Ampex AG-440 Professional Studio Tape Recorders
During high school in Mexico City, I was one of a handful of
students that worked in their radio and TV studio. That was the first time that
I ever operated a professional tape recorder - an Ampex, model 351. I also assisted the school's
broadcasting instructor who was from Australia (Mr. Scott). Mr. Scott freelanced
in radio and often provided program material for broadcast in the U.S. on the Mutual Radio Network.
My friends and I assisted with some of the production work. He
also developed shows that were aired on XE-VIP radio. XE-VIP had 8 or 10 Ampex
AG-350's in their studios. In college, for two years I was the chief engineer of a low power
"common carrier" campus
radio station (WPIR) at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
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Ampex Model AG-440 B
This is a professional 4 track tape recorder/reproducer that uses
1/2" recording tape. It can also be used to make 2 track or monaural recordings on 1/4"
tape by changing the head "nests/boxes" and rotating the tape
guides. This conversion takes
5 minutes or less to perform. This machine was probably
manufactured in the early 1970's. I purchased it used, complete, in fair condition in
1999 in Gaithersburg, MD. At the time I was living in
Michigan. It needed some
cleanup - especially the bias, record and reproduce circuit card edge connectors
and sockets. These circuit cards are located behind stainless steel covers
on the front of the electronic units.
I sprayed some De-Oxit DN5 (Red) cleaner on the contacts and have not experienced any intermittent
contact problems ever since. This machine has the standard
synchronous AC capstan motor that moves tape at 7.5 and 15 ips.
There was also an extra cost option that could be ordered on late model
AG-440B's to equip them with a DC servo motor.
The two powerful take-up and supply reel table motors can wind a 2500 foot reel of
tape in one minute or less in either fast forward or rewind mode.
You have to be careful though to "rock" back and forth between REW and
FF to slow the tape down gently before pressing STOP to avoid tape
breakage. This was a commonly practiced tape recorder operating technique
prior to the invention of tape motion sensing circuits.
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Ampex Model AG-440 C So what is the
difference between an Ampex 440 "B" and a 440 "C"? Many (but not all) of
these "C" machines came factory equipped with DC servo capstan motors. "C"
electronics sections have smaller, cheaper looking VU meters. But
tape motion logic is more
advanced on a "C". Pushing
"stop" directly from a fast wind is less likely to break a
tape. A "C" uses ruby tape guides that last longer than the glass
guides on a "B". My recorder was manufactured in the late 1970's
but production of these continued until 1982. I
assembled this tape recorder from various sub-assemblies that I bought
over time. After using my AG-440 "B" for a while I decided to try
to pick up some "key" spare parts in case some of them failed in
the future. For instance I couldn't find a tape flutter roller
bearing at reasonable cost. Prices ran about $125 to $180. On eBay though,
somebody was selling an AG-440 C tape transport - for parts.
I bid about $75 and won. When I received the transport, I found
that it was... complete! It made no sense to cannibalize
it for parts. So I changed my mind and decided to assemble an entire
second AG-440, this time a "C" model. After letting
various people on the Ampex
listserve know of some of my needs, I found two "C" electronics
sections that were in great shape... in Australia (!) of all places.
I paid $120 for both sections. Later I bought a second pair of
electronics from a listserve member in California. Because this
transport was originally used in a mono AM radio station it came with
only single channel head
cables. So I located and added some 4
track head cables. Later, a listserve friend of mine in North Carolina
gave me a roll around console cabinet for free. Another friend
from NYC gave me an original power cord. |
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