auplater
"Mine goes to eleven!!"
sure
set up a tone generator on your computer (google tone generator). Set to output a 1 Khz signal into your deck line input and adjust the levels to 0 dB on the VUs monitoring source. Now record the signal and monitor off the tape at some combo of bias/eq settings to see if 0 dB comes off the tape. Find the combo of switch settings that gets closest to this level This sets the reference level for the tape. If it varies by more than +/- 1/2 dB off the tape, somethings not quite right, but you can still proceed.
Now reduce the input to -10 on the VUs, again source monitored. Check that it's close coming off the tape, (or at least the same value as at the higher levels less 10 dB).
Next, reset the tone generator to 1Khz and then 10 Khz at -10db into the deck, monitoring source/tape as above. Record these and check what's coming off the tape. If the deck is reasonably close to properly setup, you should be pretty close to -10dB off the tape at some combination of bias/eq. switch settings. Many of the "hot" tapes (Maxelll XL II, etc.) show as much as +6dB gain at the lower levels, so bias and eq. have to be adjusted accordingly.
There may be some left/right track variation @ 10 Khz, but it shouldn't be more than maybe 1/2 dB max or you'll hear some degradation.If your deck shows significant variation from the above, there are board pots on Teacs and many other decks that allow adjustments for setup.
If you really want to max out performance, you can do the same @ 15 Khz, at both speeds, and set the refernce points at higher levels than -10 dB, but that's only for "perfectionists"...
John L.
set up a tone generator on your computer (google tone generator). Set to output a 1 Khz signal into your deck line input and adjust the levels to 0 dB on the VUs monitoring source. Now record the signal and monitor off the tape at some combo of bias/eq settings to see if 0 dB comes off the tape. Find the combo of switch settings that gets closest to this level This sets the reference level for the tape. If it varies by more than +/- 1/2 dB off the tape, somethings not quite right, but you can still proceed.
Now reduce the input to -10 on the VUs, again source monitored. Check that it's close coming off the tape, (or at least the same value as at the higher levels less 10 dB).
Next, reset the tone generator to 1Khz and then 10 Khz at -10db into the deck, monitoring source/tape as above. Record these and check what's coming off the tape. If the deck is reasonably close to properly setup, you should be pretty close to -10dB off the tape at some combination of bias/eq. switch settings. Many of the "hot" tapes (Maxelll XL II, etc.) show as much as +6dB gain at the lower levels, so bias and eq. have to be adjusted accordingly.
There may be some left/right track variation @ 10 Khz, but it shouldn't be more than maybe 1/2 dB max or you'll hear some degradation.If your deck shows significant variation from the above, there are board pots on Teacs and many other decks that allow adjustments for setup.
If you really want to max out performance, you can do the same @ 15 Khz, at both speeds, and set the refernce points at higher levels than -10 dB, but that's only for "perfectionists"...
John L.
