Tape Gear!

[Issac]

Hi there, I’ve made a speed control for the motor of my Tascam porta02 following the basic principle of using a pot and a transistor, but was wondering if anyone knows if it’s possible to add CV as well?

[Zedkah]

there is this kind of thing.

https://www.synthrotek.com/products/lo-fi-synthesizer-circuits/vac-pak/

[ecfike]

I have altogether too much tape gear but I don’t have a reel-to-reel. I’m eyeing a Nagra IV-L. Does anyone have any experience with this machine?

[rbxqb]

Hey - I was wondering how necessary it is to cut the trace? I’ve found this technique on numerous forums now for modding the PMD 222, but I’m nervous about it being “irreversible”. If worst comes to worst, could I re-engage the fixed tap lead (pin 4 on the pitch pot) with a wire. Is a trace effectively just a wire embedded to PCB? Sorry if that’s a silly q, I haven’t tinkered with circuitry in several years and never in too much depth.

[Frogstar]

You do need to cut the trace for the mod to work.
A trace is a thin layer of copper that’s embedded into the PCB. You’d cut through it into the base material creating a break. It’s easy, but harder than you’d expect.
To reverse it, I would solder in a short jumper wire to bridge the cut. That would be easier than messing directly with the potentiometer leads.

[rbxqb]

Thanks for the advice! I’ll do that this weekend (I’m a bit nervous because I read about issues with the onboard speaker after the mod…though I don’t see how they’re at all connected). ALSO, do you recommend replacing the 1.2k resistor (RM52) with a 1k trim pot pot in series with a 1k fixed resistor? I heard this adds range to the pitch (i.e. delay time)…

[futuresoundproject]

I was wondering the same actually, I would like to do the delay mod, but I don’t love the idea of cutting the trace. Couldn’t you just desolder the one pin from the pitch pot, and jumper the wire as normal?

Also if you have any insight as to a couple questions I have it would be much appreciated…

Do you know a source for the correct power supply? I have a nice PMD 221, but it never came with a supply and it runs through batteries like a train! I know its 4.5v 700mA, but I haven’t found the right one. (Amazon has one with reviews that says it works, however it’s 5v and 1000mA, so I’m hesitant to try it myself)

Lastly, is there a way to listen to the source while not in record mode? I would like to be able to sort of ‘bypass’ the unit and hear incoming audio, without being in record mode.

Thanks!

[Cementimental]

Selections for our Isn’tses gig at IKLECTIK this evening

[interpretnull]

At home for a couple of weeks for my wee sister’s 30th (terrifying) and I went digging in my parents cupboards…

[tardisc]

i’ve received a marantz pmd-221 that was listed as fully functioning but unfortunately has some issues which i will try to explain to the best of my ability. i have no experience with the technical side of these things so wondering if someone on the thread has some experience repairing these types of decks and has any advice for me? is it worth looking into a repair, would it be costly? should i consider trying to just sell it for parts? thank you!

1. pressing play when no tape is loaded in: the right spool starts spinning, but when loading in a tape there is no movement at all. there’s also clicking sound every couple seconds as if it has reached the end of the tape, despite the tape being rewound to the beginning.
2. the record button is jammed or something, it’s position is lower than all the other buttons in the panel. doesn’t stay put when pressed down.
3. fast forward works as it should, but rewind will push the tape back a tiny bit and then stop.

[bunkbeds]

i can’t help ya, but i would suggest visiting the tape heads forum and asking around. if no one here can help you out, i imagine someone there definitely will be able to!

[cold_fashioned]

If you’re in the US, I can recommend Superscope for repairs. I had a PMD-430 that needed a tune up and they turned it around in about a week. Send them an email to see what they recommend. Very friendly and knowledgeable people.

[hyena]

i’m about to welcome a fostex r8 in my soundlab. any recomendation on which modern tape to buy, especially in europe? thank you!

[infovore]

woah, those TDK labels brought back memories hard

[jacopo]

I recently bought for almost nothing this Swedish early 60s re-branding of the Copicat, modified by P.O. Alm himself
Sounds amazing with guitar and POG, I still have to try it with the modular

[interpretnull]

It’s weird isn’t it!

I am about to peel the wrapper off of a TDK SA90 Type II for the first time since the 90s to play with one of the Tascams. I need to film it for posterity.

[bellemnop]

hello, this seems like the right thread to discuss/revisit the topic of very long self-contained cassette tape loops? i’ve been trying unsuccessfully for weeks now to make one like those pictured above way earlier in this thread with the multiple guide wheels, etc. and can’t seem to get the tension right or something. at this point i’m wondering if anyone’s managed to fabricate their own version of many of these commercially available “endless loop cassettes” where the tape feeds from the inside of a giant spool, which significantly increases the amount of time on the loop? pic related, i’ll also try and post a youtube link here which demos one such commercially available option

[janglesoul]

Hi, not sure if I’m answering any question. But yes, getting the tension right and the tape to travel smoothly is a challenge. I rarely, if ever succeed. Rather I’ve learnt to appreciate the tape slips as interesting artefacts.
There are instructions on the internet that suggests finding a rubber washer (for plumbing etc) of the right size and to fit it to the wheel for extra grip and friction. I also experimented with cutting up rubber bands and glueing them to the wheel. Worked fine, til it got loose

[P1505]

Super cool. But I see no tape.

I want a small feel to feel so bad it’s become visceral.

[mode.analogue]

I kinda did, when I fed my miniature 8-track cartridge for the Melos Echo Chamber with new tape a while ago. As mentioned in some post further above, less tension is much more likely to succeed than any tension at all. The hardest part for this kind of tape spooling is the tape reel itself tho. To my knowledge, the centre piece of those very long windings is actually bevelled out (or coming up at a slight angle for that matter) which helps unwinding the tape from the middle quite nicely.
For this reason, I’m not sure if that kind of winding technique you’re after would actually work without issues with regular/non-bevelled reels…but that’s just me making assumptions based on what I’ve seen so far.