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Reel to reel, cassette and other analogue tape formats.

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Hey Vic!...

68.145.133.7
Posted on February 2, 2021 at 11:00:37
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

Is this thing any good?... It looks to be in good condition cosmetically, but I'm not sure if it still in good working condition though. One thing for certain it does needs a thorough cleaning.

 

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    ...
Well..., posted on February 2, 2021 at 18:45:32
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 I would say this is a project or parts machine. Cosmetically it is not great, there are some broken parts, some parts missing, scratches, etc, but most importantly, some functions don't work, plus they did not even try the recording - on these the recording function often is not working, as the selector switch has plastic cam that often is broken. It can be fabricated and replaced, of course. All that is reflected in the price, at least at this stage.

I like that model, I have two of them, they are one of the best looking machines, I think. I wish they took the 7" reels, like Nagra does.

We are all different... if you like tinkering with things this might be for you. But it is not something you can just start using, to play your tapes. I have not been inside one yet, had no reason to, so I can't tell you how easy it is to work on it. Generally speaking, Sony stuff is well designed, but you can have tight spots. If it goes for very low price, it might be a good learning project.

The power supply is most likely for 240V, so you would either have to use the external transformer, or to modify the power supply - I did that on my newer one. Battery packs are nice, but impossible to find... I am lucky to have two. The strap is not the original one to that model.


 

Oh..., posted on February 2, 2021 at 20:03:48
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 I would agree with you as after watching the youtube video of this machine and found out its condition I kind of have the feeling that they were using it as a doorstop in the past.

Oh well, so the search continues...

 

Good things come..., posted on February 3, 2021 at 04:06:08
geoffkait
 ....in small packages.

 

No reels..., posted on February 3, 2021 at 04:58:16
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 No good.


 

Yes, there are reels! , posted on February 3, 2021 at 08:12:31
geoffkait
 Cassettes have reels. Good!

 

Hubs. Them's hubs., posted on February 3, 2021 at 09:14:52
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 Still no reels... :(

PS... Yes, I know, some cassettes do have reels, but they are sooooo small... :)


 

RE: Hubs. Them's hubs., posted on February 3, 2021 at 15:03:22
geoffkait
 As I said, good things come in small packages. No power cords, no speaker cables, no transformers, no big honking capacitors, no fuses, no house AC.

 

I know. , posted on February 3, 2021 at 15:16:59
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000



I have a very cute Sony TC-D5M.


 

Does this counts?, posted on February 3, 2021 at 19:05:10
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

Sorry for the out of the topic reply. It just that every time someone mentions reel to reel my mind drifts away to a wonderful time when I was Trout casting at the serenity of Columbia River.

Ok...I'm good now that I let it out of my system, let's go back to our normal programming...



 

RE: Does this counts?, posted on February 3, 2021 at 23:04:18
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 That one takes two-inch wide tape, right?

 

That beater is already pushing $400, posted on February 4, 2021 at 04:39:58
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
I thought about getting it for parts, if under $100...


 

No motors... no good... , posted on February 4, 2021 at 05:37:54
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 Life begins at three motors. :)


 

Nope!..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 08:38:32
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

It's manually operated and obviously, there's no motor to speak of, and on top of that, it only uses nylon string together with a hook and a sinker. What I like about this contraption is its negligible environmental footprint being used. Unless you consider sweats, consuming beer, and periodically swearing to no one in particular very destructive to the environment.

 

Ahhh..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 08:41:26
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 And I thought you're not interested. Shame on you! Anyway, I gave up on it when I saw the eurodollar sign. The search continues...

 

RE: Nope!..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 09:29:05
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Wow! I've heard of wire recorders, but I've never heard of one that uses nylon string. I think you've got a unique piece of equipment. ;-)

Thanks!
John Elison

PS. I really like the sailboat!

 

Yup..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 09:40:12
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

it's much more durable and last longer than the cotton strings that we normally used in the past.


 

I really don't know, why... , posted on February 4, 2021 at 10:23:26
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 ...would anyone pay that much for a junker. The two I bought cost just a little more, but they both are in excellent condition and with nice accessories. Between them I have two power supplies, two battery modules, and one charger.

Must have been an acute case of auction hysteria.


 

I think I know why..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 10:43:29
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

Because of the wonderment from old farts like us who appreciate an excellent engineering design in audio from the past, that's keeping the interest alive.

How about them ones?...

Is this a good one to go after? If I purchase it I may have to send it to you to have it restored.

