I always learn new things from this channel. Love it!
@fwgmills5 жыл бұрын
BTW, without watching your videos I would never have had the courage to take apart and clean a Technics 1506 I bought. I also aligned the 2 track play head with an iPhone camera zoomed way in, some clear leader tape and a 30ips master tape I acquired. Couldn’t have done any of it without you. 👏🏻
@ctackney15 жыл бұрын
Great video. Really appreciated the bias set up explanation.
@MartinSBrown-tp9ji4 жыл бұрын
I did not hear much explanation of what the adjustment was. Just setting the asmuth on the record head. From the organised noise {music} he plays , I could not tell if the tape speed was right.
@gilbertlabra75315 жыл бұрын
Akai is so good product. We have that a stereo system. 34 years till now stilk working.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
Most Akai was good but they did have a few dogs.
@gilbertlabra75315 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids what do you mean?
@geirendre5 жыл бұрын
Those BIAS pots should be accessible trough holes in the case. Strange that AKAI didn't make holes for them. Nice video. The Fluke battery replacement part deserved to be put in it's own video I think.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
Hey there is an idea.
@oldguy8177able4 жыл бұрын
I love your channel because the age we live in is secrecy unless you are qualified electrician its very difficult to learn i mean practical learning that is dissappearing a lot of people love electronics as a hobby,but how can you learn anything,obviously its very easy to make mistakes but i think youtube really opens opportunities for people whether it be be repairing things themselves for others or repairing for themselves ,its great.
@kd5ozy5 жыл бұрын
i have a couple of Fluke 12's. I love them. They are getting hard to find
@kd5ozy5 жыл бұрын
@@camurgo I bought one when they first came out and it has been rock solid other than the elastomeric strips and batteries
@markanderson3505 жыл бұрын
I did not even know you can buy tapes anymore. Nice to see things I did in my past still alive.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
All my tapes are as old as the hills. I have a box full of that Ampex tape I used. All brand new sealed oxide tape.
@markanderson3505 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids I guess you still get tapes to transfer. My mom had a few when she taught choir some were from CBC and some from the community channel. All different track formats.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@markanderson350 I do get tapes to transfer to digital. Mostly video tapes, but I had a client a few months ago, a singer that recorded several pieces of music in a studio in Montreal (it was french vocals) recorded on DAT. She wanted the music on CD and the studio she did the recording at had long dumped their dat equipment, so I got the call to transfer some DAT master tapes. I get cassette tapes, and micro cassette tapes of family talking letters, along with reel to reel. I had a reel to reel tape recorded by a navy serviceman during WW2 on the ship that he sent home. His daughter found these tapes and brought them to me. She teared up hearing her fathers voice in this talking letter that was sent to her mother from his warship in the pacific. She had never heard this tape, so had a bunch of copies made on CD to give to all her brothers and sisters. I get lots of stuff like that, and old home movie films that people find .
@markanderson3505 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids That is really good because you need to maintain all this old equipment to play this material. Plus often, the speed is out or head alignment and so on. You may have an old machine you store for years to do this and when you fire it up, it no longer works. Old reel to reel was often in half track mono and it may not play properly. Later I heard of wire recordings. Try to play that stuff, good luck. Yes someone has to do this and no matter what, the technology can be outdated. Who knows what lays ahead 50 years from now in archiving and recording.
@markmarkofkane81675 жыл бұрын
I remember the solenoid. It had a circuit that was supposed to cut back the current once the solenoid was closed. But it wasn't. That was an interesting video too!
@adriancressy83633 жыл бұрын
You do good stuff. Showed me a trick in this video. But can only be done on a 3-head machine.....AS long as the playback head hasn't been messed with
@russredfern1675 жыл бұрын
Well done. Cheers
@camurgo5 жыл бұрын
I to want to buy myself one of these Flukes 12, but I couldn't find a good enough price so far. The few I found being sold out there are too expensive considering it's an old model.
@CrashPilot10005 жыл бұрын
Very informative video!! Just a stupid question: Would it have made any sense to replace those potentiometers with spindle-trimmers?
@therealjammit5 жыл бұрын
Those adjustments shouldn't need to be changed after they've been setup correctly. The only reason to adjust them is if you change an important part in the recording circuitry or if they go "bad" (dust getting stuck in there is an issue, and I've had one go bad because another part went "wonky" and sent a high DC current through it). After they've been set it's a good idea to put some sort of tamper proof glue on the control to prevent vibrations from changing them.
