I can hear the ghost...HELP!

S

SkyLounger

New member
Hi guys!

A few months ago, I won a lot of 11 used Maxell 7'' metal reels with tape on them, some XLII and some UD.

I proceeded to record over what was on it, but on some of the tapes, in the quiet passages of the new recordings, I could still hear the ghost of the previous music. Other tapes didn't do that. So what I did is record blank over all of the tapes to eliminate as much as I could of the previous recording.

What is the problem? Is it the tapes themselves or is it a problem with the erase head of my machine?

One other thing, the RTR I use is a Pioneer RT-701, and since I bought it, I haven't demgnetize the heads. Could that be the problem?

Also, when I use the BIAS and EQ buttons (LH position) the phenomenon isn't as present...

What's going on?

SkyLounger
 
Sounds like you've got the tracks shifted a bit. Make sure tape runs smoothly over the heads, the edges don't go off track etc.
 
I get this when switching tapes from my half track to my 4 track. I've been trying to think of a way around it but haven't looked very hard yet. i'm not really sure what a bulk eraser costs or where to get one.
 
Yeah, you really need a bulk eraser to bring tapes back to new condition. Different machines have different specs as to how complete the erasure will be. And when you're dealing with EE tapes like Maxell XLII they could have been recorded a lot hotter than your machine can manage. Even with normal bias tape, if they were recorded at a much higher flux than your machine is setup for you may hear those ghosties. Getting the bias control right for the tape in question is also a factor.

Check eBay under tape eraser or degausser. Any of the Radio Shack models like the 44-210, 44-232 or 44-233 will easily handle 7” reels. Every analog studio should have a bulk eraser. There are other brands like Geneva that work fine as well.

:)
 
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