Vintage Synth Repair

hello list,
i received a used re201 today.
sadly, no matter what i tryed, the tape-echos(delays)
are not sounding at all!!
the unit powers-up ok and the spring reverb works anmd
sounds fine, but NOT THE TAPE ECHO!
the tape mechanism works and the tape rolls, but the
delays are not sounding at all!!
any ideas what could be broken inside the machine(and
op-amp? something else?)to cause no tape-echos to
sound at all???
also, another problem: the tape-speed is not constant.
in high-speeds it seems to fluctuate... any ideas
about this? could this be healed with cleanign the
tape mechanism?
i would really apreciate any help, as this would give
my tech some guidelines to work with, in my re201.
many thanks in advance,
best regards,
bakis.




Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
http://www.rubber.gr
Athens-Greece

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Le 26 janv. 2006, à 16:13, Bakis Sirros a écrit :

> the tape mechanism works and the tape rolls, but the
> delays are not sounding at all!!
> any ideas what could be broken inside the machine(and
> op-amp? something else?)to cause no tape-echos to
> sound at all???

Mhmmm I'd check first for faulty soldering (broken), some free cables…

Beyond that it's at component level.

> also, another problem: the tape-speed is not constant.
> in high-speeds it seems to fluctuate... any ideas
> about this? could this be healed with cleanign the
> tape mechanism?

Maybe, but you'll need the tech notes to troubleshoot the circuits 
anyway (as for problem n°1).

Denis =G)

hello denis,
thanks for your reply.
from a quick check inside the machine, i do not see
anything disconnected...
any other ideas please?
best regards,
bakis.




--- "Don't t(h)read on my tentacles, Earthling!"
<lepetitmartien@...> wrote:

> 
> Le 26 janv. 2006, \ufffd 16:13, Bakis Sirros a \ufffdcrit :
> 
> > the tape mechanism works and the tape rolls, but
> the
> > delays are not sounding at all!!
> > any ideas what could be broken inside the
> machine(and
> > op-amp? something else?)to cause no tape-echos to
> > sound at all???
> 
> Mhmmm I'd check first for faulty soldering (broken),
> some free cables\ufffd
> 
> Beyond that it's at component level.
> 
> > also, another problem: the tape-speed is not
> constant.
> > in high-speeds it seems to fluctuate... any ideas
> > about this? could this be healed with cleanign the
> > tape mechanism?
> 
> Maybe, but you'll need the tech notes to
> troubleshoot the circuits 
> anyway (as for problem n\ufffd1).
> 
> Denis =G)
> 
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesynthrepair/
> 
>     vintagesynthrepair-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 


Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
http://www.rubber.gr
Athens-Greece

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look and see if the record head is working or not.
check if it has become magnatised
see if any of the wires have come free on the back of the head.

Kent

thank you Kent for the suggestions!
i'll check all these.
best regards,
bakis.





--- kent spong <kent_spong@...> wrote:

> look and see if the record head is working or not.
> check if it has become magnatised
> see if any of the wires have come free on the back
> of the head.
> 
> Kent
> 
> 
> 


Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
http://www.rubber.gr
Athens-Greece

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com

just checked: the wires on the back of the head are
ok.
bakis.





--- kent spong <kent_spong@...> wrote:

> look and see if the record head is working or not.
> check if it has become magnatised
> see if any of the wires have come free on the back
> of the head.
> 
> Kent
> 
> 
> 


Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
http://www.rubber.gr
Athens-Greece

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com

Maybe the head(s) are shot?  Find an old cassette or some other
audio tape with high level audio on it (prefereable the widest
track too) and cut a chunk of it and slide it back and forth
over the playback head (at different heights on the head).  
Could also be the preamp for the playback head.  Once you 
can hear stuff, then you can move on the checking out the 
record head...

