They're surprisingly forgiving. The manual will tell you how to clean the heads. Do that first, then try playing the tape they gave you. Try recording something- you'll want the meters just hitting the red, tape doesn't clip, but don't push it to the wall. Right around zero is ideal and it's okay if the clip lights come on with big peaks just do they go off again. Have fun! 😏
Thank you. Giselle! I'm pretty excited - I'm going to see how far I can get it going but I'm for sure out of my comfort zone. Follow up video will be necessary, ha!
A tuneup includes an electrical alignment. That requires certified test tapes, which are probably impossible find anymore. Everything in the audio circuits of that machine is Analog. The first step is to look up the RMS voltage of -0dbVU (I think it is 0.775 V RMS) send a verified -0db signal to the machine, then adjust the VU meters to read 0db at 0.775V RMS with a 1KHz sine wave. If the meters are uncalibrated the whole alignment will be meaningless. The test tapes needed to do this may be impossible to find and/or deteriorated. You are basically aligning the analog electronics so that 0db going in result in 0db coming off the tape and reads 0db on the meter. Former recording engineer/Studio Musician here. In the 90s we used 2" 24 Track tape. Sometimes synced 2x24 Tk machines with TimeCode (SMPTE) to make 48 Tracks. That would mean aligning all 48 channels before a major session. There is an art to it. The 3 heads are (in order): Erase/Bias Head Sel/Sync Head Playback Head You need to look up what Sel/Sync means to understand how a multi-track analog tape machine works. Sel/Sync was invented by Mr. Les Paul (Lester Paulfus) himself and revolutiinized audio recording in the late 40s - early 50s. Sel/Sync is a head that acts Selectively as a Record Head and a decen, but not perfect, playback head. That is how overdubs were invented on analog tape. The Record and Monitor heads have to be at the same place on the tape path or else the overdub would be milliseconds behind the original track. Back im the 1990s SoundTools was an editing and (yuch!) mastering software. Stereo based. ProTools had just come out and it was a clunky nightmare that was kind of useful to "fix" specific tracks or layer things in Post Prod, but it was useless as a replacement for the multitrack tapes at the time. A problem you will run into with any old analog audio equipment. Manyof the capacitors they were built with are Electrolytic Capacitors. (They have special oils or chemicals which achieve the capacitance rated on the shell.) These leak and/or evaporate over decades so they no longer are acurate to specifications. It is possible to replace some of them, put specifically the Electrolytic capacitors in the audio circuits are made with chemicals (carcinogens) that are now banned by the EU, Japan, and California so nobody makes them anymore. Finally.... DO NOT USE ALCOHOL TO CLEAN RUBBER COMPONENTS! It will dry them out and make them crack. Use Distilled Water on a rag and lots of elbow-grease. HOWEVER... DO NOT USE WATER ON TAPE HEADS OR METAL GUIDES! This will cause rust. You need 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. The standard medical 71% Isopropyl contains too much water.
excellent deck. i used one for a couple years back in the mid-80's and I think the tuneup would be replace belts and rubber rollers, degauss the heads, and have a tech do all that for you and clean it up if need be. Then you should be set for another 25 years or so. Good little performer for home stereo audio. I'd grab one in a minute for less than say $200 in good working order.
Nice find when i first started playing back in the 80s We did a bunch of demos on the same unit Always had it hooked to to a 8 track analog board. Get ready to make decisions when recording, As you will learn to bounce tracks very quickly to save space…
Fist, you should clean everything that will come in contact with the tape. On first play i'd have my hands close to the power switch, just in case something goes wrong... If both reels turn in different directions, something goes wrong 😉 If the sound is fine for the first few seconds and then start to sound dull/muffled, there is a good chance that the tape is bad and will start to mess up the heads and the mechanism. Don't adjust anything before you tried another tape that maybe isn't sticky
Someone commented that you can't get the "carcinogenic" capacitors anymore. Don't know about the carcinogenic aspect, but you can get any old components that have drifted 'out of spec' replaced with new components of similar original value, so that won't be a barrier getting it tip-top electrically.
If capacitors are carcinogenic, you're using them wrong. You don't eat them, you put them in a circuit. Who told you capacitors are "carcinogenic "? That's one of the most absurd things I've ever heard.
I have one of them too. It's a mega piece of kit. Mine was adapted to use a standard "kettle" lead and had been completely refurbished and calibrated. The only thing I've ever had to do is replace the counter belt.
Maybe clean the heads with IPA. 3 heads refers to the erase head, record head and playback head. It is possible to listen to the playback on the playback head while your recording. The output is a fraction of a second after the input. The faster the tape speed the shorter the delay. A great trick to play on someone get them to record a vocal while playing back the playback head in their headphone. Result instant drunk effect. Enjoy the reel to reel these were the DAWs of their time. Great for cut editing.
