Airshow has the machines and the expertise to deliver the absolute best transfers from your analog tape recordings, whether you are mastering an album from tape, archiving a collection of analog recordings, or running a digital mix through tape and back.
Airshow owns the two most coveted 1/4” and 1/2” machines ever made: an Ampex ATR-104 with numerous modifications and upgrades, and a Studer A820, both meticulously maintained and aligned.
The ATR-104 handles 1/4”, 1/2”, and 1” tape. The Studer A820 handles 1/4” and 1/2” with the gentlest tape handling in the business. We can play almost every professional and consumer track format from 1/4” full track to 1/2” 4- track at any speed from 3.75 to 30 ips.
To achieve the optimal playback from your tape, our ATR offers four playback preamp options including the Plangent Processes repro electronics and wide-bandwidth playback head (1/4” NAB only, for now). It’s also equipped with an Ampex VS-10 Varispeed control unit.
Airshow is an authorized transfer facility for Plangent Processes, a technology that can eliminate wow & flutter, transport-induced distortion, and other speed anomalies. We use Plangent for most of the Grateful Dead releases mastered here.
Available noise reduction systems include Dolby A, Dolby SR, dbx I, and dbx II. Four channels of AME (Ampex Master Equalization) are also available for playback of the obscure 3- and 4-track AME masters from the 1950s and early 60s. Our shelf of MRL alignment tapes is over a foot wide. Converters by Prism and Pacific Microsonics insure the most accurate and transparent digital capture.
Get in touch with Dave or Anna to discuss your analog tape transfer needs.