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TEAC 3340S Playback Problem

RWood

RWood

Slowly Speeding
Subscriber
Hello,

Longtime owner of a 3340S but I hadn't fired it up in a few years until last night. On channel 1 (L) when I switch it to Tape mode and increase the output level I get what sounds like a 120Hz tone, increasingly louder as I raise the level. Channel 3 (R) sounds okay and does play back, and channels 2 (L) and 4 (R) also sound good and are even quieter than ch 3.

What I'm wondering is, should I try and track down the source of the 120Hz tone and fix the playback, or something more radical, like temporarily routing the playback head from 1 to either 2 or 4 playback amplifiers. That assumes ch 1 head is okay.

I am transferring some old mono and stereo tapes to digital, but no 4 track tapes at this time.

Thoughts?
 
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It's most likely a dirty switch. I am not sure but I think this model may have a plug in head block. If so, the contacts could need cleaning. But I would do all the switches first, inluding the simulsync switch.
 
If your luck isn't good, you've got an open winding in the playback head. But do what dr*audio said. If you go after that head with an ohmeter, be sure to demag it thoroughly afterwords (or replace it and then demag)!
 
Thanks for the tips. I cleaned the simul-sync switches with no luck, but I do think it is a ground-related problem. The hum on 1 increases when I plug a phono cable into the output of either 1 or 3.

Various connections of a wire to the grounding screw did not help, although at a couple of ground points the hum dropped and was replaced by harsh noise.

I think tomorrow I will get into the back and reflow the connections to the output jack panel.

Any other ideas welcomed,

RWood
 
It's behaving this way even as a standalone deck. I brought the TEAC up to my computer room to transfer some reels to digital. With only headphones plugged in and no input / output jacks connected, the hum occurs only on ch 1. It has the same sound as an open input circuit, what you get when you plug a guitar cable into an amp, but no guitar.

Connecting the rca cables to 1 or 3's output jacks actually increases the amount of hum, which leads me to believe that it is a grounding problem within the deck. Does that sound right?

RWood
 
RWood said:
It's behaving this way even as a standalone deck. I brought the TEAC up to my computer room to transfer some reels to digital. With only headphones plugged in and no input / output jacks connected, the hum occurs only on ch 1. It has the same sound as an open input circuit, what you get when you plug a guitar cable into an amp, but no guitar.

Connecting the rca cables to 1 or 3's output jacks actually increases the amount of hum, which leads me to believe that it is a grounding problem within the deck. Does that sound right?

RWood
Click to expand...

It sounds like a grounding problem, or an open circuit to the head. Heads don't usually open up by themselves if they worked before you put the deck in a closet for a few years. Oxidation is what happens in the closet, and I think you have a dirty connection somewhere in the head circuit.
 
jblmar said:
Check the internal RCA plugs. Sounds like a dirty contact.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm :scratch2: I didn't realize there were any, and i've been in the machine before (but it's been many years). Sounds like a good possibility!

Thanks,

RWood
 
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