Pitch all out of wack - what's this about?

[Mr. Lin]

I just recorded some Grieg onto the B side of one of my TDK SA-X100 tapes, the other side was Mozart, which came out fine. But the B side is all screwed up, the pitch is all over the place, it doesn't even sound like the same music at all.

Fortunately I've tried quick recording on two other cassettes and they seem to have come out just fine. I erased the SA-X and I'm going to try it again.

Anybody know what in the world that was all about? Bad tape, or fluke?


Dave

[NAD613]

Outside of checking the hubs, I don't know what it would be if it's only doing it on that tape. Maybe make sure the hubs are tight before putting the cassette in the machine.

[Mr. Lin]

Outside of checking the hubs, I don't know what it would be if it's only doing it on that tape. Maybe make sure the hubs are tight before putting the cassette in the machine.

Hubs? This should have been in the cassette deck basics thread I guess.

[stuwee]

It's an azumith issue rearing it's ugly head *devil* the bane of many decks and many tapes. Save the tape and FF and RW a couple of times, then play again, maybe even if it still sounds bad, leave the room, and come back to it. See what happens. Am I giving Mr. Lin wrong info folks??

Craig

[Mr. Lin]

It's an azumith issue rearing it's ugly head *devil* the bane of many decks and many tapes. Save the tape and FF and RW a couple of times, then play again, maybe even if it still sounds bad, leave the room, and come back to it. See what happens. Am I giving Mr. Lin wrong info folks??

Craig

I don't know Craig, like I said, the first side was completely fine, just the second side came out bad. I don't think leaving the room is going to make something like that sound any better :), it was pretty terrible. The music was almost unrecognizable.

But I just made one of my "mini-tapes," a 10 minute-per-side selection from a Telemann CD, onto the TDK SM Pro, and it sounded perfect. So something is likely up with that tape.

As we speak I'm recording the Grieg CD onto the same tape, only difference this time is that I'm putting it on the A side. We'll see what happens.

[NAD613]

Hubs? This should have been in the cassette deck basics thread I guess.

Well, I'm grasping at straws. If your other tapes sound fine, I don't know what else it could be, outside of a defective tape.

[stuwee]

Ok, IIRC this is a 2 head deck, right? So you can't monitor it as you record. Dunno, in that case.

Craig

[macster]

It's an azumith issue rearing it's ugly head *devil* the bane of many decks and many tapes. Save the tape and FF and RW a couple of times, then play again, maybe even if it still sounds bad, leave the room, and come back to it. See what happens. Am I giving Mr. Lin wrong info folks??

Craig

+1

That should do it, especially if the tapes have been sitting for a while.

m~

[Mr. Lin]

+1

That should do it, especially if the tapes have been sitting for a while.

m~

Sometimes I fast forward and rewind the tapes before I used them, but I didn't this time because these (I thought) are not really that old. I guess from now on I'll do it with every NOS tape before I use it. Hopefully now that it's been played through both sides then rewound I won't have an issue when I try once again to record on the B side.

So some of you are saying it's an azimuth issue? And yes, the BX-1 is a two head deck.

[Mr. Lin]

I must also point out that now that I've re-recorded Grieg onto the SA-X I'm once again very pleased with this tape. Aside from the amazing sound quality, I get far less hiss than with any other type of any other tape I've tried so far, and I don't use NR.

[macster]

I don't think that it's an azimuth issue, if it plays fine after rewinding and fast forwarding. If the problem occurs consistently on one particular tape then maybe, it's the azimuth or that tape is at fault. Fast forwarding and rewinding the tapes is a good idea. I do it when I remember, it's just a good practice for me. I had to do one on my B-215 which exhibited the same symptoms that your deck did. After I performed the FF&RW thing, it worked great, which I assumed is what happened with you.

M~

[Mr. Lin]

I don't think that it's an azimuth issue, if it plays fine after rewinding and fast forwarding. If the problem occurs consistently on one particular tape then maybe, it's the azimuth or that tape is at fault. Fast forwarding and rewinding the tapes is a good idea. I do it when I remember, it's just a good practice for me. I had to do one on my B-215 which exhibited the same symptoms that your deck did. After I performed the FF&RW thing, it worked great, which I assumed is what happened with you.

