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Reel to Reel tape question

We don't seem to have a tape forum here, but analog is analog, so I'll try it here: Does anyone know why it is that my fully refurbished Revox A77 makes my four-track, 7.5 ips tapes sound better after I flip them over? Meaning, on side ll? There is a greater clarity, more dynamics - just a better sound after it plays through side l, and I flip it over. I thought that it might be the tape deck warming up, and so it sounds better because it has been on longer for side ll. I then turned it on, let it sit for an hour, and then played it, with the same result.

 

Is it a matter of alignment, perhaps? Any other thoughts?

 

Thanks,

 

David

dtorc
nubiann
95 posts
 

When flipped, your Revox reads Track 3+4 sit in different parts of the tape coating.The reverse  side tracks may be better aligned to your A77

Also, if your tapes were recorded on another machine, or one with misaligned head azimuth the original recorder’s Track 1+2 alignment maybe off, but Track 3+4 happened to align better with the A77 standards, those tracks will sound clearer when flipped.

jnovak's avatar
jnovak
496 posts
 

www.reelaudiollc.com 

Contact Jim

lsvoharry's avatar
lsvoharry
7 posts
 

It definitely sounds like a head problem (worn, misaligned).  That's where I would start.  Nothing in the electronics should affect the sound with a change of direction.

 

stager
79 posts
 

1. Do you find this deficiency on both channels when you play the second side? The outer tracks, which is there the left channel lives, are more likely to show a loss of fidelity since they are at the edge of the tape and will be most prone to less than perfect alignment.

2. Good tape to head contact is essential. Even if azimuth and zenith alignments are correct, there may be a slight deviation from a perfectly vertical front-to back head angle. You might try this experiment: While the tape is playing, using a Q-tip, press the tape gently to the play head and see if the sound improves.
What is puzzling me is why you find that this loss of quality only appears on the reverse tracks.
What the head sees on your tape should be exactly the same from the forward and revers tracks, any alignment would be mirror-image, either both bad or both good. Same with height.

See if that Q-tip diagnostic tell you anything.



 

dtorc OP
103 posts
 

You know, I never thought about whether it is both channels that are affected equally. Good question. I will check on that tomorrow. My guess is yes - but only because I do not notice any skewing of the soundstage - I don't need to re-center the soundstage when I flip over the tape. But that may simply be volume, not clarity. Again, thanks, I'll check. 

 

And all of these are commercial,  pre-recorded tapes, usually from the 60's and 70's. Their age made me wonder if storage for 50-plus years has a greater negative effect on the first side, rather than the flip side. Doesn't sound logical, but just reaching. 

 

And I might call ReelAudio and talk to Jim, as you suggest, @jnovak.  He also sells calibration tapes, and would know exactly which ones my local bench folks would need.

 

Thanks again, everybody...

 

David

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