What a great series on this Tascam machine. I'm looking at one right now for restoration to use very much like you've shown here. Thanks for sharing the excellent vids on the restoration!

This video definitely deserves more views, more likes, more subscribers 👍👍👍

I have a Tascam 38 being worked on now. This is surely exciting to watch. Thanks for sharing. EDIT: @29:42 you make a very accurate observation LMAO

Amazing video! Just got this tape machine from my dad!

Incredible

Do you know what type of open reel tape deck Scully was using on the X-files Season 2- Episode 1 at the end of the episode? Is it a Tascam tape editing system? Show was 1994.

Can you elaborate more on how you modified your DBX unit, and how the control jack works? I"ve always been curious about what the control cable/jack is actually doing, and would also be interested in modifying so I could use the DBX unit on other tape machines!

Lovely video, I am starting to test recording my music with tapes. How do you by the tapes from the company you mentioned? Can I order online? I am in Sri Lanka. Thank you

Great video, love all the equipment! I found a 38 I like but I'm not sure if it's the one for me. I'm looking to be recording some 80s style synth and retro wave , chillhop, and lofi on tape so I can get that analog ooze like I get on vinyl but is this more for live performance recording such as in the video? I'll just need 2 ch stereo rec and play. Will this machine do that? Thanks!!

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, thanks for the nice comment! Well the 38 has 8 channels, it’s a great thing if you want to record your performance live, while keeping all instruments in separate channels (and mix them later). But you can just capture your music pre-mixed with a 2 track machine and have a master record.. Tascam 32 or even a Revox A/B77 any 2 track tape deck would do the job just fine. Ps. Take a look at the Tascam 388, it might be just what you’re looking for! ;)

@syrup_710

4 жыл бұрын

@@DaveElectronics thank you so much for the comment! It was very refreshing to see you recommended the b77 as theres one in my living room right now, but there are a few issues with it. I bought it off Ebay but the seller has offered to let me return the machine or fix it and receive compensation. I feel like I can fix it but at the same time the problems are consisting of the vu meters not lighting, only the right vu meter "dances" so even if I got a bulb I'd just be getting started on fixing that issue. The tape counter is missing the small gear belt which of course is a very easy fix but that doesn't tell me that this machine has been given the consideration it needs. Every time coming out of transport (

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

​@@syrup_710 Hi, well the b77 is a great machine! (do you have the mkII version?). Yours has a lot of problems, but i think that it's worth fixing. If you have the time and a little bit of electrical experience, following the service manual, it should not be that hard. The VU meter is probably a bad connection (they rarely fail completely). The transport problem should be fixed by regulating the transport and brake tension.. The distortion problem might well be a bad contact (try spraying some contact cleaner on all potentiometers and buttons) or some bad capacitors. 1000 is a little high for a machine that has so many problems... but again it's a great machine, if you fix it and use it it will give you so much satisfaction! :)

One, two, FREE, Four!!! Hopefully that was deliberate, that's one of the slyest Pink Floyd references I've ever heard, but I sure picked up on it ;)

What happened to bouncing to the 3440 and back?

What's the organ?

you are rich or what? , you have the heaven in there, very impressive your studio.

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

Haha! No, over the course of years I searched continuously for deals for gear. I often get stuff that has to be repaired, that is much cheaper.. sometimes even free. Thanks for the comment by the way! :)

best

Is there not a bounce down function on this machine,to free up more tracks?

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, the easiest way would be to have a second machine. You bounce all eight tracks, mixed down to a stereo pair, to the other machine. With one recorder you just record 6 tracks and then mix them down recording them simultaneously to the last 2 tracks, this way you can record over the other tracks and have “virtually” 12 tracks on a single 8 track machine. It is a tedious work to do though, much different from DAW recording... Hope that’s clear.

I finally got one of these gems, FWD & RWD work but it drags in Play. Any suggestions?

@DonFredricks

3 жыл бұрын

Assuming the capstan is working properly and the pinch roller isn't hardened or worn, maybe check the back tension? I seem to recall that there's a potentiometer to adjust it.

we have a 38 that we just recently changed out the drive belt...but today the output switches (input,sync, and repro) lost their light indicators.....any insight into that kinda of situation....before we open it back up and start troubleshooting?

