question on Pioneer RT-1050 and RT-701

S

SkyLounger

New member
Hi guys!

I picked up an RT-1050 for 15 bucks including 4 large metal reels of which 3 have tape on them and an RT-701 for 5 bucks...

All functions and lights seem to be working on both of them, but they need a really good cleanup inside and out.

Do you think I should stick to cleaning them up myself to the best of my ability and then plug them in and see how they perform or is it worth taking them to a shop and having them refurbished professionnally right away?

thanks in advance for your enlightened answers!

SkyLounger
 
SkyLounger said:
Do you think I should stick to cleaning them up myself to the best of my ability and then plug them in and see how they perform or is it worth taking them to a shop and having them refurbished professionnally right away?

SkyLounger
Click to expand...
I think you should do both. Clean the machines yourself as I'm sure you don't want to pay a technician to merely dust do you?

And considering the price you paid for them, hopefully there's a couple of dollars left in your piggy bank to have whatever is beyond your technical expertise to fix; all this, assuming that they will need professional repair...that hasn't been established yet, correct?

Can you post a picture of these filthy beasts?

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
I think you should do both. Clean the machines yourself as I'm sure you don't want to pay a technician to merely dust do you? Of course not, if it's safe to do so myself...

And considering the price you paid for them, hopefully there's a couple of dollars left in your piggy bank to have whatever is beyond your technical expertise to fix; all this, assuming that they will need professional repair...that hasn't been established yet, correct? No, i picked them up last weekend... But the bigger question is, are those machines worth investing in, specs wise?


Can you post a picture of these filthy beasts? I will, as soon as I can, probably next week...
Cheers! :)
Click to expand...


FWIW, the 4 metal reels with tape are worth more than 15 bucks...
 
SkyLounger said:
But the bigger question is, are those machines worth investing in, specs wise?
Click to expand...
Well, they're both consumer machines that run consumer stereo formats so, I would say they're only worth investing in if you have a specific application use for them...perhaps if you had an existing library of older material that required a 1/4 track stereo deck to play them, then yes; they're worth fixing.

As far as studio use goes, they weren't designed for multi tracking or stereo mastering so there, they might not be all that functional as working tools.

But, they are very pretty machines. I think a lot of people buy them to complete a "look" as far as their set ups go. Some people hang Bear's head's on their walls, some display cool open reel equipment. To each his own.

Cheers! :)
 
and some people display walls of racks stuffed with pro-gear,
... to complete the "look", that is :D
 
Update on cleaning the RT-701 and RT-1050

I finished cleaning up both r-t-r's....

Turns out the 701 I got for 5$ is working perfectly except for the counter belt that's dryed out so I ordered a new one on EBay. A ''reel" deal, so to speak!

As for the 1050, everything works except when I tried playing or recording with it, the left channel is really, really scratchy, so I'm thinking maybe changing the head assembly... any opinions? I've cleaned everything thoroughly to no avail... I've emailed the guy in Texas for a head assembly but no response so far...

http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/vintagetx/


Also, I've added a Marantz 140 power amp and a 3200 preamp to my setup, so I'm not too far from heaven now.... :D
 
The Ghost of FM said:
I would say they're only worth investing in if you have a specific application use for them...perhaps if you had an existing library of older material that required a 1/4 track stereo deck to play them, then yes; they're worth fixing.

As far as studio use goes, they weren't designed for multi tracking or stereo mastering so there, they might not be all that functional as working tools.

But, they are very pretty machines. I think a lot of people buy them to complete a "look" as far as their set ups go. Some people hang Bear's head's on their walls, some display cool open reel equipment. To each his own.

Cheers! :)
Click to expand...

Actually Ghost, the only application that I have so far for those machines are transferring cd's or old vinyls to tape, although I might eventually start taping live performances of my wife playing cello...

But so far, I enjoy listening to some of my best cd's transferred to tape, I think it adds a completely different dimension to the music, much deeper bass and a rounder sound.

As you can see, I am far from being a "technician", just a guy who's been enjoying music for a long time and who's rediscovered the joy of analog gear!!!
 
That "scratchiness" in one of the channels may be due to aged electrical components in the repro circuit, or something. Oftentimes, capacitors dry out and pass unwanted frequencies, thus causing noise/static/intermittent crap. May be an easy fix, may be a PITA. You may try just buying new matched capacitors for that particular component, altogether, if there's only a dozen or so of them. food for thought on that other machine.

-callie-
 
SkyLounger said:
As for the 1050, everything works except when I tried playing or recording with it, the left channel is really, really scratchy, so I'm thinking maybe changing the head assembly... any opinions? I've cleaned everything thoroughly to no avail... I've emailed the guy in Texas for a head assembly but no response so far...
Click to expand...
Could be caps, but could also be switches. Clean them all, especially any of those long slider switches - I use CRC contact cleaner dribbled in the end and then work the switch, but there are other products out there as well.
 
SkyLounger said:
As for the 1050, everything works except when I tried playing or recording with it, the left channel is really, really scratchy, so I'm thinking maybe changing the head assembly... any opinions? I've cleaned everything thoroughly to no avail... I've emailed the guy in Texas for a head assembly but no response so far...

http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/vintagetx/
Click to expand...


One more thing...

When I play recorded tape with it, I can hear the other side of it being played backwards along with the good side, kinda weird.... I guess an alignment would be appropriate, can this be done easily or do I have to take it to the shop?

Thanks
 
hi

hi sky lounger i cant belive u paid 15 bucks for the rt-1050 i paid for 155 pounds for mine and thats without reels and a power cable. now im having the same problem with mine. my left channel is fussy and distorted i belvie this must be the heads givern the sate that mine are in. if it is the caps or summin on the pcb i prob wnt waste my time with them and just sell it. by any chance what tape head is on yours i dont have a serial o on my headblock but i think my heads are 2 track.
 
Right does not work

I also just picked up an Rt-701. Looks to be in good shap and everything seems to work except no sound coming through the right side. Left side VU meter registers signal, but right VU meter does not move. Have also played another tape deck through the 701 (through "in" RCA connections and pushing the "Source" button, but only left has sound and again, only left VU meter registers sound signal. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
 
SkyLounger said:
One more thing...

When I play recorded tape with it, I can hear the other side of it being played backwards along with the good side, kinda weird.... I guess an alignment would be appropriate, can this be done easily or do I have to take it to the shop?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Do not mess with the heads. Clean them several times, and use some Deoxit on the switches. If the tape you have was recorded 2 track and you are playing a 4 track this will happen( or is it the other way)??. Sometimes I have to use a Bulk Eraser on reels recorded on 2 track before I record on my 4 track so all is quiet.

Yes only a shop should touch the heads. It takes a scope and a tone tape and some good tape that you will purchase more of. If it's reel of Maxell 2400 ft UD then always purchase 2400 ft Maxell UD for best results.... The longer the tape on a reel the thinner the tape. Read up on "Azimuth" and having the heads adjusted or "Biased" to a brand of tape and how thick it is. Some more expensive R2R have Bias switch(adjusts heads) to help with different brands of tape and how thick they are.
 
LAB3 said:
If it's reel of Maxell 2400 ft UD then always purchase 2400 ft Maxell UD for best results....
Click to expand...

Interesting. I want to practice mixing on some used UD 35 (900') and then print my actual mixes on virgin RMGI LPR35 (1800'). The LPR35 is a substitute for UD-XL 35, not UD 35. But my owner's manual lumps the two Maxell tapes together in the same bias and eq switch settings. Would I still need to have the machine re-calibrated when I switch between the old Maxell and the new RMGI?
 
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