I’m intrigued as to what leads you to have an interest in analogue tape. Are you maintaining machines for use in modern recording? Is there a big enough market for it?
Simon, thanks for writing the first comment ever. I’m happy you did as I noticed there wasn’t a proper about page here, this reply will do as a temporary about page now. I took the picture above to celebrate!
> I’m intrigued as to what leads you to have an interest in analogue tape.
First let me say that other topics, beyond tape, will be covered. I happened to be servicing my half track last week when starting this blog, so I had tape-related resources handy for early posts.
My broad interest in analogue comes from the need for a sense of balance and completeness, having producted digital audio tools as a profession. Analogue devices act as sources of inspiration to me, as they provide quite a different user experience when interacting and/or listening.
Beside generic motivations related to analogue technology, I’d like to add one thing specific to tape.
Personally, additional interest in tape machines relates to the way I (was trained to?) perceive artworks. That would be: main content in foreground, some form of substrate in background. The substrate being canvas for paintings, dusted and scratched film for movies, grainy film for B/W photo prints.
I tend to view the substrate as integral part of the artwork. It provides foundation and contrast to the foreground. It reveals itself by emitting artifacts (noise, glitches,..) and/or colouring the foreground (saturation, spectral alteration, …).
Analogue machines are beautiful sources of such partially unpredictable textures. The name of the blog is a little joke about this, in latin: “audio ex machina”, literally “I hear something from the machine”, in my intention doesn’t refer to signals normally reproduced by a sonic machine but rather to additional noises generated by the machine itself, be they expected or not.
> Are you maintaining machines for use in modern recording?
Yes, I do basic mantainance on some analog device (however the devices that I know inside out are the Echorecs, which are delays and technically are wire recorders, using metal instead of polymers as substrate) but that’s for my personal use (recording projects, measurements for developing prototypes related to digital projects). I don’t perform servicing as a business.
> Is there a big enough market for it?
Regarding tapes unfortunately I’m not in the position for answering, being a user. There’s surely an active market worldwide but maybe too sparse for running a large business. Otari still makes a deck, and another one is from Nagra (mono).
In France Pyral should start making tapes this year. There’s no much left regarding new products, however there’s plenty of second hand, top-quality devices on sale on the internet. The most important supply would be new tape, let’s see what happens in France.
Thank for now Simon, I’ll visit your cool blog often.
Congratulations for your new Echorec! A section of this site will cover specifically the Binson Echorec soon. Meanwhile I’m sending you an email right now.
Binson Milan in 1982 built an echo called Electronic Echo EL20 based on MN3005 very similar to the model MONACOR EEM 3005. It is not clear if this machine is sold but there are prototypes available.
I have pictures, AD and schematics.
Yes Luigi, great info. I’ve seen pictures of one single EL20 at a repair shop earlier. At present it isn’t listed on the Echorec Bible as it isn’t an electro-mechanical unit, however the bible will be later expanded with other Echorec-related items, such as the Binson Tube Reverb and probably the EL20. Thanks.
Great to see your site! I have a T6F-A in Arizona. Can I also get that schematic/material you sent to Alldaylongrecords? Thx. This one is complete, dry signal comes through, magic eye works, but delay signal is not coming through….Thank you
Thanks for posting and organizing all this amazing info on the Binsons.
I have wanted to see if I could get your opinion on a couple problems I have had with my Echorec. Keep up the great work!
Hi, wonderful site loaded with very useful information for us Echorec fanatics! I very much could use a copy of the T6F-A schematic for my restoration.
January 9th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
I’m intrigued as to what leads you to have an interest in analogue tape. Are you maintaining machines for use in modern recording? Is there a big enough market for it?
Nice blog
January 12th, 2012 at 1:03 am
Simon, thanks for writing the first comment ever. I’m happy you did as I noticed there wasn’t a proper about page here, this reply will do as a temporary about page now. I took the picture above to celebrate!
> I’m intrigued as to what leads you to have an interest in analogue tape.
