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In Reply to: Re: i know that 911 and 900 series measure better then the original BASF/EMTEC posted by ironbut on October 8, 2006 at 15:46:43:
email questions are simply being ignored;
the site gets sporadic updates - at best;
the tape was supposed to have been available "Fall of 2005"
Follow Ups:
I have no first hand experience with the new RMGI versions of the BASF formulations yet, so I won't add to the hearsay floating around about it.My experience with a sample of the ATR Magnetics tape was very very positive.
Having known Mike Spitz for a couple of decades now, I have observed that he holds himself and his work to a very high standard. He won't start shipping his tape until it meets his goals, even if there is a lot of pressure to get it to market. And I'm one of the guys applying the pressure! Mike's a guy to be reckoned with. If anyone can crack the nut of manufacturing a new tape, I have confidence that he's the one.
I'll be meeting with Mike and Paul in about half an hour. What I know at this moment is that Mike will begin selling 2" and 1/2" very soon (of course the demand is highest for these two sizes), and he plans to be slitting 1/4" for general consumption by January or soon after. I will most likely know a lot more by day's end. Mike is giving an ATR alignment clinic at PSM today.
Had a very nice dinner with Mike and his partner Rodney on Monday. Mike is a super nice guy and his knowledge of things tape is vast. He gave me a brief description of their manufacturing process. Pretty fascinating stuff, starting with huge bags of oxides, solvents, mixers run by 50 hp electric motors, etc. Mike hired several very experienced consultants to help put the whole program together. Their intention is to put out the lowest noise, best sounding tape available. This requires several extra steps in comparison to the processes used by competitors.The bottom line on availability dates was that Mike's 12,000 sq ft facility had to pass several inspections for permits over the past few months. He now has that part of the process complete and can give a much better estimate of when tape will start to be available, that being estimated at around Christmas for 2" and 1/2". 1/4" will follow soon after. He will not compromise the quality, and hence he will not release a tape run until he is 100% satisfied with the quality level of each individual step of the manufacturing process.
given that similar stories of permits, etc. surfaced this time around last year (electricity, etc.), I think the truth lies somewhere between what Mike is telling people publicaly and what is really going on behind the scenes.No doubt, tape manufacturing isn't the equivalent of building a website - the infrastructure to support all that is insaneley expensive and the people who know how to make all this work are scarce or have moved on to other more lucrative projects - this is 2006 almost 2007 after all.
My personal thoughts are that they ran into many issues they simply didn't anticipate due to inexperience - having said that, I would have said - look folks, we are in the process of establishing this tape business and tape will be available when its finished - instead, we keep hearing how tape will become available in the fall of 2005, then spring of 2006, then back to fall 2006, now you revealed that it won't be until Christmas 2006, and 1/4" until Spring, etc... C'mon fellas, hire a PR firm if you can't handle that side of the business.
That's one nice thing about the internet, anyone can post their opinion with little regard as to whether it is based on actual experience or pure speculation.
;-)
This is going pretty far afield. I apologize to the inmates here for my part in that, and I have sent you a PM.
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