Tascam / TEAC Series 70 help

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KIZMIT
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Tascam / TEAC Series 70 help

Post by KIZMIT » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:17 am

I just picked up a Tascam/TEAC series 70 eight channel tape machine with matching mixing console, call the series 10. Heads were recently relapped, console sounds good, both are in great shape, got very lucky with this pair. This is my first venture into tape land, I'm hoping someone out there has some detailed info on this machine.
Curious about calibration (got fresh MRL in the mail today along with SM911), how to access bias and gain controls if there are any, recommendations for noise reduction units and routing ideas (it came with a junction box with eight tape in/out 8 line in/out, 2 monitor out in a pin connector to the console.

Any advice is much appreciated !
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markjazzbassist
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Post by markjazzbassist » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:38 am


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I'm Painting Again
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:53 am

I had a 1/2" -4 here for a little that I repaired for a friend

really great sounding deck in my opinion

Ampex-y

it probably wasn't calibrated in years and I did not bother because it sounded great as-is

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/master/mbrs/recor ... oducer.pdf


it's stock set up for 185 nWb/m

it can have the 501 or the 701 electronics +4dBm / -10dBm respectively - 701 is unbalanced and I'm not sure about the 501

you won't get much above 18khz out of it

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Post by KIZMIT » Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:42 am

Thanks for the feedback! I had the spec sheet already, any ideas about biasing/calibrating? I've got the 701 electronics, rca in and out unbalanced.

Trying to post photos for you guys, can we do that here?[/img]
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I'm Painting Again
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:04 am

one thing to be looking at is the SM911 is 320 nWb/m and the machine seems to be 185 nWb/m reference level

dunno what calibration tape you have ordered but if it's different it could shift your 0VU reference, alter the headroom, etc.

I'm not an expert but I know there are some tapeheads here that can chime in on best practices..

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Post by I'm Painting Again » Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:07 am

IIRC the trim pots for things are not easy to access and on the inside of the machine

I'm trying to remember back 10 15 years so ???

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Post by jimjazzdad » Fri Apr 14, 2017 1:49 pm

On most Teac/TASCAM units the bottom panel is removed to access the trim pots for level, bias, EQ, etc. so its best to set the unit on its back for calibration purposes. That's how it is with my A3300SX, A3340S and Tascam 32 anyway. 185 nWb was standard for most of the older decks, but folks generally use 200 or 250 nWb today.
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Post by KIZMIT » Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:00 pm

Thanks all! Update: had a tech come out today to calibrate, set the bias, etc.
We had to take all the electronics apart to access each amps EQ and the overdub unit to get to the biases. No small job, but it's all lined up nice and even!
The question now is how to work the routing with the junction box that came with.
It's got 8 tape I/o, 8 line I/o, 4 aux send, 2 Mon in, and a big pin monitor mixdown module connection to the mixer; all 1/4". Assuming all are unbalanced, anyone have experience using this thing?
Also looking for noise reduction unit recommendations.
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Post by Jim Williams » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:10 am

Bias up to +9 with high output tape and you will get a 75 db s/n ratio without noise, err, music reduction.

The only NR I ever used that was 1/2 effective was Dolby SR, but that also sucked all the air out too.
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