Magnavox Model EE1908 Quadraphonic 8-Track Receiver

[mdamico1956]

Back in 1975 I was in the Air Force and purchased a new Magnavox EE1908 Quadraphonic 8-Track Receiver. It wasn't a high end receiver, but it sounds OK through some decent speakers. This one has RCA Jacks for speaker outputs. Does anyone still have Quadraphonic 8-Tracks that work? I have a dozen or so Quadraphonic 8-Tracks, but the little piece of foam behind the tape seems to have vaporized into thin air over the 40 years I've had them in storage. Do any of you collect 8-Track equipment ?

 

[quadsearcher]

This reminds me, I need to order some foam and sensing strips. There are several makers of these replaceable tape parts. Lots of videos out there on tape repair. I recently learned how to change the foam without opening the tape. I'm sure others have known this for decades, but I ran into some tapes where I didn't want to cut the label to get to the center screw.
I'm surprised no one has responded, lots of Q8 player/recorder owners here.

 

[winopener]

I'm surprised no one has responded, lots of Q8 player/recorder owners here.

Not everyone are on the same time zone and, despite being quarantined for the well-known reasons, do still have a life to carry on!
Replacing the foam is quite easy if you know how to handle properly the cart. Please post a photo of the cart you have, top front, so i can give you a precise how-to, because different cart styles have different opening ways.
BTW, nice Magnavox.

 

[winopener]

BTW, that thread

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/new-to-q8-so-far-this-is-not-going-well.25622/
gives already some handling tip after the opening of the cart.

 

[winopener]

Well, i was thinking of doing a video when it dawned... heck, there may be already some on YT.
So, some good references about opening the carts:

1) Opening Your Cartridge - 8-Track Repair
List instructions for Columbia 3-tabs, LearJet 5-pins - WEA twintab and sealed shoud not be ok for you.

2)
Audiopak, used by Capitol and WEA, with or without screw

3)
Riveted cart, RCA

4)
GRT cart

5)
Columbia 2-tabs.
Tip: if you want to open that kind of cart without ripping the cover, there's a way: looks closely between 5:42-5:47.
In order to open it, the top part of the cart need to slide from up (tape/pads/roller) to down (album title) and to prevent that accidentally, there's a thin riser on the down part of the top part of the cart. So,
1) look again at the 5:42-5:47 section above and place two dimes on the two down angles between the top/bottom of the cart
2) open the upper tab with a flat screwdriver
3) now raise the top part so that it can move toward down and slide it toward down; you will soon hear the POP that the covered second tab has opened.

6)
Five hooks

7) 8 track open AMPEX posts type (AMPEX Repair pt 1/3).MPG
Ampex 5-post


Making Foam Pressure Pads for 8-Track Tapes
Making foam pads

 

[yodedude2]

Just saw this. I have a couple hundred q8s. Any particular questions I can help with?

 

[par4ken]

Believe it or not some machines play fine without the foam pad in place, while others need the extra pressure to ensure good head contact. The best tapes are those with the metal spring and felt pads. Sticky foam pad residue is a sure fire way to wreck your tape!