Sansui reel - to - reel question

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Quadro Phonic

Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
11
I have a Sansui SD-5050 I got for nearly nothing and im trying to make it fully functional again.

I bought some deoxit today in hopes it will solve all my troubles but i seriously doubt it although it cant hurt.

my problem is, in forward mode, the sounds comes out of the left and right of the FRONT channel.
But in reverse mode, the sound comes of the right side of the FRONT channel but then the left side comes out of the REAR left !?!?!?
So basically in forward mode, everything is good, but in reverse play the left comes out of the REAR left not the front left
Records fine to tape
Erases ok


You can check my youtube vid to see the VU meters telling the story somewhat.
Im at a loss why it would do this?
head alignment? if so why would it be ok in forward mode?
Is it a different head for reverse than for forwards?

vid:
SKip to 1:00 for forward play and to 2:00 for reverse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCwToygwKBk&feature=plcp

id appreciate any help! thanks
 
That's really irritating music. And I think the metal reel is warped. I can hear the tape scraping.
 
Well, I don't see any answers to your problem on here, and unfortunately I can't offer any solutions, but I was just wondering if you had made any progress?
On another note, it's sure nice to see another Sansui deck being resurrected (almost). I have four, and so far the only problem I have noted (and not fixed yet) is the tape counter isn't working on one. Two of the decks I just picked up last weekend as part of a package deal with four Sansui SP-2700 speakers and a Sansui QRX-3400 receiver, but no time yet to check out the new decks. Fingers crossed!

These are the new kids on the block:
sansui_decks_zpsd4b1e75f.jpg
 
It's sad to see someone give up on getting help after only a couple posts. Remember the squeeky... *ahem* "reel" gets the grease.
 
Not given up just out of ideas. I think someone rewired it wrongly

In looking back at your original posting I guess the thing I'm confused about is when and why would you be playing a 4 channel quadraphonic tape in reverse? The recorded material in a quadraphonic reel to reel recording takes up the full width of the tape and it's all heard in the forward mode. There is no flipping the tape over needed as with some stereo tapes. I think the auto-reverse feature on those decks is to trigger the tape to automatically rewind at the end of the tape, assuming it still contains the original foil which prompts that trigger. Are you playing a stereo tape or a quadraphonic tape? If you are playing a stereo tape then it would be correct that it is only playing the Front L & R.
 
Good point Dr. but another interesting question is: Are those supposed to play in 4-channel stereo on stereo tapes?

If so, and they are using a stereo tape, then the rears are not activated at all in forward, and the front left and the rear right are not activated on reverse.

If this is the case, it may be time to deoxit the heck out of the stereo/quad switch or button.
 
The tapes are all stereo

IN forward mode, the sound comes out of the front right and left
In reverse mode the sound comes out of the front right BUT THE REAR LEFT
so the only way to hear the left channel in reverse mode would be to activate the rear speakers (set it to quad mode)

I really think someone "repaired" this wrong
im convinced its not an alignment problem, ive messed with that SO much
 
Good point Dr. but another interesting question is: Are those supposed to play in 4-channel stereo on stereo tapes?

If so, and they are using a stereo tape, then the rears are not activated at all in forward, and the front left and the rear right are not activated on reverse.

If this is the case, it may be time to deoxit the heck out of the stereo/quad switch or button.

You are correct. On a quad reel, at least on my Akai's, there is a switch for 2 CH mode and 4 Ch mode. So, to properly play back a stereo tape you'd flip to the 2 CH mode and there would be no audio to the REAR L & R.
 
Have you used dexit on the stereo/quad switch? And if so did you work it in really well? Ideally, you may even have to open it and access it from the inside to cleaneverything well. It's starting to sound like that switch to me. I'm guessing in stereo mode, it should be playing left and right from front and rear in both directions. Someone with a sansui reel correct me if I'm wrong.
 
yes there is a 2 / 4 channel switch on the front of this one
Like i said up there though, in 2 channel mode you only hear the right
 
Or like Dr. 8 said, there should just be no sound at all in the rears. I would say it should either always be the same thing in the front and rear, or like Dr. 8 said, no sound in the rear. Still sounds like it could be the switch.
 
The tapes are all stereo

IN forward mode, the sound comes out of the front right and left
In reverse mode the sound comes out of the front right BUT THE REAR LEFT
so the only way to hear the left channel in reverse mode would be to activate the rear speakers (set it to quad mode)

I really think someone "repaired" this wrong
im convinced its not an alignment problem, ive messed with that SO much

How do you select between Stereo and Quad? Is there a 2CH and 4CH switch as there is on the Akai's?
 
Yes right there on the front - picture pending approval
and ive gotten through 2 cans on Deoxit on the insides of this thing, particular the pots at the front

I really think some fool re wired it wrong, because the left channel can be heard perfectly fine in reverse mode, just through the REAR left instead of the front
 
Yes right there on the front - picture pending approval
and ive gotten through 2 cans on Deoxit on the insides of this thing, particular the pots at the front

I really think some fool re wired it wrong, because the left channel can be heard perfectly fine in reverse mode, just through the REAR left instead of the front

It would be interesting to see what would happen if you had a quadraphonic reel to play in 4 CH mode since you don't need the reverse for playback for quad.
 
I don't know that you could re-wire it to only come out of the back left and only when it is in reverse mode. Maybe the wiring somwhere from the head to the amp for front and rear left are swapped? That would be strange.
 
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