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Opinions of Sony TC-580 R2R in great shape
- Thread starter Amcrebelfan
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Amcrebelfan
Super Member
I will post some pics tomorrow, had therapy today and back is pretty sore so been in bed most of the night. Thanks for everything.....
ironworker15
New Member
No argument on the studio quality of The TC-366. But studio machines use 1" tape with as many as 16 tracks. Even a Revox was not a studio recorder. I once had a Roberts that had 15ips, but I think The 366 would out perform it running at 7.5 ips. That said... all the single motor Sony decks are bullet proof and simple to take care of. The big thing is you can find parts like the motor-run cap, which is the only thing I have had to replace. The fact of no solenoids and a single motor speaks volumes for reliability. What I mostly did with my decks was record vinyl.
Amcrebelfan
Super Member
Need to get pics up but it plays beautiful, no issues that I can find yet. I will post pics asap.
Amcrebelfan
Super Member
Thanks very much, I do have a question since you have one of these. Does it have a tension adjust on it? I got a tape off the flea bay and every few feet it rips. It even rips trying to put it on the take up reel. The guy I bought it from thinks it is the player and not the tape since he played it before selling it. He said it is the tension adjustment. The tape to still shouldn't break when loading it. The album is recorded on a Ampex tape, Ace Cannon Memphis Golden Hits.
It is probably the tape. Do not use Ampex tape. They decompose and stick to the heads, and deposit sticky black goo on the heads and guides. If it is older tape, brown on both sides, it may be ok, but very old tapes, made of acetate, rather than Mylar, are brittle.
When you thread the tape, the brakes are on, so you should turn the supply reel to provide enough slack in the tape to wind it around the take up reel at least once. Don't wind the tape by hand such that it puts enough tension on the tape to turn the supply reel. It can break or stretch the tape.
There is a tape tension adjustment but it usually will be too light tension with age, not too much. The tape is probably bad.
When you thread the tape, the brakes are on, so you should turn the supply reel to provide enough slack in the tape to wind it around the take up reel at least once. Don't wind the tape by hand such that it puts enough tension on the tape to turn the supply reel. It can break or stretch the tape.
There is a tape tension adjustment but it usually will be too light tension with age, not too much. The tape is probably bad.
fortycoats
Super Member
TC-3xx might not be studio quality but Muddy Waters was never exactly "Hi-Fi" anyway! Actually, if true, it's just testament to the fact that great music transcends all that (although, that said, those machines used Sony's F&F heads which I keep hearing are some of the best in the business).
Re Ampex tape, I've asked this before: do the tales of woe extend to the pre-recorded commercial releases? I have several that are marked "Ampex" on the boxes. Haven't yet put together a working machine to play them so can't say...
Re Ampex tape, I've asked this before: do the tales of woe extend to the pre-recorded commercial releases? I have several that are marked "Ampex" on the boxes. Haven't yet put together a working machine to play them so can't say...
All Ampex tape that is back coated: black on the back and brown on the front, is bad. Most of the Ampex tape that is brown on both sides is ok. The only brown Ampex tape I know to be bad is 642.
Amcrebelfan
Super Member
So far that is the only tape I have, spaceman is sending me some that I haven't received yet. I did order some scotch very cheap, they are as follows.
3 SCOTCH 200 (2400')
2 SCOTCH 201 (1200')
4 SCOTCH 150 (1800)
1 SCOTCH 120 (1200')
I hope these are ok, haven't gotten them either. The ampex is 42 years old, double brown.
fortycoats
Super Member
Think I'm in the clear then. I mean, I don't think I have any that are back coated in black but, obviously with pre-recs, one can't tell for sure what type of tape it is (eg., 642, etc.)...
Dennman6
Active Member
I've seen several postings on sticky-shed syndrome, Ampex was one of the worst offenders. Apparently Scotch had some baddies in the late 70s/early 80s. Somewhere on the web I found a list of all these bad oxides & may have saved it.
During my high school years I picked up about 25 reels of Scotch AV-177, c.1977. I made lots of local (Syracuse, NY area) FM recordings of vintage music, old radio shows & the like. My uncle had loaned me a big Akai, tube based-worked well while I had the use of it. At school I could borrow a Wollensak T-1500 for the weekend. This functioned well for a late 1950s mono tube portable. Had a Shure mike & used a neon record level lamp. In 1978 I recorded our high school band concert on a Voice of Music mono reel-to-reel on Realistic 2400' Concertape Red(the middle grade, just under Supertape). All my stuff was done at 7-1/2 ips & still sounds good today. In 1986 I picked up a Sony TC-600(c.1964) which served me well for 8 years, good hi-fi stereo deck(tube based). In 1994 I traded it to a Culver City electronics repair store for a TC-260(solid state, c.1969). In 2002 a guy at work sold me a TC-377 for $30! Today I use that TC-377, the TC-260(replaced the motor run cap), & a second TC-260 I picked up 2 years ago at a Goodwill Outlet store here in Indianapolis.
My oldest reel is a Scotch 101 from 1948, full track mono, a radio show of an local Gun & Boat club broadcast done in Los Angeles. About the first 40 seconds have random oxide flaking, so there are dropouts during the intro. But even at that it plays better than does this sticky shed stuff from 30+ years later, & the fidelity is surprisingly good.
Dennis Forkel
Amcrebelfan
Super Member
Here is a couple quick pics, this isn't setup where I want it yet. I am still trying to figure out where I want it. It plays great, picked up some tapes from Spaceman and I got those Scotts from the Flea. Spaceman sent me a couple Deano's and a Sinatra plus a blank. The Scotts mostly have a local high school/Town Band? on them. One has Kay Kyser, Bob Crosby and Jack Benny on it. The last one has Chicago-Chicago II and The Young Rascals not sure which album yet. This one sounds great. The take up reel kinda stinks it is bent and if you are not careful the edges are sharp. Epifantic is sending me a different one, thanks for that Epi. Thanks for all the help and comments it has been much appreciated. I will post more pics once it finds its home in the home. 
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Amcrebelfan
Super Member
I was surprised at how great they sounded, very happy with them for sure. Dr. what tape do you recommend, I saw someone's avatar had maxel 35-90 on it. I have seen quite a few of those on the flea.
jan_stevns
Super Member
Those Maxell tapes are also fine tapes - have quite a few, never problems
jan_stevns
Super Member
probably also the easiest ones to find 
I Just got hold on a batch of Revox 601 tapes - just to discover they apparently are Scotch 207, sound fine.
I Just got hold on a batch of Revox 601 tapes - just to discover they apparently are Scotch 207, sound fine.
Amcrebelfan
Super Member
Thanks Jan and Dr. for the advice will keep my eye open for those.
Hey Jan is that a Grand Am you are leaning on?
Hey Jan is that a Grand Am you are leaning on?
