NAB adaptors that don't suck?

nasadowsk

Bow:good, hunt:needs work
Ok, I got a set of those 'cheap' $28 or buck 'new' NAB hub adaptors online the other day. and they're in. And they fit....

Well, they're loose, to put it mildly. The reels shift around which is annoying...

Anyone know of any better NAB adaptors? Am I doomed to shell out $200 for the sexy aluminum ones?

Application's an RT-909, BTW.

Thanks! :)
 
Ok, I got a set of those 'cheap' $28 or buck 'new' NAB hub adaptors online the other day. and they're in. And they fit....

Well, they're loose, to put it mildly. The reels shift around which is annoying...

Anyone know of any better NAB adaptors? Am I doomed to shell out $200 for the sexy aluminum ones?

Application's an RT-909, BTW.

Thanks! :)
i bought a set of those too, last year. i've found using a shim underneath them helps. if no shims available, try a dvd-r, or cd-r, etc. they work pretty good. for me anyway.

here's what a 'proper' shim looks like-
shim_220.jpg

available on ebay sometimes.

edit-locking hub adapters, ie teac, akai, etc, are better, of course.
ebay has some sometimes.
 
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I made that mistake of buying those once too. At every revolution of the reel, the tape would go "ker-clunk". I sent them back. I've found in my experience that you are better to find OEM type adapters for your model. I would get some of the original Pioneer adapters off the bay. You will spend a bit more, but IMHO it is worthwhile to have the originals. There are 3 plastic tabs on these that are sometimes broken. If you get some just make sure that the ones that you are getting have these tabs intact as they are there to hold the reel securely. I've found even with the OEM's on my RT-909, that sometimes I need to use a homemade spacer between the reel and the adapter so that the reels do not fit loose. I used one of those plastic "for sale" signs to cut a piece for fitting between my reel hub and adapter.
 
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It's not a tight against the reel table issue, it's the diameter of the adapter is too small by a bit. I found the dimensions of an nab hub online, if I feel ambitious I'll autocad it some day and design my on adapter and get that machined. These 'new' plastic ones suck, though you can stuff bits of leader in to at least get them to stop clunking. I don't get how one can screw up such a basic piece of plastic, but I bet I can guess where it was designed/made...
 
It's not a tight against the reel table issue, it's the diameter of the adapter is too small by a bit. I found the dimensions of an nab hub online, if I feel ambitious I'll autocad it some day and design my on adapter and get that machined. These 'new' plastic ones suck, though you can stuff bits of leader in to at least get them to stop clunking. I don't get how one can screw up such a basic piece of plastic, but I bet I can guess where it was designed/made...

Actually, not all NAB reels are exactly the same inside diameter either, so this adds to the problem. I have almost every conceivable NAB adapter and still get the odd clunk or two.

The best I have found.....


wait for it......


AKAI!!! :banana:

Marc
 
The Akai adapters are indeed awesome...when they work. But, and this is a BIG but: these don't fit on all of the machines that I have tried them on (They don't fit on Sonys, for example).

Teac adapters are pretty-good, but they are a little loose on non-teacs though, and the models without the dimples for reel-locks can in a worst-case scenario, actually fall-off in some cases.

Sony made some awsome adapters for their 750 series machines though. These sinch-down on both the spindle and the reel much like the Akai adapters do, but unfortunately these were not one-piece units like the Akais.

Revox adapters will sinch-down on the spindle too, but they won't tighten on the reel itself.
 
i think i have at least 5 different brands of nab adapters.
2 sets of lockable akais, the best imo also.
1 set lockable teacs, 2nd best.
1 set of lockable otaris
1 set pioneers, not much better than the ones being discussed here.
1 set 'generic' ones being discussed here.

both the pioneer and the 'generic' ones sometimes benefit from using a shim, whether it be a real 'shim' or a dvd-r, etc.

so far (in 37 years of r2r usage), i have yet to try different brands of hub adapters on different brands of decks. ie akai adapters on my teac a-6300, etc. been meaning to do that, tho.
 
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Once this reel's done :) I'll grab my caliper and see what the diameter appears to be on these units, and I suspect it's just too small. I DID find a spec online for an NAB type A reel hub, but the matching end on the tape deck isn't defined (apparently, the NAB didn't?).

Given the amount of gap I have, I'd say these things are just too darn small....
 
My locking ReVox adapters work great, but now I have an RT-909 (in addition to my ReVox) and would like another set. It looks like I'll be avoiding the Pioneers. Again - I recommend the ReVox, but those big anodized aluminum ones are beauts. Anybody know about them?

You're right that the ReVox's won't clamp down on the reel but for me, the tightness of the o-ring has been enough to hold steady.
 
I have the Akai set that came with my 630D, and they are my favorite. I measure all others to them. I also have a Pioneer PP220A set, the original ones to come with the 909. Try looking for the earlier PP220 set. They don't have those plastic tabs on them, but instead a thin gasket. Kinda like weather stripping. These offer a more snug fit than the later 220As i think. I also have the el-cheapo ones being talked about here. Thinking of adding a gasket of some sort to them to see if that helps. Got some very thin cork in my garage, may try that. And lastly i managed to get a set of Revox adaptors, but without the Revox logo in them. Probably a knockoff, but function just as well. No fancy metal attachments either, and no plans to add them. Too over the top for me. (not to mention to much extra expense.) If i do anything to them, i'll add a fake inset that says Pioneer PP220B.
 
Ok, I found out: The diameter of the adapter I have is 2.85 or so. NAB says a hub's *minimum* ID should be 3.002. Thus, it's one heck of a loose fit. Clunk Clunk Clunk. I don't know what the typical ID of a hub adapter should be, but I'd think it's a lot tighter than that!

Looks like I might have to either find better adaptors, modify these somehow, or engineer my own....
 
Best option on 909 is original Pioneers in good condition or brand new Teac's.
Those flimsy new ones is a joke, a cheap copy of the early Teac provided with 3340 -series.:no:
 
I've had these Teac adaptors for years, but lately they've started to clunk. Had a look, and five of the six tabs were cracked. I'm too cheap to buy new ones, so I busted out the .020 styrene and beefed up the backside of the locking pads. Now the adaptor clamps the reel down nicely, and no more clunky clunky.

IMG_7968.jpg


Figures, I'd take a pic of the one tab that isn't cracked. You can also see the reinforcements I made for the tabs.
 
A friend of mine works at a plastics house, so I've got maybe a hundred 12x12 inch panels. You can also get it at a good hobby shop. Stuff is amazing, you can make anything from it. The trick is finding a glue that works to melt the ABS hubs and styrene together. Ambroid ProWeld is a good one.
 
I just got a set of new Teac 612 hubs which work great on my Otari B3. No loose problems there.
 
That video is fantastic! I'm a tinkerer, but i would have never thought of that approach! Must try that with my set now.
 
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The one's that came on my Crown SX824 decks work very well. I'll take a picture this weekend and post it.
 
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