@glpilpi62095 жыл бұрын
Aging part syndrome , the pot has become intermittent through age . The playback record head has probably lost some tape contact over the years too . You should not need to reset these controls unless a serious issue has developed , but this equipment is after all as old as the hills and it doesn't stay in spec. for ever because parts do deteriorate.
@calypso225 жыл бұрын
Very nice work. Thanks for sharing.
@fwgmills5 жыл бұрын
Doesn’t the bias change depending on the formulation (quality) of the tape?
@therealjammit5 жыл бұрын
The opposite. You want to change the bias to match the tape.
@adriancressy83633 жыл бұрын
Yes you are correct. Got to stick to that formulation the deck was adjusted for.
@moldyoldie78882 жыл бұрын
I can understand setting bias for maximum output at 1kHz, standard but a tad sloppy operating procedure. Maxell LN or UD tape came with a brochure that showed the same bias current could be achieved more accurately by using the 10kHz tone, and adjusting bias current for something like 5 dB below the 10kHz peak. That's the method I used on early 60s record heads that couldn't saturate modern tape at 1kHz.
@txc5007 ай бұрын
I have this same machine. When i record the recording seems bright and harsh sounding. Is that possibly the bias?
@plarmium87233 жыл бұрын
Hello Sir, my father in law was rewinding his Akai GX-365 tape recorder. When it was finished rewinding he just lost power. I was wondering is their a fuse in this machine or will a transformer blow out kill the power? Please help, Len from Brooklyn.
@GeorgeWMays5 жыл бұрын
Hey, what do you think about using "high quality" batteries for meters rather than the economy batteries?
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
They really don't last that much longer. I was given this pack of batteries about 5 years ago. Just using them up.
@mrnmrn15 жыл бұрын
The capacity differences are negligible. I always use economy alkaline batteries, because the big brand names are stupidly expensive, especially the 9V ones. And I experienced Energizer and Duracell batteries leaking well within the 'best before' period (without draining them!), but I never ever had this with any budget batteries I use (I used to use Tronic from Lidl, or Excell from a nearby Chinese store - not absolute rubbish, noname Chinese stuff). Oh, and of course, for high consumption devices, I use NiMH - Tronic brand of course, it costs the same as a non-rechargeable Duracell or Energizer, and very reliable. Even for my multimeter, since there're low self-discharge types available, from the same Tronic brand, for the price of a primary Duracell. And I had one served me for 5 years!
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@mrnmrn1 I have had really good results with some sunbeam NIMH cells I picked up at Dollarama. Use them in an old calculator with a nice VFD for the readout.
@mrnmrn15 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids You said your Fluke is quite power hungry. Then why don't you use NiMH it it as well? I like this little Fluke, but I'm not quite impressed with its screws. Self-tappers to a battery compartment?! With about 100 hours battery lifetime? A lot of the $20 multimeters have threaded brass inserts in the plastic for the screws of the battery compartment. This Fluke costs many times $20, and they saved that $1 (maybe just $0.5) per unit for the metal inserts. Bad boys.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@mrnmrn1 NIMH are lower voltage, and they slowly self discharge. A new 9volt battery every year isn't too bad.
@QUADBOYification2 жыл бұрын
So what is the protocol for setting (calibrating the bias)? Do we set playback level first with a master tape, then set recording level accordingly, and then do the bias calibration? Or do we first do bias calibration and then adjust the recording level (Balance for L&R) afterward? I don't get it what to do first?
@SimpsonSound2 жыл бұрын
1. Speed calibration. 2. Playback head azimuth (first corse & then fine adjustment). 3. Input (playback) level. 4. VU meter calibration. 5. Before tape frequency response. 6. Thread calibration tape & adjust to recorded reference levels . 7. Check frequency levels from calibration tape. 8. Remove & store calibration tape. 9. Thread blank tape that you'll bias the deck to. 10. Adjust bias trap on deck. 11. Record head azimuth (first corse & then fine adjustment). 12. BIAS ADJUSTMENT HERE. 13. Recording level adjustment. 14: Recording eq adjustment. 15. Frequency response check. 16. GET DRINK OF CHOICE AND ENJOY YOUR RECORDINGS! 👊🏾👊🏾😄
@lexpee5 жыл бұрын
Fluke are very good multi-meters i have for years an Fluke 101, simply multi-meter but it always works. The the battery once in the 2 years i replace those. Have to admit that I use multi-meter 4 times a month at most.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
I am guilty of leaving mine turned on until the auto power shuts it off.
