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Author Topic: RS1500 hub adapter spacers  (Read 17323 times)

Offline xcortes

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RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« on: January 26, 2007, 12:20:49 PM »
The RS1500 manual mentions some spacers ("Hub thickness correction sheets") when using the Technics hub adapters. I don't have those spacers but without them my newly arrived deck reels are not in line with the head block causing some tape rubbing. I tried some cardboard spacers and voil?. Everything in line and no rubbing with the tape winding in the center of the reel. I have not found any reference to these spacers in the www. Anyone knows about them? Should I worry that there's some misalignment on the deck.

The tech who sold it says that they were perfectly aligned using Teac hubs. Is it that the Technics hubs are shorter?

I wonder how will a 7" reel behave since they don't use the adapters. I have some in their way.

Any advice otr thoughts will be mostly appreciated.

Xavier Cortes
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Offline AZ_Gary

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2007, 12:24:43 PM »
I called Otari about these for my MX-5050, was lucky enough to get them with my 1506. The Otari rep said they cost $40 a pair and suggested I buy a thin sheet of rubber and use that. Have you ever seen the little rubber grippers they sell for opening jars? Get one of those at the grocery or somewhere and cut to the diameter of the hub. The thickness should be about right.

Gary
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Offline docb

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2007, 01:32:45 PM »
I just measured a stock spacer and it averages about 0.67mm thick. These are of course designed to go with the Technics bass-ackwards hub adapters that mount from the front of the reel rather than the back side. I don't know if you need them with more traditional hub adapters that mount on the turntable, then mount the reel. I guess this calls for some measurin' and figgerin'.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2007, 02:12:11 PM by docb »
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Offline xcortes

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cork
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2007, 04:17:52 PM »
I passed today in front of an art supplied store and purchased two sheets of cork 1 and 2mm thick. I will build some spacers with it as well as a turntable mat.

The tech who sold me the deck also offered to find and send me some of the original spacers so I guess I'm all set.

Although I don't intend to use this deck for recording yesterday I did record three sides of lps on the only blank tape that I have. I haven't listened to it except for some minutes and the sound was very nice. Can't wait to build it's own Seduction. The deck really seems to be in good shape. BTW the mechanisms are not completely silent (at least compared to my Garrard TT). I mean you can listen to them if you get close and pay attention, is that normal? Supposedly they have just been lubed.

Finally can the heads be visually inspected?

Thanks

xavier
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Offline ironbut

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2007, 06:34:15 PM »
I just listened to mine and there is a super low level whirring from the capstan motor in play. I have to put my ear about an inch from the center of the deck to hear it though. My laptop makes 10 times more noise when the fan is at low speed ( Apple powerbook). Some of my pre-recorded r2r tapes supply reel seem a little out of whack so the tape rubs a little when it gets to that spot. Very annoying! ( Maybe 4 out of 150 ) I keep meaning to add some replacement reels to an order. But , these are all 7" reels and I don't need any spacer. The aluminum reels are much thinner. I just check out 3 different sets of 10.5" reel adapters and when on a reel, they are all flush with the back of the reel (metal). I never used a spacer on any of the other decks that I've had.
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Offline heideana

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2007, 06:42:15 PM »
oh oh...I'm confused....

I've got 2 or maybee 3 of those spacers, but could never figure-out exactly when to use them.  I don't seem to have any problems with plastic 7" or Teac NAB adaptors and the tech who sold me the machine told me that I didn't need to use them.  When exactly is the correct time to use them?

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Offline AZ_Gary

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2007, 09:48:18 PM »
They are supposed to be used when you use a metal reel.

Gary
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Offline docb

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2007, 10:11:51 PM »
OK, we need to clarify here. The Technics RS1500 series machines came with a very specific, unique Technics hub adapter that inserts into a 10-1/2" reel from the front. This is to be used in tandem with the .67mm thick rubber spacer between the turntable and the reel, in order to center the reel hub with respect to the tape guides. That adapter is a bad design, IMO, because you have to shove the thing into the reel before you mount the reel on the cinema style 7" reel spindles. PITA.

