 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bart Hendrix
Date: 2005-01-05 19:42
I heard a brief bit this morning on National Public Radio saying that the last remaining manufacturer of audio tape (somewhere in Georgia, U.S.A. I believe) is going out of business. Does anyone know anything more on this?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2005-01-05 20:06
I'm hoarding plenty of cassettes and even a few reels. I almost bought a wire recorder many years ago. Try to find new media for that!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-01-05 22:14
There's plenty of new and NOS (new old stock) open-reel and cassette tape still available from various sources, even though Quantegy (I assume that's the company going out of business? -- the former Ampex tape operation); and BASF (Germany) are no longer making audio tape. Since the formats in question are obsolete, but not by a very long time, there are currently far more sellers of the media than buyers, it seems to me. Not to worry (for now, at least).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: msloss
Date: 2005-01-06 03:09
I believe the piece was on the last remaining tape manufacturer in the US, not the world, and yes it was on Quantegy. There are numerous formats that are still actively being manufactured and consumed in enormous quantities. The old BASF formulations were spun off as EMTEC. Not sure if there is still a corporate relationship there, but we can still get the tape. I have to wonder if Quantegy/AMPEX will live on in some new incarnation by someone enterprising enough to buy the brand and outsource the manufacturing to someone else.
In the studio, we still use ADAT (VHS), DA-88, DAT, and open reel digital and analog tape in quantity. Let us also not forget the enormous market for tape-based computer backup systems, and the exploding market for DV and DVCAM. The commercial video market is also still largely tape-based (analog and digital). Maxell, TDK, Sony, Fuji, 3M, etc. -- all are still cranking (or subcontractors are) tape out by the mile.
No need to hoard.
Now old Moree reeds, that's a whole other kettle of fish...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
