Found interesting recording from years back

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jwb474

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I was going thru some boxes that have been in storage and moved all over (Originated in Dallas- St. Louis- Tucson- Dallas) for the past 40 years. The recording was on a Maxwell UD 35-180. I did not have hopes it would still be good, but it played as if I made it yesterday. Now what was the recording? 2 Dallas radio stations teamed up to broadcast live a discrete quad performance. The group was the "L.A. Express" playing live from the January Sounds Studios. The "Zoo", KZEW 97.9MHZ (1973-1989) broadcasted the front channels and KERA 90.1MHZ broadcasted the rear channels. The program was hosted by Michael Brown. As foolish I was back then I did not write down all of the specifics of the event. Does anyone hear remember or have info about the broadcast? I am going to contact KERA and KBFB (now has the 97.9 Frequency) and January Sounds Studios which is still operating.
 
I was going thru some boxes that have been in storage and moved all over (Originated in Dallas- St. Louis- Tucson- Dallas) for the past 40 years. The recording was on a Maxwell UD 35-180. I did not have hopes it would still be good, but it played as if I made it yesterday. Now what was the recording? 2 Dallas radio stations teamed up to broadcast live a discrete quad performance. The group was the "L.A. Express" playing live from the January Sounds Studios. The "Zoo", KZEW 97.9MHZ (1973-1989) broadcasted the front channels and KERA 90.1MHZ broadcasted the rear channels. The program was hosted by Michael Brown. As foolish I was back then I did not write down all of the specifics of the event. Does anyone hear remember or have info about the broadcast? I am going to contact KERA and KBFB (now has the 97.9 Frequency) and January Sounds Studios which is still operating.

WOW, the L A Express in QUAD. Great 70's JAZZ supergroup. Here's some background: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/la-express-mn0000992564
 
iirc an L.A.Express album was listed as a pre-order Quad and never materialised?

Edit: Here it is;

TOM SCOTT -
The L.A. Express. Ode 8Q-88021 (Q8)

(Source = http://www.surrounddiscography.com/quaddisc/quadnot.htm )
 
I was going thru some boxes that have been in storage and moved all over (Originated in Dallas- St. Louis- Tucson- Dallas) for the past 40 years. The recording was on a Maxwell UD 35-180. I did not have hopes it would still be good, but it played as if I made it yesterday. Now what was the recording? 2 Dallas radio stations teamed up to broadcast live a discrete quad performance. The group was the "L.A. Express" playing live from the January Sounds Studios. The "Zoo", KZEW 97.9MHZ (1973-1989) broadcasted the front channels and KERA 90.1MHZ broadcasted the rear channels. The program was hosted by Michael Brown. As foolish I was back then I did not write down all of the specifics of the event. Does anyone hear remember or have info about the broadcast? I am going to contact KERA and KBFB (now has the 97.9 Frequency) and January Sounds Studios which is still operating.

"Ed "Gimme 4" In Dallas" Recorded this on a Teac 2340 reel to reel at 3-3/4 ips on Scotch 207 tape. It was issued as a private recording for educational purposes to some quad collectors.
On Track 2 "Rock Island Rocket" The stereo FM receivers had been switched to mono before the broadcast to adjust levels on the tape decks and switched back to stereo around 3':50.
Track 10, "Double Your Pleasure" fades out at 2':20" as the tape was recorded over by accident.
 
Is your tape a four channel recording? Or is it just one of the two station's broadcast?

Yes it was. The front channel tuner was a Dynaco FM-3 and the rear was a HH scott. It was was recorded at 7 1/2 IPS on an Akia quad deck. Can't remember the model number, but it was one that could handle the 10 1/2" reels and could do all 3 speeds - 3 3/4, 7 1/2 and 15" IPS.
 
Sounds like the type of thing that ought to be preserved to a digital format.

Yes it does and yes it will be done. I have done plenty of stereo capture and processing, the industry has made it so easy to do stereo digital conversions. I have been playing around with quad capture, still learning and trying to refine the process.

Mark has offered to help which I am grateful. One of the reasons I have been trying to learn the process is because a couple of my tapes have succumbed to the deterioration that make the tape sticky and start to flack off. I know there is a term to describe this, but I can't remember what it is. So preservation has become a priority.

My hardware and software chain is this: Teac A-3440 -Tascam US-4x4 - Auditiuon 3.0 - Denoise/Denoise LF - DTS encode and Flac. Any advice would be welcomed.

I would be glad to share the results with the members hear.

Looking forward to your thoughts and advice.
 
Mark has offered to help which I am grateful. One of the reasons I have been trying to learn the process is because a couple of my tapes have succumbed to the deterioration that make the tape sticky and start to flack off. I know there is a term to describe this, but I can't remember what it is. So preservation has become a priority.

Look for a Snackmaster Pro model FD-50 on eBay. I have one and it works very well for baking tapes. This article has more info: http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html

J. D.
 
Cool. I'm interested.

The tape problem is often called "sticky shed". Baking the tape is said to make it play fine for a short time, but I've never tried it and don't know the details. I backed up one stereo reel that was both flaking and sticky, and wouldn't rewind without slowing to a stop (on a 3340). I dubbed it with a lot of improvised methods, a song at a time, and lots of swabs and head cleaner. I wish I had tracked down the information and tried it, or found someone who had done it, because it came out OK, but looking at all that oxide and thinking "some of the sound was on there"... I could have waited...
 
Someone else has done a conversion of an LA Express broadcast from 12/10/76. I do not have the full details here, but when I get back to home base I can check. Could this be the same broadcast?
 
Hey there, you mention early on in the posts that the recording was on a Maxell UD 35-180 tape.
Maxell was not one of the brands that suffered from the "Sticky Shed syndrome" as I have many and all are fine to date!

I would avoid baking a perfectly fine specimen.

For a list of tapes that are subject to SS tape syndrome they may be found easily while conducting a search on line.

Great to hear that you have something of such rarity!! :smokin
 
Hey there, you mention early on in the posts that the recording was on a Maxell UD 35-180 tape.
Maxell was not one of the brands that suffered from the "Sticky Shed syndrome" as I have many and all are fine to date!

I would avoid baking a perfectly fine specimen.

For a list of tapes that are subject to SS tape syndrome they may be found easily while conducting a search on line.

Great to hear that you have something of such rarity!! :smokin

Sorry if I mislead you. I had a commercial release on the standard 7" real. The title was "An Evening with Mantovani", London H-17902 (QR) that had the problem.
 
Sorry if I mislead you. I had a commercial release on the standard 7" real. The title was "An Evening with Mantovani", London H-17902 (QR) that had the problem.

Ha, its all good my friend.
I hope that you are able to transfer the entire piece without a hitch! :smokin
 
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