Fostex A-8 Help

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Derrick111

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Hello, I'm new at this forum. I just got a Fostex A-8 and it is in excellent condition with the remote. I do not have the manual to tell me about some of the features and specs or maintenance. Does anyone have a copy of the manual they can share with me?

-Also, what does the "edit" switch on this thing do?
-What do the two push lever/switches do on/in the area where all of the heads are?
-What maintenance do I/can I do other then cleaning heads, rollers, etc.?
-Can I should I set bias?

I want this to run at it's best and try to squeeze everything out of it that it's capable of :)

Thanks so much to anyone who can answer any of these questions! If I can get a manual or any other info in this unite, I really be greateful!!
 
Derrick111 said:
Hello, I'm new at this forum. I just got a Fostex A-8 and it is in excellent condition with the remote. I do not have the manual to tell me about some of the features and specs or maintenance. Does anyone have a copy of the manual they can share with me?

-Also, what does the "edit" switch on this thing do?
-What do the two push lever/switches do on/in the area where all of the heads are?
-What maintenance do I/can I do other then cleaning heads, rollers, etc.?
-Can I should I set bias?
Click to expand...

I've heard these are great machines. I will guess and say the EDIT switch disengages any tension on the reels so that the tape can be jogged back and forth across the playback head (using the reels like two steering wheels) and hearing where edits (cuts) and then splices will be made. You'll need an editing block, razor blade and splicing tape...

I wouldn't push the levers near the heads until I knew what they're for -- perhaps better access for cleaning.

I'd definitely go to the Analogue forum here at this site. People there will know this machine. My sense is you should get the heads aligned and set the bias to whatever tape you'll be using.
 
Here's the scoop.

The EDIT switch, when ON, disengages the take-up reel's counter-clockwise rotation, so that by engaging PLAY (forward tape-motion) it will DUMP the tape off the reel, just right of the capstan/pinchwheel assembly. Hence, the commonly used name: DUMP-EDIT.

The little spring loaded lever on the head assembly is the CUE lever. Depressing it enables you to push the tape lifter assembly toward the head, to contact the tape to the head during FF/RW mode. This allows you audibly cue the tape, while listening to it whiz by in high speed FF or RW mode.

I'll verify this info, and report back if there's any error in the description, above.;)
 
Well, I think I get the EDIT function. However, I see how the plastic part in front of the head can be pushed down (out of the way) and up (in front of the head. Is this to put the tape on during rew/ff so that you don't ware out the heads?

But the lever above the head I still don't get?
Thanks very much!
 
No,...

that is the head-shield, and it's supposed to be "closed" when recording and playing back, and "open" when loading tape and accessing the heads. It's a shield to help reduce or prevent cross-talk, (primarily).

I believe, if you wanted to "spool" a tape, in Play mode and without contacting the heads, then the tape could be routed or looped on top of this head shield, (under or outside-of shield). That's a little known added function of that contoured head shield on the Fostex R/R's. Aka "Spooling" mode, which helps pack the tape more evenly in a pancake than FF/RW mode. "Spooling" tape in Play mode, with the tape routed outside of the head shield is indeed a device and strategy to help reduce the head wear scenario you'd otherwise get from "spooling" with tape contacting the head.

The tape does not normally contact the head in FF/RW mode, as the "tape lifter" lifts the tape away from the head.

There is,... as I referred to above,... another spring loaded tab in the headstack area, and THAT's for "cueing" of tape, as described above.
 
OK, this makes sence! Lastly, wht would you "dump" tape? What for? This is a fun machine.
Thanks!!
 
Eh,...

I suppose, if you had a reel with a lot of junk on it, but one fabulous cut, then you may want to splice out the good stuff on the reel, and dump the rest. It's for literally dumping long runs of tape off the reel. I've never done it, because I typically use every inch of tape, and keep the junk, but if you were inclined to dump tape off the reel, that's how you'd do it,...

with the EDIT function switch. :eek:
 
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