Excellent refurbishment and this looks to be in lovely condition. I just had a 238 repaired by @tetrakan in the UK and am delighted to have a working unit. Do you know if it’s possible to sync a 238 with a 688?
Thanks, and yes you can chase lock a 238 and 688 together, but you have to have a synchronizer that can tackle the job like a Tascam MTS-1000 MIDIizer, TimeLine Micro Lynx or similar. But both are chase-lock capable machines.
Just bear in mind a synchronizer that will do what you want to do is hard to find and getting harder, and typically the hardest part is finding the correct cables to interface the synchronizer with your devices. Usually you have to make your own cable, and the correct parts and/or schematics can be hard to find, or you have to pay somebody to do that if you don’t know how, and it’s expensive. So budget for that.
@@SweetbeatsTechStop Thanks. Yes I’ve had a search and can only see one Tascam MTS-1000 available for sale in the world at the moment, and none by Timeline. Are there any other models you’re aware of that would fit the bill? 🤞🏻
The Tascam ES-50 is another one. Again, you’re considering doing something that is extremely complicated in this day and age, was was so, relatively speaking, “back in the day.” As your 688 owner’s manual tells you, machine synchronization is “much more complicated than MIDI synchronization…”
Hah! I was wondering if somebody was going to notice…I actually wasn’t trying to flash the tape during the video because I was worried about being judged for using what appears to be a metal formulation tape, and of course the 238 calls for only Cr02 formula tape…I had to look to make sure I was putting the tape back in on side A…the trick is this…it’s not MA-R…it’s actually PRO SM60. I swapped the PRO SM tape and reels into the MA-R shell. I use that for calibration. Correct tape but superior shell…stable and consistent. I’m sure the PRO SM shell is absolutely fine, but I like my hybrid cassette for my “shop tape”. Thanks for the encouragement with the listing. It’s a really nice deck. Somebody will enjoy it.
Hi. Thanks for the interest. I have it listed locally on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace as pickup only, but also listed on Reverb as shipping or local pickup: reverb.com/item/78885432-tascam-238-syncaset-package-serviced-100
Hello..I have a device that was abandoned a long time ago. It is working but in operation it is not working. In turning and going it works possible to help
I honestly don’t know. I don’t know what device you are talking about, and I don’t know what symptoms the device is presenting, so I don’t know if I can help.
@@SweetbeatsTechStop Welcome. I am talking about a Tascam recorder, model 238. I had a problem with it: play does not work. The rest of the verbs are good, but only play does not work........ I need how to fix the mechanical fault. If you have a video about that, thank you very much.
When you press play do the heads engage the tape, but the tape does not move and then after a couple seconds the heads drop back down? Or is the problem the heads don’t even move up to engage the tape?
@@SweetbeatsTechStop If you have a website on WhatsApp or Messenger, I can send you a recorded video of the situation and you can decide what the solution is
My 238 has worked perfectly for over 10 years (not much use though). But unfortunately just recently i'm getting unsteady playback speed. It seems the speed is pitching up and down, is that the capstan issue you were talking about?
Yes. Typically on a 238 (and a 122 mkIII), any capstan-related issues (whether runaway state, unstable speed or non-functioning) is related to the SMT electrolytic capacitors on the capstan servo PCB. The capacitors drift out of spec with age causing performance issues, and/or leak electrolyte damaging neighboring traces and/or components, which also causes performance issues.
Each to their own. Some people enjoy the Philips cassette format. The machine can perform well if properly maintained/refurbished. I drug my feet on selling it…because it actually worked within spec across all tracks. But I have other formats to work with. That doesn’t mean it isn’t “it” for somebody else, and I think the individual who bought it was that person. And I’m glad to provide for them a 238 that actually works like it’s supposed to across all tracks since that’s what they wanted.
hi hi one the servo pcb is junk on this deck i had 2 i had to jazz up and pulled all the speed gear out and back worked the deck to belt drive wwith a motor an pulley 100% it can be done the deck can run at 3 3/4 to 7 1/2 evil man you need a 4000rpm motor the one you can step the speed up and down the speed knob runs the speed it was a bit of luck it end up like this i tryed to fix the servo to far gone so a re work was
Excellent refurbishment and this looks to be in lovely condition. I just had a 238 repaired by @tetrakan in the UK and am delighted to have a working unit. Do you know if it’s possible to sync a 238 with a 688?