However, a lot of folks are using different brands of hub adapters. Some of these mount over the spindle first, then the 10-1/2" reel mounts on the adapter. One example is the Revox adapter we used at CES. In this case I don't know that you need the rubber spacer. I think it would be a good idea if we sorted out just how all the different adapters that folks are using locate the reel with repect to the tape guides. Then maybe we can offer a more definitive description of how each adapter should be implemented with the RS1500.
Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
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Offline ironbut

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2007, 01:03:54 AM »
Ok, I've got the stock Technics, a pair of Revox, and a pair of Teac 10.5" hub adapters. When I put each of these on an aluminum 10.5" reel, they are all flush with the inner side of the reel. I measured a plastic 7" reel ( that I have used for years as a take-up reel on several machines with no rubbing ) and the metal 10.5". The overall thickness is the same. The inner space ( where the tape goes ) isn't.  The plastic reel is 8mm and the metal 9-10mm ( it's been around the block). So, obviously, the metal is thinner. So that would only give the metal reel moreclearance. So, I took a straight edge and took a look at the reel turntables. You know, it has that rubbery pad on it with the 6 raised disks around the pin and then a raised ring at its border. The raised disks and ring are flush with each other. When the 7" reel is on, it rests on the disks and the ring. Same with the metal reel but less on the disks. But, since the disks and the rings are at the same height, it shouldn't matter. So, why the spacers?
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Offline Danny Kaey

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2007, 10:34:55 PM »
been using ReVox's aluminum NAB adapters w/o any problems at all... they work super!
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Offline dwilawyer

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2007, 10:09:23 PM »
OK, we need to clarify here. The Technics RS1500 series machines came with a very specific, unique Technics hub adapter that inserts into a 10-1/2" reel from the front. This is to be used in tandem with the .67mm thick rubber spacer between the turntable and the reel, in order to center the reel hub with respect to the tape guides. That adapter is a bad design, IMO, because you have to shove the thing into the reel before you mount the reel on the cinema style 7" reel spindles. PITA.

However, a lot of folks are using different brands of hub adapters. Some of these mount over the spindle first, then the 10-1/2" reel mounts on the adapter. One example is the Revox adapter we used at CES. In this case I don't know that you need the rubber spacer. I think it would be a good idea if we sorted out just how all the different adapters that folks are using locate the reel with repect to the tape guides. Then maybe we can offer a more definitive description of how each adapter should be implemented with the RS1500.

I think what they are talking about in terms of spacers is quite different then the spacer for the RS 1500 series.  That spacer is a whole different story.  On consumer decks that can handle 10.5 inch reels, as opposed to 7" only, they usually came with reel spacers.  These were needed because metal reels are thiner the plastic reels.  Since most consumer stuff was 7" the tape path was alligned for plastic reels.  The side of a plastic reel, is most cases, is .9 mm thicker then the side of a metal flange.  Thus, the rubber spacer should be .9 mm in thickness.  This will cause the tape to track better in the tape path and to also wind on the reel without rubbing on the side.  A professional deck should not have these issues, it should be alligned for metal to begin with, and they are also tables are also height adjustable so that you could set it up for plastic or metal. 

Travis

Offline docb

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2007, 11:48:04 AM »
I think we are actually on the same wavelength. The issue is that some adapters for consumer machines have the spacer built in to the adapter in the form of bumps on the backside, ala Studer, while others don't and require a separate spacer like the Technics.

So the deal, I suspect, is that you need to match the adapter to the spacer. Of course the situation is really more complex than just 10" metal and 7" plastic reels. What if you use a 10" plastic reel or a 7" metal reel? In theory the Technics setup is more flexible than a hub adapter with fixed bumps. A flaw in the concept is that the Technics spacer doesn't make the distinction between plastic and metal reels in it's instructions.
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Offline dwilawyer

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2007, 01:59:00 PM »
I think we are actually on the same wavelength. The issue is that some adapters for consumer machines have the spacer built in to the adapter in the form of bumps on the backside, ala Studer, while others don't and require a separate spacer like the Technics.

So the deal, I suspect, is that you need to match the adapter to the spacer. Of course the situation is really more complex than just 10" metal and 7" plastic reels. What if you use a 10" plastic reel or a 7" metal reel? In theory the Technics setup is more flexible than a hub adapter with fixed bumps. A flaw in the concept is that the Technics spacer doesn't make the distinction between plastic and metal reels in it's instructions.

Very good point.  The Tandberg's came with those same bumps, and until I read your post, always thought that it was for grip.  However, you are correct, it does bump it up off the the turntable.

Travis

Offline xcortes

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Re: RS1500 hub adapter spacers
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2007, 09:17:40 AM »
I received the original adapters sent to me by the tech who sold me the deck. I haven't tested as I'm only using plastic reels for the moment but is nice to have them :>). I will ask someone to transcript them to pdf to use them as templates for reproducing them. If anyone is interested I'll speed up the process. Otherwise it will take sometime but eventually I'll post the template here.

Xavier Cortes
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