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Opinions on Teac X7R Deck

J

jmiles1960

Super Member
I have aquired a non-working Teac X7R tape deck. Got the manuals off Hi-Fi engine as usual. Deck powers up but there is a noise coming from inside when transport is engaged; might be a broken belt, etc.. not sure yet. Haven't opened it up. Overall, nice shape and very clean heads.

My Teac experience is with the 4010's and a 3340. Does anyone have any opinions on the quality of the X7R deck? How easy it is to work on?

I hope to get it on the bench this week. I miss the wood cabinet of the older Teacs!

Thanks for the help.
 
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This line has the infamous DC capstan motor. Make sure you have the capstan belt replaced with a Genuine Teac Belt and replace it every few years. Keep it maintained well. Motor switches on this model have had service issues. When working, they're good decks but aren't as well built as the 4010 and 3340 you know well.
 
Oil the bearings on the capstan motor. You have to remove the housing to oil the rear bearing.
 
I have 3 of the XR7's and if you hear the motor inside, that's a good thing!!! Now, cut that deck off and don't turn it on again until you can remove the old sticky gooey belt in there--if you ruin that DC capstan motor, then it will cost you about $140 (worth more than the deck itself) to get another one (if you can find one). I always use the Genuine Teac belt as that belt has to shift perfectly to make reverse work properly. The belt is not too hard to replace, but you need good instructions like this (and don't lose those shims that they talk about here!!!!!):

http://www.obsoletemedia.com/tapedecks/x7rbelt/replacebelt.htm

As far as sound is concerned, if the heads aren't work you can make the dual capstan X decks sound pretty good--many people swear by them and love them. I played with the bias and eq settings on one of mine and it makes very good recordings. To me, it doesn't sound like the Revoxes and the Tandberg machines, but IMHO better (and quieter in stock form) than many of the AKAI decks and the smaller X-3R series machines. But it all comes down to what you like to hear and what machine sounds best to you.
 
Teac X7R

Kent / Dr Audio: thanks for your comments. Can you recommend where to get a genuine Teac belt? (From Teac obviously but via the web, etc...). I usually buy from Teac-Dave...

Appreciate the advice on oiling the motors. I hope all it needs is a belt, minor cleaning and she's good to go...

Thanks again - Jim
 
jmiles1960 said:
ppeterso2: great link! Just the info I needed to get started! Thanks for your instructions and advice. Jim
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah and keep PLENTY of ISO alcohol available to clean off that sticky belt goo in there. Clean the flywheels and your hands really good because that stuff get's EVERYWHERE!! Spouses don't like black belt tar all over the tan carpet's--so I've heard...LOL!!

Spouse: "ARRRRRGGGGGG!!! WTH DID YOU SPILL IN HERE?!!!
Me: "Oh that's just belt goo..from a tape deck--don't worry 'bout it..Rainbow will get it"
Spouse: "Who spills belt goo??!!!!!!! How random is that?!! ARGGGGG!!!!"
 
jmiles1960 said:
Kent / Dr Audio: thanks for your comments. Can you recommend where to get a genuine Teac belt? (From Teac obviously but via the web, etc...). I usually buy from Teac-Dave...
m
Click to expand...

Replaced the belt on my X700R a while back, from Teac. They do not get in any hurry to respond so be patient.

Parts Department
TEAC America
7733 Telegraph Road
Montebello, CA 90640
Phone: 323-727-4840
Fax: 323-727-7632
E-Mail: parts@teac.com
http://www.teac.com
http://www.tascam.com
 
dr*audio said:
Oil the bearings on the capstan motor. You have to remove the housing to oil the rear bearing.
Click to expand...

IS it possible to reassemble THAT w/o damage?? I just torn into one that (fortunately!) has toasted diodes, windings, brushes. It doesn't seem that serviceable. It probable burned up due to seized bearings?? NOT a 'fun' unit to service IMHO.:thumbsdn:
 
Update on my Teac X7R: Still need help

I replaced the belt with a new Teac belt per the instructions here. No problem. After assembly and test, it looks like the capstan rollers are semi-frozen and will not engage upwards when Play is pressed. I suspect the mechanism is suffering from old grease or the solenold is bad.

