ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi
I've had my beocentre for over 5 years now. I bought it used and have only been using the Phono as the tape was sold as broken. I was interested to see if I could get it working so I've replaced the belts which had completely turned to gunk. I cleaned it up best I could and replaces the belts. I also cleaned the heads and capstan.
Tapes will now record and play but I still have some issues
1) it's making a reasonably loud hum or grumble when spooling. Could this be in need of lube somewhere?
2) I'm getting flutter. It sounds good enough overall but you can hear what sounds like flutter tounging on sustained notes. Could this be related to the above?
3) when testing I only had one speaker plugged in, and it sounded ok. When putting it all back together i realised the left channel only produced static, for both prerecoreded and recorded cassettes.
4) the erase head isn't erasing very well, or at all. I can still very clearly hear the previous recording.
Is there a checklist of components to test? I don't have any specialist equipment so it might be beyond what I can do.
Thanks for your help.
All of these drives will need a thorough service by now.New belts, idler wheel rubber parts, cleaning and fresh lubrication.May I ask where you got the belts from?
Martin
From eBay. Seller called hmpash
Is that something I could do or is best sent to an expert? Would any high reparer be ok, or should it be a specialist b and o one?
The functionality of the tape drive depends greatly on the belts.I've seen to many wrong belts (typically cheap chinese or german standard belts) sold for B&O decks, many of which ended up damaging the delicate motor or capstan bearings.There could be other reasons, but wow is one of the first signs of bearings going downhill fast.I suggest you ask the belt seller for assistance first.
I've figured out what I messed up.
Without getting too technical here, I partially pulled out the dodad that connects the tape heads to the circuit board when I was replacing the belts. It was under the turntable section which I hadn't bothered opening up last time.
That s sorted the lack of erase and left channel. Now I just need to figure out of I'm still getting flutter and if so I'll buy belts and wheels from Dillon who has been very helpful.
Or I can put up with the flutter and get into the lofi hip hop business. Either way I'm much happier now it works!