Muff's Modules & More

consumed · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:13 am Post subject:

thanks for the info!
i did acquire the full manual hardcopy with schematics when i bought it... a very good thing.
my model is the mx-5050 B2HD
and i found a website about someone having restored his.
http://www.tubesrit.com/audio/

after looking at the pics of his deck, i really appreciate the decent condition of mine lol

so having gotten a bit further into the spool, i started to have some trouble with one channel or the other going out while recording my own test tones to tape. it has something to do with the record and sel rep buttons...im not sure if the contacts are a little flaky or what. the funny thing is if i record something dynamic it does a bit better, although i can hear variations between the channels with a mono signal. so i think that, if i dont end up taking this machine apart, i will at least be fully learning how to maintain it
w00t

another thing to learn how to do! d'oh!

i did visually inspect the heads last night after this behavior.
they look pretty good, im not too worried about any expensive hardware replacements.

Chuck E. Jesus · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:35 am Post subject:

make sure you buy a good head demag right off...try some Deoxit as well, clean it up good...

if i had that i'd join up at Gear Slutz...

Kent · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:11 am Post subject:

A De-Magnetizer is a 'must'. ONLY buy an Annis Han-D-Mag. Nothing else. And follow the instructions diligently. There are a lot of steps about moving slowly toward and away from the heads & not plugging the Han-D-Mag into the wall socket anywhere near the whole machine.

Don't use DeOxit on anything but the I/O jacks/XLRs. Denatured alcohol is to be used upon the heads and tape path except for the rubber parts. And I'm not talking about Isopropyl Alcohol here. That stuff has water (and other stuff) in it and will cause problems. You can get the correct alcohol at pharmacists and places like ATR Service Co. or John French's operation.
You can use purpose-formulated rubber cleaner (keeps rubber moisturized), Windex, or your own spit -without coffee in it- to clean the rubber parts that touch tape. Alcohol will dry rubber out and cause it to crack.

consumed · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Chuck E. Jesus · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:17 am Post subject:

consumed · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

no worries. im not silly enough to shoot contact cleaner/lube at my heads lol

Chuck E. Jesus · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:01 pm Post subject:

Kent · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:28 am Post subject:

I find that it makes things go in better... but that's just the way I roll!

I didn't want to come off as being a (well-lubed) dick. I was fearing that someone, as to whose knowledge of tape machines I know not, may try putting anything that would leave a residue on the tape path.

And, if it wasn't obvious, apply the cleaner (alcohol, Windex,etc) directly to the the lint-free (available at the same places you find the good alcohol) cotton swabs and not directly to the heads, tape path or rollers. You don't need liquids dripping into the myriad spaces & holes on your tape machine.

Ross, which Ampex do you have?

consumed It has been years since I've purchased the correct alcohol in the States/North America. I can't recall the specifics. Just make sure that it isn't 'rubbing' alcohol or any alcohol that leaves behind a film.

consumed · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:37 am Post subject:

consumed · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:52 am Post subject:

OK I have a question for Kent or one of you R2R-saavy types.

When I record, say, a drum machine to tape, it sounds OK (the levels are good, etc). I usually peg the meters when I'm monitoring the source, before I lay down the recording. But when I record test tones of varying pitch, if my record inputs are below 7 or 8, I get little or no recorded signal, even though my signal is plenty hot coming in when I monitor the source. (Plenty hot=+1 on the VU meters.) If I crank up my input pots past 8 (while recording), all of a sudden my input signal sputters into existence and gets recorded to tape. Its as if any dynamics below a certain (pretty high!) level just dont get recorded or something. I'm concerned that quiet passages will crap out.

So I'll demag tonight or tomorrow. I'm sure I still have to adjust and optimize per the manual, so I will do that too. Although I am not going to plunk down the cash just for an adjustment/calibration reel of test tones. (Too expensive!) I guess I dont have faith that this problem will really be corrected by calibrating/adjusting/demagnetizing.

I didnt pick up the R2R for mastering. Its just mostly an effects device, so I can live with imperfection. It would be nice though to get it into a pretty good operational state.

Kent · Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:35 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the late reply, consumed... I just got back from a road trip.

It is hard to say what the issue could be just by reading a problem description & also knowing that you don't have an MRL test-tape. Without knowing what the base-line is (sans MRL) it sounds like you have an electro-mechanical issue. That is to say, something like a cold solder joint, cracked solder joint, seriously dirty input pots, etc.

I would have to know whether you are in 'Cal' mode or not as well. It seems as if you aren't since you are using the input knobs to crank the gain up. This could be the issue right here. Try it in "Cal" mode.

Make sure that the tape machine is turned off when applying the Han-D-Mag or you will fry the electronics of the machine. Another option is to leave it in "Input Monitor" mode... but to be safe, turn 'er off.

If you get seriously into using the machine, a proper test tape (you can't actually make one of these yourself; regardless of what anyone would want you to believe) is a MUST. They are worth it as long the machine is even somewhat solid.