M~

It's hard to say. The re-recorded SA-X sounds pretty good, but it seems to struggle a little at the beginning of the tape, almost like it's a little warbly, if that makes any sense. Then it's fine. On the other hand, I re-recorded the Dvorak onto an Akai tape and I'm not satisfied at all with how it came out. In fact, I'm going to erase it and do it over again.

I'm starting to wonder if there's a problem with my Nak. On the one hand it's really bothering me because I have all these tapes and I want to record every night, but on the other hand I'm planning on getting a much better Nak soon, so maybe I shouldn't really worry about it.

[NAD613]

It's hard to say. The re-recorded SA-X sounds pretty good, but it seems to struggle a little at the beginning of the tape, almost like it's a little warbly, if that makes any sense. Then it's fine. On the other hand, I re-recorded the Dvorak onto an Akai tape and I'm not satisfied at all with how it came out. In fact, I'm going to erase it and do it over again.

I'm starting to wonder if there's a problem with my Nak. On the one hand it's really bothering me because I have all these tapes and I want to record every night, but on the other hand I'm planning on getting a much better Nak soon, so maybe I shouldn't really worry about it.

You may want to hold off until you get your new Nak. That, or else get the Nak you have fully serviced.

[Mr. Lin]

You may want to hold off until you get your new Nak. That, or else get the Nak you have fully serviced.

Maybe I should, but it's so hard, and it's probably going to be another month or so before I can get a new deck. At this point I'm just not using anything too special, no metal tapes, I'm going to take it easy on the SA-X, and just use Akai and other common stuff that I have way too much of.

It's taking me so long to get the new deck because I'm looking to spend $600-$800 on a used Nak, so it's no small change nor is it a decision to make without much consideration.

[NAD613]

Maybe I should, but it's so hard, and it's probably going to be another month or so before I can get a new deck. At this point I'm just not using anything too special, no metal tapes, I'm going to take it easy on the SA-X, and just use Akai and other common stuff that I have way too much of.

It's taking me so long to get the new deck because I'm looking to spend $600-$800 on a used Nak, so it's no small change nor is it a decision to make without much consideration.

I don't know if you've considered it, but there's a factory refurbished Teac V8030 w/warranty on Ebay for $399.99. This was a TOTL deck w/Dolby B, C, & S, every kind of adjustment knob you can think of, & it's built like a tank. It would also be easier to have serviced in the future, too, being as Teac still has parts for most of their decks. Just something to think about.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TEAC-V-8030S-STEREO-CASSETTE-DECK-PLAYER-with-WARRANTY_W0QQitemZ320265717899QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4 784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Web Police]

I have been watching that one on and off for many months. Somehow I can't fathom sending hard earned money to chimp much less an orange chimp. :D

[NAD613]

That TEAC V 8030 did retail for about $800 new in the J&R catalog. If I didn't already have my NAD 613, I'd be tempted to buy it.

Here's more info on that deck:

http://www.vintagecassette.com/Teac/V-8030S

[Mr. Lin]

I don't know if you've considered it, but there's a factory refurbished Teac V8030 w/warranty on Ebay for $399.99. This was a TOTL deck w/Dolby B, C, & S, every kind of adjustment knob you can think of, & it's built like a tank. It would also be easier to have serviced in the future, too, being as Teac still has parts for most of their decks. Just something to think about.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TEAC-V-8030S-STEREO-CASSETTE-DECK-PLAYER-with-WARRANTY_W0QQitemZ320265717899QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4 784QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thank you for that. Although I'd like to stick with Nak, I'll definitely keep that in mind.

[graffias79]

I bet the tape in its path along the exposed part for the heads was pushed up a little bit and the capstan was below the tape path so your take-up hub was probably determining the pitch. That has happened to me a couple of times and it sounds pretty startling.

[Mr. Lin]

I bet the tape in its path along the exposed part for the heads was pushed up a little bit and the capstan was below the tape path so your take-up hub was probably determining the pitch. That has happened to me a couple of times and it sounds pretty startling.

Yes, it was certainly startling.

[stuwee]

I have been watching that one on and off for many months. Somehow I can't fathom sending hard earned money to chimp much less an orange chimp. :D

Tony Stewart has a monkey for a pet. And for now, he's racin' the color orange, I like the Teac alot, Shipping to me is only $20, how long has that deck been avaliable? I can't swing it now, if the parts Luxman is just a belt*hope* then :-? I looked up some stuff on it it's a really nice deck, $420 with shipping isn't chump(chimp) change for me, somebody stop me *devil*
Craig