@DaveElectronics

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, do the output switches work? If the only problem are the LED indicators it could be some bad contacts in the switches.. Or take a good look at the output selection board, the traces are really close to the metal part that holds the assembly and they could cause a short.. Hope it helps :)

@LSVIDEOCHANNEL1

3 жыл бұрын

@@DaveElectronics the unit was full functioning as we reassembled...(from installing new belt) ...so the output problem showed up when I had connected a small 10 watt 4 channel amp with a headphone out jack so I could monitor tape playback...I noticed a "pop" as I plugged the headphones in .... that's when I noticed the 3 lights on the "output select" not coming on...so...do you know of any output fuse or diode that may be open .....I have obtained a schematic for the unit...but thought I would ask if you had any insight....now that I have given a better account of the incident that has rendered the unit a problem....thanks for your initial reply...we appreciate any input or suggestions ..seeing that you have much knowledge from doing the refurb on your 38....

@DaveElectronics

3 жыл бұрын

That’s a very interesting failure.. i don’t know how connecting something on the output could have caused the indicators LEDs to go bad.. is the rest of the machine fully working? (Does it record/playback/sync fine on all channels?) The only thing that for now i can think of is a bad connection while reassembling the machine.. let me know - Dave

@LSVIDEOCHANNEL1

3 жыл бұрын

good morning! .....just seeing your reply ! again thanks.... yesterday I did check the connections I thought may have some bearing...but that was not the case...as you know the only molex style connection is to the transport controls to the face plate which has to be removed to get to the drive belt....so nothing there...I am studying the schematics now...I do see the output pcb drawings but have not located a fuse or other component(s) ....the drawings do have the "caution" symbol located in areas that may show indicators... I have to get the schematics printed out asap....its a bit difficult to see everything you need to see on the screen in paged pieces... In the next few days I will be doing a disassembly from the bottom and back side to get a visual and check any connections that "hopefully" shows up the connection problem.....the unit has been well taken care of, but not used regularly...so moisture (being located "down south" USA) has its way with electronic connections over time...I will give you an update as I progress....and again thanks Dave......my name is Spooner

This will sound crazy but did you live with Jeremy Cortes in London?

@DaveElectronics

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, no I didn’t :)

Hey, how did you connect the Tascam to your mixer?

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

Hi, the machine was connected to the 2 NR units and then to the mixer. From the recorder to the NR units RCA to RCA connectors and from the NR units to the mixer (16 channels) RCA to Jack connectors were used.

@zaca7520

4 жыл бұрын

Dv555 - so did you connect the mixer to the NR by using an RCA-1/4” snake? Also, is it mixer-NR-recorder? I have a Tascam 38, 12-channel mixer, and currently only one DX-4D NR unit and I’m having a tough time connecting them all. Your help means a lot! Thanks!

@DaveElectronics

4 жыл бұрын

@@zaca7520 So, the mixer was only used for monitoring and mixing the 8 channels of the machine. So, for playback (for all 8 channels) it was: recorder output to NR encode IN, NR output to Mixer input. The cables used in this configuration were: RCA to RCA, RCA to 1/4" Jack. For recording I had only one 2-channel mic preamplifier unit (now upgraded to 2, 2-channels units and one single channel preamp, all fed to a patchbay, so I can easily route them to whatever channel i want of the recorder), the setup was: Microphone(s) to mic preamplifier, mic preamp to NR input, NR encode OUT to recorder input. I highly suggest you to take a look at the manual of the Tascam 38. At page 18 there's a scheme of all the connections necessary to run it with the NR units. If you have just one (4 ch.) NR unit, you can still perfectly run the machine, but you can't have all 8 channels playback or recording simultaneously. You can have a patch bay taking care of all the switching between channels 1-4 to 5-8 (potential huge mess of cables), or (i suggest) investing in another NR units! :) Hope it helps!

@basementflower

3 жыл бұрын

What was the NR unit you used?

@zaca7520

3 жыл бұрын

@@basementflower seems like he used two Tascam DX-4D’s.