Description:
Vintage used SONY Walkman WM-D6C Professional Cassette Player Recorder & Case. Needs some restoration. Includes instructions, case, Ac Adaptor.

 

Holy smokes!..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 10:48:21
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 Is this thing made of precious metals or what? I just saw one on eBay selling for $2,071.04

 

How many of those have I thrown away over the years? nt, posted on February 4, 2021 at 10:50:54
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17302
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 .
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

I am cool towards these, posted on February 4, 2021 at 12:01:04
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 The one I posted, the TC-D5M, is much better, sharp looking with its two round meters, and much better overall.




 

I've been a bad boy, posted on February 4, 2021 at 12:07:48
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000



This morning I looked at that Sony, and while paging through my email - there was that Nagra, arrogantly staring right into my face...

Now... I currently am down to two Nagra's, and I was not thinking of more, but this one was clean and offered at nice price, so I just snatched it.

I actually like that older style, Nagra III, better, than the more modern IV. Many years ago... too many... as a boy in Leningrad, I saw that machine hanging from the shoulder of some cameraman... and it was love at first sight.




 

What's wrong with you?, posted on February 4, 2021 at 12:34:39
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 No wonder I can't find any Nagra reel to reel machines available for good prices. Kidding aside, I do appreciate the precision machining that goes into these things and this was made around the '60s where the CAD system and CNC machines weren't even in the blink of the engineer's eyes yet.




 

I emailed the guy this morning..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 12:37:49
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 to inquire about its availability. Insofar he hasn't get back to me yet. However, I do have this nagging feeling that it's probably gone already.

 

Just some Old World machinists..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 12:42:21
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 ...working their manual lathes.

In 1945 the Russians took a lot of factory equipment from the occupied German area.

These machines were still in use in the eighties at some Soviet military plants.


 

RE: Just some Old World machinists..., posted on February 4, 2021 at 13:13:05
rivervalley817
 a good micrometer and someone who knows how and what to measure is still needed to program the CNC machine though

so there's still that ...

regards,

 

;-), posted on February 5, 2021 at 09:14:08
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004

 

Comparison..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 12:18:12
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000






Here is that Sony side-by-side with the Stellavox SP-7... it looks HUGE in comparison.


 

Nice..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 14:46:27
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

I bet the Stellavox sound took off on another level vs. the Sony on 30"IPS speed. I have nothing against Sony but it just that it can't compete with Stellavox's sophisticated and ingenious engineering.


 

Where..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 15:41:32
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000



...did you get that picture? Could you give me the link?

There are several versions of such contraption out there, including the original Stellavox ABR model.

I like the ABR because there the tape makes less of sharp bends, which normally rob the power. In ABR they put pulleys on the original reel shafts.


 

Oh boy!..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 16:09:39
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

Don't blame me if you ended up spending more money on it. It does look good though I'm not sure if the design will solve the inconsistency of the speed and torque issue of the take-up and feed reels that you're experiencing now. Perhaps the only way to find out is to purchase it. If you decided to go for it please let me know how it turns out.

I found it at eBay ads https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-5-reel-to-reel-adapter-for-stellavox-SP7-SP8-SP9-SP8-tc-/263400019268

 

RE: Oh boy!..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 18:07:10
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 Oh, I know those people, they also make similar contraptions for Nagra.

Between them and the Stellavox one I would go for the real thing. :)


 

But...but..., posted on February 5, 2021 at 20:16:24
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 Perhaps it's time to unwrap the manual lathe machine that you've been hiding since WWII and put it to good use. With your electronic and mechanical inclination, I'm sure you'd be able to re-engineer and machine the two tape guide rollers thingy in the middle top part of the machine. The way I see it all you really need to do is to find the suitable material to machine probably aircraft-grade aluminum. If it were me and have all that equipment and know-how the possibility would be endless.

 

RE: But...but..., posted on February 6, 2021 at 04:54:57
Victor Khomenko
Manufacturer

Posts: 55319
Joined: April 5, 2000
 That thought definitely entered my mind, but in this case it would take a fair amount of labor, but most importantly - I don't have access to the type of finish, that would match the machine. So it would never look right.


 

I get it..., posted on February 6, 2021 at 11:09:23
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007

And I can empathize with you, as I'd rather leave the object alone on its own and enjoy it for what it is or for what it was. After all, it's about its nostalgic and sentimental value more so than its materialistic value.

With that said...have a cigar and it's on me.


 

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