REWIRE YOURSELF

REWIRE YOURSELF

MAKING YOUR OWN MUSIC

Richard Robinson

“We’ve created this machine for musicians so they can make eight-track recordings at home,” explains Arne Berg, one of the engineers at Fostex Corporation, as he gives me the run-down on the Fostex A-B, a $2500 tape recorder that has been proclaimed a revolutionary step forward in the recording business.

Until the Fostex A-8 started showing up in music and selected hi-fi stores this month there wasn’t a comparable machine at a comparable price that allowed musicians to literally record an album in their basement or garage with all the technical facilities usually associated with $200-an-hour recording studios. There have been attempts to create recording machines that would allow the amateur or professional musician an economic and flexible method of recording, but none of them have had all the advantages of the Fostex A-8.

Admitting that there’s “no real magic” about the A-8, engineer Berg describes the specifications of the machine in terms that, if not magical, are at least astounding. For first and foremost, the A-8 uses quarterinch audio tape, in itself quite an accomplishment as all eight tracks are recorded on this tape width. Berg says that “a lot of attention was paid to head geometry and specifications” to allow this narrow, inexpensive tape to be used. Quarter-inch tape is the usual tape of the home tape recorder, but wider half-inch or one-inch tape has traditionally been used on eight track machines.

Part of the secret of using quarter-inch tape becomes apparent when the other specs of the A-8 are considered: it runs at 15 ips, double the speed of most home decks, but no more than the speed of ^professional decks; only 7” reels of tape can be used, the normal reel size of a home deck, but smaller than the 10” reels used on professional decks; and a Dolby C noise reduction system is incorporated to reduce tape hiss. The result is an eight-track deck with a 73 dB signal to noise ratio (very good indeed) and a frequency response of 45-18KHz (quite respectable).

“The only unique thing about the A-8,” Berg continues, “is that it does four tracks at a time in record, whil6 it plays back eight tracks simultaneously.” This is not a drawback since one can do synchronized overdubs and can mix four channels down to one during overdubs. The result is a machine that allows you to record, mixdown and overdub, so that you can literally record music by playing each instrument yourself, playing along with yourself as you add musical layers.

Fostex is serious about this machine and the potential users. Because of this attitude on their part, they’ve actually created a product line that enables the musician to acquire a complete recording studio based around the A-8.

The ‘ideal’ Fostex set-up starts with their 350 Mixer ($925 list) which has eight channels in, four channels out, and a stereo feed for a monitor system. The various microphones placed in the recording room are plugged into this 350 Mixer, and then the signals from the mixer are plugged into the A-8 tape recorder. Once you’ve recorded your master tape on the A-8, the signals would again be fed through the 350 Mixer for a mix-down to two track stereo. Fostex has an A-2 two track recorder (7” reels, 7V2 & 15 ips) on which to do your mix-down. The A-2 sells for $850 list.

With the $350 mixer, A-8, and A-2 a completely flexible recording system is achieved. All Fostex units have rack adaptors available, and as this system is developed you can add out-board equalizers and similar equipment to suit your ears as you use this record and mix-down chain.

Besides these products, Fostex is also marketing their Model 250 four channel cassette recorder-mixer. Running at 33/4 ips, this unit seems to be designed to compete with the Teac 4 channel recorder now available. Fostex seems to be one up on Teac in this department, as their Model 250 has four channel simultaneous record which the Teac doesn’t. Also available is an A-4 open reel recorder which is a four-track version of the A-8.

, Any musicians who wants to make demo tapes .or record his/her band in concert or just experiment with music will find that a system based around the A-8 allows just about every move that can be made in an expensive recording studio. The $2500 price tag isn’t dirt cheap by any means, but with the current costs of good 15 ips two track decks running to $1000 and more, it is not an unreasonable price tag to put on a machine that can be of invaluable assistance to the amateur who wants to become a professional.