So I recently picked up a webcor model tp2005 for $8 from good will, I figured the tubes and tranny were worth the price alone. It is an all tube mono reel to reel. Well it is in pretty good condition and it works well. Today I decided to open her up to check her out as she had a bit of a hum. Surprisingly the can cap measured in spec so I ended up adding another RC to the PS using some extra parts I had laying around to reduce the ripple. After poking around and learning a few things I found the schematic for the unit inside the case when I was about to resemble it. The schematic is a bit different as my unit does not have a 6e5 tube.
So here are my questions
What should I do with this thing? My current thought are to either pull it appart for parts or use it for recording since it has a mic preamp. I used to do a little recording and I wouldn't mind using it on vocals the next time I play around with recording. I can't see it being worth that much unless there is a big market for old reel to reel units I don't know about.
If I do use it for recording, is there anything I should do to improve the circuit or should I use it as is?
I noticed that my B+ is a bit higher then the 305 on the schematic due to higher line voltage, should I increase the R in my PS to lower the voltage to what is in the schematic?
The unit uses an AC powered motor that vibrates quite a bit. It seems the designers were aware of this as the motor is rubber mounted. Is there anything I can do to reduce the vibration short of replacing the motor? AFAIK you can't run a motor like this on DC so I don't know what else I could do.
So here are my questions
What should I do with this thing? My current thought are to either pull it appart for parts or use it for recording since it has a mic preamp. I used to do a little recording and I wouldn't mind using it on vocals the next time I play around with recording. I can't see it being worth that much unless there is a big market for old reel to reel units I don't know about.
If I do use it for recording, is there anything I should do to improve the circuit or should I use it as is?
I noticed that my B+ is a bit higher then the 305 on the schematic due to higher line voltage, should I increase the R in my PS to lower the voltage to what is in the schematic?
The unit uses an AC powered motor that vibrates quite a bit. It seems the designers were aware of this as the motor is rubber mounted. Is there anything I can do to reduce the vibration short of replacing the motor? AFAIK you can't run a motor like this on DC so I don't know what else I could do.
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They used to have Webcors in the language labs at junior high school long ago, I believe. They didn't sound very impressive. This belongs in a museum of American technology somewhere, but not in my basement. Whereever they were made, the county or city museum there might like to have one. There is some kind of a tape recording museum in Alabama where Quantergy (tape manufacturer) operated and finally stopped, I saw on PBS History Detectives once.
I picked up a stereo tube Roberts 1/4" T.R. for $25 at the flea market 2 years ago,then havn't fooled with it. My high school friend had a Roberts, which did sound okay as far as one could tell with his home built speakers. I don't expect its price to appreciate either. They were made in Japan.
And my legendary Sony TC366 languishes because the reel drag is not quite right (elastomer) and the pinch roller is a little hard. Not enough demand to put those parts back in production. The only maintainable machine in 1/4 reel to reel seems to be Revox. Pity, I've got over 100 tapes, two decks with worn out heads, nothing to play them on anymore. All those hours of the big bands of the thirties and forties DJ'd by Ronnie Renfro, some airplay of 13th Floor Elevators Easter Everywhere, original arrangements I made of songs on piano for church, other unobtainable things. I miss being able to record stuff full speed and play it back at 1/2 speed to figure out the notes they were playing on the record. I made a whole transcription of a George Winston Christmas song that way, that I still play in December. My 1941 Steinway piano has outlasted about 20 formats for recording and sound reproduction since it was built. Back to #2 pencil and black dots on paper as the best archival media.
I picked up a stereo tube Roberts 1/4" T.R. for $25 at the flea market 2 years ago,then havn't fooled with it. My high school friend had a Roberts, which did sound okay as far as one could tell with his home built speakers. I don't expect its price to appreciate either. They were made in Japan.
And my legendary Sony TC366 languishes because the reel drag is not quite right (elastomer) and the pinch roller is a little hard. Not enough demand to put those parts back in production. The only maintainable machine in 1/4 reel to reel seems to be Revox. Pity, I've got over 100 tapes, two decks with worn out heads, nothing to play them on anymore. All those hours of the big bands of the thirties and forties DJ'd by Ronnie Renfro, some airplay of 13th Floor Elevators Easter Everywhere, original arrangements I made of songs on piano for church, other unobtainable things. I miss being able to record stuff full speed and play it back at 1/2 speed to figure out the notes they were playing on the record. I made a whole transcription of a George Winston Christmas song that way, that I still play in December. My 1941 Steinway piano has outlasted about 20 formats for recording and sound reproduction since it was built. Back to #2 pencil and black dots on paper as the best archival media.
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Well the caps are dying in the PS and the hum is growing. I think I am going to replace the cans with the cheapest caps that will reduce the hum. From there I want to make a recording of the reel that came with it, its a radio recording of one of the space ship landings from the 60's. After that it seems like it might make a good basis for a guitar amp.
Anyone here every play with a 12AB5?
Anyone here every play with a 12AB5?
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