8 Track Player Repair Recommendation
- Thread starter Marivic
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Thank you. Its a panasonic rs 806 us. The left channel have this really weird sound. Like a whining sound. Not a hum nor buzz. The right channel sounds good but too low. Like i have to turn the knob level all the way up to hear a little bit of signal. I remember having both knobs just half way and have loud enough signal. I also have another better player, a technics 4 channel 858 which have an intermittent problem which ill also address later..
It may have sat dormant too long in the past & some e-lytic caps gone stale. Alternately, try moving the tape head manually while playing to see if anything changes, may be a tracking issue. The whining noise may be internally- amplified motor noise. Try stopping motor manually with a tape inserted. If the whining stops when motor is impeded, that's it. You may have switch contacts in need of cleaning in or near the head-positioning mechanism.
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Thank
Marc
Oh man, i found the guy who sold me this thing but now he only fixes amps and speakers. No more cassettes, 8 tracks, cd players. But he referred me to a believe it or not, an automobile stereo guy that does home audio as a sideline. I just hope he’ll be able to fix this one because as i said, i have a technics which is also needs some repair. This one is intermittent problem. Its the technics 858 quadrosonic 8 track player. So ill wait if this guy knows what he’s talking about. He seems to…thank you again
Marc
It's also possible/likely that it's head needs to be demagnetized. I've not pulled an 8 track out of the depths, but any cassette deck of age I've come across has benefited massively.
The biggest issue with 8 track is the tapes. Specifically the metal cue tape that joins the ends of the loop releases. It's worth babysitting each one the first time you play and splicing in new cue tape. You may only get one chance before it releases and you're trying to respool.
The biggest issue with 8 track is the tapes. Specifically the metal cue tape that joins the ends of the loop releases. It's worth babysitting each one the first time you play and splicing in new cue tape. You may only get one chance before it releases and you're trying to respool.
^^^ true! I used to repair 8-track tapes when I was stationed in Turkey on an extended tour in the mid-70s for folks stuck at the same base. All sorts of problems with those things, especially if heavily used. Some tape housings were easily opened, others were basically bin material, but at the far end of the AAFES supply line, we got real adept at repairing a lot of things.
Today, if one can find playable tapes, it's almost mandatory to replace the sensing foil strip and the pressure pads which if they're the foam-padded type, have turned to goo & will surely foul up the equipment and the tape upon insertion. That said, once preemptively renovated, a tape will last a long time if treated properly & not played on compromised gear.
Today, if one can find playable tapes, it's almost mandatory to replace the sensing foil strip and the pressure pads which if they're the foam-padded type, have turned to goo & will surely foul up the equipment and the tape upon insertion. That said, once preemptively renovated, a tape will last a long time if treated properly & not played on compromised gear.
I got 8-track repair supplies from https://www.8-track-shack.com/8-track-tape-repair-supplies-c-225_226_190.html
As said above, the players are super-simple devices.
As said above, the players are super-simple devices.
All you need is the foam pad and the metal tape to hold the ends together and you're GTG.
Or the felt pads on those cheapy Atlantic & others that used the copper spring & pad arrangements. Their hard plastic pinch rollers weren't too kind to tape or capstan either.
Bill S
Thread Killer
The problems with 8 track cassettes is that they are early 70s tech and the recordings left some to be desired. On a good deck, a properly recorded tape can sound pretty good, especially if it's a re-recorded tape but decks that could make good recordings were few and expensive. Tape condition varies and many have seen a lot of play, stored in cars where temps fluctuated wildly. If I had a stash of 8 track tapes, I'd look to stream what I wanted to hear and pitch them. We argue about cables yet want to listen to 8 tracks? I don't get it.
Some people prefer to drive obsolete vehicles too. Personal preferences, the cool factor, run what ya have for nostalgia. Applies to guns, motorcycles cars, audio gear, bicycles, women, tractors etc, ad nauseum. Kinda like comparing cables. Your old house have knob & tube wiring wirh no ground? Hey man, try this 5" $500 power cable, it'll make it sound lots better!
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Well, in a select few cases, I guess. My 68 yr old gal pal is still an eyefull!
Bill S
Thread Killer
I'm sure she is.Well, in a select few cases, I guess. My 68 yr old gal pal is still an eyefull!
They sound bad and you often get the ca-chunk in the middle of a song. Many cartridges were tossed out car windows when the player ate the tape. It's just a nostalgia thing to have one working with a Styx tape in it.
Bradbrews
Super Member
I keep the old formats alive just because they are. I don’t have any 8 tracks, only cassettes. However I keep listening to them, mostly in secondary plus systems, just because they are tapes.
Nothing better than grilling out with some vintage tapes on the garage stereo and a brew!
Nothing better than grilling out with some vintage tapes on the garage stereo and a brew!
Bill S
Thread Killer
I mostly stream to my garage rig while grilling. It runs 2 pair of deck speakers as well. I still have quite a few cassette tapes but the only ones I'd play vs stream are old mix tapes I made on a good deck back in the day. Alas, no more deck and I'm not sure I'll get one. To hard to find a decent, reliable one these days.
Thanks
Thanks for the reply. I have a tech looking at it now because i dont have any experience on these things but i have tons of experience on replacing pads and metallic tape on 8 track cartridges although i barely put the shell back together without using tape to hold it. I always break the pins or post that holds the cartridges together: )
