Playback problem with my 424mkiii...

[sad_analogist]

I recently purchased a used Tascam 424mkiii off of eBay. When it arrived I was blown away by the condition it was in - spotless. While doing some initial recording tests, however, I noticed that the playback levels a DREADFULLY low - I mean, exceedingly, stupendously low.

I have not yet cleaned the tape heads and intend to do so, but assuming this wont work I was just wondering if anyone has some other ideas of what could be causing this? I don't suspect the cleaning of the heads will do much because a) they look exceptionally clean and b) the levels are very, very , VERY low (and I suspect that slightly dirty tape heads would not be enough to cause such a signal loss.)

Would degaussing help at all? I imagine it would take an awful lot of magnetism on the head have to practically eliminate the signal as it records it.


I'm just looking for some suggestions about what else to consider here. Thanks a tonne.

 

[carelessorc]

What were the levels like when recorded?
I mean, if recorded levels were low, then it's not a playback problem.

Orc

 

[sad_analogist]

The levels were perfect when recording (hovering around 0), so I don't think that's a problem - my main concern is that the head might be shot somehow. When monitoring the levels as I'm recording, I guess I can't be sure what it is actually sounding like on the tape, so...it could be a recording problem OR a playback problem.

The only way I can think of to test this is to record something on it and try to play it back through another tape deck. Unfortunately, I don't have any other four-track recorders, so I would have to play it through a standard cassette deck - which I'm sure will give me something disgusting, but at least I'll be able to get a sense of the signal level.

Again, is there anything else you could think of that would cause this? I'm obeying all of the rules in the book (mkiii manual - http://www.tascam.com/Products/424mkIII/Porta_424mkIII_manual.pdf), so I'm sure it's not a settings problem.

What would cause a tape head to suddenly stop recording a listenable levels?

p.s. - I've cleaned & degaussed and nothing has changed.