GB


-----Original Message-----

>From: Bakis Sirros <synth_freak_2000@...>
>Sent: Jan 26, 2006 11:57 AM
>To: vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [vintagesynthrepair] RE-201 received broken. please help!
>
>hello denis,
>thanks for your reply.
>from a quick check inside the machine, i do not see
>anything disconnected...
>any other ideas please?
>best regards,
>bakis.
>
>
>
>
>--- "Don't t(h)read on my tentacles, Earthling!"
><lepetitmartien@...> wrote:
>
>> 
>> Le 26 janv. 2006, à 16:13, Bakis Sirros a écrit :
>> 
>> > the tape mechanism works and the tape rolls, but
>> the
>> > delays are not sounding at all!!
>> > any ideas what could be broken inside the
>> machine(and
>> > op-amp? something else?)to cause no tape-echos to
>> > sound at all???
>> 
>> Mhmmm I'd check first for faulty soldering (broken),
>> some free cables

>> 
>> Beyond that it's at component level.
>> 
>> > also, another problem: the tape-speed is not
>> constant.
>> > in high-speeds it seems to fluctuate... any ideas
>> > about this? could this be healed with cleanign the
>> > tape mechanism?
>> 
>> Maybe, but you'll need the tech notes to
>> troubleshoot the circuits 
>> anyway (as for problem n°1).
>> 
>> Denis =G)
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>> 
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesynthrepair/
>> 
>>     vintagesynthrepair-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>
>
>Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
>[Doepfer_a100] group owner
>http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
>http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
>http://www.rubber.gr
>Athens-Greece
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
>http://mail.yahoo.com 
>
>
> 
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
> 
>
>

thank you for the suggestion Grant.
i will try that.
btw, as i do not have the re201 service manual:
as you look the machine from the front panel(with the
knobs),it has 5 heads. which 3 are the playback heads?
i guess that the first is the erase head(closer to
me), the second is the recording and the 3-4-5 are the
playback heads?
thank you very much!
bakis.




--- grantbt@... wrote:

> Maybe the head(s) are shot?  Find an old cassette or
> some other
> audio tape with high level audio on it (prefereable
> the widest
> track too) and cut a chunk of it and slide it back
> and forth
> over the playback head (at different heights on the
> head).  
> Could also be the preamp for the playback head. 
> Once you 
> can hear stuff, then you can move on the checking
> out the 
> record head...
> 
> GB
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: Bakis Sirros <synth_freak_2000@...>
> >Sent: Jan 26, 2006 11:57 AM
> >To: vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: Re: [vintagesynthrepair] RE-201 received
> broken. please help!
> >
> >hello denis,
> >thanks for your reply.
> >from a quick check inside the machine, i do not see
> >anything disconnected...
> >any other ideas please?
> >best regards,
> >bakis.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--- "Don't t(h)read on my tentacles, Earthling!"
> ><lepetitmartien@...> wrote:
> >
> >> 
> >> Le 26 janv. 2006, \ufffd 16:13, Bakis Sirros a \ufffdcrit :
> >> 
> >> > the tape mechanism works and the tape rolls,
> but
> >> the
> >> > delays are not sounding at all!!
> >> > any ideas what could be broken inside the
> >> machine(and
> >> > op-amp? something else?)to cause no tape-echos
> to
> >> > sound at all???
> >> 
> >> Mhmmm I'd check first for faulty soldering
> (broken),
> >> some free cables\ufffd
> >> 
> >> Beyond that it's at component level.
> >> 
> >> > also, another problem: the tape-speed is not
> >> constant.
> >> > in high-speeds it seems to fluctuate... any
> ideas
> >> > about this? could this be healed with cleanign
> the
> >> > tape mechanism?
> >> 
> >> Maybe, but you'll need the tech notes to
> >> troubleshoot the circuits 
> >> anyway (as for problem n\ufffd1).
> >> 
> >> Denis =G)
> >> 
> >> 
> >>  
> >> Yahoo! Groups Links
> >> 
> >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesynthrepair/
> >> 
> >>    
> vintagesynthrepair-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >> 
> >>  
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >
> >
> >Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
> >[Doepfer_a100] group owner
> >http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
> >http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
> >http://www.rubber.gr
> >Athens-Greece
> >
> >__________________________________________________
> >Do You Yahoo!?
> >Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> protection around 
> >http://mail.yahoo.com 
> >
> >
> > 
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> >
> 
> 


Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
http://www.parallel-worlds-music.com
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk
http://www.rubber.gr
Athens-Greece

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com