Vintage TX
Analog forever
What do I need to maintain my Cassette deck or reel to reel?
For the most part, all you need to do is keep the heads and general tape path clean and free from magnetic fields both external and internally generated from usage.
For cleaning the heads, guides, metal rolling tensioners, lifter arms and capstan you will need to get Isopropyl Alcohol in a 95% purity or higher. This will be applied with Qtips or any decent, lint free cotton swab by wetting the swab with the alcohol and rubbing off the oxide build up on the affected parts.
The frequency of doing this procedure depends on the machine and the type and condition of the tape you are using at the time. Generally for cassette decks, every 10 - 30 hrs of actual play/recording time and after every major recording session to be safe. For open reel machines, every 6 to 10 hrs and even more depending what tape you are using, older tape can shed and create a big mess on both heads + travelpath.
Keeping the tape path clean and free of tape oxide build up will ensure that your deck keeps running at peak efficiency and at it best frequency response.
Isopropyl alcohol can be found at any drugstore or pharmacy and at most hardware stores too.
For cleaning any and all rubber parts in the tape path such as pinch rollers and idler-wheels
Parts Express sell both headcleaner and rubber cleaner.
Don't use head-cleaner or Isopropyl alcohol on any rubber-parts.
Some reel to reel models and cassette decks has a softer rubber and you will ruin your new deck with a gummy sticky mess, be careful.
The key to doing it is when you see appreciable oxide build up on the rubber or if you notice any deviations in play speed or increases in wow and flutter. All of these symptoms are basically signs of a lack of grip of the rubber roller against the capstan which together pull the tape across the heads at a rated speed.
A brown residue on the pinch-roller or tension rollers are a sign it's time to do some maintenance.
Deagussing ( Demagnetizing )
There are many ways to screw this part up, so please be careful.
A little stray magnetism can become quite a big problem in tape recording.
It only takes a small amount (.2 gauss) to cause trouble on the record head.
Playing 10 cassettes will put about that much charge on the heads.
A little more than (.7 gauss) will start erase high frequency signals on previously recorded tapes.
DEGAUSSING IS ALWAYS DONE WITH RECORDER TURNED OFF. :yes:
If you try it with the electronics on, the current pulses produced by the degausser will look just like the audio signals to the heads.
These pulses are around 10,000 gauss, and will seriously damage the electronics inside.
So turn your deck of first:
Be certain your demagnetizer has either a plastic cover or plastic tape covering the tip.
Make sure that no metal ever touches the heads as it will scar and ruin them.
Turn the demagntizer on at least 3 feet away from your deck,
slowly move in to the tape path, move the degausser slowly back and fourth without touching the heads.
Slowly move it away again to at least 3 feet ( 1 meter ) before releasing the button.
Repeat this on the metal tape guides on each side of the heads (reel to reel)
NEVER relaese the demagnetizer when close to the heads...you will put a permanent magnetic charge on them, that no degaussing will remove, so be sure to concentrate while you are doing this.
A clean and properly demagnetized tape recorder will maintain it's performance without any other attention for quite a while.
Good Luck,
For the most part, all you need to do is keep the heads and general tape path clean and free from magnetic fields both external and internally generated from usage.
For cleaning the heads, guides, metal rolling tensioners, lifter arms and capstan you will need to get Isopropyl Alcohol in a 95% purity or higher. This will be applied with Qtips or any decent, lint free cotton swab by wetting the swab with the alcohol and rubbing off the oxide build up on the affected parts.
The frequency of doing this procedure depends on the machine and the type and condition of the tape you are using at the time. Generally for cassette decks, every 10 - 30 hrs of actual play/recording time and after every major recording session to be safe. For open reel machines, every 6 to 10 hrs and even more depending what tape you are using, older tape can shed and create a big mess on both heads + travelpath.
Keeping the tape path clean and free of tape oxide build up will ensure that your deck keeps running at peak efficiency and at it best frequency response.
Isopropyl alcohol can be found at any drugstore or pharmacy and at most hardware stores too.
For cleaning any and all rubber parts in the tape path such as pinch rollers and idler-wheels
Parts Express sell both headcleaner and rubber cleaner.
Don't use head-cleaner or Isopropyl alcohol on any rubber-parts.
Some reel to reel models and cassette decks has a softer rubber and you will ruin your new deck with a gummy sticky mess, be careful.
The key to doing it is when you see appreciable oxide build up on the rubber or if you notice any deviations in play speed or increases in wow and flutter. All of these symptoms are basically signs of a lack of grip of the rubber roller against the capstan which together pull the tape across the heads at a rated speed.
A brown residue on the pinch-roller or tension rollers are a sign it's time to do some maintenance.
Deagussing ( Demagnetizing )
There are many ways to screw this part up, so please be careful.
A little stray magnetism can become quite a big problem in tape recording.
It only takes a small amount (.2 gauss) to cause trouble on the record head.
Playing 10 cassettes will put about that much charge on the heads.
A little more than (.7 gauss) will start erase high frequency signals on previously recorded tapes.
DEGAUSSING IS ALWAYS DONE WITH RECORDER TURNED OFF. :yes:
If you try it with the electronics on, the current pulses produced by the degausser will look just like the audio signals to the heads.
These pulses are around 10,000 gauss, and will seriously damage the electronics inside.
So turn your deck of first:
Be certain your demagnetizer has either a plastic cover or plastic tape covering the tip.
Make sure that no metal ever touches the heads as it will scar and ruin them.
Turn the demagntizer on at least 3 feet away from your deck,
slowly move in to the tape path, move the degausser slowly back and fourth without touching the heads.
Slowly move it away again to at least 3 feet ( 1 meter ) before releasing the button.
Repeat this on the metal tape guides on each side of the heads (reel to reel)
NEVER relaese the demagnetizer when close to the heads...you will put a permanent magnetic charge on them, that no degaussing will remove, so be sure to concentrate while you are doing this.
A clean and properly demagnetized tape recorder will maintain it's performance without any other attention for quite a while.
Good Luck,
