Help please! Why does my Fisher 400 distort when I plug a recorder into the tape out?

[dereksee]

Hi all-

In my experiments of combining low tech with high tech, I have plugged a modern Zoom H2 digital recorder into my Fisher 400 receiver. When it's plugged in, the output drops and the sound distorts. This does not happen when I plug an analog tape deck in OR use the analog deck as a buffer between the receiver>H2. Any ideas about a simpler solution?

THANKS!
Derek

dereksdaily45.blogspot.com

 

[ryuuoh]

Plugged in with an RCA Y cable to the tape out jacks on the Fisher and line in on the recorder?
Does it do that on AC power and on battery?

 

[Jon_Logan]

Yeah, it sounds like the recorder is yanking the line down. The camera is either unpowered or your plugging the "Tape Out" into the camera's audio out. soundz like.

 

[markn2wae]

If you are connecting everything up correctly (not output to output) then try and get or build a "line stage", I built a unity gain IC stage to buffer the tape output on my Sansui 1000A receiver, without the line stage, only the FM audio "loads down", the other sources are OK, the FM output is driven from a tube stage(s)

Mark T.

 

[audiojones]

Hi all-

In my experiments of combining low tech with high tech, I have plugged a modern Zoom H2 digital recorder into my Fisher 400 receiver. When it's plugged in, the output drops and the sound distorts. This does not happen when I plug an analog tape deck in OR use the analog deck as a buffer between the receiver>H2. Any ideas about a simpler solution?

THANKS!
Derek

dereksdaily45.blogspot.com

I had this same experience when plugging a Phillips CDR-775 cd recorder into my Marantz 2330b receiver. It would make everything distort and sound "wrong" when it was turned off, but as soon as the CDR was powered up everything was fine. I think some equipment just doesn't play well with others. Perhaps a line stage as Mark suggested would be a viable solution. In my case I got rid of the Marantz as it wasn't getting along with other equipment (plus I hated the way it sounded), but if I had a Fisher 400 I'd probably try Mark's idea or just keep it all analog.

 

[PacificStereo]

Some equipment can act like a diode across the output when off, and that can make unbuffered signals distort. It sounds like the tape out of the Fisher might be unbuffered, which makes it susceptible to this sort of thing.

This should not happen with the H2 powered on. Only off. It doesn't occur when the H2 is on and connected, does it?

As Mark suggests, a simple unity gain buffer stage between the two (as you have discovered by using your tape deck as a de-facto buffer) will solve the problem.