Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

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Mistakes Inc
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Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by Mistakes Inc » Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:11 pm

Hello Everybody,

I'm hoping for some guidance from the knowledgable people that hang out here before bothering my tech tomorrow.
Any feedback would be truly appreciated. Maybe this is something I can rectify myself.

I am working on a mix recorded on an MX-5050 8 track, and I noticed the volume dropping down a bit on track one.
Upon soloing the track, the problem seemed more to be a loss of the higher frequencies (it's a drum machine).

I have determined that this did not take place during recording, as it doesn't always occur at the same place.
After playing it back a few times, I pulled out my MRL tape, and for some strange reason, on 10k there is a momentary--again unpredictable--loss from anywhere from 1 to 3dB. Sometimes the 10k tone will pass perfectly and others it will drop out for a brief period then hit 0 dB again.

Now, I have cleaned the heads repeatedly and demagnetized everything as obvious measures, but I'm still getting the same intermittent problem.
This is probably something painfully obvious to the more talented recorders here, but I'm flummoxed.

Any ideas what the problem may be?

Thanks for reading.

drumsound
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by drumsound » Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:33 pm

I'd guess that there's a transport issue of some sort. I'd sit by the deck and watch to see if the tape is lifting off or riding up and down a tad when the high frequency dips happen.

If it were an MCI I'd suggest an analog torque board adjustment. I'm not sure what the Otari answer is.

Mistakes Inc
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by Mistakes Inc » Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:02 am

Thanks for the response / suggestion.
I just ran the MRL though and the drop in dB doesn't appear to be due to any tape movement--the tape seems to be making constant solid contact.

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markjazzbassist
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by markjazzbassist » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:25 am

what tape are you using?

Mistakes Inc
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by Mistakes Inc » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:55 am

Using RMGI 911.

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markjazzbassist
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by markjazzbassist » Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:18 am

does it just happen with this tape? do other tapes have the same issue?

Mistakes Inc
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Re: Otari MX-5050 Playback Issue

Post by Mistakes Inc » Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:00 pm

I’m going to do some further investigating, but after speaking to a well-qualified tech, he wants to examine the heads—as the outer bands are prone to fluctuation in HF.

The location of this track just makes it more obvious, as it is a constant hi hat.
Last edited by Mistakes Inc on Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

MathewRes
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Otari MX 5050 Playback Issue

Post by MathewRes » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:02 pm

I am new and when I go to playback the streaming video that is recorded its like super fast and I cant see whats been recorded its like someone is fast forwarding it, can anyone advise as to what is causing this??

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