I know we had a discussion of the use of the spacers that are listed in Technics RS15xx owners manual. Well, I got some off of Ebay and even though I measured ( very carefully I thought) and found no difference in the thickness of metal 10.5" and plastic 7" reels (from turntable face to the inside face of the inner flange) they do seem to help. I looked very closely, with my glasses on I might add, and the tape is pretty well centered on the 7". But when I load a 10.5" aluminum reel, the outside flange rubs in one spot and the tape is spooled toward the outside flange ( small differences are additive and come to a head at the outside flange?) . When I put the spacers on, no rubbing. I bought one on Ebay (thinking it was a pair) for $10. It's pretty nice actually, so I don't feel that bad about the money. The first pair I bid on though ( it was a pair labeled Tascam) left me in the dust and laughing my head off. They went for over $50! What the,..? So I bid $15 and got it for ten ( Teac). Now the same seller has all kinds of them, Otari, Tascam, Teac, Akai, and Sony. All for $10 BIN. I got a Tascam to complete the pair and replace the one I cut out of an Uncle Bens Wild Rice ( original recipe) box which is about the same thickness. Yeah, I could probably adjust the turntables but I was sitting at the computer, not the workbench. (right!)
