Equipment

Audio

SMPL has two digital audio workstations supporting simultaneous capture of a broad range of sound recording formats: the cassette lab, where up to 8 audiocassettes can be captured at once, and the main audio lab where we work on open reels, discs, DATs, and more audiocassettes.

We use the following pieces of equipment and software:

• Disc: Helix One Mk3 with Korf TA-SF11R 11" tonearm; Technics SP-15 with SME 3012R tonearm; Diapason Model 20
• Stylus: Shure M44-7, Ortofon 2M Black, and Stanton 500 cartridges with a range of styli from Expert Stylus
• Phono stages: KAB Souvenir EQS MK12, Vadlyd MD12, Timestep T-01EQ
• 1/4" open reel tape: Ampex ATR-102 (x2), Studer A807 (x5), Studer A810, Revox PR99 x3 (1.875, 0.9375 ips) 
• 1/2" open reel tape: Ampex ATR-104 (x2), Studer A80 (15 and 30 ips tapes only)
• Cassette: Nakamichi CR-7A (x14), Nakamichi 680ZX, Tascam 122MKIII (x2), Sony M-470 (x3), JBR Microcassette Playback Transcriber Unit (3 channel)
• DAT: Sony PCM-R500 (x4), Tascam DA30MKII (x2)
• Cylinder: Endpoint Audio Labs cylinder playback machine
• MiniDisc: Sony MZ-M200, Tascam MD-CD1MKIII
• Noise reduction: dbx 150x, Dolby 363 A/SR, Nakamichi NR-200 (Dolby B/C)
• Software: Pro Tools (multi-ingest capture), WaveLab (quality control), Izotope RX, Izotope Ozone, Izotope Insight
• AD/DA converters: Mytek 8x192 (x2), Lynx Aurora 16, Prism ADA-8XR
• AES audio card: RME HDSPe (x2)
• Distribution amplifiers: RDL Digital Audio Distribution Amplifier, Ocean Matrix Analog Audio Distribution Amplifier
• CPU: Apple Mac Studio M1 Ultra, 20-core CPU, 48-core GPU (x2)
• Denon DN-F650R hard disk recorder (x2, for interstitial error checking)
• Monitoring: Focal Trio6 Be near field monitors, Mackie 824 near field monitors, Sennheiser HD 600 headphones
• Headphone amp/DAC: Grace m903
• Miscellaneous
• NTI Minilyzer, NTI Digilyzer, and NTI Minirator Pro
• MRL test tapes
• Miscellaneous test discs
• Feickert Universal Protractor
• KAB Speed Strobe
• KAB Transcription Platter

Video

The video suite is a large single-operator workstation incorporating two transfer workflows: one supporting sources in analog video cassette and Digital Betacam formats; and one supporting sources in the family of DV formats. The system includes these devices:

• 1/2" Sony CV: General Electric 4TD1B1
• EIAJ-1: Sony AV-3650
• U-Matic: Sony BVU-950 ; Sony VO-9800
• Betamax: Sony EDV-9500 ; Sony GCS-50
• VHS/S-VHS: Sony SVO-5800 ; Sony SVO-9500MD ; Panasonic AG-7350P ; Mitsubishi HS-MD3000E (PAL) ; Panasonic AG-7350E (PAL) ; Samsung SV-4000W/5000W
• VHS (LP/EP): Panasonic AG-1980P ; JVC BR-S605UB; JVC HR-S9911U; JVC HR-S7500U; JVC HR-S9500U
• Betacam SP: Sony BVW-70 ; PVW-2800 - UVW-1200
• Digital Betacam: Sony DVW-A500
• DV/HDV: Sony HVR-M15AU ; Sony DSR-2000
• DVCPro HD: Panasonic AJ-HD1400, Pansonic AJ-HD1800
• Video8/Hi-8: Sony EVO-9850 ; Sony GV-D200
• LaserDisc: Pioneer CLD-99
• AV Interface: AJA IO 4k ; AJA LHe+ ; AJA Io Express ; Blackmagic Decklink Duo 2 (vrecord)
• A/D Converter Multiplexer: AJA HD10AVA
• Processors: Apple Mac Pro with 2.7GHz 12-Core Intel Xeon E5 ; Apple Mac Pro with dual 2.26GHz Quad Core processors ; Apple Mac mini 3GHz Intel Core i7 (2)
• Signal Monitoring: Tektronix 1765 NTSC/PAL (x2) ; Tektronix WFM601 SDI Waveform/Vector; Tektronix 764 Digital Audio Monitor ; Mytek DDD-603 ; Black Magic SmartScope Duo 4K
• Time Base Corrector: DPS-165A, Sony BVT-810, DPS-235, DPS-290, DPS-295, DPS-575, Fortel Turbo 2, Snell and Wilcox TBS-24, FOR-A FA-410, TV One 1T-TBC-GL
• Video Noise Reduction (restoration use only): Xintekvideo DP-2000 dropout corrector
• Audio Line Amplifier: Kramer VA8-XL
• Audio Mixer: Mackie 802VLZ4
• Video Monitors: Sony BVMD24E1WU ; Sony PVM14L5 (SDI) ; Sony PVM-9L2 ; Flanders Scientific BM230
• Audio Monitors: Genelec 8020B, Wohler AMP1A-VTR2 nearfield audio monitor
• Video Test Signal Generator: Tektronix SPG600

Cleaning, treatment, and handling equipment 

• Keith Monks Mark 5 Archives Disc Cleaner
• RTI 490 VHS Family Tape Cleaner
• RTI 3100 U-Matic Tape Cleaner
• RTI 4100 Betacam Family Tape Cleaner
• ELMUSA EcoPro2 Disc Repair Machine
• Film winds and inspection table (35mm, 16mm, 8mm)
• Salvis Thermocenter Mechanical Convection Oven