reel to reel woes (Revox) - Am I stupid or what?
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Posted on May 23, 2009 10:16 pm
Royalston
Member Since: May 23, 2009
Hi
Im guessing this is the right place to ask this kind of question...
I have a (previously) working revox PR-99 reel to reel in good condition. I've had it serviced by a proper repair guy about a year ago.
The trouble now is that I put a reel of tape on and it all just spools out - both reels turn but something isn't right.
What I want to know is whether its my ignorance or a broken machine.
So - I have a new reel of tape - which side should it go on? (I want to know Im doing this right) Left or right? Obviously, matt side facing the heads....
Any other tricks I should know?
Thanks
Royalston
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Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 23, 2009 11:23 pm i got a reel to reel, it'll only run one way, left to right.
i dunno, if its going all ballistic like that then like you say, something aint right.
to my knowledge, ya just cant hook the tape up in any other way than the right way for it to work.
if you could give a little more info as to what its doing.
when you say spools out, do you mean just running thru the tape till the end, before you have a chance to do any recording with it?
May 23, 2009 11:41 pm Hey
Thanks for the reply deon :)
More info:
So I put the fresh reel of tape on the left. I press play and the tape spit out of the left hand side but doesn't make it through the heads....its just gathering in a mess - as if the slack isnt being pulled up by the other reel properly. or as if I haven't put it on right :)
What makes me think it might just be me is this:
Prior to me putting this reel I had another spool that was playing back ok - except it was playing back in reverse - and I couldnt get anything to record. Maybe this info helps...? I dont know...
Very confused....
May 24, 2009 01:24 am Ok - so Ive sorted out the tape spool problem! It was just the way I had the spools on...but...things brings me to the real problem:
I press record...tape machine works, UVs bounce around with the music...Record channels are armed, record light is on...It appears to be recording...but when I stop reording, rewind, hit "reproduce" (rather than "input/sync") I cant get any playback...no sound....
note:when I have "reproduce" switched, I can hear music - so its not the output.
Yet on tapes where something has been previously recorded, I can hear things...which leads me to believe that nothing is actually recording...
But Im not sure...any ideas? This machine was repaired and serviced a year ago so I have my doubts that its broken...but I have no idea what is wrong.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 24, 2009 06:38 am sounds like you might not be arming it correctly to record.
i know with mine, i gotta have this dial turned this way and that button pushed in there and another button pushed in for this and that and so on.
after i record, to playback, i have to turn off the record channel assign to hear anything.
if you have a manual i'd be giving that a good reading.
May 24, 2009 06:48 am its odd...Ive recorded with it many times...so i know how to do that part (i just dont change tapes very often!)...but the thing just wont playback now...
unfortunately I canonly find a service manual for the Revox PR-99...no normal user manual is around on the net.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 24, 2009 09:43 am if you google the Revox there's a bit there on some hassles with it.
my reel to reel is a mix console as well, so its completly different. so cant comment much more on yours.
