Looking under the hood

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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,290
    edited August 9
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    How about some open reel innards. At least Ken may appreciate it…

    Otari MX-5050 BIII-2 (1/4" tape two track pro deck), 1995 manufacture date. Otari Electric Co., Ltd. was founded in 1965 by Masayuki Hosoda, a former TEAC engineer. Three speeds, 3.75, 7.5 or 15ips. Set to default 7.5/15ips. Easy to bias for different tape formulations with built in 1kHz and 10kHz oscillators and front panel bias adjustments. Custom wood sides and footers added. Also available with optional rack/stand mounts.

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    Switches on rear for two output levels, IEC or NAB equalization and three reference flux settings, 185, 250 or 320 nWb/m. 320 would be used for hot mastering levels with high-output, low-distortion modern tape formulations. Rear cover removed.

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    Easy access design for service/repair with hinged panels, captured screws. Nichicon caps.

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    Three motor with direct drive capstan.

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    No skimping on electronics. Nichicon caps used throughout including Fine Gold.

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    Easy to remove (three screws) plug in head block. The jumpers/holes in PCB at right were for an optional 2/4 track switch with 4 track head installed so the 2 track deck could play (but not record) a 4-track tape.

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    The BIII model offerings. Some were console designs. A BQIII would be a 1/4" tape four track deck.

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    Post edited by SCompRacer on
    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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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,974
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    Very cool. Thank You
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,525
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    The Otaris are nice workhorse decks. :)
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 8,112
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    Adjusting the bias on my recently picked up 535ii. Nick-named by some as "the little sledgehammer" and I tend to agree. It's not the smoothest amp, but it is very dynamic and fun to rock out with.
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    See profile for rigs. Nothing else here.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,436
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    Could that be said for all Adcom amps? I have a 555 (MkI?) in storage, and remember it sounding kind of like a muscle car kind of amp. It's a great intro amp, and perfectly suitable for Polk SDA speakers needing a common ground connection.

    I also have a GTP-500 preamp/tuner to go with the power amp, and this combo really deserves to be used in a good home.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,640
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    Looks similar to my my CTC BBQ, also by John Curl
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 27,780
    edited August 15
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    dorokusai wrote: »
    Looks similar to my my CTC BBQ, also by John Curl

    John Curl had stuff to do with Adcom? I thought he was the Parasound guru.
    I thought most Adcom was Nelson Pass designs
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,419
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    awt0uvgqg501.jpg
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 8,112
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    dorokusai wrote: »
    Looks similar to my my CTC BBQ, also by John Curl

    John Curl had stuff to do with Adcom? I thought he was the Parasound guru.
    I thought most Adcom was Nelson Pass designs

    You are correct. Nelson was behind the Adcoms. Both men designed great stuff though and their over built designs has more similarities than differences.
    See profile for rigs. Nothing else here.
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  • newbie308
    newbie308 Posts: 835
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    I picked up this cool old Hickok digital multimeter with a nixie tube display at the local thrift store today.
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    I need to replace 2 electrolytic capacitors in the power supply board and this will be ready for service again.
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    Enjoying the journey while never attaining the destination.
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  • newbie308
    newbie308 Posts: 835
    edited August 24
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    Update! I replaced two old electrolytic capacitors in the power supply and this thing is ready for another 55 years of service! From a time when things were:

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    built to last!
    Enjoying the journey while never attaining the destination.
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,488
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    motorhead43026 wrote: »
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    Bi-wired the schnorkel!
    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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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 27,780
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    The beast must breathe 💪🏼💪🏼
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,290
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    HP 5316a with options 003 (adds a 1 GHz C-Channel input, extending the instrument's standard 100 MHz frequency measurement range up to 1 GHz) and 004 High-Stability Oven Timebase OCXO or heated clock oscillator.

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    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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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,290
    edited August 25
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    Tenma 72-450 (single channel) and 72-1040 (dual channel) AC millivolt dB meters. The two channel comes in handy calibrating a tape deck. No swapping RCA cables between R and L channels. You'd have to buy a very pricey Digital Multimeter that would display accurate ac millivolt rms voltages above 1kHz like these do. Tenma were rebadged GW Instek. GW Instek = Good Will Instruments which is a respected brand.

    72-450 single channel.

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    72-1040 dual channel.

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    Needed slight calibration on one channel, slightly off at .775mV rms (0 dBu/dBm, the lower scale). The upper scale is dBV, 1v rms = 0dB. So far, all the tape decks I've calibrated state in SM 0dB = .775mV rms.

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    After calibration.

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    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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