At the news that U.S. tape manufacturer Quantegy Inc. had closed its doors and reportedly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS) went into action to ensure the availability of analog tape to SPARS members and others.
“We’re working with Richard Lindemuth, Quantegy’s president and COO, to organize runs of specific analog tape denominations,” states Andrew Kautz, SPARS president and CEO of Nashville’s Emerald Entertainment. “Our goal is to get analog tape back in the pipeline as quickly as possible, keeping tape available and affordable as a creative tool for our profession.”
According to Kautz, with sufficient response, a run of various analog tape lines including GP9, 456 and/or 499 could be accomplished relatively quickly at Quantegy’s Opelika, Ala. manufacturing plant.
“In addition to music recording services,” Kautz comments, “analog tape is used by other customers such as NASA, who require the reliability only analog tape provides. We want to preserve a tool and legacy that has been integral in the creation of the best sonic standard we have to date.
“We also want to help Quantegy, a company that has been a vital part of our industry for many years. They have provided, not only tape, but also moral support and a sense of community in our charitable events. In this trying time, we want to show them that the recording community cares about their company and their product and wants to ensure that they remain a viable part of our industry.
“SPARS represents various segments of the recording industry,” Kautz concludes, “including studios, equipment rental, coordinators, other support services and educational facilities. Our mission is to work together to communicate with, and provide direction to, our industry. The current analog tape situation is a prime example of an issue that affects our membership’s business interests. We hope to hear from many in the industry who want to participate in this endeavor to maintain the flow of analog product.”
To participate in the SPARS authorized Quantegy tape order process, call 800/752-0732 and reference SPARS. Your order will be taken, added to the list, and you will be contacted within a few days with a time frame for fulfillment of your order. For further analog updates, go to www.spars.com or call SPARS at 800/771-7727.
