Basics of head azimuth

T

thereelman77

New member
Hey their,

Doing a head azimuth test, just to make sure my deck is still aligned well. I need to know though, what am I looking for on the oscilliscope/ what settings do I want to set it for. My manual pretty much states where to plug things in, but I'm not sure how to read or what I'm looking for.

I have a few photos I snapped from the x-y screen: 16khz, 10khz, 1khz

16khz (inner).JPG10khz (inner).JPG1khz (inner).JPG

I know that I am looking for a straight light going up on a right angle, but I what exactly do I need to set to get a close to accurate check?

Is what I have above correct?
 
You're using the wrong setting on the scope....set it for Phase.... X-Y mode.

It will go from a "O" to a "/" at 45 degrees when it's correct...though don't lose your mind about getting a *perfect* straight-n-steady line. It will always "dance" a little...you just get it as best as you can, starting with the lower frequency and then up to 16kHz.
You will get it steady at 1k Hz...ans then when you go higher in frequency, it will sweem to go off.
Again, you get it as best as you can for each frequency, and as you go higher, you are basically fine-tuning it, but it "dances" more and more the higher you go.

PS...you are making micro-adjustments with the azimuth screw....almost hardly moving it.

Here....read this:

http://home.comcast.net/~mrltapes/mcknight_azimuth-in-mtr.pdf
 
you also need to increase the sampling rate of the scope software. those pictures show a very low sample rate. You need at least 40khz sample rate
 
Ok, but I guess the software I have isn't so simple...

This is the phase window, now with channels A & B (2 & 7) running together:

Capture.JPG
 
Nope....that ain't it.

What's the scope software you're using....maybe I can check it out.
The images you post are hard to read...but I'm sure the proper setting is there...somewhere.

On the far right side of your image...the lower one....all the way at the bottom there is a drop-down that now shows "Channel" A+B...
...is there an X-Y choice?
 
The software above is called "Visual Analyser 2011", something that came up in a google search. I ended up finding that Sony Sound Forge has a phase scope reader. So I downloaded the trial version and it seems that I finally am seeing the correct format.....the catch is that I cannot view it in realtime, only during playback, making adjustments impossible. The Visual Analyzer software is realtime, but more complex.

Here are some photos I took of 1khz and 100khz frequencies using Sound Forge:

1khz 2.JPG16khz2.JPG

These are frequencies played back from my MRL tape. I recorded them all, then used the phase mode. The 10khz and 16khz frequencies show up as pulsating ovals, so I couldn't snap photos of them. But from the looks of these, you can see that the line is not on a perfect angle, it leans slightly. So I'm assuming that their may be a slight azimuth adjustment needed? Don't want to jump to conclusions or have to do anything I don't need too.

I am going to have to use the Visual Analyser software most likely since it is realtime. If I were to use the Sound Forge, the realtime monitor is only about the size of my thumbnail.
 
what you see in the pictures above is as good as it gets, if you get it like that @ 16khz tone from your MRL, you are good to go.
 
the noise is the transport which is normal. that is not too bad, i would leave it like that if you can't get it any narrower.
 
thereelman77 said:
I am going to have to use the Visual Analyser software most likely since it is realtime. If I were to use the Sound Forge, the realtime monitor is only about the size of my thumbnail.
Click to expand...

thereelman77 said:
Ok, well this is what I'm getting at 16khz:


The oval gets bigger and smaller. Not getting a straight line, you see....
Click to expand...

If you can't adjust AND monitor the scope in real-time....you're wasting your time.
The adjustment at 16kHz is micro-sensitive, and you have to watch the moving image on the scope while adjusting.
 
Yep, that's what I was saying in my earlier posting. The sound forge is showing me what I need, but I can't do a realtime look. The other software IS realtime, but I have no clue how to set it up.

If you're saying my 8 track looks fine, then I'm going to move onto my 2 track, the deck I'm more concerned about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top