Bring it back to life gently ...............Using a variac for over a day.........then let it idle for another day...........firts use a good tape and start erasing to revive the bias oscilator . Then you start enjoying your first recodings............and hear when good stuff was made to reproduce music instead of processed musical food. If the tapedeck is in good condition , it will put a smile on your face ......Good luck . Don't forget to clean the heads and pinch roller with isoprop alcohol. ( and demagnitize the heads )
Hey! I'm thinking about buying a Golden Age Project Pre-73 mkiii and saw your video on it; I'm wondering if it can withstand the test of time, how is yours after these few years?
Unfortunately I ended up trying two of them and both weren't great and would have pops and static noises. I returned them both and bought an ART pre amp which I still have. BUT I know lots of people who have had zero problems with the GAP73 and love them...so I could have just been unlucky.
@@CantAffordToRecord Looks great! I may go for a transistor preamp but thanks for the vids! Instantly clicked on your videos because man is that a relatable channel name.
I live in Canada now but prior to that move I was also in the states and it was very eye opening compared to the UK charity shops. When I lived in New Hampshire I was coming home with record players and HI FI equipment, daily for close to nothing!
@CantAffordToRecord Yeah, we get nothing like that in the UK...apart from CEX shops, who sell second hand electronics for close to retail price with a MASSIVE markup! 🫣🙄
Very basic piece of audio gear from a recent past. Very easy to use. I do not understand that someone who has a youtube channel talking about audio can`t figure it out. I had several different reel to reel audio products when they came out and I can`t remember one I had to read the instruction manual before using it.
![ILLSLICK X YOUNGOHM - We're The same [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yUJNkobYR0E/mqdefault.jpg)
They're surprisingly forgiving. The manual will tell you how to clean the heads. Do that first, then try playing the tape they gave you. Try recording something- you'll want the meters just hitting the red, tape doesn't clip, but don't push it to the wall. Right around zero is ideal and it's okay if the clip lights come on with big peaks just do they go off again. Have fun! 😏
Thank you. Giselle! I'm pretty excited - I'm going to see how far I can get it going but I'm for sure out of my comfort zone. Follow up video will be necessary, ha!
A tuneup includes an electrical alignment. That requires certified test tapes, which are probably impossible find anymore.
Everything in the audio circuits of that machine is Analog. The first step is to look up the RMS voltage of -0dbVU (I think it is 0.775 V RMS) send a verified -0db signal to the machine, then adjust the VU meters to read 0db at 0.775V RMS with a 1KHz sine wave. If the meters are uncalibrated the whole alignment will be meaningless.
The test tapes needed to do this may be impossible to find and/or deteriorated. You are basically aligning the analog electronics so that 0db going in result in 0db coming off the tape and reads 0db on the meter.
Former recording engineer/Studio Musician here.
In the 90s we used 2" 24 Track tape. Sometimes synced 2x24 Tk machines with TimeCode (SMPTE) to make 48 Tracks.
That would mean aligning all 48 channels before a major session. There is an art to it.
The 3 heads are (in order):
Erase/Bias Head
Sel/Sync Head
Playback Head
You need to look up what Sel/Sync means to understand how a multi-track analog tape machine works.
Sel/Sync was invented by Mr. Les Paul (Lester Paulfus) himself and revolutiinized audio recording in the late 40s - early 50s.
Sel/Sync is a head that acts Selectively as a Record Head and a decen, but not perfect, playback head. That is how overdubs were invented on analog tape. The Record and Monitor heads have to be at the same place on the tape path or else the overdub would be milliseconds behind the original track.
Back im the 1990s SoundTools was an editing and (yuch!) mastering software. Stereo based. ProTools had just come out and it was a clunky nightmare that was kind of useful to "fix" specific tracks or layer things in Post Prod, but it was useless as a replacement for the multitrack tapes at the time.
A problem you will run into with any old analog audio equipment. Manyof the capacitors they were built with are Electrolytic Capacitors. (They have special oils or chemicals which achieve the capacitance rated on the shell.) These leak and/or evaporate over decades so they no longer are acurate to specifications. It is possible to replace some of them, put specifically the Electrolytic capacitors in the audio circuits are made with chemicals (carcinogens) that are now banned by the EU, Japan, and California so nobody makes them anymore.
Finally....
DO NOT USE ALCOHOL TO CLEAN RUBBER COMPONENTS! It will dry them out and make them crack. Use Distilled Water on a rag and lots of elbow-grease.
HOWEVER...
DO NOT USE WATER ON TAPE HEADS OR METAL GUIDES! This will cause rust. You need 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. The standard medical 71% Isopropyl contains too much water.
So much great info here, thanks for taking the time :-)
Welcome to recalibration and degaussing. I probably have a test tape somewhere in my garage. Sold the Tascam Reel to Reel decades ago.
Pleased to be here...uhh, I think 😅
I had that exact unit, back in the 70's.
Amazing! How was it??
