388 - Channel 2 & 7 recording really quietly

[38869420]

Classic stuff, but it's been a while since i've been under the hood. Channel 2 & 7 are recording kinda thin & quiet but playing back prerecorded stuff properly. Here's what i've done.

- Cleaned the heads.
- swapped the REC/PLAY pcbs with the working pairs.

last year cleaned the BUSS connector & replaced the monitor PCB, this problem was happening back then too.

So the REC / PLAY PCBs are fine, it monitors sound coming into those inputs (both line & mic) clean & nice, so what would be a logical next step?

I'm gonna flip it over and swap the EQ cards next.

 

[38869420]

Ok swapped 1 & 2 EQ cards and 2 is the same.

Also tested the recorded test tone from 2 & on the TAPE OUT and still thin and quiet. I know i've read about this a few times, but can't find anything specific.

 

[38869420]

Just tried bouncing from a good track to tracks 2 & 7 and they still recorded distorted with low level.

I've attached a few photos of the heads, i'm not really too sure what i'm looking for with head wear, so if anyone can let me know how these look, i'm interested to learn what head wear actually looks like!

 

[skywaveTDR]

If a channel sound thin them maybe the bias is not what it should be. The bottom of the head looks like more wear than the top in center photo.