How To: Set Sony Deck Playback Frequency Response - A Step-by-step Guide
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- Join me in this instructive video as I guide you through the process of setting the optimal playback frequency response for your Sony deck. With a straightforward and easy-to-follow approach, I explain the various adjustments required to achieve the best audio performance from your equipment.
In this guide, you'll learn the technicalities behind playback frequency response and understand how crucial it is to the overall audio output. While this tutorial primarily focuses on Sony decks, the principles discussed apply to many of the decks that I work on regularly.
Whether you're a hobbyist or a seasoned technician, this video offers valuable insights that can help you improve your audio restoration and tuning skills. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of vintage audio equipment and enhance the sound quality of your cassette decks!
![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/48PxwspDvrE/mqdefault.jpg)
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I have to thank you. You show us how to tune up a cassette deck. You lift a cassette deck to the highest level.
Thanks, and Happy New Year!
@@hifirulezzz Happy New Year
Thanks!
Wow. It’s like magic! You pulled a robot out of your hat, getting so much out of that old head.
thank you sir ! i tried to adding a pair of 330pf cap and replaced variable resistor to adjust,it can payback high frequency again ! really nice video👍
Glad it did help you.
Can you please do
How to videos for Nakamichi? Been fan of the 680zx
Ok, I will make an explanatory video. However, if your Nakamichi is not playing FR tape - the head is worn badly.
Hi, it's really amazing result, i don't find what's up if you switch ON HX-Pro, because on my same deck HX-pro don't works correctly. Thank you.
HX-Pro has separate bias adjustments.
@@hifirulezzz Я не нашел
hi,
I am using tc-k222esl. I am using Nak T-100 as test program. I'm testing "fr sweep". But at 10khz it goes straight down. I can't figure out the sudden frequency drop. I set calibration from front panel. I start recording but the high frequency sounds are almost non-existent. It's like it doesn't record frequencies after 10kz. There is a lot of difference between source and monitor. I set it to 400hz on the nak t-100 and "222esl" shows up as 0 db on the front panel. then I set it to 10khz. "222esl" decreases to -20 db on the front panel. Where could the problem be?
thanks
Cassette decks can record above 10 kHz only at low levels, you should measure sweep on -20 dB
Thank you very much for your reply.
Now I did a scan at -20 db as you said, but the result did not change. The results in your video are amazing. I also go down between 8khz and 10khz. Could it be a problem with rv303, rv403, rv302, rv402? Or would it be helpful to replace the capacitor as you did? because I don't get any pleasure while recording from 222esl. I bought it in a restored state from Japan. It saddens me that it records so badly.
@@user-lk2mw4um5g I may guess that head needs to be lapped. Absolute all 222s I have seen delivered from Japan had worn heads. And after lapping it still would require to install FR correction pots and additional capacitors to compensate loss.
@@hifirulezzz You explained it very well. I will do as you say. I hope for good results. You are very knowledgeable. I enjoy watching your videos. I will continue to use your information.
Best regards.
Amazing resource. Looking forward to one day tune my TC-K770 the same way.
Also since you're talking Sony... how about calibrating the Dolby circuitry? I've always had the impression of Dolby muffling the sound, is it just normal drawback or is it because of mistracking ?
Dolby cuts highs a little bit anyway. It is just how it was designed. You may compensate by reducing bias and it will sound significantly better.
I used a 560pf ceramic capacitor for the left channel of the pb amplifier and a 470pf plastic capacitor for the right channel and the high frequencies were enlivened (increased 3db). but I couldn't fix the db slope between low frequencies and high frequencies. At 40hz -20db, 8khz becomes -22.5db. There is a flat landing. If it's 17khz it's -25db. If I replace the old capacitors with muse bp or toshin kogyo utsj capacitors, will it affect the result? Or is that the maximum upgrade I can get from the 222esl?
th-cam.com/video/OuWgEd7hjgI/w-d-xo.html
Hello.
I watch your videos with great interest.
I had my tc-k222esl cassettedeck completely restored.
