• 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

Finally got my hands on a 4 track cart player! (It has some issues)

VanishCave

VanishCave

New Member
44F2BE4D-FEBF-4F77-A0A2-7DCA91D37FF8.jpeg 44F2BE4D-FEBF-4F77-A0A2-7DCA91D37FF8.jpeg 64175C2E-47A0-4303-9D35-290902A721D9.jpeg B4A90DD6-F780-4496-BBE1-F035B011EBAA.jpeg 185B861F-1965-4988-8A72-8795F98AC312.jpeg A867B67F-326A-4C82-8632-C663C5989276.jpeg Today I was excited to pick up my first 4 track cart player: a Muntz H5500 “12 track” player. I can hardly find any reference to this model online at all. It appears to be the guts of a regular automobile 4 track player along with a 12v power supply and speakers housed in a handsome hifi-component-sized wooden case. It also has line out jacks for plugging it into an external amp.

It’s cosmetically in very good shape. The main issue (aside from a disintegrated capstan belt) is this 5K resistor that heats up extremely fast once a tape is inserted. It smells like burning dust and is extremely hot to the touch. I’m worried if I left a tape in longer than a minute, the resistor would burn up. Any idea why this would be happening?

Like I mentioned before, I can’t find much information on this model anywhere online, but thankfully a tiny schematic was glued to the bottom of the case. I’m hoping this may be able to help me shed some light on why the resistor is overheating.

Any advice on where to start would be appreciated. Or just some discussion on this seemingly neglected tape format!
 
Register to hide this ad
Can you place the resistor in the schematic?

You mentioned it heats up when a tape is inserted. So probably when the motor starts running? Is it connected to what might be a motor-run capacitor (C201)?
 
Greetings from RojoLand!

That's not a 5K resistor -- it's five OHMS, five watts (the 'K' indicates 10% tolerance). It's R202, situated on the schematic between the two filter capacitors. If it's cooking, I'd first suspect a shorted C202, 1000 uF 25 V. Replace both C201 and C202, and check the two diodes D1 and D2 as well. Q4 and Q104 should also be tested for shorts.

Take care,
—
J. E. Knox "The Victor Freak"
 
I'm thinking that what you have is a combo 4 track/8 track player, not just a 4 track. There were quite a few players like that when 8 track first got going, but 4 track hadn't quite died. They were complicated mechanical beasties that could sense which type of cart was being inserted, and raise the idler into place for 4 track, or leave it lowered for an 8T. Chances are good it was manufactured by Clarion.
 
Wow-never knew such a beast existed. I guess the VCR format war never resulted in a similar dual format capable machine-lol

Very cool unit. I have perhaps 5 4track tapes as part of a large lot I bought a decade ago. One actually looks like something I would like to hear, but it would be far cheaper to find the title on vinyl than to buy a 4 track player.
 
rojoknox said:
Greetings from RojoLand!

That's not a 5K resistor -- it's five OHMS, five watts (the 'K' indicates 10% tolerance). It's R202, situated on the schematic between the two filter capacitors. If it's cooking, I'd first suspect a shorted C202, 1000 uF 25 V. Replace both C201 and C202, and check the two diodes D1 and D2 as well. Q4 and Q104 should also be tested for shorts.

Take care,
—
J. E. Knox "The Victor Freak"
Click to expand...
Thank you! This is a ton of help. I will work on replacing those components and hopefully get this deck and running!
 
I honestly didn't realize they made 4/8 track combo players. For some reason I was thinking there was enough differences in the cartridges to make it not possible to fit both in the same machine.
 
Never underestimate mechanical genius! Physically, there's only three differences: First, an 8T has a taper at the front end, the 4 does not. Second, the 8T has a notch on the side to hold the capstan against the roller (not necessary on a 4, of course, since that part is in the machine). Third, obviously, the 8T has the roller as part of the cartridge, whereas on a 4 it's part of the machine (as I said). Then, also, the heads are different, but an 8T head will play the wider tracks on a 4 with little difficulty.

Now, if you think that was difficult, several manufacturers made 8T car players that would also play a cassette - through the same slot!
 
Okke 70s said:
Really? But not from the same head I presume.. Do you have a model name or some URL that points to any of these mythical creatures?
Click to expand...

I know of at least two, although they may have been the same machine under the skin. There was the Tenna "Double Play" RR-88T/C, advertised as "The only one-slot car stereos that play both 8 track and cassette" - although that wasn't true, because in the same time period there was a unit from CarTapes in Chicago, don't know the model number. I have a strong suspicion that both may have been OEM'd by Beltek in Japan.
 
Last edited:
This guy approves!

Simpsons-nelson-ha-ha-93-p-672x480.jpg
 
I'd love to see the mechanism in that thing.


Might be wrong on this, but isn't the track width and spacing on an 8 track and a cassette the same? Obviously twice as many on the 8 track but it seems to me you could properly position the head to read a cassette properly if thats the case.
 
Don't think so. Head would have to be smaller to fit in the cassette opening. Also, no need to shift up and down as for the four programs on an 8T.

My recollection is that the thing had two completely separate mechanisms - the regular one for 8Ts and a second that would rise into place for cassette. I'm with you, I'd love to see the innards!
 
gadget73 said:
I honestly didn't realize they made 4/8 track combo players. For some reason I was thinking there was enough differences in the cartridges to make it not possible to fit both in the same machine.
Click to expand...
For a time during the cartridge period they were quite common, big selling point, but after a while it was 8track only.
 
spicer said:
For a time during the cartridge period they were quite common, big selling point, but after a while it was 8track only.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Cartridges are just not something I have any real experience with. Its in that window of tech thats newer than the grossly obsolete stuff I usually mess with, but older than the stuff I learned about just from living.
 
gadget73 said:
Interesting. Cartridges are just not something I have any real experience with. Its in that window of tech thats newer than the grossly obsolete stuff I usually mess with, but older than the stuff I learned about just from living.
Click to expand...
For the car four track cartridges replaced the record player that usually played through the radio at the volume control. Carts brought stereo and their players had push pull common ground output amps providing more power to drive the often upgraded 6x9 rear deck mounted speakers. Almost all of the early players were rather large under dash units and not only had good sound but didn't skip during turns or bumps, I had a Craig Pioneer open top and 6x9 speakers with huge alnico magnets. Custom tapes were a big flea market enterprise since recording equipment was quite expensive and an unknown tech to most people. I used a salvaged deck, probably stolen, using the record signal from the head of my Webcor reel to reel patched to the head of the player to make tapes for myself and others and bias and levels aside it worked really well, fidelity as good as or better than commercially available tapes. When 8tracks begin to dominate recorders begin to appear from hi fi manufacturers and one of those replaced my home brew set up, I had a Sony TC-228 which made excellent tapes. I used 80 or 90 minute tapes usually from Maxell and very seldom had the player eat one. Here is the Sony, a file picture.
s-l1600.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom