head wear question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peck
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Peck

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When I'm playing back my tracks, track 1 sometimes goes down from full volume to a very quiet volume in a second. Does that mean my playback head is done.. or close to done (uneven wear-whatever)? I turn the power off and then turn it back on and it works fine for a while. Other tracks seem to work fine (although I haven't even been using the seventh and eigth track that much).

I'm guessing that's what it means (the head is screwed). Analog is expensive.

If the heads are trashed on this machine I'm going to kill the tech who told me to buy it... :mad:
 
That actually sounds more like a relay issue, which is very common on the Otaris.

~Tim
:)
 
oh... well that's good news.

Tim, would you mind telling me how I would go about fixing it?

Robert
 
Following is a quote from Richie Moore, PH.D in the April 1991 issue of EQ Magazine. He's speaking of the MX5050 half-track, but you have the same situation with the 8-track, just more relays to change:

"The only real improvement to the electronics that should be made is replacement of the rec/repro relays... There are two relays marked RL301 and RL401 that are usually marked Omcron, but I don’t recommend them. They aren’t sealed and the contacts wear quickly. I replace them with IDC or Aromat gas-filled, bifurcated (two contacts), sealed, 24-volt relays. This relay will fit into a modified 16-pin DIP socket, but they last a long while.

If your MX5050 exhibits drifting and wavering tones, or is a little noisy, the relays are probably at fault. They cost about $7.00 each and are easy to install. Otari also sells sealed relays (# RY2DC087). Remember that some soldering finesse is required to do this operation"
Click to expand...

You can contact Otari Support and find out exactly what part number you need for your deck, and what alternatives they recommend.

~Tim
:)
 
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