Defective tape?? Quantegy 456 open reel...

[moogyboy]

hey all

First post in a while...my question is this: have you guys ever heard of a reel of tape that barely takes a signal when you try to record on it? This is what's happening with a reel of Quantegy 456 that I bought recently to test a couple of open reel recorders I have, a Fostex R8 and an old Sony TC-378 stereo deck. I would have to crank the levels way up till it was be way past clipping, and then it would only barely register on the tape, low in level, muffled, and very distorted. It's as if the tape has next to no sensitivity.

At first I thought the Sony was malfuctioning as I'd just bought it, but when I tried recording on a tiny, 40 year old reel of tape from a little Aiwa portable it went down fine (if a little low-fi). I tried the 456 on the Fostex...same thing. The only thing I can gather is that somehow Quantegy let a seriously defective roll of tape past the QC department.

I will of course return this one for a refund and get another roll somewhere, but my question to you all is, has anything like this ever happened in your experience, and am I on track with my assessment, or should I assume that Quantegy would never do something like that and consider having my machines looked at?

thx

Billy S.

 

[A Reel Person]

Make sure...

you have the recording head as spotlessly clean, as can be.

Also, make sure you have the tape threaded exactly correct. Improper threading can introduce the back side of the tape to the head, and the back side of the tape would sound roughly as you describe.

 

[moogyboy]

I will check, but honestly I can't see any other way to thread it than the way I am doing it. And besides, that other roll of tape worked fine (at least for the second or two that I recorded on it).

As for the heads, I swabbed them all with denatured alcohol and Q-tips; they should be nice and clean.

 

[moogyboy]

Just to be certain: the outside of the tape is shiny oxide brown; the inside is blackish and dull. So which side should be against the heads?

Billy S.

 

[moogyboy]

Update

I just ran a quickie test...I flipped the reel to force the shiny brown side against the heads and--voila! it recorded loud and clear.

The problem is: the tape is obviously now oriented completely wrong. To accomplish this stunt the supply reel is flipped, both reels are rotating in opposite directions, and to attempt to rewind normally would spill tape all over the place.

I've attached a little diagram to show what I'm talking about.

Now, every rtr machine I've ever seen has the heads on the *inside* of the tape (ie above), and the tape winding on and off the outside edges of the reels. But my tape has the recordable side on the *outside* and the nonrecordable side *in* against the heads, ie somehow the tape is wound on backwards! But is it really? I can't believe that Quantegy would wind their tape on at the factory in a way that any rtr deck wouldn't be able to use; however for all I know professional decks might have the heads under the tape instead of above it. I dunno...please someone shed some light on this conundrum! Thanks...

Billy S.

 

[Han]

Old master machines have the heads on the other side of the tape sometimes.
Twist the tape half a turn and wind it forward.

 

[A Reel Person]

Some reel/reel tape drives have slightly different orientation...

of their motors, and therefore the different brands of tape machines may thread differently from one another.

I can't speak to Sony, but Tascams all thread one way. Sony's may be entirely different, for all I know.

Make sure you have the reel oriented correctly on the hub. The tape, in general, as it's wound [fresh out of the box], should have it's backing side facing outward, and the recording side of the tape facing the inner hub. Any deviation from this, and another user may have wound the tape upside down on the reel. A subtle twist between the right tension roller and the reel may have inadvertently wound the tape upside down on the reel, which believe me, would not be the first time that had happened.

On 456, the shiny brown side is the recording side, and the dull black side is the backing.

I'm glad it was just that, simple item.

I guess in this case, I can say "I told you so". Ha.

/DA

 

[A Reel Person]

Billy,...

By scritinizing your diagrams, I'll say with assurance,...

the tape on your source reel of 456 was wound upside down.

AGAIN, on a virgin reel of 456, the recordable oxide side should be facing the inner hub spool, and the backing should be facing outward.

You have a case where your tape was inadvertently wound upside down on the reel. IT's in your best interest to see that it's wound back correctly. This maybe done by introducing that "subtle twist" I spoke of above, just right of the right hand tension roller, and onto the takeup reel.

That's it. Good luck.

Nice diagram, by the way. It says a lot. Like, your tape is wound upside down, and the TOP threading diagram SHOULD be right, WITH a correctly wound reel of tape,... which you apparently DON'T have.

Wind the tape again, correctly, onto the takeup reel, then rewind again if you desire, but all bets are off until you have the tape wound correctly on the reel.

I'm repeating myself,... again.

/DA

 

[moogyboy]

problem solved...

reel guy

You hit it on the head of the nail. Not only was it wound upside down, but someone had actually recorded some stuff on it. And Sam Ash charged me full price. Dang it.

Anyhow, everything's roses now. Records fine. I've learned something new and useful. Thanx for yer help (and your patience with a rtr newbie)!