Tandberg TD20A SE

[Jayeltex]

I have been offered the Tandberg TD20A SE..anyone have any thoughts on this machine. How does it fit in with the Tape Project for playback

would really like some feedback.

thanks
jay

[ironbut]

Hi Jay,

Welcome to the forum.

The TD20A series came in a couple of versions. The version most commonly found came with 1/4 track heads with a top speed of 7 1/2 ips. The pro version was 1/2 track with 15 ips.
Only the pro version would be able to play the Tape Project tapes without very expensive changes.
The Tandburgs were very nice machines for the consumer market but not quite as rugged as most pro or pro-sumer machines.
They usually command pretty high prices on the used market and usually need some work to get them running smoothly if they haven't been used recently.

If you're looking for a machine for the Tape Project, I don't think that this is a machine that I'd recommend.

There's some guidelines and examples of machines that are suitable for playing Tape Project tapes located in a sticky above this forum. Check it out.

http://www.tapeproject.com/smf/index.php/topic,20.0.html

[stellavox]

Jay,

I've used a few of them and found it to be a very nice sounding deck.  Makes a good recording also.

Make sure it is working properly though.  It uses a separate motor to engage and retract the pinch roller and the grease in that mechanism can freeze up - rendering it inoperative.  Can be cleaned up/out but the work is a chore.

Charles

[Jayeltex]

Thank you both very much for your quick responses, very helpful !   I had been told that the Tandberg was an ok machine but I knew in an ideal work Technics or a Revox (I grew up on Revox...)would be most suitable.

stay tuned...

jay