Side A Sounds Fine, Side B is a Garbled Mess

[macaltec]

Pulled my JVC KD-D50 out this weekend. Cleaned heads and pinch roller, demaged the heads. I cannot get side B of any cassette that Ive tried to sound good (while adjusting the head). Side A adjusted quickly and sounds fine. Any suggestions?

 

[oldvinyldude]

Clean and clean exercise all pots and audio path related switches with Doxit.

 

[macaltec]

Thanks for the reply. I have cleaned several times. Cant imagine how being dirty would allow side A of a tape play fine but side B not play well? This isnt a one channel vs the other situation.

 

[gadget73]

Just to be clear are we talking about auto-reverse or physically flipping the tape to side B ? I can imagine problems in auto-reverse if the head isn't aligning correctly in the reverse direction but physically flipping the tape I don't know.

 

[macaltec]

Yes, physically flipping the tape. No auto-reverse on this deck. Its the damnedest thing, no amount of adjustment will bring clarity to side B of any tape. Only obvious issue that I can find is the pinch roller has hardened but I cant imagine how that would cause this problem on only one side of a tape.

 

[gadget73]

aligned should be aligned in that case. Unless its some physical issue that doesn't allow the tape to sit in there all the way when flipped, though I can't think what that would be.

Are you absolutely sure its not the tape itself? Factory-made tape I wouldn't expect issues from but I can imagine side B issues if recorded on a screwy auto-reverse deck.

 

[macaltec]

Its not the tape. I have tried several different tapes. All of good quality. Even the pre-recorded ones do it. Never owned an auto reverse deck so it cant be that.