First let me say that other topics, beyond tape, will be covered. I happened to be servicing my half track last week when starting this blog, so I had tape-related resources handy for early posts.
My broad interest in analogue comes from the need for a sense of balance and completeness, having producted digital audio tools as a profession. Analogue devices act as sources of inspiration to me, as they provide quite a different user experience when interacting and/or listening.
Beside generic motivations related to analogue technology, I’d like to add one thing specific to tape.
Personally, additional interest in tape machines relates to the way I (was trained to?) perceive artworks. That would be: main content in foreground, some form of substrate in background. The substrate being canvas for paintings, dusted and scratched film for movies, grainy film for B/W photo prints.
I tend to view the substrate as integral part of the artwork. It provides foundation and contrast to the foreground. It reveals itself by emitting artifacts (noise, glitches,..) and/or colouring the foreground (saturation, spectral alteration, …).
Analogue machines are beautiful sources of such partially unpredictable textures. The name of the blog is a little joke about this, in latin: “audio ex machina”, literally “I hear something from the machine”, in my intention doesn’t refer to signals normally reproduced by a sonic machine but rather to additional noises generated by the machine itself, be they expected or not.
> Are you maintaining machines for use in modern recording?
Yes, I do basic mantainance on some analog device (however the devices that I know inside out are the Echorecs, which are delays and technically are wire recorders, using metal instead of polymers as substrate) but that’s for my personal use (recording projects, measurements for developing prototypes related to digital projects). I don’t perform servicing as a business.
> Is there a big enough market for it?
Regarding tapes unfortunately I’m not in the position for answering, being a user. There’s surely an active market worldwide but maybe too sparse for running a large business. Otari still makes a deck, and another one is from Nagra (mono).
In France Pyral should start making tapes this year. There’s no much left regarding new products, however there’s plenty of second hand, top-quality devices on sale on the internet. The most important supply would be new tape, let’s see what happens in France.
Thank for now Simon, I’ll visit your cool blog often.
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:57 am
I am looking for help getting a schematic/ manual or both for my recently acquired Binson Echorec T6F-A
Can you please help?
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:45 pm
Congratulations for your new Echorec! A section of this site will cover specifically the Binson Echorec soon. Meanwhile I’m sending you an email right now.
May 26th, 2012 at 6:44 am
Would you mind resending more info to me? I think I found a tech to help me! I need a schematic
alldaylongrecords@gmail.com
THANK YOU!!
June 6th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Material sent to you right now!
November 16th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Binson Milan in 1982 built an echo called Electronic Echo EL20 based on MN3005 very similar to the model MONACOR EEM 3005. It is not clear if this machine is sold but there are prototypes available.
I have pictures, AD and schematics.
January 10th, 2013 at 12:25 am
Yes Luigi, great info. I’ve seen pictures of one single EL20 at a repair shop earlier. At present it isn’t listed on the Echorec Bible as it isn’t an electro-mechanical unit, however the bible will be later expanded with other Echorec-related items, such as the Binson Tube Reverb and probably the EL20. Thanks.
January 9th, 2013 at 9:20 pm
Great to see your site! I have a T6F-A in Arizona. Can I also get that schematic/material you sent to Alldaylongrecords? Thx. This one is complete, dry signal comes through, magic eye works, but delay signal is not coming through….Thank you
January 10th, 2013 at 12:59 am
Welcome Kevin, I’ve just sent you the schematic by email.
January 10th, 2013 at 3:01 am
Thank you. I appreciate your help.
March 4th, 2013 at 8:43 pm
Thanks for posting and organizing all this amazing info on the Binsons.
I have wanted to see if I could get your opinion on a couple problems I have had with my Echorec. Keep up the great work!
March 4th, 2013 at 11:06 pm
Yes, feel free to post your questions here, you’re welcome.
April 27th, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Hi, wonderful site loaded with very useful information for us Echorec fanatics! I very much could use a copy of the T6F-A schematic for my restoration.
April 29th, 2013 at 9:31 am
Check your mail, schematic sent right now. Thanks for visiting the Echorec Bible.