Sansui MR6 six-track Cassette Tape Multi Track Machine

Our ongoing series of cassette multi-track experiments rolls on with the Sansui MR6.

This ADAT-sized multitrack machine dates from 1990 or thereabouts. It records 6 tracks on a standard type 2 audio tape at double speed, with defeatable Dolby C and zero return. And that’s pretty much it. No gain trims, no autolocate, nothing. It really is strictly a tape machine and requires a mixer in order to use it in any sensible way. I picked it up for about $100 on ebay; a quick clean and demag and that’s it. Seems to work fine. High end response seems to trail off around 14k on a first-pass, which is A O K w/me. Here’s how it sounds, and thank u Jenny Holzer:

As with the earlier tracks in this series: the rules for tracking and bouncing are simple: no midi. no editing. Nothing u couldn”t do in the 80s. The only effects used for tracking are the Yamaha E1010 that you see there, a cheap boss reverb pedal, console EQ, and acoustic sources were tracked with some compression via that Symetrix 528E you see there. Marimba and shaker/tambo were mic’d with a Neumann KM184; vocals are an EV RE15 for no other reason that it is what I had on the desk at the moment.

Tracking was:

1: Korg volca beats kk/snare pulse sync’d to korg SQ1 driving that repeating 8-note figure on… 2: korg MS20, 3: one-note low pad on Minbrute, 4. Yamaha MR10 toms/CH SN dbl hand-played, 5. elec bass DI’d thru a cheap gtr preamp

(bounce to track 6)

8th note shaker/tambo played w foot, 2. Marimba (doubling and/or harmonizing MS20 part, 3. Basic polyphonic sampler of me singing an ‘A’ note ahhh, 4. analog choir synth sound

(bounce to track 5)

1, 2, 4: vocals (hi is doubled),

3: ch synth pad

My goal as with the previous productions was to mix this all on my lil Mackie Onyx 1220 el cheapo mixer into a single pair in Pro Tools, but I couldn’t find a way to route it while still using two FX returns (my patchbay on this lil desktop rig is very limited). So I played all six final tape tracks into P/T, and once in PT it was hard to resist applying a bit of EQ and compression to each stem. Also mix FX on vocals were via P/T (Echo Boy and Valhalla Verb). But that was it – no editing, no tuning, no fixin’. That weird noise at the head is probably some kinda bias abomination that resulted when I did the first bounce, but it’s really part of the charm, ain’t it. Whole mix is low passed at about 12K, which really ties it together IMO.

chris

Next Guest Spot: The Tascam 134 "Pro" Cassette 4-track machine c. 1990 »

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View Comments

matt morton says:

09/23/2016 at 10:21 am

Love this track & the thought process behind its production! It's a great reminder that limitations can enhance creativity and produce great results quickly.
- chris says:
  
  09/23/2016 at 10:29 am
  
  Thanks Matt. Yeah I gotta say, the cassette machine really is an inspiration. Esp. for us folks who use a DAW day-in, day-out, it really pushes u into new places. It makes me listen in a whole different way while working.
  - matt morton says:
    
    09/23/2016 at 5:48 pm
    
    i have an old tascam 424mkii - looks like it's time to clean those heads and pop a new cassette in! (funny timing - just got some in the mail today!)
- Michele. says:
  
  03/14/2018 at 8:37 pm
  
  Love this track too!!! Brilliant stuff,full of soul. Thanks for sharing it with us! CHEERS!👍
Luciano says:

09/03/2018 at 3:04 pm

Hi Chris, i'm writing from Argentina, which one would you choose (i've never had a casette recorder, always have used computer for recording) the sansui mr 6 or the Tascam 134? i have the chance to get one of those two and always wanted to record in casette. Looks like the tascam is better quality overall am i right? great recordings in both machines Chris! thank you for preservationsound!!!
- admin says:
  
  09/03/2018 at 5:25 pm
  
  Hello. The 134 does sound a bit better, but it's not drastic. The main benefit of the tascam is that parts are more available. Bounces sound better on the Tascam. First-gen, both machines sound good.
Jack McHugh says:

10/10/2020 at 9:35 pm

10/10/2020 and people are still hearing that beautiful tune. Man you've got some talent. From one musician to another, I wish that I would have the inspiration to come up with that, I want to say chord progression, but it's more than that, it's the droning (not a bad thing when used creatively), or maybe repetition of one bar melodies that change. I imagine it's a keyboard synth trick. You probably own a Powell Probe. I came here fascinated by this tape machine and how come I wasn't made aware of it's existence? I was around and I mean Tascam and Behringer and 4 Track Reel to Reel, and it's just one of those personal enigmas I guess. I love discovering stuff I missed, but I see one now on Craigslist, and I'm pondering the idea. Anyway love your music and I hate everything believe me. I'm rolling Zeppelin almost everyday. Your music is up there with Todd Rundgren's. Dare I say better! That guy was a douche when I met him in person but I still love his music. I haven't walked in his shoes, and we all have had bad days. So no harm no foul. But that music of yours. I'm copying and sending to every radio station that .... oh yeah. It doesn't work that way anymore. How does it work? That sound could calm down a riot to put it in 2020 terms. OK I've rambled. Sorry, night shift and 5 hour energy, and yes, chocolates as well.

Cheers!
- admin says:
  
  10/12/2020 at 9:07 am
  
  hi jack, glad u enjoyed the track. the repetition is crucial to the track, and whats esp crucial is that its all actually performed (not looped or sampled) for 3 minutes. there's a synth loop with constant randomized subtle modulation that is doubled with a live performance on a marimba. this provides juuuuuuust enuff variation that the effect (hopefully !) is 'meditative' rather than 'annoying.' I have posted a few more tracks recently that i also made on one of these old cassette machines; you can check them out on the first and 2nd pages. there's actually quite a few of these kinda tracks posted on the site thru the years but u may need to scroll a bit, it's not super-well organized. be well! CR
Mark says:

11/13/2020 at 11:19 pm

Im want to buy the Sansui 6 track cassette recorder in working order. Anyone selling?
- IAN Warburton says:
  
  11/14/2020 at 7:02 pm
  
  i've just finished digitising my old 6 track tapes and am researching the MR6 to gauge a starting price before putting it on ebay and I found your comment. Are you still interested ?
IAN Warburton says:

11/15/2020 at 5:09 pm

i've just finished digitising my old 6 track tapes and am researching the MR6 to gauge a starting price before putting it on ebay and I found your comment. Are you still interested ?
qete says:

11/15/2021 at 2:25 am

Cool post. I didn't realize six-track cassette MTRs existed. I'd imagine the track width measurements are all wonky. Sounds great.