• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Demagnetizing Heads

Edriz

Edriz

AK Member
I got a Demagnetizer, cant remember the exact brand but it wasn't cheap. I've actually had this one for 2 years now and tossed the box. The instructions say to "Place the demagnitizer tip against the head"."Move the tip across the entire pole surface of the head for one second and move away slowly"

I have never placed the tip on the heads as I was always under the impression that the Demag tip should NOT touch the heads.

Can someone help clear this up for me? Do I or dont I touuh the tip to the heads as it states? Oh, the tip is covered in what I beleive to be rubber.

Thanks Fellers
Ed
 
Register to hide this ad
Nooooo! Dont touch the heads with the tip. I always switch the demag on before putting the tip by the head and then once you finished DO NOT SWITCH OFF the demag until its far away from the heads.
 
I believe the only reason not to touch the heads is to avoid scratching. If it's got a protective tip, it should be fine. There is such a very small magnetic field from these things (at least from mine anyway and that was confirmed by others with the same model -- won't even pick up a tiny screw) that you want to be as close as possible to the head. That's my experience at least but don't take it as gospel until you hear from the others!
 
Both answers are correct. If your demag has no soft protective tip, DON"T LET IT TOUCH THE HEADS. But if it does, then you are fine. Clean the heads afterwords if you do touch them.

If this is one of those pencil models, then you will need to get as close as possible, since they do have a weak field. But if you have one of those large models that fill your hand, then you don't have to get as close.

What is your model?
 
Because it is an alternating field it will not pick up anything - at best you should get a 'chatter' or vibration if it it brought in proximity to a ferromagnetic material like a steel screw.

It's easy to test its effectivness: with a permanent magnet from a louspeaker say, magnetise a small screwdriver. The screwdriver will now annoyingly pick up screws and nuts.
Use the demagnetiser on the screwdriver exactly as you would on the recorder audio head, and verify the screwdriver is no longer magnetised.
The heads will never acquire a permanent magnetic field anything like as strong as a magnetised screwdriver - so if it works on the screwdriver you can be certain its working well on the heads.
 
It's a good idea to cover unprotected tips, anyway. I just test if the tape is attracted to the heads
 
Static, for sure. But one has to be responsible for system discharge - tables for sure too.
 
Numistrek09 said:
Both answers are correct. If your demag has no soft protective tip, DON"T LET IT TOUCH THE HEADS. But if it does, then you are fine. Clean the heads afterwords if you do touch them.

If this is one of those pencil models, then you will need to get as close as possible, since they do have a weak field. But if you have one of those large models that fill your hand, then you don't have to get as close.

What is your model?
Click to expand...

I really dont know the model. I got it a few years from ebay. It was one that was recommended to me by a fellow AKer, I do remember that. Its fairly heavy too, black handle fits my entire hand and a curved metal tip thats flat on the end and a red rubber cover over the entire tip. It does have some serious weight to it. I've used it numerous times but never touched the heads. Now, looking at the instructions that are included on the handle and seeing it says to touch the tip lightly directly on the head, moving across the entire head for 1 second then move away slowly.

I was just under the impression that thew tip isnt supposed to actually touch the heads.

Years ago i had a demagnetizer that wasnt sheilded, maybe thats why I always thought not to touch the heads.
 
Black handle and curved metal tip? Does the demag look kinda like a dinosaur toe? Cause if it does, that might suggest it is a Han-D-Mag, the top of the line in portable demagnetizers.

Look them up and see if it's the same thing.
 
steerpike2 said:
Because it is an alternating field it will not pick up anything - at best you should get a 'chatter' or vibration if it it brought in proximity to a ferromagnetic material like a steel screw.

It's easy to test its effectivness: with a permanent magnet from a louspeaker say, magnetise a small screwdriver. The screwdriver will now annoyingly pick up screws and nuts.
Use the demagnetiser on the screwdriver exactly as you would on the recorder audio head, and verify the screwdriver is no longer magnetised.
The heads will never acquire a permanent magnetic field anything like as strong as a magnetised screwdriver - so if it works on the screwdriver you can be certain its working well on the heads.
Click to expand...

