Need basic's on Revox 4 Track

L

LAB3

New member
I have my Dad's old Revox A-77 MkIV Dolby 4 track......... it's been 25 years from the last time I used it. It is "Biased" to BASF tape. I purchased a digital to analog converter. Makes good recordings. But how do I record on the other 1/2 of the tape. The book says turn the tape over? Ok new tape in 10" reel is on the left and the take up reel on the right. Explain how I access the other two blank tracks on the tape??

Second question why has my late Father have some of his tape wound with the dull side out?? How do I rewind to play back?

I can build a Corvette engine but for the life of me this has my 60 year old brain at a loss. I really feel stupid asking these questions....I have others for my next post.

Thanks
Louis
 
Yeppers, take the tape off the machine, turn it 180 degrees/facing the opposite way, and put it on what was the feed side when you recorded or played it the first pass.

Revox didn't put auto-reverse in it's decks- they were made to be simple and reliable. That yours still works well is testament to the wisdom in that approach.

I have an A-77, too, bought from a second-hand store. Works like a charm. I wish I could cost-effectively convert it to 2-track.
 
Good grief...........Duh, like my old cassette player. I have noticed when I cal the VU meters fefore I record on new or different tape sometime one of the VU meters does not stay stady on "O" moves a little. Both "Level" dial are one "O"and I am turning the grey knobs upper left under feed reel. Then move from Cal to Input go back to "Record" (off cal) and adjust "Input" L&R to just touch "O" still makes a good recording. Is this becaue this Maxell UD is not the "Biased" BASF" tape Dad had the heads "Azimuth" aligned to???
 
stevieb said:
Somebody else will have to answer that one for you...
Click to expand...

It was the old/new tape. I installed a reel of BASF and erased it and then did
the cal on the VU meters before you start to record and then set the VU meters for that recording. Adjusted to zero and they did not move :-) It's hard to find good tape that has been stored correctly. Glad I down loaded the operating manual and the Service manual...wow about 180 pages. I am still un packing Dad's music boxs and found Revox nab O rings,tape counter belt, bulbs, extra bearings for second bearing on right side of tape pathway. Nice up-grade on a A-77. Tape rolls smoother.So pops notes said. Much to learn about this old format. I have un packed about 150 7" pre recorded reels of music. Won't be bored this winter. :-)

Dad's notes had that Ampex tape was OK but messy and had to clean heads more often.....he also had a note that Maxell "EE" was really hard on the heads, but UD or XL in 2400' reels was Ok. he said the longer the reels of tape the thinner the tape will be and it will stretch more over time and use.
Man it's been so many years I had forgotten all this.

Looking for a factory Azimuth Test tape for head alignmment. I have two other Akai 7' reel machines too he had.
 
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