Quantegy - 031 Reel to reel audio

The Quantegy 031 is a high-quality tape sold in lots labeled as "Second Choice" or off-spec.

Both Ampex and Quantegy used an internal nomenclature to discard reels from production lots that did not meet the stringent quality controls for professional mastering (the so-called non-spec or seconds tapes).

These tapes, perfectly functional and optimal for domestic or amateur use but not ideal for masters from big studios, were sold at reduced prices in plain white boxes or licensed to third-party distributors (such as Radio Shack or the Shamrock brand).

This 031-series tape is a Low Noise (low noise), not backcoated on the back (it does not have the black backcoating), with a standard thickness of 1.5 mils, 1/4 inch wide, wound on a 7-inch plastic reel (about 18 cm in diameter) with a standard length of 1200 feet (about 360 meters).

The Quantegy 031 series does NOT suffer from Sticky-Shed Syndrome (the chemical degradation that makes tapes sticky and unusable).

The "sticky tape" syndrome affects almost exclusively professional tapes with black backcoating, such as the 406, 456, or 499 series; the 031, on the other hand, is a tape with a standard glossy brown back (no backcoating), and the polyurethane binder is not subject to destructive hydrolysis.

Recording on new tapes is clearly much better than what you can get from tapes that are 40 years old or more.

Please look closely at the photos which are an integral part of the description.

I guarantee fast, trackable, and insured shipping with robust and appropriate packaging, even though, as much as possible, we aim to be environmentally friendly, and we will use used boxes.

Thank you for your attention.