Beyerdynamic DT48s and Nagra IVS using it to it's full potential

[Rally555]

I've read many posts regarding the DT48s and wanted to share a few pictures pairing the DT48s 25 (OMH) and Nagra IVS working together. I live in San Antonio, TX and do live jazz recordings with the Nagra for the last ten years.  These pictures are of a recent two hour recording of the Trinity University Jazz Ensemble rehearsal.  DT48s have worked really well with the Nagra.  This pair is about 20 years old and fantastic.  I just had them re-cabled by Drew at Moon Audio.  I recently met him at my first visit to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.  Since visiting the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest I've now caught the bug regarding headphones. A new world has been opened up to me.  Enjoy!
 

 

[Uncle Erik]

This is awesome!

I think you're the first member who has used the DT48 to record and I'm glad to hear you like them.

Also, I deeply appreciate that you're recording. That's old-school audiophilia - people used to record back in the day, but that seems to have dropped off a lot.

Do you release or sell any of your recordings?

 

[GarageBoy]

Beautiful pics! Is that a Stellavox SP7 or SP8?
Love the large reel adapters too (wish they didn't cost as much as the Nagra IV S)

 

[Rally555]

Garage Boy,
 
Thank you for the kind words.  That used to be a SP7, I sent the machine last year to Jean-Pierre Gurtner in Switzerland.  Now it is a SM7 StellaMaster. It now has record and playback butterfly heads.  Tape biasing Emtec/BASF 468 and tape speed is now set at 15 and 48 Phantom.  When I sent the machine for the conversion it took about eight months to complete. The machine records unbelievably.  It is maintained here in the states by Charlie King.  
 
The Nagra IVS is now set for music recording.  It has a wide track record and playback heads.  The biasing is also set at Emtec/BASF 468 the EQ is set at Nagra Master 15.  The Nagra was worked on by Neal Stone in Los Angeles.  Unfortunately he is no longer with us.  However, he was one of the best with the Nagras.  I used to go visit and hang out with him when he was working on Nagras.  Great times back then.  One thing about a Nagra, once it is set the reliability is unbelievable.  

 

[jpelg]

Awesome pics & story. Thank you for posting.
 
Welcome to Head-Fi man!

 

[zinnerear]

Not only do I see a Stellavox and Nagra, but also a Sound Devices recorder.  Am I correct in assuming that it is a 722?  Which leads me to a few questions:
1.  At what sampling and bit rate are you recording on the SD722?
2.  What microphone(s)are you using?  The same for all recorders?  From the pictures it looks like it might be a single stereo.
3.  How about mic pre-amps, built-in or outboard?
4.  How does the sound of the SD722 compare to the Nagra and Stellavox?

 

[xaval]

Priceless thread and pics and story and gear and... wow! Any recordings you made with the Nagra we can have a listen to Rally555. Almost tempted to say "sorry about your wallet" but it really would make no sense at all

 

[judy1992]

Aren't there better headphones to use with the Nagra then the DT48? Or were they made specifically for the Nagra?

 

[GarageBoy]

Where can I still buy tape? My dad has a really beat up IV-S that works pretty well, but alas, no tape
 
I had some ampex tape that gummed up the heads really badly too...

 

[Rally555]

Hello Zinnerear,
 
It is the Sound Device 702 non-time code.  I'm recording at 24-bits at 192 KHZ.  On the Nagra and Stellavox I use Audio Technica 4033.  These mics have such a great sound.  I sometimes use Sennheiser 406-T with the Nagra because it has the T power then I'll use the AT 4033 on the Sound Device.  Or I will use the Rode NT-1A on the Sound Device.  I do have a set of AKG 414 but they are a very bright sounding mic.  I don't really like using those. Once in a while I will get a pair of Schoeps CMC-6 with MK 4 cap mics.  The Schoeps I get from Location Sound Corp in Los Angeles.  The Schoeps I feel are the best two track mics that I have used.  I would like to get a pair one day.  I try to keep it simple and use the mic pre-amps in all three recorders.  They are very good and quiet.   Well of course the Nagra and the Stellavox are analog and sound unbelievable.  At a tape speed of 15 you can hardly hear tape hiss.   The Sound Device at  24 bit and 192 KHZ sounds very good too, dead silence.  What is really neat is when I transfer analog to CD to give to the Music Director I'm using a Sony CDR-W33 Master Recorder.  And that drops it to 16 bit and you hear pretty much no hiss.  But still the analog on playback sounds so much fuller.  The same on the Sound Device transfer.  I will do an A & B check for the students and both sound very good.  Thanks for the interest.

 

[Rally555]

Hey Judy,
 
Those DT48 are the 25 (OHM). What is good about the Beyer is they fit very tight over the ear.  It gets very loud when I'm up close and recording and I can hear the monitoring.  I have to take them off once in a while because they start to sweat.  I hope that answers your question.  

 

[Rally555]

Hey GarageBoy,
 
Unfortunately BASF and Emtec are no longer in business.  There is a Dutch company that bought out the equipment from Emtec and it is called RMG International.  They still make the 468 tape.  You need to find out what the machine was biased for.  The 468 was a standard for the Nagra and should be fine for you or any low print tape. Quantegy made 480 tape but they are out of business too.  However, you can still find them on Ebay.  You can also look for BASF on Ebay.  You can look up RMG International on the Internet and there are a few distributors here in the states.  I was very fortunate that I knew one of the Sales Rep from Emtec before they went out of business and he instructed me to buy lots of tape while it was available.  I still get tape on Ebay or Regal 468.    

 

[GarageBoy]

Thanks-
This one is biased for Ampex 408

 

[Rally555]

I thought I would add a few more pictures from last semester's concert.  In one of the pictures I'm using the Sony headphones MDR-7506.  That is another good monitoring headphone but not as good as the Beyer DT48.  At that time the Beyers were being re-cabled.  The Stellavox had made its long trip back from Sweden but had a few issues and I had to send it to Charlie King for a few adjustments.  But all is good now.  I have another Nagra IV S with the same specs but with a 7 inch reel as my back up.  And of course the Sound Device 702 as the digital recorder. It gets a little tricky when you do a concert on analog as the 10 inch reel only last 30 minutes at 15 speed.  So I have the other analog machine on standby.  I can usually make it to intermission.  Of course I have the 702 recording the whole concert as the digital backup.  What is really neat is in my real job I'm in the airline industry and I take the 702, a boom pole, and an all in one stereo mic with me when I travel.  I enjoy recording live music of the street performers.  I give them a nice tip and they will usually let me record.  Your getting their music and that of the street sounds around you which is really cool.  I used to do that with the Nagra, but that got old as it weighs 13 pounds with the batteries in it.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  

 

[judy1992]

Yes, you did. Thank you. Your equipment is beyond words. Looks very complicated. Calculus looks easy compared to your gear. But, I'm new, & not that hardcore. I know nothing about Nagra cept they are high end recording devices & go together with the DT48S. I'm sure old school analog types will drool over this. Either way, it's nice to see how things were from that respective. You seem to love what you do, & everyone that posted in your thread seem amazed & very attuned. Pictures really help a lot.