It was fun for that time., but the sound-on-sound (overdubbing) produces mono recordings only.
I had one growing up in the '80s. It recorded pretty good on Radio Shack tape.
Subbed.
Thanks so much!
excellent deck. i used one for a couple years back in the mid-80's and I think the tuneup would be replace belts and rubber rollers, degauss the heads, and have a tech do all that for you and clean it up if need be. Then you should be set for another 25 years or so. Good little performer for home stereo audio. I'd grab one in a minute for less than say $200 in good working order.
It's definitely making progress but yes I think I need to get it to a tech and have them give it the once over!
Nice find when i first started playing back in the 80s We did a bunch of demos on the same unit Always had it hooked to to a 8 track analog board. Get ready to make decisions when recording, As you will learn to bounce tracks very quickly to save space…
You mean there's no CMD+Z on this thing!? 😅
No command Z on this thing but if you put a really really powerful magnet next to the tape, you might be able to erase just one track lol
@@JamieR74 Ha! Amazing! 😅
Fist, you should clean everything that will come in contact with the tape.
On first play i'd have my hands close to the power switch, just in case something goes wrong...
If both reels turn in different directions, something goes wrong 😉
If the sound is fine for the first few seconds and then start to sound dull/muffled, there is a good chance that the tape is bad and will start to mess up the heads and the mechanism. Don't adjust anything before you tried another tape that maybe isn't sticky
Awesome advice! Thank you :-)
Someone commented that you can't get the "carcinogenic" capacitors anymore. Don't know about the carcinogenic aspect, but you can get any old components that have drifted 'out of spec' replaced with new components of similar original value, so that won't be a barrier getting it tip-top electrically.
That's encouraging to know :)
If capacitors are carcinogenic, you're using them wrong. You don't eat them, you put them in a circuit. Who told you capacitors are "carcinogenic "? That's one of the most absurd things I've ever heard.
I bought Revox B77 mk II and I am very happy with that :))
Wow yes, they look lovely!
I have one of them too. It's a mega piece of kit. Mine was adapted to use a standard "kettle" lead and had been completely refurbished and calibrated. The only thing I've ever had to do is replace the counter belt.
Maybe clean the heads with IPA. 3 heads refers to the erase head, record head and playback head. It is possible to listen to the playback on the playback head while your recording. The output is a fraction of a second after the input. The faster the tape speed the shorter the delay. A great trick to play on someone get them to record a vocal while playing back the playback head in their headphone. Result instant drunk effect. Enjoy the reel to reel these were the DAWs of their time. Great for cut editing.
Awesome - Thanks for info here and tip!!
My dad got loads off 2 track real 2 real with the big old glass valves 😂😂😂
Bring it back to life gently ...............Using a variac for over a day.........then let it idle for another day...........firts use a good tape and start erasing to revive the bias oscilator .
Then you start enjoying your first recodings............and hear when good stuff was made to reproduce music instead of processed musical food.
If the tapedeck is in good condition , it will put a smile on your face ......Good luck .
Don't forget to clean the heads and pinch roller with isoprop alcohol.
( and demagnitize the heads )
Great advice, thank you for this!
I wonder if it’s like film photography where the pictures just look better in some indefineable way
Perhaps! There really is no sound quite like recording to tape 🙌🏻
My Father Has 2 Reel To Reel Tape Players In The Early 1970s... They're Quite Easy To Use...
Hey! I'm thinking about buying a Golden Age Project Pre-73 mkiii and saw your video on it; I'm wondering if it can withstand the test of time, how is yours after these few years?
Unfortunately I ended up trying two of them and both weren't great and would have pops and static noises. I returned them both and bought an ART pre amp which I still have. BUT I know lots of people who have had zero problems with the GAP73 and love them...so I could have just been unlucky.
@ ah, oh well. Do you have any recommendations?
@@levoull ART Pro MPA II - I have videos on it!
@@CantAffordToRecord Looks great! I may go for a transistor preamp but thanks for the vids! Instantly clicked on your videos because man is that a relatable channel name.
Are you in the UK? Where do you shop to find these things? Charity shops I go to never have anything like the kind of stuff we like.
I live in Canada now but prior to that move I was also in the states and it was very eye opening compared to the UK charity shops. When I lived in New Hampshire I was coming home with record players and HI FI equipment, daily for close to nothing!
@CantAffordToRecord Yeah, we get nothing like that in the UK...apart from CEX shops, who sell second hand electronics for close to retail price with a MASSIVE markup! 🫣🙄
❤
I am 70 y e ars old and started recording when i was 10yrs old...
I am also a prof engineer
if you want help i can answer all your questions...
Very basic piece of audio gear from a recent past. Very easy to use. I do not understand that someone who has a youtube channel talking about audio can`t figure it out. I had several different reel to reel audio products when they came out and I can`t remember one I had to read the instruction manual before using it.
You better believe it, bubba!