3 head TSR-8 ?

[evm1024]

I picked up a TSR-8 headstack to get the record head to go into my 38-8. I notice that there is a position for a 3rd head.

So, the question is: Amybody know enough about the electronics to say if Tascam intended a 3 head version of the TSR-8?

Regards, Ethan

 

[A Reel Person]

I don't think so, but...

I think the determining factor is if there's any empty plugs or sockets within the gutz of the TSR-8,... which I somehow I doubt or I'd probably have heard of it already. But not having touched or looked under the skinz of the TSR-8 myself, take that with a grain of salt.

Yo, Yo, Yo,... but the monitor section for a 2 head deck is such a different animal than a 3-head,... so I'm pretty sure it's strictly 2 heads and no mods or expansion capability, or you'd expect you might have had all sorts of well known mods and published apps by now.

It's simply more likely the TSR-8 headstack assy hardware was shared by the 38, as were other component level items of the time.

Sorry if this post was not truly helpful or with any real technical insight. I'd be pretty confident to predict someone knows all the technicalities of this issue, first hand and verbatim.

 

[evm1024]

However

I'm with you in regards to the internals. There would need to be a place for switches and some un-populated PCB positions at least.

As you can see from the photo the 38 (left) is machined from a 1/4" Aluminum plate and the TSR-8 (right) is stamped steel. The TSR-8 ends up being almost twice as thick. It is a U shape.

I asked because you can see that the guide on the left uses one of the head mounting holes with the other behind it.

--Ethan

 

[A Reel Person]

Okay, nice photos!

So much for that shared hardware theory! Gadz man!

I'd side with you now, that perhaps it was a planned upgradeability that they machined into the basic part, that never came to fruition.

Go figure.

Thanx again for the picz!

 

[Beck]

I've thought of adding a head myself, but the amp cards don't support it. The dummy pole in the first position also acts as a flutter filter.

Another idea I was toying with is to get a half-track head from JRF or something and rearrange the heads so I could switch the machine for ½” half-track mastering. The main stumbling block is to get a half-track erase head and come up with an easy way to switch between the half-track (or full-track) erase head and the 8-track erase head.

I suppose one could just switch off the 8-track erase head and not use one for mastering. You could bulk erase the master tape and just hope everything goes right on the first run. Fun to think about, but not too practical I suppose.

 

[evm1024]

2 track 8 track

Yea, I thought about a 2 or 4 track head as an option and ran into the same erase head problem.... But, What if you put a 2 (or 4) track erase and record head and used the 3rd head as a playback only 8 track?

Might actually be useful.

--Ethan

 

[jpmorris]

I have sometimes wondered about buying yet another TSR and converting it into a 3-head 2-track machine, maybe in 1/4" format. That would take 4 audio cards - the repro head running from its own separate pair of amps, and you'd have 4 spares.

 

[A Reel Person]

Nah,...

At first glance I'd not see how the Monitor section would be adequate or adaptable,... tho' it's late and I've not analyzed this very closely. I don't think the internals of the TSR-8 Monitor would handle 3-head operation, at all. I'd be surprised if you engineering types could DIY or kluge something together. Have your people call my people.

I'd love to find an ATR-60/4HS w/dbx. Man, that would be the bomb, but is probably another post!