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Re: [ARSCLIST] Dealing with semi-brittle tape cupping/dropouts
Jeffrey Kane <jeffkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> said...
> I have a ReVox G36 open-reel deck that I?m using for 2 and 4 track playback
> and am attempting to dump a very old 2 track recording to HDD. My problem
> is that the tape appears to have grown somewhat brittle and is ?cupping? so
> to speak along the length of the tape. The G36 is a great sounding tubed deck
> but it?s transport isn?t a paradigm of precision. Thus one ends up with
> incessant dropouts that bounce from channel to channel.
Actually the ReVox deck is not to blame, but the normal hold back tensions
will not deal with your problem.
The cupping of your tape is probably causing it to "wobble" as it passes the
playback head, alternately contacting the left pole piece and the right pole
piece causing the apparent drop out from channel to channel.
A drugstore cotton ball held lightly to the tape/head as a makeshift pressure
pad will force the needed contact to fix the problem while the tape is being
transferred.
... Graham Newton
--
Audio Restoration by Graham Newton, http://www.audio-restoration.com
World class professional services applied to tape or phonograph records for
consumers and re-releases, featuring CEDAR's new CAMBRIDGE processes.