Moved on to Recording on Sony TC-255

[Odie3]

After getting my TC-255 running and playing back (dubbed off my Dad's Moonwalk recording to MP3) I've made my first recording. I did not have a blank tape so I re-dubbed one on of my Dad's Ampex Plus Series 1800 reels. I was worried about it having SSS but does not seem to be suffering from that issue (yet?). I hooked up my iPhone 8 Plus to the Sony TC-255 and made two playlists that would fit on either side of the reel. I have to say I am very pleased with the recording!! Its crazy listening to Cure, Wham!, P!nk, Cold Play from my Dad's machine

I've picked up from eBay both Scotch 150 and 207 (sealed) reels for some more recording fun.

Recording from my iPhone - does not do how it really sounds any justice!

 

[Odie3]

So, my daughter wants to record on it - does anyone know if the TC-255 will record the Mic and what is coming into the Line-In - so her voice is on top of the incoming music track?

 

[dhnash]

Based on the block diagram and schematic shown in the service manual available from HiFi Engine, it looks like the Aux Input signal is disconnected when the 1/4" phone plug from a microphone is plugged into the Mic Input. The service manual is available for free download after registering which is also free.

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sony/tc-255.shtml

What this means is you cannot mix the two signals in the way you proposed but you would be able to do so using an outboard mixer.

 

[Odie3]

got it dnash, did not think to look to the schematic for that information, hindsight tells me "duh". Especially since I have already downloaded it and printed it out from my printer ;-)

 

[dhnash]

No problem Richard. I wasn't sure if you had already obtained the service manual and you are correct about this type of document containing the answers to many questions.

Dave

 

[audiojones]

She can record on one channel while the music records on the other channel, not the same be still might be fun. If you want you can mix the two tracks together by pushing the mono button on your amp if it has one, otherwise you can connect left and right outputs of the tape deck together with a Y connector if you've got one.

 

[Odie3]

No mono on my amp but I do have "Y" adapters of various types and 1/8 to RCA adapters (quite the hook up from my iPhone 8). However, I seem to be all out of microphones (only UBS ones around the house) but before buying one I wanted to know what this old girl could do. I think what I am really looking for is a machine that can do SOS? Which I am looking for a better machine so this one is not used so often.