Thanks for all the kind replies. I´ve changed the belts on the deck (still the same results) and I´ve transferred one of the warbly tapes to a new shell with the same results. I guess I have to live with the fact that my deck does not agree with said tapes whereas other decks do. Fickle format to say the least.
Cassette tape warbling
- Thread starter Palmat
- Start date
Since the warbling seems to be limited to specific tapes, it very well could be the cartridge. Sonically welded cassettes are terrible when aged. The small plastic rollers warp and start to squeal. It's best to just replace the cartridge. The only other thing I can think would cause your problem is tracking.
If the tape is too far forward or back the tape gets misaligned between the guides causing the tape to wrinkle as it crosses the head. I have a test tape just for this purpose. It has a mirror mounted so you can see the tape as it passes over the heads. In the Tascam 122MKIII I work on, the leading guide is on the erase head which is separate. The trailing guide is on the playback/record head. If tracking is off the two guides mis-aligns causing the tape to wrinkle and lift away from the heads. I use a Willie Herman WH-300 guide for tracking alignment.
If the tape is too far forward or back the tape gets misaligned between the guides causing the tape to wrinkle as it crosses the head. I have a test tape just for this purpose. It has a mirror mounted so you can see the tape as it passes over the heads. In the Tascam 122MKIII I work on, the leading guide is on the erase head which is separate. The trailing guide is on the playback/record head. If tracking is off the two guides mis-aligns causing the tape to wrinkle and lift away from the heads. I use a Willie Herman WH-300 guide for tracking alignment.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Cassette tapes do wear out. Also if a tape has sat unplayed for a long period of time it can stick to itself. I run across tapes that will warble and once I fast forward or rewind them all the way they play fine. Once in awhile that doesn't help and I chock it up to a bad tape.
Also tape stored for long periods, especially high-bias tapes, or tapes with high-energy content, will experience print-thru. Where the energy from one layer is transferred to adjacent layers resulting in an echo during playback. Doesn't really sound like "warble".
There is a lot more to cassette decks than just changing belts and some minor cleaning of the tape path.
The brake tension (if so equipped) needs to be check to make sure it isn't interfering with the hubs.
The pinch roller needs to be inspected to see if has a glaze on the surface and could not be keeping proper tension to move the tape.
The pinch roller arm needs to have the proper tension against the capstan as well.
Some decks use belts (as you have found in yours) while some use an idler tire (mainly to run FF & REW) that could cause issues.
And don't even get me started on playback and record alignments.
It has been over twenty years since I was a bench tech, a lot of this is foggy in an old man's brain. But the point is that there is more to look at and I wouldn't just "accept" that the deck is in 100% working order.
Fact is, with so many decks to choose from now-a-days, if you want to keep with the cassette format, you could just try another deck.
The brake tension (if so equipped) needs to be check to make sure it isn't interfering with the hubs.
The pinch roller needs to be inspected to see if has a glaze on the surface and could not be keeping proper tension to move the tape.
The pinch roller arm needs to have the proper tension against the capstan as well.
Some decks use belts (as you have found in yours) while some use an idler tire (mainly to run FF & REW) that could cause issues.
And don't even get me started on playback and record alignments.
It has been over twenty years since I was a bench tech, a lot of this is foggy in an old man's brain. But the point is that there is more to look at and I wouldn't just "accept" that the deck is in 100% working order.
Fact is, with so many decks to choose from now-a-days, if you want to keep with the cassette format, you could just try another deck.