Proud new owner!

  • Thread starter Thread starter famous beagle
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I have a Tascam 244 that I replace all the rubber in. The idler tires where the biggest hassle. The white plastic screw on the flywheel (capstan assemble) does not come out. I messed with it in my ignorance and it took me forever to recalibrate the flywheel. It is internally lubricated and the tolerance is very fine. I suppose that I could be wrong, but my advice is to leave the capstan assemble set screw alone.
 
Illsidgus said:
I have a Tascam 244 that I replace all the rubber in. The idler tires where the biggest hassle. The white plastic screw on the flywheel (capstan assemble) does not come out. I messed with it in my ignorance and it took me forever to recalibrate the flywheel. It is internally lubricated and the tolerance is very fine. I suppose that I could be wrong, but my advice is to leave the capstan assemble set screw alone.
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Thanks for the tip! Fortunately, the seller has agreed to reimburse me for the repairs, and I found a good local Tascam-authorized shop and spoke with the tech. He has over 35 years experience with tape machines. :)
 
famous beagle said:
Thanks for the tip! Fortunately, the seller has agreed to reimburse me for the repairs, and I found a good local Tascam-authorized shop and spoke with the tech. He has over 35 years experience with tape machines. :)
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That is great. I checked authorized Tascam repair shops all over Nashville and none of them would touch a tape machine. They just wondered why I didn't purchase a digital workstation.
 
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It varies a lot by region. I thank my lucky stars that I'm within driving distance to TEAC America Hqtrs. It's always been a good fallback for repair. Also, there's a well know & long established audio tech in the SFV area that's a bit closer and lower labor rate than Tascam, (Adrian Tech Service in Canoga Park). I'm glad to know it's there when I need it, but I try to do most repairs myself, more by necessity than for pleasure. I always view most tech repair shops as dubious when considering repair of these specialized machines. I've heard all the horror stories.
:spank::eek:;)
 
wow, Ive never seen this tascam before. Are they still been manufactured?
 
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F.Beagle posted pics of his new 246 (1986)
I posted pics of my 244 (1982)
So, unless you have a time machine,... no.
:spank::eek:;)
 
Great post !! The Tascam 244 was my first 4 TK !!! Didn't do to many recordings on it but I still do have some tapes from it that still play correctly on the Tascam 424 !! Got rid of it (wish I would have kept it) and bought a Teac 3340 and the story goes on and on!!! Shoot,I went thru about 4 or 5 reel to reel Teac/Tascam 4TKs and wish I had them all back now !! This thread makes me want to go and find me a 244 !!
 
TASCAM MAN said:
Great post !! The Tascam 244 was my first 4 TK !!! Didn't do to many recordings on it but I still do have some tapes from it that still play correctly on the Tascam 424 !! Got rid of it (wish I would have kept it) and bought a Teac 3340 and the story goes on and on!!! Shoot,I went thru about 4 or 5 reel to reel Teac/Tascam 4TKs and wish I had them all back now !! This thread makes me want to go and find me a 244 !!
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I meant makes me wanna get a 246 :cool:
 
Ok, update to this thread.

So I finally had the scratch to take my 246 to the repair shop and told them that the playback levels were much quieter than the record levels, and I think it needs to be calibrated. I got it back last night. The bad news? It seems to be in worse shape than when I took it in! Before I call up and complain, I just want to make sure I'm in the right here:

So ... I record a non-wavering synth tone with CH 1 on TRK 1, and it registers at 0dB on the meter while I'm recording. I'm monitoring the cue mix in both the phones and on the meters.

Then I play back. Shouldn't it register at close to 0dB on the meter? All EQs are flat, and I haven't touched any settings at all since recording (except disarming the track and disengaging the track 1 assign button on CH 1).

In other words, I followed the instructions exactly on pages 8-9 of the manual: "Recording the First Track."

Well here are the playback levels I'm getting on the meters performing the same test on each TRK (non-wavering synth tone registering at 0dB while recording):

w/ DBX:
TRK 1: -3dB
TRK 2: Nothing!
TRK 3: -9dB
TRK 4: -5dB

w/o DBX:
TRK 1: -2db
TRK 2: Nothing!
TRK 3: -4dB
TRK 4: -3dB

And the volume (in the headphones) is proportionately quieter on playback than when recording in each instance, so I know it's not just a meter malfunction.

Obviously, TRK 2 is an issue. It should be recording something ... and it was when I took it into the shop.

I'm extremely confident that I'm using the machine properly, and I've re-read the instructions several times to make sure. But I just wanted to confirm ... shouldn't the playback levels on the meters be fairly close to what they were during recording, with all else being equal?

By the way, I also tried monitoring with the PRG (main mix), and I'm still getting the same results.

Thanks y'all
 
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The Track 2 problem is most worrisome, but in general you don't know what you have unless you know what trimmers they twiddled and other specifics about the "repair". I'd be very unhappy about those results. Track 2 could be totally out of adjustment, may be unplugged, plugged backwards, shorted out, broken head wires, etc., and no one's really to know except your original tech. For the record, there should have been no "unplugging" of connectors for a calibration, but you don't know in this case.

I've calibrated a couple 246's and a 244 since posting on this thread last. There are a specific number of steps to calibration that must be followed, and a standard calibration tape is a must for setting proper levels.

A -2 or -3db dropoff would be typical for this aged unit. Dbx will change the levels slightly. Calibrations are done with the dbx "off", then deal with the dbx adjustments after the signal chain is adjusted without dbx. As GFM said before, Tascam recommends not messing with the dbx adjustments unless absolutely necessary. I've been told that by a veteran Tascam tech, too. However, your case may require going through these adjustments.

You're shooting a little bit in the dark unless you know what the other tech did. However, a proper calibration follows a set number of steps. A service manual, cal tape & some techy workbench tools are required.

This puts you in a very difficult situation, both with payment to the tech and rectifying the problems. Is it possible to pick the brains of your tech to find out what he did? Your best recourse may be to ship it to Tascam at this point. They will fix it right the first time.

:spank::eek:;)
 
Thanks for the response. So ... are you saying that a 2-3dB drop off is normal for a unit of this age, and there's nothing that can be done about it? (I don't think that's what you're saying, but just wanted to make sure.) Or that it's typical and just needs to be recalibrated?

Regardless, am I correct in assuming that playback level should (on a properly calibrated machine) register close to recording level assuming the settings are the same (EQ flat, etc.)?

Thanks
 
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A -2db~-3db dropoff would be normal before calibration, and can be adjusted out and corrected with proper calibration.
:spank::eek:;)

See: Post-Cal Off Tape Response (244)
 

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A Reel Person said:
A -2db~-3db dropoff would be normal before calibration, and can be adjusted out and corrected with proper calibration.
:spank::eek:;)

See: Post-Cal Off Tape Response (244)
Click to expand...

Ok, cool. That's what I thought.

And this:

"Am I correct in assuming that playback level should (on a properly calibrated machine) register close to recording level assuming the settings are the same (EQ flat, etc.)?"
 
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