Dove Down the RTR Rabbit Hole

skrol
skrol Posts: 3,375
in 2 Channel Audio
This may be a piece of junk but something to play with and just might have potential. Fortunately I got it for next to nothing.

I found a Concord MKII reel to reel deck, that I know nothing about and can't seem to find much online. It powers on and REW, and FWD work but Play and CUE don't because the pinch roller isn't pushing all the way up to capstan. Might be a simple fix. In any event I only paid $25 so it isn't a big loss if it is a dud.

Anyone happen to have any knowledge or info on this deck?
Stan

Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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Comments

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,414
    That is one rabbit hole I avoid like the plague. I appreciate R2R from a very long distance.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    Yeah, I probably should too. This thing seems to almost work except I think it needs a pinch roller. Might be tough to impossible to find a good one.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,759
    Reach out to @KennethSwauger
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,496
    edited October 2019
    Pop the hood and poke around. Levers, linkage, springs, solenoids, belts, clutches....a smorgasbord of mechanical stuff.

    v31sogre1bgn.jpg

    Jasper loves it when the take up reel is full and that leader slaps around.

    px49jdqhnmld.jpg


    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    I love mechanical stuff! Looks very cool! :)
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited October 2019
    Quite possibly Pioneer OEM, I suspect.
    The deck, not the kitteh, that is. B)

    mk575d24dpud.png

    https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/t-6600.shtml

    mp1u95gyzy1u.png

    xwjv4jjp7gsf.png
    http://www.kallhovde.com/pioneer/1971-cat.pdf

    EDIT: see also: http://www.kallhovde.com/pioneer/tricomp/Audio/RT/RT-71.pdf
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    What's wrong with the pinch roller?
    They can often be rescued if they're shiny or sometimes even if they're hard... and there are folks who will (ahem) re-rubber them.

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited October 2019
    PS, Jasper looks somewhat disdainful to me...

    px49jdqhnmld.jpg
    mmnt14e7up2v.png

    ;)

    I will mention that ol' Zappa (the Cat -- as opposed to Zappa the Iconoclast)
    once effected scission of a reel to reel tape playing (unattended -- my fatal mistake) in our living room, long ago now.

    The spinning reels and the dulcet tones of the Beatles proved too much for him to resist.

    No photo of the event (nor even its aftermath) is available, unfortunately -- so here he is, sneakin' up on an unsuspecting Electrovoice 15TRXB coaxial speaker.

    15230618812_61ea6849f0_c.jpgEV15TRXBflipside by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    Boy-o-boy -- I did a terrible job parsing this thread! Sorry!! :(

    @skrol (the OP) is talkin' about a Concord Mk II -- Jasper distracted me! :p

    h12p7a407fdn.png

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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,496
    edited November 2019
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Jasper distracted me! :p



    Jasper is good at that! He doesn't like when I stop the reel before the leader slaps around.

    How did the woofer fare out? Zappa looks like he was assuming lunge mode.

    My deck is a Pioneer RT-71.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,060
    skrol wrote: »
    Dove

    Dove?

    gk0czxu084ak.jpg


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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited November 2019
    long "o", bub... long "o"

    -- or diven, if you prefer your verbs irregular.

    ;)


    PS Note that I did not say "if you prefer @verb [.s.] irregular". :#
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited November 2019
    (FWIW)... more on the Concord Mark II.

    vinAd70ConcordMarkII.jpg
    source: http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinAd70.html

    This one is much more generic looking than the Mark IV -- other than the roller to the left of the headblock, this one looks quite Sony-esque. That said, lots of late '60s -early '70s Japanese-made decks looked a lot like this, too. :p

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited November 2019
    so... did anyone ever answer the original question from @skrol about the lazy pinch roller?
    I mean, I addressed the shiny/hard roller 'issue', but upon re-reading the OP, I got the impression that lack of engagement was even more of an issue in this particular case.

    IME/IMO the typical problem with elderly single-motor, mechanical control decks like this Concord is... gunk. Gunked-up mechanicals, to be more precise. B)

    CLA (Cleaning, Lubrication, and Adjustment) is indicated -- particularly C and L (as opposed to D and C :p ) in the present case.

    Also IME (and FWIW) -- a pinch roller that won't quite engage can sometimes be encouraged into position and engagement with a little... umm... digital manipulation.

    I've got a coupla Sony single-motor decks here that need a little help to get goin' in this regard (and in full disclosure) -- like this TC-377, for example :#

    16102128209_35069f8b58_k.jpgSony TC-377 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    long "o", bub... long "o"

    -- or diven, if you prefer your verbs irregular.

    ;)


    PS Note that I did not say "if you prefer @verb [.s.] irregular". :#

    Lol! I've been called worse! :)
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,375
    Thank you for the info. I got it working. I had removed the pinch roller and saw that the mechanism was moving all the way into position, reinstalled and it was good. After that I cleaned and demag'd the heads and cleaned cabinet. It looks pretty good. I still need to clean and lube the mechanicals. What lube do you suggest?

    It came with about 3 hours of Christmas music too.

    29vrvssr9ixy.jpg
    6jyhhzz6vn0r.jpg
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited November 2019
    Let me ask my brother about this deck. He is an "expert" at Reel 2 Reel decks. Give me some time though, please.

    Appropriately timed on the Christmas music too!

    What exactly are you needing to lube? It makes a difference in suggesting what to use.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • LoStrings
    LoStrings Posts: 38
    I have torn into many machines over the years, with the biggest culprit being hardened grease on the linkages. What I have used after cleaning the linkages, is lithium grease. It comes in a spray, and can be purchased at a auto parts store, or even Wal-mart. I spray some product into a paper cup, and use Q-tips to spread it on the linkages, should last for years.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited November 2019
    Nice to hear the deck responded well to treatment :)

    Yeah, my gut feeling was (white) lithium grease (e.g., GC "Lubriplate") -- but I am no expert on these things (i.e., at the nuts and bolts and grease level)!

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    oh, and in re: the long "oh" dove, @Viking64

    https://youtu.be/Q0dNhDbbrgY
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