Tascam 388 no playback

B

bleepboxes

New member
Hi Guys!

I've been reading this forum since forever, but have never posted or even registered. I need some help with the following:

I purchased a Tascam 388 after looking for one for some time. It looks absolutely amazing. Everything seems to be working. I changed the belt which was kinda on its way out, but apart from that its brand new.

There's only a problem. I can arm for recording and record (can hear the source through the headphones), but after that I cant hear any playback. Maybe there is, but I cant know for sure. I have been trying everything obvious. read the manual a couple of times, but I think theres something not working in that region. Ive been looking online on different message boards but Im still to find someone with the same problem.

Im using new tape (new from the factory) and made sure it was inserted the right way around. Also cleaned the heads. checked for loose connections on the board.

any ideas?
 
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So you record and see activity on the meters, etc., and then what do you do? Make a detailed bulleted list of the steps you take to switch the system to monitor playback, and describe how you are attempting to monitor playback. Also, am I correct in assuming you see no activity on the meters when playing back?

ALSO...what happens when you put a calibration test tape on the machine and reproduce, or a tape that you know has something recorded on it? Anything will do.
 
There's playback on the meters.

After posting this.. we found about 8 tiny cracks on the pcb so far. I dont know it was rough handling or heat, but yeah. the relais are working. Theres sound coming from the playheads by now but still faint. Thats a good thing. I have some assistance from someone with more electronics knowledge, but thought it might be a good experience to share with other people with the same problem.

ill keep you posted.

sweetbeats said:
So you record and see activity on the meters, etc., and then what do you do? Make a detailed bulleted list of the steps you take to switch the system to monitor playback, and describe how you are attempting to monitor playback. Also, am I correct in assuming you see no activity on the meters when playing back?

ALSO...what happens when you put a calibration test tape on the machine and reproduce, or a tape that you know has something recorded on it? Anything will do.
Click to expand...
 
bleepboxes said:
There's playback on the meters.

After posting this.. we found about 8 tiny cracks on the pcb so far. I dont know it was rough handling or heat, but yeah. the relais are working. Theres sound coming from the playheads by now but still faint. Thats a good thing. I have some assistance from someone with more electronics knowledge, but thought it might be a good experience to share with other people with the same problem.

ill keep you posted.
Click to expand...

I've never seen a PCB fail in a Teac/Tascam unit from heat. It was likely from some sort of traumatic physical event. Which PCB?

If you found cracks you can just bridge the solder traces with some wire...scrape off the green coating to expose the bare copper trace, tin the trace on both sides of the crack, lay a piece of small wire across the crack to make a bridge (I use clippings from trimmed tails of components I've installed, like I keep some clippings from when I recap stuff...) and solder it in.
 
I wanted to let you know that its working. The problem was eventually just a busted electro cap shorting out. It seems to be working now. I will get it back hopefully this week :)
I dont think that touching up some cracks was a bad idea either but it was something else after all.


sweetbeats said:
I've never seen a PCB fail in a Teac/Tascam unit from heat. It was likely from some sort of traumatic physical event. Which PCB?

If you found cracks you can just bridge the solder traces with some wire...scrape off the green coating to expose the bare copper trace, tin the trace on both sides of the crack, lay a piece of small wire across the crack to make a bridge (I use clippings from trimmed tails of components I've installed, like I keep some clippings from when I recap stuff...) and solder it in.
Click to expand...
 
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