Tape Mechanism Project

[Dibya]

This is not going to be "Dragon" killer , this will be decent Sankyo 2 Head Equivalent
with enhancement of modern age like CNCed Capstan for lower Wow & Flutter.
Keeping Design Simple like Tanashin but for superior Performance.
[Having Best of Tanashin and Sankyo]
Modular: Same Base can be tweaked for Both Single/Dual Capstan & 2/3Head with Different Headblock.

• Heavy CNCed Single/Dual Capstan with Optical Feedback [PLL Error Correction of Speed].
• 2/3 Head Platform.
• 1 Motor for Driving Reel [Current production Mitsumi motor can be used]
• 1 Capstan Motor [Prototype will use Pacific Stereo Motor for now]
• Good Quality Sendust/Hardened Permalloy Head [Current Production: personally talking with Maker]
• Solenoid Driven Head Block
• Full Logic Control
• Support:4.8Cm/s & 9.52Cm/s Speed
• Asymmetrical Dual Capstan

I finding someone who have expertise in Mechanism/Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics,
I can handle electronics /Microprocessor side of project , but i have zero idea in
mechanical side of it.

It will be open hardware platform, anyone can get the Mecha and build their own deck like you can go
and grab any generic OPAMP or Turntable Cartridge make your own turntable. Grab the mecha and make your own Tapedeck.

Except Capstan and Heads [Heads are made by different company] , everything will be opensource, so that their sufficient supply of parts.
Imagine a Vinyl revival without decent current production Turntable , it is not possible, More than new Tape , Cassette Revival needs new Mechanism.
Their Never going to be new Type IV tape , at max we might get decent Type II in Future, thus moving to 3.75IPS speed with 50us Time Constant will allow to have
at-least 63dbA of SNR , thats far better than most Vinyl Cartridge. Their time will come when their will scarcity of parts for Vintage Decks.


Terms of Collaboration:

• Co owning of IP of the mechanism.
• Royalty per unit manufactured if ever.

Please Join me if you are interested,

Otherwise if we keep using our Vintage Deck for Casual playback , we might not have any heads left for them,
These Units are over 30yrs old atleast , can go as old as 50yrs.


Please join me if you are interested in this project.

 

[Straight Tracker]

Hi Dibya,

I don't fully understand your project. Do you intend to build a complete reel to reel tape machine?
You mention asymmetrical capstans. Does that mean that, the capstan on the incoming side has a smaller diameter than the capstan on the outgoing side?
And does it also mean that, the capstan on the incoming side is set up for tape slippage?

Sincerely,

Ralf

 

[Dibya]

Hi Ralf,


It will be Cassette deck Running primarily in 3.75IPS [We got 65dbA with Type I tape with a modified deck] for now, as it will be much cheaper to design
a cassette deck than R2R financially, though Ultimate Goal is to design a R2R in Future in Collaboration with Someone i know who is also working on it.

Biggest hurdle is a Axial Flux Linear BLDC motor which can be designed with help of a motor design expert for Capstan.
"Does that mean that, the capstan on the incoming side has a smaller diameter than the capstan on the outgoing side?" ==> Yes but also Size of Capstan itself ,
please look at Nakamichi 1000ZXL

"does it also mean that, the capstan on the incoming side is set up for tape slippage?"==> Could be but not necessary.

Plan is to make One Capstan Direct Drive and other drive with Belt from First Capstan itself,

Biggest Problem is Capstan Motor Itself ,

if you are interested please feel free to ask any question,

Their plan for a 15IPS R2R machine which can do close to 90dBA SNR without any Noise reduction , right now doesn't have any capital to spend on
such project. [ Their lots of CUstom Biasing System involved including a Current Driven Record Amp,i am not comfortable share it publicly]

Regards Dibya

 

[Leoniv]

This is not going to be "Dragon" killer , this will be decent Sankyo 2 Head Equivalent

About 30 years ago, I tried to make my own mechanism for a cassette deck. Of course, I used some parts from branded tape recorders. See photos.

• Heavy CNCed Single/Dual Capstan with Optical Feedback [PLL Error Correction of Speed].

The Capstan requires a high accuracy of treatment (near the units of micrometers), special steels, heat treatment. Bearings also require special materials - sintered bronze. The flywheel requires balancing. All this requires serious production, one CNC machine is not enough.

The optical sensor is also not the best solution. It will require accurate centering. Usually, integrating induction sensors were used, which occupied all 360 degrees.

• 1 Motor for Driving Reel [Current production Mitsumi motor can be used]

You can try to make a direct drive using coreless motors (like a Revox B215).

• Solenoid Driven Head Block

Bad solution. For the drive of the head block, it is better to use a separate DC motor.

And does it also mean that, the capstan on the incoming side is set up for tape slippage?

This is a common mistake to believe that there is only a slippage in the supply capstan. There is elastic slippage on both capstans, the question is only in its size. Designing a closed loop is a very difficult question.

it will be much cheaper to design a cassette deck than R2R financially

This will destroy the project. It makes no sense to try to develop what will be cheap. This is impossible. Currently, the development of a R-R tape machine is of interest, which can be sold expensive.

 

[Straight Tracker]

This is a common mistake to believe that there is only a slippage in the supply capstan. There is elastic slippage on both capstans, the question is only in its size. Designing a closed loop is a very difficult question.

 

[Wik]

i see on youtube someone from india make tape cassette so simple ,,, why do you want make more complex????????any sound quality gain???????

 

[Dibya]

@Leoniv You are wrong Sony even Optically stabilized Capstan
One gentleman over Tapeheads pointed me out https://www.bing.com/videos/search?.../videos/search?q=sony%20tc-k615s&&FORM=VDVVXX


@Wik

It depends on Which Indian Tape Mechanism u talking about,
Mitsumi India FLD [ for Boom Box]
Elin ZX Series [For Car Stereo] with Inhouse Permalloy/Sendust Head
Sankyo Mechanism License produced by Panaroma under Joint Venture in India. Imported ALps and Canon head.
3 Motor Belt Driven Double Capstan from Sanskriti , Inhouse Nanocrystalline Head.
or Full Direct Drive SX-2 Series from AuraSigma and Sonodyne [ 2 BLDC for Reel and 2 BLDC for Capstan , One Geared Motor for Headblock]
with Canon Amorphous Head

Indian tape mechanism can be from Cheapo Boombox to Nakamichi Dragon Killer, it all depends
None of these Mechanism are under production , Elin last produced in 2009 and SX-2 was last produced in 2006 [Aurasigma got bankrupt]

In my collection i have all of them in form of Decks , i can show u if you are interested , Just have to find boxes where my mother kept them in
basement.

 

[Leoniv]

@Leoniv You are wrong Sony even Optically stabilized Capstan

On that video, an optical sensor that gives 1 impulse per capstan turn. This allows you to stabilize only the average speed, and then very roughly. There is no question of any PLL with such a bad sensor.