Tascam TSR-8 Wow and Flutter Problem

[diskobox]

Hi!

My tascam TSR-8 recordings are experiencing are lot of wow and flutter, i have fresh tape in, and i have cleaned all the tape path/components properly. What I have noticed is the tape which I attach to the left hub always rubs against the metal reel it is in. On closer inspection, the left metal round thing that I attach the left NAB Hub to is sticking out more than the right one by approx 1/2 a cm. As a result the left tape Reel attached to the left NAB Hub constantly rubs against teh edge of the actual tape. Whereas the tape attached to the right NAB Hub is fine and perfectly aligned.

whats going on!? I hope that makes sense!

Thank you

 

[jpmorris]

I'd check the pinch roller, actually. Maybe the belt as well. While the rubbing isn't good, it's more likely to be a capstan issue causing this.

 

[Beck]

I agree it’s most likely the pinch roller and/or capstan belt. Last time I had to change the capstan belt on my TSR-8 I had the same wobbly audio problem due to belt slippage. However you could see the same thing with a dirty or glazed pinch roller and/or capstan. It would take a pretty badly wobbling reel to effect wow and flutter, as the capstan and pinch roller together keep the tape at a constant speed.

Ideally you don’t want the tape edges rubbing the reel though. You can fine-tune the position of the reel tables to eliminate tape rub. However, first be sure it’s not just one reel that’s bent out of shape.

Best way to load your tape is to use a good empty reel on the left side and rewind your new reel of tape onto it before recording. Place the new reel face down on the right reel table so you can rewind it and then flip the new reel face up before threading the tape back onto it for recording. You accomplish three important things this way: 1) you always want to run a new tape through once before recording, 2) you want to store recordings tails-out and 3) you always have a supply reel that doesn’t rub because you’ve finely adjusted the reel table height to accommodate it. Different tape reels from different manufacturers can vary enough that tape will run without rubbing on one type, but will rub on another.

The reel tables could contribute to audible wow and flutter is if they are broken and the reel is visibly wobbling to an extreme or if a break is sticking… not releasing when you hit play.