TASCAM MSR 16 faded recordinigs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Grigorega
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Grigorega

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Good day everyone!

I have an issue of understanding I guess and I would be grateful for any help on this. I bought few months ago a Tascam MSR 16 machine. Since then I tried it with BASF SM 911, Quantegy 407 and 3M Scotch tapes.
I followed the recording procedure in details but the recorded sound is faded without any shine, mostly on the first tracks 1, 2 or 3. At the end of the day it seems there is no track I could choose for reasonable results. Worst I got is on the Scotch tape, that's normal OK. This is clear to me being out of normal but i don't know where to start with.

Much oblidged for any comment on this!
 
Have you cleaned the machine lately? Heads, guides and lifters.
 
take some close pictures to the heads and post. not blurry, and use a blank sheet of paper for controlling the reflection of light on the shiny surface of the heads. When you say fading, you mean sound volume fades ? or it is always low on playback ?
 
Cleanned yes! Soft wipes and also isopropilic alcohol. Everything shines but only on the surface of the heads not on my recordings. I shall be back with some images of the heads and their area.
Thanks!
 
The volume seems to fade on the first two tracks 1 and 2. On the rest volume stays right but the sound is stuffy no shine at all.
I shall be back later today, my time here, with the pictures of the heads.
Thanks!
 
How old is the tape? Noise reduction on?

It may be time to demagnetise.

Alan.
 
Possible causes:
  • Head or tape path misalignment
  • Electronics alignment (bias, eq, repro)
  • Bad tape (not if the RMGI that you mention is recent)


Suggestions:
  • Check that the tape lifters don't touch the tape at all when you press play. You can see this by removing the head cover (plastic part where tascam logo is)
  • Check visually if the tape to head contact is perfect on both edges of the tape as the tape starts moving
  • Check pinch roller deformation (is there any pitch distortion ? noticeable wow & flutter ?)
  • Try with a known good tape that has been recorded on some other machine
  • Maybe its time to invest on a calibration tape if you plan to be on this for a while - you can't escape that
  • Try with new tape - record and play - see if there is any difference (if the RMGI tape is new this doesnt apply)
  • Make sure noise reduction is off in both recording and playback


Questions
  • How fast the volume fades away on track 1-3 ? sounds like the tape loses full contact with the head after the pinch roller engages
  • Did the machine always behaved like this since you bought it ?
  • Post a close up video if possible, showing the heads and pressing play
 
Always tracks 1-3! The 3m Scotch is old but the Quantegy is brand new. As far as I know the BIAS should be OK.
NR is always on.
Thanks for the hint with the calibration tape. Yes my original plan was to get away from digital for little while...
OK, so I shall make new tests with NR off! Thanks!
 
Thanks Alan, but no, the tape is brand new. Quantegy 407. NR always on.
 
Heads condition

Here are some images of the heads. IMG_7243.webpIMG_7246.webpIMG_7251.webp
 

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Ahm...
Could I be so daring to ask for hints for places were to get calibration tape from and any hints for the best possible tape for this machine? Probably the "best tape" is a debateable notion... wel you know what I meant.

Thanks once again for this one too!
 
ok, the pictures are too far. need them closer, use a blank sheet of paper to control light reflection on the heads. Try the other steps that i listed earlier and make sure NR is always off. If the electronics are not calibrated properly the NR will create havoc.

Follow the steps and report results on all of them.

RMGI tape should be ok, i dont think your problem is the tape at this point. A calibration tape for that machine will run for about US$180 or so.
 
I have had an MSR16 since new, unfortunately it does not get used much these days. I found the best tape was the emtec (basf) 911 for both sound, less head wear and long lasting.

If you try recording with the noise reduction off does it sound any better, ignoring the tape noise you can now hear? I ask as the problem could be in the noise reduction circuits.

I would only calibrate the machine as a last resort, these machines did not go out of calibration that often, having said that you are mixing up tape brands and types and the machine should be calibrated for the tape you are going to use. On that, using 911 it was possible to swap to Ampex 456 if need as the calibration was almost the same.

It does sound like there could be head contact issues, when the tape is playing look closely at the tape travelling across the heads and see if it is running smooth. Remember one is the record / playback head the other is only the erase head, record/playback it the one in the centre with the tracks in line the erase is the one at the end with the tracks offset.

If some channels are working fine, you could try swapping the channel cards so that you can check if it's the record playback / noise reduction circuits causing the problems or the heads. There are 8 cards each doing a pair of channels. Do you have the manual as this shows the assembly of the machine.

You may have to locate a tech in your area that is used to working on tape machines to check it all out.

Alan.
 
fgonza2 said:
ok, the pictures are too far. need them closer, use a blank sheet of paper to control light reflection on the heads. Try the other steps that i listed earlier and make sure NR is always off. If the electronics are not calibrated properly the NR will create havoc.

Follow the steps and report results on all of them.

RMGI tape should be ok, i dont think your problem is the tape at this point. A calibration tape for that machine will run for about US$180 or so.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input!
I shall come back with some news after following your instruction steps.
 
witzendoz said:
I have had an MSR16 since new, unfortunately it does not get used much these days. I found the best tape was the emtec (basf) 911 for both sound, less head wear and long lasting.

If you try recording with the noise reduction off does it sound any better, ignoring the tape noise you can now hear? I ask as the problem could be in the noise reduction circuits.

I would only calibrate the machine as a last resort, these machines did not go out of calibration that often, having said that you are mixing up tape brands and types and the machine should be calibrated for the tape you are going to use. On that, using 911 it was possible to swap to Ampex 456 if need as the calibration was almost the same.

It does sound like there could be head contact issues, when the tape is playing look closely at the tape travelling across the heads and see if it is running smooth. Remember one is the record / playback head the other is only the erase head, record/playback it the one in the centre with the tracks in line the erase is the one at the end with the tracks offset.

If some channels are working fine, you could try swapping the channel cards so that you can check if it's the record playback / noise reduction circuits causing the problems or the heads. There are 8 cards each doing a pair of channels. Do you have the manual as this shows the assembly of the machine.

You may have to locate a tech in your area that is used to working on tape machines to check it all out.

Alan.
Click to expand...

Thanks again Alan,

Tech in my area is out of the question. I think I could get a manual one of these days. I have some hope for even an genuine glossy paper one. It does not matter after all but it contributes to the perfume :).
I have the feeling you are perfectly right, the noise reduction should be my issue here. I shall come back later with news to complete this survey for anyone ineterested.
Anyhow, I checked the contact visualy, the head tape contact, and looks ok to me. However I noticed some scratches on the head out of the tape contact area.

Anyhow, are they some hints in the its serial no. on the precise manufacturing year/date of this machine?

Thank a lot to everybody!
 
Grigorega said:
Thanks again Alan,

Tech in my area is out of the question.

Thank a lot to everybody!
Click to expand...

Tech specialized in Tascam machines I mean. I can get a help from eloctronics engineer. Is Europe though one way or the other.
 
Grigorega said:
Tech specialized in Tascam machines I mean. I can get a help from eloctronics engineer. Is Europe though one way or the other.
Click to expand...

What I suggest to people having trouble finding Techs (now I have read that you are in Romaina, mind you look up where I am and get out the scale ruler!) is to hunt out older techs that used to work in Radio and Television, these guys would have had to fix up tape machines all the time, they may be retied at home but they still may like to help you out.

Alan.
 
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