Tascam 246

[Baz41]

Tascam 246 Not Recroding

Many thanks for the info. I've got onto Tascam here in the UK in the forlorn hope they might be able to tell me where I can get a new belt from. Failing that I'll find something somewhere. Again, thanks for your help, much appreciated by this novice!

 

[Baz41]

Tascam Still Wont Record

Have now replaced the belt but the darn thing refuses to budge. Small belt and gear engages but doesn't move; capstan belt drive just sulks. The unit seems to be getting power but no drive. Anyone got a clue what might be happening?

 

[A Reel Person]

A little tough to tell by your description,...

but the small belt is responsible for moving the head/carriage up to the capstan, which should be spinning when a cassette is in the compartment. If the small belt is also slipping, and the heads do not move to engage the pinchwheel to the capstan, then there will be no forward movement.

 

[mcolling]

hey, does anyone have some good examples of stuff recorded on the 246? i would love to hear some examples, as i am thinking of buying one myself.

 

[awagawag]

are you willing to sell your 246?

 

[Bobby Darko]

hey, i just recorded some friends on a 244, similair to the 246, so if you want to hear some tunes, check: www.woodinski.nl/woodyandpaul

my belts also slips of sometimes. i just put it back on and it lasts for a while after that. i need to get some new ones though, but i'm not sure where i can find them in the netherlands...

btw. i used some pretty crappy mics for the recording and i only have my old stereo for monitoring/mixing, so i'm not claiming this is the limit of cool sounds from those old beauties at all!!

 

[Outlaws]

hey, i just recorded some friends on a 244, similair to the 246, so if you want to hear some tunes, check: www.woodinski.nl/woodyandpaul

my belts also slips of sometimes. i just put it back on and it lasts for a while after that. i need to get some new ones though, but i'm not sure where i can find them in the netherlands...

btw. i used some pretty crappy mics for the recording and i only have my old stereo for monitoring/mixing, so i'm not claiming this is the limit of cool sounds from those old beauties at all!!

Very nice website! Its nice to see good design once in a while.

Excellent tunes too. Did you run them into a comp for editing at all?

 

[Bobby Darko]

thanks! yeah i used the comp for the fade in and fade out bits and a touch of reverb here and there but all very minimal...

 

[22tape]

hey guys. up comes an old thread! i recently picked up a 246. I got it on Craig's list for free!! Though it was free because the recorder isn't working. i've read through several threads regarding the replacement of the capstan belt and/or pinch roller. Though my problem sounds a bit different. It seems that FF and RW are working okay but when i press PLAY, it seems the speed, while in PLAY, is as nearly as fast as the FF speed. Any ideas? thanks guys!!

 

[22tape]

I would avoid using a stomp box pedal effect for this job as they are geared to work with guitars which have a different impedance and level then standard line level. As well, many of those boxes are not as clean electrically compared to a decent reverberator like Yamaha or Lexicon.
Cheers!

i'm in the middle of reparing a 246 and i was planning on using my guitar pedals in the effects send/recieve. Would you severely advise against this? what kind of damage might it do? any work arounds? is okay to chain pedals together then plug into the channel inputs on the front?

thanks much!

 

[Dr ZEE]

...when i press PLAY, it seems the speed, while in PLAY, is as nearly as fast as the FF speed. Any ideas?

that's the way it should be. (it's too fast (double speed) if you play back a cassette recorded on 'ragular' cassette recorder)

 

[Dr ZEE]

i was planning on using my guitar pedals in the effects send/recieve.
Would you severely advise against this?

I would not.

what kind of damage might it do?

non that I'm aware of.
Just keep the channel fader / return knob (what ever line level input you sending the signal from the pedal to) down, then slide/turn up.

is okay to chain pedals together then plug into the channel inputs on the front?

it's ok, but expect "experimental" result

here some 'crucial' blah-blah on Pedal Impedance: http://www.muzique.com/lab/imp.htm

 

[22tape]

great, thanks for that Dr. Zee!!

 

[22tape]

ooooops, double post

 

[SPOD]

I'm looking at buying a new 4 track to bounce down a bunch of recordings I did on a 424. A few questions about the 246;

1. Does it have the same speeds as the 246? I did a bunch of 'hi' recording & pitch wheel stuff on the 424.
2. How many outputs does it have? I would like to run 4 outputs at once.
3. Anyone selling?

Thanks.

 

[amizel]

When replacing the pinch roller did you have to dismantle the unit like the 244 to get to it or just remove the small panel on the front?

If it's the panel, which I'm hoping for, what tool do you use to remove those two bolts on the front? A very tiny pitchfork? I want to do this in the least hack way possible so I don't scratch the case. Thanks for any help.

If it's a special tool that has a special name please let me know and I'll hunt one down. I'm waiting a month+ for the backordered pinch roller from TEAC so I have time.

Thanks again.

 

[amizel]

I recently replace the capstan drive belt and pinch roller on mine, as these deteriorate with time, whether it's used or not.

The above post refers to this quote.

 

[A Reel Person]

Iirc,...

The 246's pinchwheel assembly is accessed thru the little removable panel on the tape compartment. Some fine needlenose pliers would do the trick.

 

[amizel]

Oh ok I didn't realize they were only finger tight. I got them off with 2 pointy screws. Now I got the little snap on washer off the pin that holds the arm on but there's not enough room to lift the arm out. Is there a way to get just the roller off or am I back to taking the top off?

I have a link to DR ZEE doing this with a 244 with extensive pics & notes so if I have to take the top off I have some good clues.

 

[Dr ZEE]

I never had 246 so I can't tell anything specific. I don't know if the pinch roller/arm are the same in 244 and 246. If they are the same, then you'd have to take the arm off completely to be able to take the pinch roller off the arm, it's a pretty "hi-tech" procedure as you can see from pictures.
Are you getting new roller only as new part or are you getting the new roller+arm?

If you can make close-up photos of the situation then post them, maybe we can try to figure something out this way.

If you are planing on removing the front/face cover, then be careful everywhere, never force anything, those plastic pins on the face cover are very easy to break when screwing/unscrewing. Also 246 must have some specifics/diffrences from 244, so I can't tell much, as I have no clue.