ADAT XT20 error rate problem

[bingmath]

Does anyone have advice on fixing an Alesis ADAT XT20 with really high error rates? I just bought it off of Ebay, and it seems to be in very good, clean condition (it only has 117 hours on it). Also, I bought brand new HHB ADAT45 tape (still in the wrapper) to use in it. When I format the tape and play it back the error rate hovers around 100, but when I record any tracks the errors go up depending on how many tracks I'm recording; if I record one track the error rate jumps to around 200, and if I record all 8 tracks the error rate is around 700-800! I've researched how to clean the heads and I did this using 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and lint-free wipes (holding the cloth against the head and turning the head counter-clockwise). I've also cleaned the entire tape path. None of this has seemed to help. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[dgatwood]

I've never dealt with ADAT specifically, but I've dealt with enough tape transports over the years to have a few guesses. My guesses would be, in no particular order:

1. really filthy heads

2. insufficient drum speed (I'm assuming this is helical recording) or capstan speed due to the bearings not being lubricated sufficiently (leave the thing playing/recording for a few hours in a loop and see if the problem goes away)

3. bad power regulator capacitors causing electrical noise

4. physical flutter in the tape transport caused by insufficient tension somewhere (check for adjustments)

5. slop in drive belts caused by age.

6. defective media. Don't laugh. Pure torture is finding out that the chemical used for the tape coating on one brand of tapes reacts with the chemical used for the tape coating on another brand of tapes and gums up the heads in 5 second flat.... (This was actually the case for DV tapes when the format was first introduced. Thanks, Sony, for screwing things up for everybody.... )

 

[dementedchord]

been a long time since i sold my adats... so cant say this is gospel... but as i remember it the only thing that ever gave me errors like that was bad tapes...

 

[Herm]

I would start by cleaning the head first. Also there is a plastic wheel in there that has a rubber band around it. It may need to be changed. (idler wheel)

Or bad tape

 

[bingmath]

Problem Solved

Alright, so the problem was the tape.

I assumed that the HHB tape would be good because it is recommended by Alesis in the ADAT manual, and I bought brand new tapes. I bought three HHB tapes, and when they all had the same problem, I thought it was something else.

However, I just bought some unused Maxell ADAT Pro tapes off Ebay and they work perfect (my error rate is less than 10, as apposed to nearing 1000 with the HHB).

So, my warning to anyone reading this is to NEVER BUY HHB ADAT TAPE!!

Thanks for the advice everybody!