Check out the new Tape Project website at tapeproject.com, now with online ordering. Inventory is updated every week, so stop by often to see what we have in stock.

Author Topic: Otari MX-50 Track alignment  (Read 3689 times)

Offline HPABELLON

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
    • View Profile
Otari MX-50 Track alignment
« on: February 13, 2012, 07:17:40 AM »
Hi, I borrowed a MX-50 to transfer several recordings from the 1970 & 1980. For a reason I don't understand I can hear only one track of the tape tracks and also the track on the reverse side backwards. I suspect that track configuration of the playback head maybe the problem , but this machine is a basic MX-50 and I'm sure there's no modification to the machine.  Do I need to adjust the head alignment & height? Please help me with this. 

Offline sound signal

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 46
    • View Profile
Re: Otari MX-50 Track alignment
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2012, 09:37:58 AM »
Hi,

From what you say you are probably playing four-track stereo tapes with a two-track playback head.

A two-track playback head with 2mm guard band between tracks in the middle of the tape (standard two-track format a la Tape Project, as opposed to wide-track two track which only has a 0.75mm guard band) will cover track 1 and track 4 of a four-track tape, with tracks 2 and 3 mostly falling in the guard band.

Since four-track stereo tapes are recorded with left and right channels on tracks 1 and 3 "going" and tracks 4 and 2 "coming" (accessible by flipping the reels over on a two-channel machine), you are hearing the left channel of the "going" stereo programme on track 1 in your left channel, and the left channel of the "coming" stereo programme on track 4 backwards in your right channel.

You need to find a machine with a four-track stereo playback head.  Consumer machines, as opposed to a pro machine like the Otari, are your best bet, since four-track stereo was the standard consumer format, with two-track more of a semi-pro or pro format.

Revox, for example, made machines in both two- and four- track formats; you need to find one in the format you want.  Some machines by other manufacturers had two playback heads, selectable by switching.

Best regards,
George Karaolides
Nicosia, Cyprus