When play is pressed, the rollers do not move and the tape reels turn just barely. FFWD and REW are slow also.

I don't know this model and would appreciate any advice or help. I've got the Service Manual and will be reviewing it to learn more.

Thanks!
 
I've never seen one that didn't do that due to Teacs funny grease..

Lay the deck on its back, remove head cover (Allen wrench), unscrew 2 pinch rollers with your fingers (note location of little washers-don't lose them), carefully remove beauty trim surrounding head cover (don't break it!), take a minute and study 2 linkage pieces and how they work together-they move on a shaft where most of your bad grease is, w a Q-tip drip a little alcohol on each shaft to loosen, the little linkage pieces should pull up and off separately--take your time!, clean everything w alcohol good--no grease boogers should remain anywhere, lightly regrease and reassembly the linkage pieces.

This should do it for 90% of em. Some are soo bad that you have to clean linkage behind the flywheels (yes belt has to come off for that)---that's why I asked earlier about the rollers. Good luck.
 
I don't buy belts from Teac as I don't think they have the right ones. The ones they sell for the X1000R is a belt that is 17" and only lasts 6 months. The 16.8" belt at Marrs is the correct way to go.
The X7R has a number of aggravating design part in it. One of them was the fast wind time being 150 second specs. I have measured then to 3 minutes.
I got aggravated and did not want my client to be having to sit there so I designed a mod which takes the 3 minute wind time to less than 1 minute. I have tested it and installed it on a working machine and it worked well. I have been fixing these decks for better than 40 years so I have a good handle on the problems.
AMS Signature synthetic oil has been found to allow some of these decks to have wow and flutter figures down where they have not been seen before.
I did one A2000R that was measured at .02%wrms all I believe due to the oil.
Most people who look for service know who I am in Chicago.
 
skywavebe said:
I don't buy belts from Teac as I don't think they have the right ones. The ones they sell for the X1000R is a belt that is 17" and only lasts 6 months. The 16.8" belt at Marrs is the correct way to go.
The X7R has a number of aggravating design part in it. One of them was the fast wind time being 150 second specs. I have measured then to 3 minutes.
I got aggravated and did not want my client to be having to sit there so I designed a mod which takes the 3 minute wind time to less than 1 minute. I have tested it and installed it on a working machine and it worked well. I have been fixing these decks for better than 40 years so I have a good handle on the problems.
AMS Signature synthetic oil has been found to allow some of these decks to have wow and flutter figures down where they have not been seen before.
I did one A2000R that was measured at .02%wrms all I believe due to the oil.
Most people who look for service know who I am in Chicago.
Click to expand...

Hi Skywavebe,
I have the exact same situation as jmiles1960 - broken capstan belt and sluggish pinch rollers.
What exact AMS Signature synthetic oil are you using? For example: the 5W30 engine oil?
thx!
B
 
yxb50 said:
Hi Skywavebe,
I have the exact same situation as jmiles1960 - broken capstan belt and sluggish pinch rollers.
What exact AMS Signature synthetic oil are you using? For example: the 5W30 engine oil?
thx!
B
Click to expand...
Hi Skywavebe, I found the type you're using on a different forum! "I am using 10W30 but I don't think that matters in this application."
I'm interested in the wind speed mod! "
cover both of those but regardless, the mod I have come up with requires a hook up to the 35 Vdc supply and a small proto board with a couple of transistors and a power resistor as well as two smaller R.
My idea is to provide the 26 Vdc to the reel motor supply isolated from the 14Vdc supply by a Diode. This results in a wind only speed change of 3 minutes to less than 1 minute. The motor is marked 24 Vdc so why not deliver some voltage in fast wind mode as is done in the X10R.
I suppose I can sell you a kit for this but it is so simple that anyone should be able to hook this in within a 40 minute period. I would have to provide detailed instructions or I could send you a schematic in Pdf format. The mod has been tested in a machine and it works well."

-> Are you still open for sending (me) the pdf plan?

Thx!
 
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