Tascam 38 not recording?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rocket Boy
  • Start date Start date
Lt. Bob said:
you should always use the repro head for mixing.
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You mean the repro mode?
That explains why it is there :) But what's the difference from the sync mode?
 
_DK said:
You mean the repro mode?
That explains why it is there :) But what's the difference from the sync mode?
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The synch head is not optimized for playback. It is only for reference when overdubbing. Recording heads are designed differently and play back on a record head is (electrically) a sonically lower quality sound. You want the optimization to be in the "record" mode.

The "repro" head is designed for sonically acceptable playback of the recording.

The "synch" head is a compromise in favor of the record function.
 
yes ..... the 'sync' head is actually the recording head ..... there is no seperate synch head ..... they use the record head for playback during recording so the new tracks will be in synch with the old tracks.
 
MCI2424 said:
The synch head is not optimized for playback. It is only for reference when overdubbing. Recording heads are designed differently and play back on a record head is (electrically) a sonically lower quality sound. You want the optimization to be in the "record" mode.

The "repro" head is designed for sonically acceptable playback of the recording.

The "synch" head is a compromise in favor of the record function.
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I'm sorry,... [MCI] The 38 was engineered specifically to overcome the sync-head limitations of previous recorders. The Sync and Repro heads are exactly the same, as are the amp circuits, (relatively speaking). Both are optimized for playback and are virtually equal. [Lt. Bob] There are 3 heads: Repro, Sync & Erase. Repro & Sync are the same part #, but have their own support circuitry on the amp-card.
;)

Granted, to get true "sync" function, you must use the "Sync" head, but the Repro and Sync on the 38 heads should have virtually the same freq. response.

Sorry if I've not addressed the main subject of this post!

Maybe later,...
C'ya! ;)
 
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A Reel Person said:
I'm sorry,... [MCI] The 38 was engineered specifically to overcome the sync-head limitations of previous recorders. The Sync and Repro heads are exactly the same, as are the amp circuits, (relatively speaking). Both are optimized for playback and are virtually equal. [Lt. Bob] There are 3 heads: Repro, Sync & Erase. Repro & Sync are the same part #, but have their own support circuitry on the amp-card.
;)

Sorry if I've not addressed the main subject of this post!

Maybe later,...
C'ya! ;)
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I did not know this. Good Info. Most other decks are not like this.

Happy New Year (your gonna need it with the sheer amount of equipment you have. Hows your electric bill?)
 
...

Yeah, no problem.

HNY to you, too!

My gear is either on sabbatical or on "rotation", whichever you prefer. It was quite a job to haul it out and lay it out like that, and I have another slew of gear to haul out for round 2.

I hope to step up my production output in '07, including getting my 38's back in production, (minor fixit/calibration issues to finish).

My 'lectric bill is moderate,...

considering I bought a 2nd house this year to accommodate my gear!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: ;) :eek: :eek:

Gotta go!!! C'ya!!! ;)
 
A Reel Person said:
I'm sorry,... [MCI] The 38 was engineered specifically to overcome the sync-head limitations of previous recorders. The Sync and Repro heads are exactly the same, as are the amp circuits, (relatively speaking). Both are optimized for playback and are virtually equal. [Lt. Bob] There are 3 heads: Repro, Sync & Erase. Repro & Sync are the same part #, but have their own support circuitry on the amp-card.
;)
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interesting ...... hadn't run into that before ...... is that unusual or are most of the newer decks set up that way?
 
3-heads' unusual for newer decks, most of which tended toward 2-head design, but...

the 38 is an early 80's model, (ca. 1982), so you know the original design of the 38 was probably a year or two previous to it's release.

Newer decks, such as the TSR-8, MSR-16/24 were 2-head.

Gonna be late for work now! Awww, fuck'em.

C'y'all after midnight! :eek: :eek: ;)

Thanx for the replies!!! ;)
 
I called Teac, they said it's probably a relay issue. I got some sound on the last three tracks... I was sort of assuming though that the tape should be facing so the quantegy logo is facing me and the shiney side of the tape should be up towards the heads? Is that correct??
 
Also, another quick question. Does anyone know what is involved in calibrating the reels for one of these if there seems to be just a little bit of play in it?
 
this is going to sound weird..but....

when I was having problems with my otari 4-track I ended up very carefully cleaning the entire mainboard with deoxit and q-tips. all of the traces and all of the solder points and all of the ground lines. also flushed the switches. amazingly, it seems the problem was solved. just a thought before you start swapping relays.
 
Rocket Boy said:
shiney side of the tape should be up towards the heads? Is that correct??
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As I'm assuming you're using a backcoated Quantegy 4xx series of tape, such as the 456, look carefully and you'll find one side of the tape to be black and the other brown. The BROWN side, which is the oxide, should be touching the heads and NOT the black.
 
As to the minor differences in sound quality between the repro head and the sync head on the 38, I think that can be attributed to the tape rap pressure and position being slightly better, more then anything else. The additional circuit loading on the sync head may also factor into this difference too but I believe it's simply more a case of tape to head position and pressure.

Cheers! :)
 
Yeah, that's the side I'm using of the tape. I'll try cleaning it out before I order parts.
 
It's sounding like a good candidate for pulling all the channel PC boards and reseating them. The down side of having a like-new unit that has sat dormant for 10 or 20 years is that you will have oxide form on traces and sockets.

Simply pulling each of the eight rec/play cards and cleaning the contact points with DeoxIT or equivalent can fix these little gremlins. There may be relay problems in addition, but the relays can be failing for lack of sufficient current due to oxide build-up elsewhere.

~Tim
:)
 
Alright, everything seems to be working now guys! Thanks.

Just that slight wobble in the left table... If anyone knows an easy way to fix that please let me know :)
 
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