Source for R2R belts?

N8Nagel

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
What's the current go to source for belts for R2Rs? The tape counter just quit on my sony TC-388-4, so it's probably time to do all of them. Local to DC would be great, but I'm guessing mail order is the best bet? Any recommended sources? In other news, I thought that 4-track on a Columbia tape meant quad, but it's actually two sided stereo. But the Horowitz tape I got for a buck has never been played... until now! 7.5ips, I'm happy. Plus I only have two channels on the system the R2R is hooked to anyway. My first prerecorded media, I've had this boat anchor for something like three years now for this moment <G> (OK, and because wheels and meters are cool.)

I ask rather than searching because most of the search results say Marrs but I've heard that they're not the most reliable anymore, or have they got their issues sorted?

There is a kit on Amazon sold by Bob's Vintage-Electronics Parts. Good quality/seller?

Thanks for any advice!
 
Bob's belts have been good when I've used them. Marrs is great, but they're slow to ship sometimes (they even say so on their site).
 
Cool. Now I just need to find a manual and see if I want to tackle this myself or if I'm in over my head. I'm wondering if I need a head alignment as I listened to one side and it sounded OK but the right VU was pegging while the left barely reached 0dB. Or maybe that was just the recording? Probably need to listen to both tapes that I have (yes, I got TWO whole tapes out of the dollar bin at a certain repair/vintage sales shop while picking up my sadly unrepaired 4270) while watching the VUs.

Is this a record for length of time between finding a machine and finding some prerecorded media to play on it? Something like three years! I guess I should be glad I didn't toss it.
 
That works fine, I do have a tape that I recorded with the same unit when I first got it, I just recorded off a CD.

I think it is the recording, the second tape I played the VUs were much more even. It's not outside the realm of possibility that someone recording a single piano on a stage might have ended up with uneven R-L levels. But the counter definitely does not work.
 
I would not recommend Marrs. Slow and maybe never. Take a look at some of their delightful posts on THs. Real class act. Vintage-Electronics has been my go to for a few years now. Assume that’s the Bob mentioned above.
 
I’ve only wanted to fix a few RTR and just grabbed belts off eBay. First one was a kit with instructions and an oiler for some deck I found in Goodwill. The instructions alone were worth the price.

What’s up with the 4270?
 
I’ve only wanted to fix a few RTR and just grabbed belts off eBay. First one was a kit with instructions and an oiler for some deck I found in Goodwill. The instructions alone were worth the price.

What’s up with the 4270?

Same thing that's been up with it for months... Works great in 2 channel mode, but blends the rear channels together in quad mode and the rear balance control does nothing. I don't even remember now if I determined that the fault was in the preamp or amp section but I am assuming preamp as if it were in the amp section I would immediately have suspected the BTL phase inverter board.

Just got it back from the 2nd of 4 known good techs in the area. I swear it was working when I got it back from the first tech the first time but I took it back to him and he couldn't fix it. 2nd tech replaced a couple controls, told me it sounds great, but tapped out on the actual problem.

Saga here: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/marantz-sqa-2b-finally-got-it.815824/ this has been going on since late March/early April

I may have to just hook up an AVR in the bedroom as I'll never get a chance to fix the few issues with the QRX-7001 in there at this rate unless I do. I was really planning on replacing it with the Marantz but this just doesn't seem to be working out.

I feel bad for these techs, actually, as both were cool and either comped what they did do or gave me a severely reduced rate because they didn't fix the actual issue, and I know they were banging their heads against a wall.
 
Same thing that's been up with it for months... Works great in 2 channel mode, but blends the rear channels together in quad mode and the rear balance control does nothing. I don't even remember now if I determined that the fault was in the preamp or amp section but I am assuming preamp as if it were in the amp section I would immediately have suspected the BTL phase inverter board.

Just got it back from the 2nd of 4 known good techs in the area. I swear it was working when I got it back from the first tech the first time but I took it back to him and he couldn't fix it. 2nd tech replaced a couple controls, told me it sounds great, but tapped out on the actual problem.

Saga here: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/marantz-sqa-2b-finally-got-it.815824/ this has been going on since late March/early April

I may have to just hook up an AVR in the bedroom as I'll never get a chance to fix the few issues with the QRX-7001 in there at this rate unless I do. I was really planning on replacing it with the Marantz but this just doesn't seem to be working out.

I feel bad for these techs, actually, as both were cool and either comped what they did do or gave me a severely reduced rate because they didn't fix the actual issue, and I know they were banging their heads against a wall.


I've straightened out a few of them and found issues almost everywhere in them but it seems like you have discovered a new weirdness.

Yours has no balance control on rear in quad mode. It blends rears.
But otherwise works, yes?

I have seen bad balance controls, but that was loss of channel and you changed those. So as long as that was wired right, that should be covered.

I have found so many issues in the tone control boards and pre-amp boards that now when I repair/recap, I replace all the e-caps and tantalums and transistors while its all apart. that tone control mother/daughter board is a piece of work to get into so I only want to do it once.

I had one unit that I swear the DOLBY board was causing a problem even with DOLBY off.
A total e-cap recap there always gets done.

This all assumes original configuration. I have found hack fixes on gear that was not proper and caused weirdness when restoring was in process. Thankfully that is rare.

None of these areas indicate blending issue to me, but broken electronic circuits can get very weird.
Having had two techs digging around and getting stumped causes some concern about it.

Now, is this all happening when using a quad module installed?
I have never played with any Marantz quaffs that actually had the quad module so maybe that is the new variable here.
 
Ya I wouldn't deal with Marrs. Terrible service,or no service but hey,they will take your money. Bob at Vintage is great,super fast shipping.
 
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