Thanks, and yes you can chase lock a 238 and 688 together, but you have to have a synchronizer that can tackle the job like a Tascam MTS-1000 MIDIizer, TimeLine Micro Lynx or similar. But both are chase-lock capable machines.
@@SweetbeatsTechStop Thanks very much for the quick reply! I’m going to see if I can find one of those sync devices then. 👍
Just bear in mind a synchronizer that will do what you want to do is hard to find and getting harder, and typically the hardest part is finding the correct cables to interface the synchronizer with your devices. Usually you have to make your own cable, and the correct parts and/or schematics can be hard to find, or you have to pay somebody to do that if you don’t know how, and it’s expensive. So budget for that.
@@SweetbeatsTechStop Thanks. Yes I’ve had a search and can only see one Tascam MTS-1000 available for sale in the world at the moment, and none by Timeline. Are there any other models you’re aware of that would fit the bill? 🤞🏻
The Tascam ES-50 is another one. Again, you’re considering doing something that is extremely complicated in this day and age, was was so, relatively speaking, “back in the day.” As your 688 owner’s manual tells you, machine synchronization is “much more complicated than MIDI synchronization…”
I assume this is sold. Might be cool to pair with my M308B
Yes, it sold. Thanks!
Nice touch with the TDK MA-R. I hope you get the 16 hundred ;)
Hah! I was wondering if somebody was going to notice…I actually wasn’t trying to flash the tape during the video because I was worried about being judged for using what appears to be a metal formulation tape, and of course the 238 calls for only Cr02 formula tape…I had to look to make sure I was putting the tape back in on side A…the trick is this…it’s not MA-R…it’s actually PRO SM60. I swapped the PRO SM tape and reels into the MA-R shell. I use that for calibration. Correct tape but superior shell…stable and consistent. I’m sure the PRO SM shell is absolutely fine, but I like my hybrid cassette for my “shop tape”. Thanks for the encouragement with the listing. It’s a really nice deck. Somebody will enjoy it.
Hi there! Where can I find the listing once this goes up? Thank you!!
Hi. Thanks for the interest. I have it listed locally on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace as pickup only, but also listed on Reverb as shipping or local pickup: reverb.com/item/78885432-tascam-238-syncaset-package-serviced-100
Hello..I have a device that was abandoned a long time ago. It is working but in operation it is not working. In turning and going it works possible to help
I honestly don’t know. I don’t know what device you are talking about, and I don’t know what symptoms the device is presenting, so I don’t know if I can help.
@@SweetbeatsTechStop Welcome. I am talking about a Tascam recorder, model 238. I had a problem with it: play does not work. The rest of the verbs are good, but only play does not work........ I need how to fix the mechanical fault. If you have a video about that, thank you very much.
When you press play do the heads engage the tape, but the tape does not move and then after a couple seconds the heads drop back down? Or is the problem the heads don’t even move up to engage the tape?
@@SweetbeatsTechStop If you have a website on WhatsApp or Messenger, I can send you a recorded video of the situation and you can decide what the solution is
@@SweetbeatsTechStop If possible please
Man I love this machine
Hey Travis, are you getting a 238 too?
no way@@wehappyfewmusic
My 238 has worked perfectly for over 10 years (not much use though). But unfortunately just recently i'm getting unsteady playback speed. It seems the speed is pitching up and down, is that the capstan issue you were talking about?
Yes. Typically on a 238 (and a 122 mkIII), any capstan-related issues (whether runaway state, unstable speed or non-functioning) is related to the SMT electrolytic capacitors on the capstan servo PCB. The capacitors drift out of spec with age causing performance issues, and/or leak electrolyte damaging neighboring traces and/or components, which also causes performance issues.
I love what u did to get this machine perfect but its silly to spend money on this machine unless its super important like transferring old tapes!
Each to their own. Some people enjoy the Philips cassette format. The machine can perform well if properly maintained/refurbished. I drug my feet on selling it…because it actually worked within spec across all tracks. But I have other formats to work with. That doesn’t mean it isn’t “it” for somebody else, and I think the individual who bought it was that person. And I’m glad to provide for them a 238 that actually works like it’s supposed to across all tracks since that’s what they wanted.
hi hi one the servo pcb is junk on this deck i had 2 i had to jazz up and pulled all the speed gear out and back worked the deck
to belt drive wwith a motor an pulley 100% it can be done
the deck can run at 3 3/4 to 7 1/2 evil man you need a 4000rpm motor the one you can step the speed up and down
the speed knob runs the speed it was a bit of luck it end up like this i tryed to fix the servo to far gone
so a re work was