Darn cheap ADAT Blackfaces

[RawDepth]

A local man (a stranger to me) has two Alesis Blackfaces and a remote for sale. He only wants $100 each. They display “ERR 7” and he says it only means that they are due for their 300 hour cleaning.

Is there anything more to this error message? Could it mean something more serious? I have downloaded instructions on cleaning and lubing ADAT Blackfaces and it seems pretty simple.

What should I be checking or looking for before buying them (besides head hours)?

[boingoman]

Alesis sez, "Bad write sector when machine is playing or recording in sync," but the reality of this message is the machine's inability to read good data from the tape. This could be a simple as the tape being non-formatted or that the heads need cleaning (you wish), it could also be a servo issue -- the head and capstan motors must be in precise synchronization -- and in many cases it is a failed head preamp (inside the head assembly). Not all service facilities can do in-head repairs

I'd clean 'em first, see if the error message disappears, or tell the guy you want 'em cleaned............


Eddie Ciletti ADAT page

[AGCurry]

I recently purchased an LX-20. Shortly thereafter, it started displaying this error. Cleaning did not fix it, so I returned it for repair (Advanced Musical in LA) and they fixed it. So it may or may not just need cleaning...

[notbradsohner]

where are you located?

[tuna]

Mine started to give these err7, and sometimes stat NoFo, while I was working, with all tapes.
I did the basic cleaning, as many webistes teach, and it got pretty ok, working nice .
I think it had some dirty in the sync head.