Calibrating the ATR60-16

  • Thread starter Thread starter ron-e-g
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That would account for the lack of information in the Manual.
Thanks fgonza2. At this point..that is the least of my worries! I'm about ready to send this piece of ......to the bottom of the Ocean!!:(
 
mdainsd...:mad: Yesterday I decided to continue my calibrating process. The next step for me was to set the Bias. As it requires using the tape intended for recording I grab a roll of Quantegy 456 that came with the recorder. It had some previous recorded acoustic tracks on it. There was a fairly long space of blank section at the beginning. I had put the Rec/Play cover back on from the previous day.

Unlike the MS-16 this model has holes on the cover for access to the most important Adjustments. Anyway, I load the tape, set the recorder to Repro and arm Track 1 (as instructed by the manual). I send a 10K signal to the input of TRK 1 and connect the leader to the Out. I hit Record and insert the tweaker tool I have been using into the hole of R319 (Bias Level) at this point I realize I'm having a hard time "feeling" the slot on the pot. Since I only have a very limited time to do the adj. (blank space on the recording tape). I decide it will be much easier to attack this with the cover removed. When I remove the cover what do I see...all the pot's for R319 are totally different than the rest! Not anything like the the one shown in the manual.

It has a tiny slotted head Like the one on the Bias Traps! And TRK 1's has been pushed back on the card (from me trying to connect to it with the screwdriver that was obviously way too big! I then pull the card, and push the pot back it feels sorta loose to me, compared to TRK 2's, but what do I know. I'm pondering this thinking it might be different because this recorder was ordered with the 15/30 ips option I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me why they look different. At this point It's definitely starting to become obvious my hair is getting thinner! I grab the right screwdriver position myself..hit Record...start turning the pot "completely" clockwise (the manuals words). Guess what! there is no complete, it is endless. Goes on and on and on.

So I start thinking..maybe I damaged it trying to adj. through the hole on the cover provided for that very thing. So I try the one on TRK 2. Same thing! What gives? I'm nearing Baldness at this point! So then, I start thinking maybe this is the way they are suppose to be. I mean, what are the chances that both cards have a bum bias pot? It is then that I notice turning the pot has no effect. At that same time I also start noticing, this recorder is not erasing! I try everything, and can not get the previous recorded material off the tape! Bloop,Bloop, Bloop..(sound of a bald guys recorder sinking into the ocean)!
 
Oh my goodness. I feel your pain. I may not be able to respond till over the weekend. Then I can dig out the manual for my ATR-80. I think that the -60 and the -80 share very similar cards. None of the other Tascams use these cards as far as I can tell. Im going on memory hear but a complaint on the -80 ( and the -60 by extention if the cards are the same) is that the bias pot was overly sensitive, being only a one turn pot. It almost sounds as though your channel cards may have been modded by replacing the one turn bias pots with multi turn pots. This might also explaint their "loosness" you mention if the new pot didnt exactly match the pad locations of the old (chances are they would not). So the tech left the wires long to reach the pads. The result is the pot will not necessarily be in the same position and it would feel loose. (should have been secured to the boards with some RTV or other silicon seal).

Now for the fun! Multiturn pots feel endless, they will turn and turn and turn, But at the extremes of adjustment (usually either 10 turn or 20 turn)you should feel the very faintest click per revolution.

Can you shoot a pic?
 
At this point, I'm more concerned with the lack of erase function. I didn't mention that, it's all tracks that don't erase. Too, Just an observation. My head connector configuration is not like the photos in the manual. I realize there is space for 4 connectors, and The ATR only uses 3. So probably no biggie. As for these pots. They look to have, what looks to me like, a black washer under them all. maybe an attempt at keeping them from moving too close to the board...I don't know.
SANY0093.webpSANY0095.webpSANY0096.webp
 
Yes, those pots have been replaced. The dark blue is often a pot made by Bourns (SP?) If they are wiggly, the mod was poorly done, but thats not the end of the world.

Now to your concern: no erase, all channels.

Is this something new? Or did you just discover it?
 
I also confirmed that the pots are a mod. According to the manual, they are supposed to be the same as R12 and R13 (and probably some others) they obviously are not.

This is a discovery on my part. Yesterday was the first time I attempted to erase anything. Everything outwardly looks fine. The control LEDs blink when armed and go to steady when record is initiated. the transport REC button lights red and the record LEDs above the meters all light, but no erase!
 
One, with the modded pots there is no guarantee that "fully clockwise" will give the same effect. The chances are 50/50 of it still operating that way.

