Messages

1

Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Otari MTR-10 schematics, where to get them?

« on: April 07, 2012, 01:48:09 PM »

Reed, emailed you.  I think the file is too large to email, any suggestions?

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Technics start-up problem

« on: April 07, 2012, 09:43:12 AM »

you guys are FREAKING AMAZING!  That was exactly the problem, in fact, I had no idea what that timer function was and never played with it, it turns out it was engaged the whole time!  Dis-engagement and it works just right, thanks so much!  Randy

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Technics start-up problem

« on: April 06, 2012, 04:50:35 PM »

Hi, Alex, yes, everything works fine after power up, just the power-on blip...

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Technics start-up problem

« on: April 06, 2012, 12:08:37 PM »

howdy, got a nice. clean 1500 a while back that has the problem of automatically starting up when the power is turned on and a reel is threaded up, engaging the tension arms, the machine, after about a second or two, will start playing the tape with any user actions!  Even the "record", along with the "play" light comes on, but there is no recording going on, just the tape playing.  Later on, this machine started having all kinds of tape handling issues, speed issues, etc., and so, using Rick's "shotgun" approach, I replaced all the 'lytics, and noticed that all of the 100ufd caps had leaked with green corrosion around their leads, that was an obvious issue!  Afterwards, the Technics has run perfectly with the exception of the aforementioned startup problem, the machine is still doing that, and I am guessing that is not normal.  Any ideas?  thanks

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Reel to Reel Tape Machines / Re: Otari MTR-10 schematics, where to get them?

« on: April 06, 2012, 11:45:15 AM »

I have a pretty tight copy of the MTR-10 schematics, 58 meg though...  I also have a nice copy of the user manual with a lot of info for checking and testing various systems.  AFA the lamps, I had to replace all the lamps in my MTR-10 and MX5050, I think I bought them from digi-key, I believe, think I sent Steve the order numbers on that particular part

6

Prerecorded Tapes / Re: the 2 track era

« on: December 26, 2011, 02:46:19 PM »

So I visited our wonderful Computer History museum here in the Silicon Valley recently and noticed that they had in their display showing the evolution of memory devices an example of consumer magnetic reel to reel pre-recorded tape. Not just any reel mind you, but a 2 track copy of  Brubeck's "Time Out"  just stuck there on the wall near the much bigger reels of early computer data tape.
So, when I got home I decided to see if any examples existed on eBay. One was there so I decided to watch it.
I thought my prediction of a couple of hundred dollars was outlandish.
It ultimately sold for -  $$$ SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DOLLARS !!!
I knew that some 2 tracks had been going out of sight, but that is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of !
There must be crazy amounts of money out there somewhere chasing the small supply of these sorts of things.

And why would that be surprising?  Really?  There is a major concentration of wealth that is looking for something to do with that money, those who have become audiophiles are driving the tape market waay up!  And not only tapes, but other collectibles, I see the market for the best of the vintage comic books jumping up in large amounts each month, with new records each month.  Whether that/this is money that is looking for investment opportunities, or just people with more money than they can spend, this money is realling driving the high-end collectibles out of sight!

P.S. ! Just looked under completed items and a  2 track copy of Miles Davis - Kind of Blue  from the same seller went for - wait for it -  $770.00 !

7

Tape Tech / Re: Technics 1500 board problem

« on: November 08, 2011, 01:36:37 PM »

thanks, Steve, I am guessing that C813 was put in wrong (stuffed) by mistake, and will go with the same value used on the opposite edge used, since it is the same circuitry, etc....

8

Tape Tech / Technics 1500 board problem

« on: November 07, 2011, 09:13:13 PM »

howdy, all.  I finally started up my 1500 recap project, this machine is very clean with virtually no head wear.  I have noticed a couple of caps having green goo on the legs, which is the electrolyte leaking from the cap onto the leads and corroding them.  Have done a recap of a 909, and that went well.  However, I have run into a bit of a problem on this machine insofar as the schematic/service manual does not quite match up to the boards I have in my machine.  In particular, the reel motor tension control board (which had a leaky cap, but I am replacing all) basically is mirrored from one side to the other on the ends, with matching caps, transistors, resistors.  The board number on my machine is marked ELNA 94V-0, on the service manual I have its 94V-1. The problem is that cap C813, which I pulled, was marked 50V1ufd, it's match, C814 on the opposite side is a 16V10ufd.  The circuitry the cap is in is the same on both ends, which makes me suspect a bad stuff when the board was made, and I have been having reel motor problems...  of course, that was more likely the leaky cap, but who knows.  On the schematic of board 94V-1, those same caps are the same value, however, that value is 16V33mfd, same transistors and resistors, but the cap values are different.  So, does anyone have a print of board 94V-0 and have the value for C813?  As I noted, I suspect a bad stuff, and that the cap should be a 16V10mfd, not the 50V1mfd I found...  thanks!

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Tape Tech / Re: Otari head swap

« on: November 07, 2011, 08:57:15 PM »

oh man, I need that for my Otari MTR-10!

10

Prerecorded Tapes / reels needed/traded

« on: March 14, 2011, 10:21:24 AM »

howdy, all, need some reels for a couple of pre-recs that have bad reels, in particular:

Falla - The Three Cornered Hat - Albeniz Iberia; Ansermet on London LCJ80079
Sibelius Symphonies 4 & 5; Karajan on DGG  DGK8974
Mahler Symphony 9; Walter on Columbia M2Q 516

I have a fair number of empty pre-rec reels and boxes, just let me know what you need...  thanks

11

Prerecorded Tapes / Re: Beatles r-r tapes

« on: March 14, 2011, 06:54:39 AM »

thanks, Steve, how do you like the tapes compared to any other format for Beatles recordings?

12

Prerecorded Tapes / Re: needed B-C insert for...

« on: March 07, 2011, 07:39:00 AM »

thanks a bunch, Steve!

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Prerecorded Tapes / needed B-C insert for...

« on: March 05, 2011, 03:53:15 PM »

Unicorn UNC D 0309, this is the Martinu & Vorisek symphonies, copies or scans would be just fine, thanks!

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Prerecorded Tapes / Re: Reader fav tapes...

« on: February 23, 2011, 06:26:58 PM »

just received another great tape, Prokofiev's Piano Concertos 1 & 3 with Graffman and Szell MQ 861.  Really clean, if in your face, sound typical of a lot of Columbia's, unlike a lot of RCA's, there is no overload in the tutti's.  Very nice performance, the 1st piano concerto is one of my favorites with that "big tune" writing and it's explosive exposition in the score...

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Clifford Brown Memorial / Re: Our first Blue Note!

« on: February 16, 2011, 07:38:49 PM »

Steve, what is the 10" toshiba recording you are talking about?