@chilledoutpaul5 жыл бұрын
Times of old, the tongue test. i still do it too. i have always observed a flashing in my eyes if its a fully charged battery (pp3)... if you have a long tongue like me (hehehe) i can do a pp9 as well!!!
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
Years ago a friend stuck a live phone cord in his mouth to "strip the wires" as he was trying to make a cable so he could plug it into his tape recorded to record direct from the phone line. Little did he know that the phone line has 52 volts on it. He literally pissed himself and so did the rest of us, but it was from laughter.
@chilledoutpaul5 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids lmao, over here in the uk the phone line voltage sits around 12volts dc dut when it rings it goes up to 70v. I often use to connect a small radio up to the phone line for power but you only get a few hundred mA. Back in the day. in the bell switching selectors day
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@chilledoutpaul 12v? That sounds pretty low. You must be a long way from the switching office. I work for the phone co. Battery voltage here is 48v. 24x 2 volt cells in series. They sit on a float charge so around 52.5 leaves the office DC. The ring generator sticks about 130 AC on top of the DC voltage to make the phone ring. That wakes you up if you are handing bare wires in a pole top terminal when someone rings up the line you are working on.
@chilledoutpaul5 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids 😆 ha ha i can imagine. talking about 48v that's what our traffic light system works on over here. and our underground (metro system) traction voltage is 630volts. anyway you may have the higher telephone voltage but we have the higher single phase to ground (mains voltage) 240v lol. Dave happy 4th of july. Paul 😉
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@chilledoutpaul Our traffic lights operate on standard 120v. Our subway and elevated train runs 600v DC as to the trolley busses. Here 120v phase to ground and 240 phase to phase. That's what I charge my 2 electric cars with 240 volts. Our big appliances run 240. Small stuff 120v a little safer than 240 at the plug. In 3 phase power here the voltage 208 phase to phase but ilon single phase service 240. I believe the railway signals use 30v dc. Was reading that somewhere when I was reading up on what the light signals mean.
@nor42775 жыл бұрын
I been wanting to get a fluk like your ,but I mostly find only use one ,but fluke makes a fluk 101, in the forty dollar range I am thinking about ,if you or anyone else has a opinion on that one ,it would be helpful ,I am only a hobbyist, I do work on tube radios.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
I bought this one used at a hamfest about 25 years ago for 12.00
@nor42775 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids what a great deal on that meter ,I think next month ,I probaly try for that fluk 101,it kind of like yours ,it auto ranging ,yours is better but I am on a fix income .unless I find a fluk fairy or a goid deal .thanks
@vandinh61704 жыл бұрын
May i ask stupid question: where you take signal from Reel machine to your oscilloscope? from RCA signal output or....?
@12voltvids4 жыл бұрын
Yes
@xwarp Жыл бұрын
@ 10:28, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oJqRaZyk2rzTc58.html , what is causing that jitter in the meters? It appears that the same jitter can be seen on the scope also. I have this same issue with a GX-265D.
@SuperJeremi105 жыл бұрын
Awsome repiair. I didnt know you could do reel to reel players i actually have one not sure if it actually works though.
@FindLiberty5 жыл бұрын
Nice. Did your customer supply that blank tape used? (different brands / types of tape may require a unique bias setting.) I recall BASF 1/4" tape was a common request for bias level optimization for use on Ampex consumer decks in the 1970's.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
No it was my tape and it is just standard bias Ampex tape
@ltshering4 жыл бұрын
sir , for a layman on which point we have to connect the audio osc so we can adjust the frequency.??
@AttilaTheHun3333335 жыл бұрын
Would this also apply to a GX625? Are the frequencies always 1000 Hz and 10 kHz? Thanks for the interesting video, as always!
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
That was what the service manual said to use. I downloaded the manual from hifi engine
@AttilaTheHun3333335 жыл бұрын
12voltvids Thank You!
@eliasroque2397 Жыл бұрын
i have a philips N4504 and its a bit it's louder on the recording than on the source, is it bias bias? thanks. Best Regards from portugal.
@12voltvids Жыл бұрын
Probably not. If you're bias is incorrect it will generally affect the frequency response the bias is a little low you tend to have higher frequencies recorded if the bias is a little bit too much then the high-end rolls off
@eliasroque2397 Жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids I've been experimenting with the recorder these last few hours, there is only distortion when the needles are right on top, but I think it's normal, I recorded a Shamrock brand tape and the sound seemed a little muffled, but then I used an old Scotch and it sounds much better, this recorder 30 years later continues to work as if time does not pass by, thank you very much for the answer sir, good luck for the channel and best regards from Portugal.
