Lots of false information going around about this Subject

Here's the deal in  A KINDA NUTSHELL

Only the JH16 series tape machines { made in the 70;s }
have that characteristic sound of transformers and discrete electronics that people like to run their signals thru
on the front side of pro tools and some times the back side.

The JH24 series { 80-88}  [ also APR-24;s ]  are transformerLESS designs with IC circuits that pass the audio signals
thru -  so passing the signals  thru these machines  WELL u might as well put the input and outputs together NO difference
all tape machines have and can achieve tape saturation and distortion-- BUT only with the playback signal coming from the reproduce head      {JH16 series have reproduce transformers also}

Otari Machines  MTR-90's and MX 80 machine are input and output transformerless- once again passing the signal thru the audio electronics doesn't gain you any additional pleasant sound characteristic.

Coming in early 2020   I will be introducing the " BLEVINS BRICK"ch
which is Randys custom box with the " Real" input and output transformers from either the original famed MCI JH400 series console or the MCI JH500 series console    this will be a limited series run --   either 2 channel ,4 channel or 8 channels  "Brick"
More details coming soon. 

Also  make note only the MCI JH110 , JH110A machines have use the input and output transformers { also the reproduce card }
these used the 2001 or 2003 in a can not DIP in the audio path   MCI JH110B machine were all totally transformerless.

Also  there are JH110 and JH16 machines out in the world where the transformers were removed and hard wired jumped out
CMR goes up  unbalances the signal Plus changes the load Z and freq response. 

REMEMBER all tape machines have the tape compression sound BUT not always the discreet and transformer sound. 

Last but not least by no means is the "QUIOR"  quick punch mysty I hear about every week
there is no mod for making a non-quick punch machine into a QUIOR machine  period
the control cards are FET switching , the stripboard interface board completely different and the bias cards have the "ramp up timing circuit    the reproduce and the record cards remind the same between the machines   OH  one last thing the head stack has a different erase and the spacing between the erase and record heads is closer --\
                                               Just SAYING     till the next Randy sez