tascam 424 (original) help

  • Thread starter Thread starter dreadist
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dreadist

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I just got a 424 off of ebay every thing seems to work fine except when I record, I read the manual so I am pretty sure im doing every thing right but the audio quality is pretty bad. it seems like the tempo speeds up and slows down and it sounds nothing like the original source. heres a link to a sample i recorded
 
No one's helping you out here so I'll try. I've got a 424 MKIII and it works just fine. First up, make sure you're using Type II chrome cassettes, preferably C60. Type I is no good for these machines. Use the high speed setting for recording. Put the DBX noise reduction on.

Then before you try to record anything, do the basics of head cleaning using the highest concentration iso alcohol you can get and those ladies makeup remover pads. Make sure those heads are shiny and clean with no tape gunk on them. Then demagnetize the heads. To do that you'll need to have a demagnetizer or be able to borrow one. If you're serious about cassette recording it'd pay to have one around. Some say demag every 10 hours of use, some say 100. Usually when the treble response starts to go - demag.

Wobbly sound is often caused by a worn belt. There's a few threads on here about belt replacement. And you might as well take a close look at the recording / playback heads as well. They could be worn past redemption. If you can see a crack down the middle then that's bad.

Let us know what you find.

:)
 
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thank you for your help, but i took it to a electronic service center and they took care of it. It seems nothing was wrong with it, except for the fact that some of the components needed lubing. I guess it must of been the tape i was using which was type I, im now using type type II high bias maxell XLII. Since i got it back its been working like a dream, (i LOVE this thing lol) it came with a teac E-3 head demagnetizer, so i guess all i need now is some makeup remover pads. I have 70% iso alcohol is that concentrated enough or should i get some with a higher percentage?
 
Never heard of a portastudio not working because it needed "lubing". I'd be curious what they actually did. Hey, but it works now so I guess that's good.

Makeup remover pads are best for 1/4 inch and wider heads and not so much the ones in your cassette deck. Use q-tips, ones with a wooden handle, if available and......... as Geoff already pointed out, you wanna get a higher % alcohol.
 
That's the thing when the guy looked at it he said he wasn't sure what the problem was because everything checked out ok. Except, however for the transport mechanism which would get stuck in the play position sometimes, so that was the need for the lubrication. Tomorrow I am going to pick up some higher % alcohol, thanks for the advice guys.
 
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