tascam 234/238

I've had a 238 for about 3 years, picked it up real cheap from a friend...I love it. Of course it's the first (& only) thing I ever tried recording on, so I don't have much of a basis for comparison.
 
It's not worth it. You would have to buy an external sync device and lose a track on each machine frfom SMPTE time code.
 
sonis_youth said:
How hard is it to sync two 234's?
Click to expand...
It's beyond hard. It's impossible because the 234 can not perform as a slave transport and in a multi-machine lock up, one deck must chase or "slave" to the the master deck.

And, even it it could, Track Rat's advice is 100% true. Too much real estate to give up and external equipment required to make a 6 track recorder.

Cheers! :)
 
On a related note....Are these models prone to transport motor problems?
I was gonna pick up a 238 on e-bay. Watched for a few months to spot a good deal. I saw auction after auction for them that said things like...
"Something wrong with the speed.." or
"this plays real slow at first until it warms up.."
and a lot of them wouldn't disclose anything about the condition ...very scary. A lot of them would try and act like they didn't know anything about them and that they couldn't test them. Yet they would have all sorts of music gear for sale. ....trying to walk a fine line around the term as is.
 
Ok, here's the scoop:...

First, the 234 is belt drive, and it's prone to the typical belt failures of other similar units this age. To replace the capstan-drive belt is a full tear down and removal of the cassette mech from the chassis, but it's a moderate level repair for the DIY'er. If the 234's FF/RW mechanism fails, it's due to two little rubber tires that may also deteriorate. To replace the FF/RW "tires" it requires a further teardown of the cassette mechanism. FF/RW mechanism repair is a good deal of work for the hearty DIY'er, and not for the novice or tech-timid,... even though it's only two low-tech little rubber tires. It's more of a matter of where & how those tires are mounted.

Then, the 238 is Direct-Drive capstan. If/when the user reports "speed issues", it simply means a component in the direct drive motor mechanism is going on the blink, and it's NOT a DIY'er's repair. Tascam Factory Service is required. I believe it's roughly a $200 repair, total.

Wonder how I know that?? :eek: :confused: ;)
 
238 motor issues...

Hi Dave,

is it pretty common for a capstan motor to go bad often in the 238s? what would cause premature failure like this, bad mortor design or? What can be done to help prevent this?

I picked up a 238S that appears to never been used, still in the original box along with remote! I hooked it all up less a mixer, everything seems to be in good working order, still checking things out. Everything on this is new, not a mark! The heads, pinch roller, capstan have no indication of use that I can see. Is there any preventative maintenance that I can do other than the regular alcohol, swab cleaning of the heads, capstan and tape path, and demagnetizing, and rubber treatment to pinch roller would you suggest? I hope the motor does not go for a while @$200, WOW! I am just concerned from what I have read sofar about motors being a regular repair. :( I did notice right when its powered up, I hear a short winding-up sound (barely noticeable) then its gone. Only when powering up, not when turning off. I don't mind the regular preventive maintenance, but not regular costly repairs. Is there a general life expectancy to motors like these and can we get a better upgraded design somewhere, are we going to be able to get replacement parts in the future for these or are they a dying breed? Maybe I should look into a different format? Wow, theres a lot of questions here, I hope I did'nt ask too many..... :o
 
I couldn't put a number on it,...

but I had the issue on a 238 that was in good condition and seemed to work, but was sold as-is.

The symptom is that the capstan motor revs up to sound like a Boeing 747, and any tape played at that speed would sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks. If your 238s revs a little at startup, but otherwise plays normally, then you're okay.

I'd be envious that you got a NIB 238s, if I gave it too much thought.

Tascam Service at the Montebello, CA, TEAC/Tascam factory is the best service out there for TEAC/Tascam gear. They still support the oldest of the old analog tape drives, and so I'd expect support of the 238 to continue for many years to come. I spoke to the main analog repair guy at Tascam, and he said they don't have a flat hourly rate, but they bid the repair price on each item individually. Still, with that being said,... it seems their labor rate averages out to about $125/hr, from what I've seen. That's my ballpark estimation, but you'd have to get a quote on your particular item.

I'd not worry prematurely about the 238's capstan motor, but just to be aware and watch for symptoms. Chances are you'll be fine. How high of a failure item the 238 capstan motor is, I just can't say, but I've had it happen to me on my eBy gear, I've read about it in the online forums, and I've seen more than one 238 listed on eBay as having "speed problems". It's an issue that's out there, but I'd still not recommend worrying about it until something happens.

I'd recommend enjoying the NIB 238s. It's okay IMO for 238 users to feel good about their recorders, and to feel assured they have a better unit than the likes of the Fostex MR-8. :eek:
 
don't the 688s have the same transport section as a 238? Is the 688 a direct-drive capstan as well? Do they use the same parts?
 
To the best of my knowledge,...

the 688 is actually a belt drive mechanism, that's virtually the same as the 488/488mkII and a host of other tabletop style Portastudios.

The 238 is DD, which was a departure from the previous models.;)
 
Thanks Dave

:)

Thanks for the info on the 238s its very much appreciated! I will take your advice and not worry about it till it happens.... I have heard of horror stories of someone who bought one new, did maybe a albums worth and the motor went zippp.... that not good, but who know how they treat there equipment...


I think it was on this website somewhere, that someone used this cleaner/lubricant for their rec/pb heads, it consisted of silicone and triclor-something or other. Does this sound familiar? The thread went on to say that the stuff worked wonders and actually increased the life of the heads, it was a unmarked bottle at Radio Shmack. Is this 1. True 2. False 3. folklore 4. Just fairydust :) Hey I got my RNC 1773 compressor back today, it works awesome! The summing amp was messed up and Mark at FMR fixed it and sent it to me free of charge. Mark is pretty cool I'll have to say. That compressor is the most natural, transparent comp I have heard. Cant wait to hear the Leveling amp he makes now.

See ya,
Ed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top