Yikes! Track 8 just died on 8 track!

[The Ghost of FM]

I tired cleaning both connections today again, but it made very little difference.

I guess I can try the "gold" product but I also am wondering if some things need to be replaced.

Well, it's still possible that the problem lays inside one or several relays and sweetbeats gave you some pretty detailed advice on how to work with them.

Relays tend to be on or off affairs and your description sounds different then a typical relay failure so the Caig Deoxit Gold may be worth a try still. As I mentioned in my previous post, my 16 track was helped out immensely with that product.

The next move is yours.

Cheers!

 

[fred s.]

I will try deoxit gold, might as well replace the relay or at least have the spare part in case i need to.

did a search for "G2E-187P-H" but came up empty...any recommendations for a part that will work in its place?

 

[sweetbeats]

Call or email Mouser Electronics. Thay should be able to help. Teir website is www.mouser.com.

That's a start.

Can you take a hi-res picture of an amp card and either put up a link here or if you don't have a place you can host it then setup an account at photobucket or you can PM me and I'll get you an email address to which you can send it to me and I'll host it?

I'd like to see what the relay looks like. I still say they are on the suspect list and if they look like I think they do then it might help to desolder the shield cover and clean the contacts.

Look at this thread starting on about post #13. There is some tutorial explaination in post #22 that also has a picture of a relay with the shield cover off.

 

[fred s.]

I called mouser, they were unable to help, unfortunately.

I switched out the cards again, this time I put 6 where 8 was

and the problem persists on track 8, "wavey" sounding playback of test recordings, and high frequency is cut a bit.

So, doesn't that rule out the relay? Because I switched the cards and had the same problem on Ch 8 only, shouldn't the Ch 6 card relay be working fine in Ch 8 after the switch? Because 6 was working just fine in its original spot.

 

[sweetbeats]

What tape are you using? Are you sure it isn't shedding at all?

Tracks 1 and 8 are always more susceptible to degraded performance since they are edge tracks and if the tape path is not mechanically aligned and therefore the tape is not centered and running flat over the heads you are going to hear that.

Get a good flashlight and a magnifying glass if you have one and roll the tape and look at what it is doing over the heads. Your tape path may need adjustment. That issue can and will exacerbate any shedding if the tape is being pulled into a guide wrong.

 

[fred s.]

I took it into a local music store last night and got it back today!

Its working like a charm. The guy said he "adjusted the heads, and replaced a few caps"

So it very well may have been just that, maybe things weren't perfectly aligned. I don't know, I'm just glad this is over with and I can record again!!

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions!

 

[The Ghost of FM]

I took it into a local music store last night and got it back today!

Its working like a charm. The guy said he "adjusted the heads, and replaced a few caps"

So it very well may have been just that, maybe things weren't perfectly aligned. I don't know, I'm just glad this is over with and I can record again!!

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions!

Glad to hear things turned out OK and that the technician was able to get to bottom of the issue!

Odd that it turned out to be what he reported to you though? Do they offer a service warranty on the work so that if the issue pops up again in the next 30-90 days, they'll cover that? I hope so!

Cheers!

 

[fred s.]

Glad to hear things turned out OK and that the technician was able to get to bottom of the issue!

Odd that it turned out to be what he reported to you though? Do they offer a service warranty on the work so that if the issue pops up again in the next 30-90 days, they'll cover that? I hope so!

Cheers!

Hopefully it will stay working!

They do good work, a local smaller shop with a pretty good repair department, in Brooklyn. Also had one of my guitar amps in there a while back. I'm in there all the time, so I'm sure if anything happens they would stand by their work. Hopefully I wont need that though!!

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Hopefully it will stay working!

They do good work, a local smaller shop with a pretty good repair department, in Brooklyn. Also had one of my guitar amps in there a while back. I'm in there all the time, so I'm sure if anything happens they would stand by their work. Hopefully I wont need that though!!

Cool!

Nice to live in a big city with technicians readily available, eh!

I've heard from so many guys out there who have to ship their machines hundreds of miles to decent repair shops and all the hassles of packing and shipping and waiting!

I've also got a very good technician only a few miles away from where I live in Toronto and he even makes house calls due to the size of my machine.

Anyway, best of luck and happy tracking!

Cheers!