@alcoholisfreedrink5 жыл бұрын
I am having trouble setting bias on my wilma 212 soviet 2 head cassette deck. I used 400hz and 8000hz signals for comparison. Once i got the levels equal according to the vu meters on the face plate then i did a test recording with music. It sounded awfully distorted. On the righ channel something is really not correct. I suspect that the trimmer pots are bad. So i am gonna try replacing these. I am gonna use my oscilloscope next time i get into this cassette deck. This deck is nothing special. Soviet 2nd class which is considered as low-end. Portable recorders are 3rd or 4th class. class 0 is the real high-end. This deck still has almost full metal mechanism but the build quality is terrible. Sony tc-k71 looked so much better and cleaner from the inside.
@zx8401ztv5 жыл бұрын
Its no supprise the battery is dead in your fluke, it's a workhorse and handy tool. Still accurate enough too :-D. The ref resistors in those flukes are very stable. i have played with bias levels and record/play levels in my own equipment, but not on other peoples equipment unless it's cheap junk and been messed up with broken seals. My hearing is so screwed now, i can't trust it. Can't listen to music any longer :-(
@SDsailor74 жыл бұрын
To where on the reel to reel does he connect the Oscilloscope test leads? anyone know?Thank you
@12voltvids4 жыл бұрын
The various test points are outlined in the manual. For azimuth it us just the line out. For record bias it is the trimmer for the bias oscillator but every one is different so a manual is a must to do it right.
@SDsailor74 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids Thank you.
@andre_deboer3 жыл бұрын
I got an akai 4000d that when recording a 10khz at 3 3/4 the VU barely indicates something but at 7 1/2 the VU meter indicates the same as the source. It is the tape, the heads or faullty capacitors?
@12voltvids3 жыл бұрын
I believe at 3 3/4 the frequency response is only to 10khz and it starts rolling off well below it. Mine also sounds like an radio at 3 3/4 ips. Some decks used cross field heads which improved the sound at slower speeds. Frequency response is a function of the head gap. This is why most VCRs were 4 head. A pair of sp and a pair of EP heads. To optimize picture quality at both speeds. A head gap optimized for 3 3/4 would fall short at 7 1/2
@andre_deboer3 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for the answer mr. 12volts!! I forgot to mention that my 4000d is the infamous GX. I got some higher VU measures with basf tapes than sony ones in recent test i got some tdk but no Scotch tapes which are the reference for rec calibratrion. In fact the xfield heads are much better for slow speeds. Is there a chance for better results if i change the transitors or others components?
@12voltvids3 жыл бұрын
@@andre_deboer Unfortunately the frequency response is governed by the gap in the heads. Narrow gap heads work better in high frequencies at slower tape speeds but also don't have the signal to noise ratio that wider Gap heads allow. So the manufacturer has to decide what is more important better signal to noise ratio at higher tape speeds or better frequency response and lower signal to noise ratio at all tape speeds most companies chose the faster tape speed and better quality. The crossfield decks did something different they had a second head that was on the back side of the tape that assisted in driving the high frequencies are driving the lower frequency cuz it was deeper into the tape and letting the higher frequencies ride on the edge of the tape and they work really good but not many decks use them.
@andre_deboer3 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids thanks again. Its my second reel to reel recorder. I guess ill have to get a better rtr in some future time. Tks for the hints. Your Knowledge is very impressive. Im big fan of your work
@andre_deboer3 жыл бұрын
When you calibrate the rec trimpots in which position you leave the front panel rec potenciometers? And after scotch tape, which i dont have do you know another brand like tdk or Sony for me to use on my calibration
@peterc23733 жыл бұрын
so now you calibrated the whole deck to youre (old) tape... not the tape the custumer has .... not that smart
@infinitecanadian5 жыл бұрын
Your videos can be so biased sometimes.
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
Hi biased
@infinitecanadian5 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids Ha!
@12voltvids5 жыл бұрын
@@infinitecanadian Unless using Ferichrome tape, then it is "the Lo - High"
@infinitecanadian5 жыл бұрын
@@12voltvids Lol.
@donaldfilbert48325 жыл бұрын
So .... Just how accurate is your tongue? Say .... + or - 0.1 volt?? -- smile