Audio Cassette "Drag" Problem

Hi,

I have been recording audio cassettes (family gatherings & my kids) into MP3 files.

Unfortunately one of these cassettes is Ampex (problem brand) with a history of "drag". I removed the tape and put it in a new cassette case, but it wasn't a complete "fix". Note: The cassette player(s) I have been using holds the cassette in a up/vertical (common in modern cassette players) position.

I suspect the tape composition used by Ampex is at fault.

I would like to get a reply from someone who actually had this problem, if you "fixed" the problem, what technique did you use?

Thanks in advance, Brad

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Reply to
Brad
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problem,

Wind each tape FF to the end and then REW to beginning perhaps . But real/reel problem would likely be slip-clutch/ belt problems

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

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Reply to
N_Cook

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What about spraying some teflon spray on the inside of the case before putting the reels including the tape into the case? This might let the reels turn a little easier. Otherwise, I'd try a second or third tape player.

Bob Hofmann

Reply to
hrhofmann

See this article

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We do this routinely to old 2" quadruplex video tape at work. The tape does indeed get "sticky", some to the point we couldn't roll the transport more than 1 foot (and on a 5000 foot reel this is bad) before the tape simply stopped. We use a commercial food dehydrator 12 hours at 135F. We've done hundreds of 2" reels, some 3/4" cassettes,

1/4" and 1/2" open reel audio tapes. NONE have been ruined so far in the past 3 years of this and ALL have played properly.

An electric oven with a circulating fan could work but be VERY certain you keep the temperature down. I don't think a gas oven would be suitable as water vapor is a combustion by-product and might defeat the whole purpose.

G=B2

Reply to
stratus46

Brad wrote: > Hi, >

See this article

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We routinely bake 2" quadruplex video tapes at work using a commercial food dehydrator running 12 hours at 135 F. Several hundred quad tapes, a few 3/4" U-Matic cassettes (plastic housing), 1/2" and 1/4" open reel audio tapes have gone through the process. NONE have been damaged and ALL (so far) have played properly. One of the tapes was a 1/4" alignment tape on a plastic reel. It too is fine.

The actual problem is the binder absorbs moisture and while Ampex did have a problem with this until they identified the issue, 3M, Memorex, Fuji and other brands have required baking as well.

G=B2

Reply to
stratus46

I wonder if the OP's verified that the *program* material on the tape is recorded correctly? If the problem exhibits consistently (ie drags at the same rate, in the same spots) on various players, it might simply have been a speed problem in the machine the tape was recorded on. It sounds like he's done most of what one does when you have this problem, so I'd look into that. If the cassette was originally recorded in a machine with poor speed regulation there's no fixing it, except to manually vary the speed of playback to match reality.

That's not going to be easy. In any case, I'd get the best digital transfer possible, then play with the pitch in that domain...unless there's a mechanical issue that can be dealt with.

jak

Reply to
jakdedert

you probably have sticky shed syndrome - the tape has hydrolised. playing the tape on a good quality machine which has a simpler tape path (ie.e without any extra autostop levers etc) may help. if the contents are valuable you may have to bake it to get it playable. Google is your friend!

-B

Reply to
b

Another possibility is that the idler tire, if it is rubber, is worn and/or hardened, causing slippage.

One KEY question: Does this cassette deck have one or two capstans? Is it an auto-reverse deck?

Reply to
EADGBE

Hi,

Thanks to everyone, but especially "N_Cook" and "B".

There is nothing wrong with the cassette recorder/player(s) I used.

The "sticky tape syndrome" sounds very logical. The food hydrator sounds like a good solution since "N_Cook" has actual experience, which is what I had asked for, in dealing with this problem.

Brad

PS, I had problems like this with other Ampex brand cassettes years ago.

Reply to
Brad

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