TEAC 3340 output noise

[snipeguy]

My 3340 has developed a SHHHH(like steady wind) noise on track 3 when in Tape Mode. The output level affects the noise. It seems worse in Simul-Sync Mode. Any ideas?

[The Ghost of FM]

Are you using the deck with noise reduction? If so, is the channel bypassed for it on track 3?

Is this a multiple occurrence? No matter what you try to record, all you get is hiss and no signal?

Or, is there hiss and the signal, only higher now then before?

Sorry for all the question.

Cheers!

[snipeguy]

I have hiss and signal. If I turn down the output of #3 when mixing I can "live with it". However for low level stuff it's maddening.

[snipeguy]

Oh yeah, I forgot. I don't use noise reduction.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by snipeguy

My 3340 has developed a SHHHH(like steady wind) noise on track 3 when in Tape Mode. The output level affects the noise. It seems worse in Simul-Sync Mode. Any ideas?

SOMEWHERE in your playback circuitry is a bad bypass cap. This is my first guess. It is an old deck and the electrolytic caps are drying up.........



That is where the term "re-capping" comes from should you ever encounter it when talking about vintage electronic equipment.

[snipeguy]

Is this an easy fix? About how much would it cost? I really like using this deck for my songwriting stuff and can't really afford to upgrade right now. I do a lot of my own maintainace and would be willing to try to do it myself if I knew what to do. Am I dreaming?

[acorec]

Originally Posted by snipeguy

Is this an easy fix? About how much would it cost? I really like using this deck for my songwriting stuff and can't really afford to upgrade right now. I do a lot of my own maintainace and would be willing to try to do it myself if I knew what to do. Am I dreaming?

It is an easy but TIME consuming task. First, you really have to be sure this is the problem. You say that it only happens on ch 3? If this is true, it is not tape noise as tape noise (hiss) would happen on all channels. The place to look is on the card that has the electronics for ch3 If there is a single card for each channel. It sounds like it is in the playback path as opposed to the record path. You will have to get schematics or a repair manual for your machine and find the electronic path from the output of the tape head to the output of ch3. The bypass caps are the likely suspects, but any electrolytic cap in the path could do it.

The sound a faulty cap usually makes is a "swooshing" sound like a jet plane. Some other sounds are funny feedback like " woop, woop" sounds and "thumping" sounds. A constant "hiss" might not be a cap problem.

Before I would bother looking for this type of problem, however, I would align the deck and bias it to see if the problem goes away. The giveaway here is that it only happens on ch3. So, the power supply and any other electronics common to all channels is probably ruled out.

[snipeguy]

Thanks for all your help Acorec. As none of my recorded stuff is for release I'm going to live with the hiss for now. All I do is work on songs that I have written and maybe play them to my teenage kids. With chritmas coming I have a lot on my plate but I might attack it in the new year. If I do I'm sure I'll post again for guidance. I AM going to do the alignment and bias as soon as I can get my hands on a test tape and maybe a scope. Thanks again and happy ho ho.