reel to reel recording too low!

[brizaniac]

I have a Teac A-2000r that's been working perfectly fine until about two weeks ago. Now whenever I record anything, I can hardly hear it when I play it back. If i scream into the microphone it picks up a terribly distorted sound due to the clipping. I've tried plugging my microphones into a mixer and then into the microphone inputs and I still have the same issues. Same with the red and white line in. Whenever i set the output to "source" in both of these situations I can hear the mics perfectly....but once its recorded on tape its practically inaudible. I could probably transfer it onto my computer and turn it up way loud but I think the tape hiss would be way overwhelming. I've heard its maybe a power issue.

does anyone know what the deal is or how to fix it??

[A Reel Person]

Clean the heads really well. Sticky shed could totally interrupt the recording process.

Make sure the tape is mounted in the correct orientation, with the oxide side toward the head. It doesn't take more than an inadvertent twist before the takeup reel to spool the tape entirely upside down on the reel!