Tascam TSR-8 - Help for a Newbie

[silver22]

Hi everyone. I'm really new to analog recording, and recording in general. I recently purchased a Tascam TSR-8 along with a Mackie 1604 mixer for my own little home demos. The Tascam was just serviced by a tech who said everything was clean and working properly. However, when I record something, the playback levels are a lot lower than they are while I'm recording. The LED above each track barely lights up. I've only tried recording on tracks 1 and 2, but I keep getting the same result. I've read through the forums and I'm going to try cleaning the heads (something I thought the tech might do), but can anyone help me out?

Again, I'm really new to this, so I'm hoping it might just be that the heads need to be cleaned or I'm not doing something right with the signal path (I have a mic plugged into channel 1, direct outs of the mixer into the ins on the Tascam; then in outs of the Tascam go to channels 9-16 on the board for monitoring).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[WarmJetGuitar]

You need to buy isopropyl alchohol, at least 96%. Find some cotton swabs and give the heads a good cleaning and do so before each session. Use the alchohol for the metal parts of the tape path - the pinch roller don't need cleaning as often and for that you'll need rubber cleaner. But unless it's very nasty its not as critical as the heads. Regular 96& alchohol can do the trick too if you're desperate to record right now but in the long run the isopropyl is better.
Make sure the heads are dry before you put on the tape. If it still doesn't work your tape or heads might be fucked or the machine is calibrated strangely.

If it doesn't work it could be because you're using a tape that isn't calibrated for the machine but in my experience (mind you I'm a semi-noob) using the wrong tape shouldn't make such a big difference in input levels.

 

[silver22]

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely try cleaning the heads today... for all I know, they haven't been cleaned ever, even though this particular machine is in very very good condition. I don't think anything is wrong with the calibration as I did have it just checked out by a very knowledgable tech. I'm using Ampex 456 1/2" tape but it is used, so maybe that's the issue? I guess I'll clean the heads first and see if that does the trick. Thank again!

 

[Beck]

Clean and demagnetize the heads and the rest of the tape path, but if that doesn’t help and you’re using older Ampex 456 you are likely experiencing a very common symptom of sticky-shed syndrome (See the Sticky-Shed Help Thread at the top of the forum). Tapes with sticky-shed, if they run at all without stopping, won’t print normally, so the high frequencies will be dull and the signal in general will be several dB down in level on playback. The first thing you need is a new tape to do your initial testing and get a baseline. You can’t do that with an old bad tape. Whatever else might be wrong with the machine (if anything) will be masked by the bad tape. There may be nothing at all wrong except the tape. This is a very common scenario.

 

[WarmJetGuitar]

Only got one roll of tape? RMGI makes great tapes. But if you're as broke as me you'd be looking for used tapes. I find that most BASF 1/4" tapes sounds great on my Fostex machines calibrated for Ampex 457 so there's a chance that their 1/2" will sound great on your TSR-8 too though it might be calibrated for 456. 456 and 457 is the same tape soundwise, 457 is just thinner.

Yeah, the demagnetization is a weird but nessecary process. And if your bandmates are new to analog recording too they'll think you completely lost it while you perform the action as there's a bit of voodoo ritual too it
But as Beck says its a must. Get a demagnetizer on EBay and follow the instructions in the manual carefully. No demagnetization will mess up the sound in the long run, wrong demagnetization (touching the metal with the demagnetisizer) will mess it up too.

 

[silver22]

Thanks everyone so much for your replies! I should've realized that the tape might be the problem. I'm going clean everything and de-magnetize the heads and I've just ordered new tape, so we'll see what happens. Thanks again!

 

[siteslinger]

This sounds like sticky shed to me. This was the first symptom I had with my TSR-8, which I ignored, and it turned into a nightmare.

Check the 7-digit batch code on the box of your Ampex tape. The first four digits are the year it was made, and the last three are how many days into the year it was made. If the first four digits are 1987 or before, you've mostly likely got sticky shed. To make sure, wind the tape directly from the supply reel to the take-up reel, completely bypassing the tape path, and let the tape run past your finger for about ten seconds. If your finger has any kind of residue, wind the tape into the trash and save the reel. Then thoroughly clean and degauss the machine before using a new tape.

Welcome to analog tape!

 

[jpmorris]

A couple of slight corrections to siteslinger's post (no offence intended!)

Firstly that Quantegy has 4-digit years (e.g. 2002123) - Ampex only usually has two digits (87123). And the tape is only safe if it's after 1994.

EDIT: Made a few slight corrections to my post too...

 

[silver22]

Thanks everyone so much for helping me out! I just got the new tape and cleaned the heads and everything sounds great now! Can't thank you all enough.

 

[Victory Pete]

I just finished calibrating 2 of my TSR-8's. I recently bought a roll of RMGI 911 from Total Media for $94.67 shipped, I also got a free can of compressed air, they allow you to pick a free gift. Good luck with your new machine. If you have problems with wobbly reels it could be a defective hub, out of my 4 machines 3 of them had a badly machined hub, The repair is fairly easy if you need help let me know.

VP

 

[Beck]

I just finished calibrating 2 of my TSR-8's. I recently bought a roll of RMGI 911 from Total Media for $94.67 shipped, I also got a free can of compressed air, they allow you to pick a free gift. Good luck with your new machine. If you have problems with wobbly reels it could be a defective hub, out of my 4 machines 3 of them had a badly machined hub, The repair is fairly easy if you need help let me know.

VP

Yep, the reel tables are crap on the TSR-8, as are the plastic reel clampers. I had to replace my reel tables as well by cutting down the rear arbors on a pair from the 30-series with a Dremel tool. Had to replace the plastic reel clampers too. Now that you have that repaired be sure to use your TSR-8’s lying on their backs or at least angled back in a rack made to tilt. The plastic reel clampers will last a lot longer that way.

Nice setup.

But $94.00 for one freakin' 1/2" reel of SM911?!?! Well, I know what I'd like to do with that "free" gift can of compressed air if I could persuade the person who set those prices to bend over.