But when I insert my sony hf-s and sony chrome cassette (rec level 0, bias level 0) and calibrate, my indicator is 4 points below the "rec cal red point". "Cal level meter adjustment" Do I need to readjust the RV102 and RV202?
Kind regards
If both of the bars on the scale are of the same level - then not much to worry about, just adjust the record level. If bars "low" and "high" are 4 bars different - then it is head ware, as sensitivity on the highs is lower.
@@hifirulezzz Your answer was helpful, thank you very much. Sorry for typing the level wrong. It's not 4 bars, it's 8 bars low. I will increase the level from "rec level" as you said.
I have a Tascam 122b. The mids and HF are good. But the LF are really not that great. Is there ways to adjust LF on playback on cassette decks? I am using a new commercial music cassette and also tdk type ii for recording. Recording is also the same when i play back via repro. . LF not quite got the oomph like my other Tascam decks. Could the caps be going bad? Its an old deck. 1980s, early.
Dried capacitors will may be a reason. I have met an Akai deck with very thin sound and level indicators were not moving levels. Replaced capacitors and it was a super sounding deck.
@@hifirulezzz There are alot of caps on the rec/play board. Maybe just the electrolytic and LL caps? Mylar are OK probably?
@@rcary yes, I meant electrolytes
Learning mode ON. I am pretty sure I am unable to detect it.
I have a TC-K770ES which is feature reduced export version of this deck... I love the form factor and ergonomics.
I really need to buy a scope to test these decks on my own but I can't find anything new that I like
Well, exact copy is K870ES 😎 And you may just spend $25 for a good software like I am using which will cover your needs.
@@hifirulezzz I can read speed with my meter, if there is some software that can measure "phase" during playback for azimuth adj. I'll get it. I am on Windows.
@@m80116 check videos on my channel, I am using Nak T-100 Analyzer software which is available for Mac and Windows. It has oscilloscope mode where you will be able to set the azimuth
@@hifirulezzz Best tip ever. Thank you... I noticed that software already and told myself: I'll never be able to find anything closer for Windows... but it wasn't my deck on the wrong bias... it was me!
@@hifirulezzz Thanks again... now I have to upgrade Windows that I don't do since well... 2016 and even find out how that software has 3000 Hz speed calibration mode. I can't understand what is that for... anyway, I'll find out eventually
I'm dying to try that software to characterize the frequency response of my cassette tapes.
This looks like a gap loss. I believe there were discussions on TH about the heads in these sony decks having very shallow gap depth, and with minimal wear the gap starts to open very early in the head's life, which s*cks.
Well, Microscope does not confirm that theory. What I mentioned, is that Sendust heads and Nakamichi Crystalloy heads age better than Laserampurphous. Also, have read in a few places, that it was a marketing move to make last-generation decks produce less hiss, and as a result, they changed the schematic not to match to IEC curve. Check yourself. Earlier generation decks with LA heads had capacitors parallel to the head and later were not.
If I record a FHZ Sweep what fhz did you use? Will the peak level be the same for high 10k HZ? I want to test my cassette head know to lose Hight fhz also is their a way to play it and graft the fhz responds or software like a 2 Head Deck?
manufacturers agree to use the IEC II standard to have compatibility between decks. As a result frequency response was normalized to have the same response in the range of 400 Hz - 10,000 Hz. All good decks correspond to this standard and should fully match specialized test tapes. However, for your purpose to just measure if the deck heads degraded compared to the good decks you know - you can record sweep tape on the good calibrated deck and play on the suspicious deck. You will have to make sure that the playback phase will match the recorded phase. If a deviation will not exceed 1-2 dB you should be fine. If it exceeds 3 dB or more - definitely correction will be needed or the head should be replaced.
@@hifirulezzz Thanks I can use a software program that can do a Fhz sweep But what would be the output Level? and equal to what DB? -20db? for Best recording?
@@musicstevecom If your source deck is a Nakamichi - you may use -10 dB as most of Nakamichi's record flat at this level. For the generic case use -20 dB, specifically on type I tapes.