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<DIV>I also have worked before many of the quads. The offering to the quad
gods were sometimes not accepted. Others it was readily accepted and they
started to perform beautifully.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Ampex always impressed me more. I liked the way that they
constructed the machines. I found that RCA always seemed to just bend a
piece of metal to mount something. Or like the brake assemblies, were done
in what seemed as a constructed in what I would call a one or two make em
shop. Ampex actually took the time to build a solid brake assembly.
The relays for the TR-60 that I had were mounted in the rear on a bent piece of
metal. It seemed as an after thought. Ampex actually had a relay
chassis in the rear of the VR-1200 that made sense.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Another thing that I did not like about the RCA was the Blue Ribbon
connectors that were used. I had to clean them about twice a year as a
preventive. The other part was that the connectors had pins with crimped
on wires inserted in the back of them. These would work loose. I
would go through about every year or two and push on them when the machine would
start getting flaky. I never had a harness problem in an AMPEX
machine. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The RCA modules were both harder and easier to work on. Most were
hand wired. It was easier to get to the parts with a scope once the module
was on the extender. In the AMPEX you had to put each board on the
extender and then return it. RCA sometimes had the test points on the
front that was helpful. The shovel as we called the extender for RCA took
up so much room, you had to make sure that you had the space to work.
Fortunately, the third room that had these did. The first two were
difficult. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The RCA control system was built in behind the fold down door of the 4, and
60. The RCA system had a unified control system. Where the AMPEX put
a lot in the chassis. Thus it was easier for me to trace a control problem
in the AMPEX machines. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Lastly, I liked the documentation for the Ampex machines. I found
that the use of an interconnect was so helpful. RCA had the modules with
the connector only saying where the signal went or came from. Thus I had
to get out a sheet of paper and keep a lot of notes. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I started out on RCA's and then went to AMPEX. I found that my
preference was AMPEX.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Chris Hill</DIV></FONT><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="1f1022be21c3fb476407e58e9745dc1b"><br/><font style="color:black;font:normal 10pt arial,san-serif;"> <hr style="margin-top:10px"/>We found the real '<a href="http://www.whereitsat.com/#/music/lyrical-landmarks/258/41.19651/-110.832818/2/The-Eagles-Hotel-California?ncid=emlcntnew00000006">Hotel California</a>' and the '<a href="http://www.whereitsat.com/#/television/totally-tv/165/47.871213/-66.348481/2/Seinfeld-Diner?ncid=emlcntnew00000005">Seinfeld</a>' diner. What will you find? <a href="http://www.whereitsat.com/#/music/all-spots/355/47.796964/-66.374711/2/Youve-Found-Where-Its-At?ncid=emlcntnew00000007">Explore <b>WhereItsAt.com</a></b>.</font></DIV></BODY></HTML>