Question

[Rockenheimer]

The capstan on my eight track keeps turning... even when the tape is not (ie. "pause" or "stop".) Is that normal? Because it's making a noise (slight, but a noise nonetheless) that appears to be picked up by track Number One, and only THAT track. I listened to it, isolated the track, and you can't hear it ON that track itself, but you CAN hear the capstan turn. I get a reading on the VU and everything.
Is that capstan supposed to always turn like that or is something broken?

Thank you. This is a great site. Very humbling for beginner-beginners like yours truly.

 

[MadAudio]

You might want to post this question in the 'Analog Only' topic.

What brand/model 8-track is it? I've got a Tascam 38, and though I haven't used it in a couple of years, I seem to recall that the capstan spun as long as the unit was on. As for the noise, beats me.

 

[Rockenheimer]

Yeah, probably Tascam

I don't know what brand. I have to check. This stuff belongs to my wife and I basically MADE her blowt he dust off of it all. She used to use the stuff eons ago (before we got married) and I decided after two kids that it was high time I got myself in there and did something with all this equipment. I was so hogwild the first couple of days that everything was on a trial - error basis. My wife only has limited knowledge of what she's doing. She once got a producer buddy of hers to come to the house and set everything up for her. It's working; the years sitting in the dust don't seem to have wreaked too much havoc on it. I do believe it's a Tascam, indeed. Whether it's a thirty-eight, I'm not sure.
Maybe I will try as you suggested and bring the question to another forum. Thanks dude.