The new tapes are different from the 40 year old tapes. Record EQ and bias are adjusted to match the previously optimized playback EQ.īring a sample of the tape you will be using if you plan to record. Once the playback head alignment is correct the record and erase heads are set to match the playback head. Test tones, from the professional alignment tape, at different frequencies, are needed to set the internal playback EQ pots and to align the heads. In addition to a scope, signal generators and measurement systems the technician needs alignment tapes which do not come cheap. If the head alignment is wrong, the highs will roll off and a phase error between left and right will occur. Head alignment time, the most difficult part, is still doubled. Do expect to pay much more for service and adjustment of tape deck with record auto reverse. ![]() We should see double the internal pots and alignment points for units with record auto reverse units, but most units, have only a few added pots limiting reverse performance. In good units the high and low speed EQs are adjusted with different pots. In total there are about 14-24 internal pots and 3-5 alignment points per tape head. Your unit will need a tape head alignment and likely EQ adjustments. Many parts must be removed to get inside these units and these parts can seize up after a stay in the attic. The technician needs to know how to free them without damage. A little rust can seize the adjustment screws. These mechanical adjustments need special tools which only a reel tape specialist would have. Mechanical adjustments for alignment and tension of the pinch roller, reel tables and break bands takes pages of a service manual which will thankfully be in the technician’s hands. The good news is that service manuals for everything are now on the web: no guessing about how to take things apart and how the unit works. If you do not know what you are doing you can bend or snap off an unreplaceable part. Only a few technicians specialize in fixing tape recorders. Better You Tube videos will put the unit into record mode. A You Tube video will also have audio so you can listen for speed stability issues. One step below this is an eBay offer with a You Tube video showing that the unit operates in all modes. Like a 40 year old car, you want the tape deck inspected before you purchase. Making your eBay purchase from a qualified service person, such as the one Mel Martin suggests, is highly recommended for a happy experience. Do not purchase without the ability to return the unit if found defective. Sometimes an eBay description will identify if it is being sold by the original user, including how it was stored. ![]() Contact the seller for the unit’s provenance. This situation occurred when the tape deck left the equipment shelf to make room for a CD-R recorder. A winning find on eBay is a single user unit stored in a friendly environment. Parts rust under these conditions, including the critical tape heads.įor most people tape decks were interesting toys that did not get much use. Although extensive service may bring a unit back, the cost of service might exceed its value. Storage in a humid, unheated attic, can also do significant damage. Now we are 40 years out so normal use over that time may also have used the consumer grade machine. I have seen tape decks run to the ground in under 10 years: impossible to service anymore. Many music lovers did off the air taping, especially live broadcasts and some made copies for friends. Of all vintage audio purchases this is the one most likely to disappoint. These units are 25 to 40 years old with lots of moving parts. Only a small percentage of the available population of tape decks made my cut. Given the age of these decks, I guarantee nothing. ![]() Based on my experience, I have listed the model numbers of desirable units in later sections. This comes from decades of using these decks. Mel Martin’s recent article about tape decks is excellent.
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