I was sure mine (Teac E-3) wasn't working until a fellow member told me theirs behaved pretty much the same. I'm still not 100% certain it does work but it did seem to have a radical effect on the sound quality of one of my cassette decks one day. It buzzes when switched on, etc. It will attract a tiny screw when placed close to it on the table top but it won't pick it up. I tried to demagnetise a screwdriver with it and that had no effect and it also was incapable of erasing the signal off a tape when run directly along it (unless it erased the very high end and my ears couldn't tell the difference). So, I dunno, maybe it doesn't really work at all and that radical effect on sound quality was due to something else like cleaning or a better tape or something.
 
fortycoats said:
I was sure mine (Teac E-3) wasn't working until a fellow member told me theirs behaved pretty much the same. I'm still not 100% certain it does work but it did seem to have a radical effect on the sound quality of one of my cassette decks one day. It buzzes when switched on, etc. It will attract a tiny screw when placed close to it on the table top but it won't pick it up. I tried to demagnetise a screwdriver with it and that had no effect and it also was incapable of erasing the signal off a tape when run directly along it (unless it erased the very high end and my ears couldn't tell the difference). So, I dunno, maybe it doesn't really work at all and that radical effect on sound quality was due to something else like cleaning or a better tape or something.
Click to expand...

It's working, it's just not very strong. If i remember right, the E-3 only has 2 or 3 watts of power. To put that into perspective, the old realistic pencil wand is about 6. A Sony HE2 is 25 watts. And a Han-D-Mag is almost 200watts.

My Realistic hand held bulk tape eraser is over 1000watts. So when it comes to erasing tapes and picking stuff up, it's like Tim Allen's mantra, "It needs more power!"
 
Thanks for the clarification, Numistrek. In your opinion then, is the E-3 good enough for the job at all (regardless of how much better a Han-D-Mag might be)? Have to think Teac would have been careful not to market an ineffective piece of gear considering their reputation.
 
I'd imagine it is fine, it would just take longer than a stronger one.

If it's a cassette deck you're using it on, a super strong one can be too much actually.
 
Does it look like this one? This is the one I've been using since 1979
 

Attachments

  • 3704587740344040.jpg
    3704587740344040.jpg
    8.2 KB · Views: 15
Somewhere on AK is a very thorough describtion of the procedure.
You can look that one up by searching.

otherwise; As I remember it:

Turn OFF your tape deck.

Get away from CRT TVs, loudspeakers and other magnetic fields nearby.
Make sure no tapes at all are within 10 meters of distance or even in the same room.
Make sure no TT cartridges are within 10 meters or even in the same room.

Start the defluxer (demagnetizer) some meters away from the tape deck. The further the better.
Slowly apporoach the tape path in the tape deck.
When you get to the tape path, move the defluxer slowly, without touching anything with it, from one side of the tape path to the other side of the tape path, ensuring that all material that might catch up some magnetism have been close to the moving defluxer (demagnetizer).

After passing the tape path, slowly drag away the still turned ON defluxer (demagnetizer) until you are some 2 meter away from the tape path.

Move the defluxer (demagnetizer) close to some material that are prone to pick up magnetism.

Turn the defluxer (demagnetizer) OFF.

Clean the tape path, heads, steer, pin rollers, capstan, idle roller - anything touching the tape on it's way, with pure isopropylalchohol on Q-tips, without letting any fluid run down into electronics or bearings.

Do not use those units where defluxer (demagnetizer) is build into a cassette tape shell.
These cassette tape shell build-in defluxers (demagnetizers) will only work with the tape deck ON, and this might cause severe damage on some decks.

"dolph"
 
niklasthedol said:
Somewhere on AK is a very thorough describtion of the procedure.
You can look that one up by searching.

otherwise; As I remember it:

Turn OFF your tape deck.

Get away from CRT TVs, loudspeakers and other magnetic fields nearby.
Make sure no tapes at all are within 10 meters of distance or even in the same room.
Make sure no TT cartridges are within 10 meters or even in the same room.

Start the defluxer (demagnetizer) some meters away from the tape deck. The further the better.
Slowly apporoach the tape path in the tape deck.
When you get to the tape path, move the defluxer slowly, without touching anything with it, from one side of the tape path to the other side of the tape path, ensuring that all material that might catch up some magnetism have been close to the moving defluxer (demagnetizer).

After passing the tape path, slowly drag away the still turned ON defluxer (demagnetizer) until you are some 2 meter away from the tape path.

Move the defluxer (demagnetizer) close to some material that are prone to pick up magnetism.

Turn the defluxer (demagnetizer) OFF.

Clean the tape path, heads, steer, pin rollers, capstan, idle roller - anything touching the tape on it's way, with pure isopropylalchohol on Q-tips, without letting any fluid run down into electronics or bearings.

Do not use those units where defluxer (demagnetizer) is build into a cassette tape shell.
These cassette tape shell build-in defluxers (demagnetizers) will only work with the tape deck ON, and this might cause severe damage on some decks.

"dolph"
Click to expand...

Thanks Nik, Happy New Year
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom