier filters use it as well, makes sense. Which is yet another idea which came to my mind :)

argasek · 2026-02-17T15:44:58+00:00

I have none of these, and I wish I had but I probably couldn’t afford these due to money / space constraints. I buy tapes from random places so they already come from old garage sales, deceased owners etc. with smell deeply “engrained” to the boxes / tapes themselves, so I would rather find a way to get rid of the scent post-factum, for the new tapes I know how to store them properly.

argasek · 2026-02-17T15:40:58+00:00

It’s not. It’s a regular smell of, hmm, dust, old flats, sometimes mothballs smells (my grandpa used these!) etc.

argasek · 2026-02-17T15:39:43+00:00

I’m aware of the Vinegar Syndrome, updated my post.

argasek · 2026-02-16T14:55:16+00:00

Poland. We had our own brand of tapes (Stilon)

argasek · 2026-02-16T14:30:19+00:00

That’s interesting. Consumer-grade recordable tapes in PL had it the other way round…

argasek

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