Needing help with a Sony APR-24 multi-track recorder

[MrLu]

Hello all,


I have recently taken over a studio that contains a Sony APR-24 multi track tape recorder, a unit I know nothing about but am excited to learn. I want to do some 2" transfers so I fired the thing up today to get filmier with it.

Everything seems to work great until I get about 1/3 through a spool of 2" tape. At that point the motor seems to bog down getting slower and slower until it eventually stops. I tried several different tapes all with the same result. Then I tried a 1/4" tape and it worked fine all the way through.

I'm hoping somebody on here has some experience with an analog multi track recorder and perhaps can offer up some suggestions on what to do.

I don't know much about the history of the unit except that it probably hasn't been used in the last 4 years or so.

Any help that can be given will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

[DAS]

You should have the unit gone over by a qualified technician. There are likely many small, and a few medium sized problems on something that old. The specific problem you mention most likely has to do with the calibration of one or more tape tension arms, which are often part of the mechanism that governs motor speed (which has to change as a reel has more or less tape on it) and braking.

[Spiritworks]

Contact Randy Blevins at Blevins Audio in Nashville , or John French of JRF Magnetics in New Jersey

[Byll]

After playing the 1/3 of the tape, have you checked the guides, etc., to see if they are encrusted with gunk? The behavior you have described is analogous with the effect caused by some tapes of the 70's and early 80's - made by some very fine manufacturers - in which the binder has gotten sticky and causes stiction problems.

Best to you.
Byll