244 channel strip

[Danalogue]

Just picked up a 244 and it sounds amazing, sadly it sounds better than my 246.

[the normal tape speed is much faster than the 246 as well, is that normal? I thought they were supposed to be compatible but they are only compatible if I turn the pitch knob on the 244 all the way down]

Unfortunately channel 3 has a playback issue. It records fine, sounds recorded on track 3 sound fine on the other machine, but when you try to play the sounds back on the 244 that recorded them it's SUPER loud and distorted. You can't give the channel ANY volume at all or it rips your head off. You can still hear sounds (barely) that were recorded well within reasonable levels when you've switched the entire channel to off or mic/line.

The problem has has to be isolated to part of the play back circuitry because it doesn't alter the recorded sound at all. Anyone run into this sort of thing before?

Dan

 

[jjones1700]

I'm not familiar with a 244, but have you made sure all of your settings are the same on all channels? I'm not sure if a 244 has any send/returns or eq, but I would just make sure everything is identical on the channels as a test. I can't see why a channel would do that. I would figure a channel would be blown and wouldn't work, period. I'll let one of the more electronically experienced guys put down some better guesses than I.

 

[Danalogue]

yup

yeah, I've played with all the settings and such. Spent some serious time with the 244 manual (that some kind soul posted to this forum... which is the whole reason I found this awesome place). I've also done some serious multitracking with my 246, so I'm 100% confident it isn't a settings issue. Something, maybe a capacitor, is toasted or shorted out in the playback circuitry.

It doesn't affect recording, as I mentioned, but the fault has to be pre channel fader, pre tape cue and [obviously] pre master, I'll do some more experimenting but I think it's in front of the EQ as well, which means it's likely something between the channel strip and the actual head.

I'm no electronics expert so I'm wondering if anyone has experienced something similar. I can solder and I'm not a (complete) idiot, so I might try to work it out myself, something could have worked itself loose and is short circuiting or something, small odds, but worth opening it up and making sure it all LOOKS ok.