Your very multitalented! Why not a Moog? Your lighting of this video along with your DOF was spot on, I could easily see the finale PP on this video done in noir! You work in videography as well? Off to watch the song you teased for 30 min. :) ~Jack, VEG

@DaveElectronics

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Jack! Well, I would love to have a minimoog, but they are really expensive and I cannot really afford one right now :,( I do love videography, although I don’t have a lot of experience, I’m trying to do my videos a little bit better... I appreciate that someone liked the effort! :) Dave

@VintageElectronicsGeek

5 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Dave! As a photo geek, I kinda notice things like that! :) I thought about doing better, but it just sounds so exhausting! :) May I ask what you use for a camera? ~Jack, VEG

@DaveElectronics

5 жыл бұрын

I have an (old) Canon 550D. The picture quality of this camera is not the greatest, but i have a pretty good collection of vintage lenses and I think that those created the look you see here :)

hi i am going to watch this video clean clean clean is alot of video's all over here you don't need to go this i have work on 15 tascam 38 decks kill all the hard grease and do the old solding from going bad i never had to do any line ups of the heads to many tec's ripping people of a hour of time max some time tune the audio levels with a mrl tape allways use a new tape when testing record zonal 3m never ampex could be bad

You can use VHS tapes there. Few times cheaper and few times better in quality. The only recording parameters must be adjusted to a “metal” type tape.

@DaveElectronics

2 жыл бұрын

Mmh.. I don’t think so. VHS has a very different formulation than audio tape. They’re designed for video so much higher frequency than audio. So, in other terms, it might work in a R2R machine, but you’d have to completely recalibrate the machine for that particular tape bias. As for quality, I also disagree. VHS were manufactured for mass production, while high quality reel to reel tape is designed for studio application, so it’s far superior IMHO (for that particular application they were designed for). And another important thing: VHS tape is designed to run at a quite low speed and low tension, so it’s very thin, therefore it WILL break in a reel to reel machine as soon as you rewind or fast forward. I might give it a try in the future.. will see. I don’t really expect great results tho.. hahah!

@sc0or

2 жыл бұрын

@@DaveElectronics VHS tapes quality is better and highly standardized, and are still in an exceptionally good condition after all these years. Recalibrate? Sure! For a metal Type IV. There are number of examples when people use this tape on 1/2" desks. Of course a qualified person must re-adjust mechanical parts (to loose breaks, to lower a rewind voltage, and so on). But this will be worth. Cause you can have everything on tapes. Not only the most expensive disks. It's about $5/45 mins double sided (like with a 1/2" 4-tracks 7.5IPS) Otherwise I see no reason to spend $30-60 for a tape to listen to it occasionally. But it's still quite expensive just "to try" with a certain risk.

@soulslip

4 ай бұрын

@@sc0ordo you even understand what such a desk as this one is even used for and why? And No, your crappy vhs tape/deck will NEVER sound better than a completely refurbished Tascam 38, Teac 80-8, Tascam 48, Tascam 58, etc.... these are used for “multitracking”. I’ll repeat... “multitracking”.... i.e. primarily used by musicians or broadcast/film companies back in the day. And no, 1/2” vhs tape will not work in such a machine. It WILL break. Even if tension is adjusted and bias would be really difficult to dial in if not impossible. Bad advice

mote to all out there on the use market place over the years i have worked on alot of this model i will say all the decks i have have something not right as long as they play record on the same deck you will be ok just don't record on yours and try playback on the same model you may find what is not right on your deck i have alot of tascam 38 myself over 10 breaks start in the main logic pcb and the same kind thing over the pcb they have lasted along time 40years is good for the deck the teac 80-8 are tanks have 3 myself i do alot of audio moving of old tapes

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggh. How is this connected to a mixer? How do you get gain into it.

@DaveElectronics

2 жыл бұрын

Well, on the back of the machine there’re all the inputs and outputs. You connect them to a mixing console: outputs of the machine to inputs of the mixer, so you can mix the recorded stuff; Inputs of the machine to mic preamplifiers or another mixer or, if you have the number of channels, to the same console so you can record your instruments to the R2R ;)

@electrosonicnebula

2 жыл бұрын

@@DaveElectronicsThanks for the kind answer. So, did any of these machines incorporate preamps or mixdown facilities?

@DaveElectronics

2 жыл бұрын

Usually professional multitrack machines (8+ tracks) don’t have level control on the recorder itself (for space reasons). Consumer/professional 2 or 4 track r2r, instead, usually had even mic preamps and individual level control for each channel. As an example i did some videos about the Teac A-3440, it does have input and output level adjustments.

@electrosonicnebula

2 жыл бұрын

@@DaveElectronics Thanks for the info!

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