I need my manual (this weekend), but Im going to be looking at what is common to the erase circuit on all cards. My first guess (and its only a guess) is power supply issues. I dont know if the erase and bias osscilators operate off of the low voltage rails or one of the higher rails, again this weekend I can look. But you could start looking now ;)

BTW, After doing tech work (originally as an electronics technician) up to my current work as an Director of Enginnering I have no hair left, none, zero, zip, nada. The plus? Maintenance is a snap and you'll save all kinds of money on "products" that you can use for your studio.
 
Check the +24 supply is at the circuit boards.

Without it K2 will not operate and K2 is what switches the erase heads to the erase oscillator.

Also the erase oscillator is driven by the erase bias oscillator, off board., so if you have tuned that level down (off) inadvertently with the modded pot there will be no drive for the erase oscillator. The drives are erase and record bias. they come from somewhere other than the audio card that we have been addressing recently. I only have the audio card schematic available to me here at work....
 
mdainsd said:
BTW, After doing tech work (originally as an electronics technician) up to my current work as an Director of Engineering I have no hair left, none, zero, zip, nada. The plus? Maintenance is a snap and you'll save all kinds of money on "products" that you can use for your studio.
Click to expand...
:laughings: OK,OK I was exaggerating a little! But I can see the advantages!!! I will check that +24 power.
 
Ron, found the manual right off the bat last night. Didn't have a lot of time to study, but I will. I noticed right away though that the cards are different :-( the ATR-80 cards have the meter peak led adjustments available on the front. I also forgot just how bad those manuals are written, pigeon English and all. I read through the electronic alignment and I can see how that would drive a new person nuts.

But that wont stop us, we will keep trying to get you through this...
 
Couple of new developments. I calibrated the recorders in/out puts to the M600. In doing so I noticed when in Sync Mode only TRK 9-16 will register on the ATR's VU's when the Rec. Ready button is engaged. Also there is an oddball card in TRK 16's slot. It is a different number (ends in 01) instead of 00. It also is physicaly different. I attached photos. Can't find out to what, or where it might really belong. Notice the pot on the Erase section of the odd card! That is the top picture.

SANY0101.webp SANY0102.webp
 
She's real close to going for a long roll down the short pier! :D Somebody would probably see me and I'd have to pay to have this clunker raised! I checked the plug at the Erase head. It has a signal when the Recorder is powered on. I guess it's not supposed to. When I enter Record I get no massive increase in bias then..I guess I'm supposed to. All the lights are indicating proper mode. I don't know what to check next. I keep scouring over the schematics but get confused. Must be something simple but what I don't know.
 
Now where was I....:D Oh yea. So I have this problem with Tracks 1&2 they don't Record (any more). After exchanging R/P card 3 for 1 I see it is indeed related to the cards 1&2. They both did record in the recent past. Could I have really whacked the Bias settings prior? (see post #23). Would the Bias setting adj. on these modified pots effect the recording? Or where should I begin my search?
 
Try the alignment procedure on the two dead cards, See if you get anywhere.

Did you mess with the bias on both of these cards?

Dont mess with anymore cards bias wise until we figure this out.
 
Yea...the first Track 1, was the "discovery of the mod" card. Track two was the.."does this one do the same thing" card!:mad:
 
I've attempted the bias adj. per manual. This was my set-up and procedure.

I connected a XLR cable from the Recorders output (Balanced track1) to the Balance/unbalance transformer input. I took the RCA output (unbalanced) from that transformer and connected it to the Leader AC VM. I then set the console oscillator to 10K. The Manual states to input a 10K -6 signal. (I don't know what the difference is between a +4 and -6 signal is)! After loading a reel of quantegy 456, I set the input to Repro and armed track 1. I then began recording the 10k signal.

At first there was no measurement on the meter. So, I next engaged record on Track 2 just for reference. That had a small amount of signal. Wondering about the relationship of the two tracks I started enabling all the tracks they all came to life with varying degrees of measurements but Tracks 3-16 def. had stronger signals hovering around the 0db range. 1&2 only at around -10/13. So I start turning the bias pot on 1 the signal goes away then I turn it back clockwise it comes back. After awhile I can see there is not ever a point that it gets like 3-16 but I get 2 to fire up strong. Then, in the adjustment process Track 1 just goes dead. I then switch track 1 for 2, and 2 is working! so I'm thinking it's not the card. At this point, I start seeing some strange stuff! The meters start going off in succession! Excluding 1&2 I think. I mean 3 goes from no activity to 0db then 4 then 5 well you get it then they all shutdown! At one point Track 3 was measuring on the VU and it wasn't even selected for Record! I then switch to Sync mode (the manual does not mention to ever do this) and all meters jump to attention at around the 0db mark. I mean like Night and Day

At this point I make another observation in sync mode all the meters are solid. In Repro mode they oscillate.

So I guess, Me being such a novice, this all is real confusing. :drunk:

I surely do need help with this.
 
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