Reel to Reel SFX

Reel to Reel SFX

This is a collection of immersive, ambisonic recordings of the mechanical sounds of the Studer A820 24-track, 2″ tape machine at Hyde Street Studios at San Francisco, California.

When a tape is loaded onto the Studer A820, a series of mechanical sounds can be heard as the machine prepares itself for operation. The tape transport system engages, and the sound of the motor whirring can be heard as it drives the reels of tape. As the tape begins to play, the sound of the tape passing over the heads creates a distinctive hiss. The heads themselves make a subtle scraping sound as they come into contact with the tape, reading the magnetic information recorded on it.  The machine also produces a series of clicks when it reaches the end of a reel.

Includes:

15 Sounds, 4.5 minutes,  A Format, B-Format (AmbiX), and stereo renders. 45 wav files, 1.07GB

These are 32 bit/96k files, recorded with a Sennheiser Ambeo Mic and a Zoom F6 with Rycote wind protection. The sounds were rendered in Reaper using the Sennheiser Ambeo A-B Converter plugin.  Download the plugin for free here.

File names are Universal Category System (UCS) compliant.