I grew up on tape, my first job was working with tape, designing high-speed tape duplicator electronics and designing machines to make test tapes, so tape machine calibration is something I grew up with.
Our normal routine at work was to come in at 9 AM, switch on all the tape machines, then go and have a cup of coffee whilst they warmed up. Then the techies would spend half an hour aligning the machine, so the studio could start work at 10:00. On hot summer days, we might do a realignment after lunch, although on most days in the UK that wasn't necessary. Nevertheless, what a Faff, and if a machine couldn't be brought into spec, it then had to be taken out of service and taken to the workshop.
I have to say that when it became possible to record on a PC, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, and jubilation. No more having to check azimuth, EQ, bias before every recording. No more having to demag the transport before playing a valuable original tape. No more generation loss with every copy, no more fiddling around with levels to maintain Dolby tracking. Non-destructive editing! I admit that I was, perhaps, rather obsessive about the set-up of my recorders, but when I bought a Digigram PC card, all my recording issues were over, Just start record, and it works.
Tape is fun, in a retro sort of way, much as 1948 MG-TCs or 1929 blown Bentleys are fun, but I wouldn't want either as my daily transport.
S.
