NAGRA KUDELSKI - NAGRA - T AUDIO REEL TO REEL TAPE RECORDER

Released in 1981, this tape recorder is a high quality machine designed for mastering and production audio.

00:56 NAGRA HISTORY
02:34 INSIDE THE NAGRA T
04:43 TAPE HEAD BLOCK
06:17 REMOVING PANELS
10:03 NAB AND TACHO
12:34 KEYBOARD AND CONTROLS
18:23 ISSUES
18:48 RESOURCES

After a brief history of NAGRA, I show my own NAGRA T and try and try to explain how it works and give an overview of the main controls. There may be some mistakes as I am not an expert on this tape recorder. Please add any corrections or amendments in the comments, thanks.

I would not recommend working on one of these machines unless you are very competent. They are factory set and require specialist knowledge to service. That being said, there are not a lot of people/places at least in my location that could look at something like this.

A staple in many recording and post production studios, it was replaced by digital technology.

This deck feature many novel and interesting control systems.
Features like double capstan system maintained a phase locked zone over the record and playback heads.TACAL distortion control technology.

[markphilpot]

Fabulous machine. None better. It’s a Nagra, so it’s not a question, it’s a fact!

[studentsmusic]

Today we worked with it as a Mastering Machine. Incredible Quality beating Studer and MCI by far. Kudelski was a Genius and the T is a technical wonder. Thanks for Posting this competent Demo.

[rty]

This reminds me of a large post facility I was in. We made all of our computer interfaces. The editing system was a heavily modified CMX system. No other like it in the world.
We had (26) 2" quad video tape machines, 4 film chains (we invented the pan/scan mechanism) several video special effects machines (Ampex ADO, quantelb, Chyron etc) and full control of the audio lab that had a 1/4" Nagra T, 1/2", 1" and 2" AMPEX audio recorders. All of these machines were fully under computer control.

The computer would load the interface with its "in-points" minus thier pre-roll times. The devices would hunt for this time. When the hunt was over the device would enter a "ready" status waiting for proper time code to begin its pre-roll. Once the machine was in pre-roll mode it would then have to sync by retarding or advancing capstan speed until it was locked to incoming time code. The device would then be in a "Synced" status so frame accurate edits could be made. After the edit was over the computer would load its next "in-point" time to that device. The device would automatically hunt for the next point and park waiting for the next trigger time code. This way many, many edits could be made in one pass without stopping production .

When you observed the 2" quad video tape machines in the pre-roll phase with the capstan speeds being automatically adjusted, the video would break up and would eventually lock when proper tape speed was achieved. Sometimes the quads couldnt make its "sync" status in time and the edit was automatically re-tried 3 times before giving up. So you may havee to increase the pre-roll time if this happened to often.

If a reel change was needed, a light would come on that displayed "media change" signalling the operator to change reels of tape. The next time the operator would press the remote button on the device, the "media change" light would go out, and the device would begin its search for the next "in-point"

It was a thing of beauty to observe

[RegebroRepairs]

Oh, I didn't know it was so easy to open. It's truly a holy grail of tape machines.

[larsdela]

Thank you for your great introduction to the T. I have a quick comment on the head layout:

The heads/units are from left to right:

- Erase head
- Tape tension sensor
- TC head (rec/playback)
- Rec head
- Playback head

The tape tension sensor is a little marvel in itself: A tiny ruby rod is mounted on a spring system, so that if the tape tension increases, the rod is pushed a bit inwards. The right capstan runs at constant speed, and the left capstan runs at almost the same speed, but its speed can be slightly adjusted, controlled by the measurement from the sensor. This ensures that the tape is almost at the same tension.

[janovlk]

At 16:50 it is a switching between control protocols this machine can emulate. On other words it can behave as a VCR being controlled by ordinary edit controller of that time.

[pk]

This machine is electronic and mechanical art👍

[JanPBtest]

1:10 That Google translate is a bit inaccurate, "will record" _is_ "nagra" in Polish, the Polish translation shown on screen OTOH is "it will be recording".

[tm]

the TC head is before the erasing head?

[Madjed]

Hi
I have a nagra E
Can you help me know what audio cable can I use to connect it to my stereo system ( receiver with two females RCA in and out ?)
Thanks much

[bobsbits]

hi have a otari mtr 12 my self getting a deck better in the uk would be very hard to find i was lucky find the otari mtr 12 did not pay alot for it

the pro decks are 0000 in price now my mx80 was £1100 and need alot of work on it i was lucky pick up decks if you are after decks you got to know the right
people is were to start

[musicalworld]

Hi! Maybe do you have a the eprom file bin backup?