Tired old Tascam 80-8 (cross-posted by suggestion)

J

jmarkwolf

New member
Someone on the Tascam forum suggested that my question would be better posted on this forum, so here goes:

I've got an old Tascam 80-8 multi-track recorder that is in mint condition and everything seems to work fine... EXCEPT... the rewind and fast-forward are slow, and sometimes take awhile to wind up. Also the impedance wheel continues to spin on for quite awhile when I stop the tape.

I'm hoping some capacitors on the power supply to the reel motors have gone bad, and that the impedance wheel brake issue is related. If so, it should be an easy fix. I've ordered the service manual to view the schematics before I lug it (and my money) down to the service depot.

Has anyone on the forum experienced this?
 
The Ghost of FM said:
The motors may be in need of a lube or a cleaning of the interior brush assemblies or at worst, they may be in need of replacement.

Sticky shed can also spoof these conditions. Does it behave the same with fresh, new tape on a clean set of heads and guides?

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

Please see above.

~Daniel ;)
 
There is some shedding, but I only own three 1/2" tapes, and only one of those am I'm willing to thread onto a machine with unknown tape transport problems.

The other two tapes I want to re-capture onto digital medium and I'm unwilling to test the the tape transports with them.

I ordered the service manual, that should shed at least a little light on the subject.
 
You won't have valid test conditions unless you're using a known-good, fresh tape.

So, anti-up $35 more, and buy a fresh reel of 1/2" 456,... & retest.
 
The motors may be in need of a lube or a cleaning of the interior brush assemblies or at worst, they may be in need of replacement.

Sticky shed can also spoof these conditions. Does it behave the same with fresh, new tape on a clean set of heads and guides?
Click to expand...



I guess this is the actual "ghost" of fm. We no longer have to ask him questions just search through the vaults. :D
 
manual for 80-8

Hi people. Im after a manual for a teac 80-8, I read in old posts that some of you may have one. Im in argentina so I think it would have to be in pdf format. If you can help me with this maybe I can help you with other manuals or anything.
Thanks in advance
Pepo
soho_ar@yahoo.es
 
The motors may be in need of a lube or a cleaning of the interior brush assemblies or at worst, they may be in need of replacement.
Click to expand...
The 80-8's motors don't have brushes. I don't remember there being any motor-start capacitors being on them either. (It wouldn't make sense to suddenly put the torque through the roof and jerk the reel up to speed. It would be awfully hard on the tape.) However, there are 25- or 50-watt variable wire-wound resistors in series to adjust the torque. I'm not sure what you mean by "impedance wheel," but if it's the capstan, that sounds normal that it would keep going. My memory is foggy though. I worked on a bunch of them when I worked at TEAC in Montebello, California 25 years ago.
 
I believe the quote Daniel posted here of me was in reference to a 30 series recorder, not the 80-8 of which I have no hands on experience about it's motors.

Cheers! :)
 
Hey Jmarkwolf, check out my thread from yesterday, it might be of help.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=2796893&posted=1#post2796893
Also, are you testing the machine with a tape threaded, I know my 80-8 functions real wacky, if no tape is on it.
Also, I have the service manual, maybe i could take a picture of a certain page you might need.
From reading through it...(i'm no electrician) will816 is absolutely right the 3 resistors on top of the unit control the torque, you move the rings back or forth to adjust the torque.
Also, my impedance roller goes for a little while after i siop the tape on my machine as well. I dont know if thats normal or if I have some of the same problems as you!!!
but, i think it's normal.
Let me know,
Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top