How To Clean/Demagnetize Cassette Tape Deck Heads Part 1

[TheTrueVoiceOfReason]

I have never come across a full-logic deck that I cannot engage Play without a tape. Just open the tape door and press the little lever or switch at the top center of the well (opposite side from the tape head). While holding that lever/switch in you can press play and it "should" stay running. I, personally, have never had a deck stop once I let go of that lever. Makes cleaning very easy.

[MrSethJM]

Hello uxwbill, I am wondering whether you can answer a general cassette deck question for me. I have a Sony TC-WE425 deck which says it has a "high density head" to provide better frequency response. Is this really a deluxe feature, is it helpful, and is it unique or is it actually a standard feature found in comparable decks but Sony just mentioned it for marketing purposes?

[TheCatMilton]

and that would really reuin your day....

[Lachlant1984]

I remember when doing work experience at a radio station some years ago being shown how to clean the heads and pinch roller on a reel to reel deck, it was interesting and not really that difficult because the heads on those things are usually very open and expose, very easy to get to.

[WinbookXL3]

will it work will 8 track? players

[uxwbill]

@WinbookXL3 A similar procedure could be used with many 8-track players. Most of the time, you can see the playback/recording head by simply flipping up the door that closes when a cartridge is not in place. There is also a capstan in there to drive the tape. (With 8-tracks, the pinch roller is in the actual cartridge.)

I don't know if an 8-track deck that is capable of recording would have an erase head in place. Presumably it would. I do not own an 8-track deck that is capable of recording.

[UnknownTrickShooter]

@uxwbill is this how to get the original recording of a audio tape? even if it has been over recorded?

[uxwbill]

@UnknownTrickShooter If an audio or video tape has been recorded over, the old contents are very likely irrecoverable. This process removes an unwanted magnetic field that could cause poor sound quality from the tape heads.

[shoprat17]

@uxwbill 8 track has only 2 heads, the playback/record/erase head and a sensing head and the capstan. iso alcohol and q tips work great for all 3 normally but if the sensing head is very tarnished you can use a paper towel and brasso to polish it (sensing head is all the way to left and is solid brass. Also for demagnetizing you can use a soldering gun (not an iron)

[ncrdisabled]

Back in the day I worked for ASI in louisville KY they made car radios for delorean bmw and a few other high end I still have a delorean am fm cassette I was a elec tech and we used a cassette type demagnetize the held a aa battery it was from

the eng in the company special made them . We used zero fd to clean the heads and rollers . I remember it like yesterday I still have 1 hanging around that my ex wife missed when she took my stuff.

[gmcnewlook]

what about car cassete decks? how would you go about cleaning those? my car has  one (altough i only use it listen to my ipod though the car stereo using an adapter) and its alot harder to clean

[rhblakeman]

@gmcnewlook Try a wet cleaning tape first if you can locate one. Dry cleaning tapes tend to wear the heads. If you can't locate one then pull the radio and open it up is the next option.

[uxwbill]

@gmcnewlook If you all you ever use is a cassette shell adapter, cleaning the unit isn't likely to ever be a problem. Some can be cleaned by hand if you can clearly see the heads, capstan drives and pinch roller when you flip open the cassette door.

Otherwise, it is pretty much as rhblakeman said...use a wet cleaning tape or take the unit out and apart.

[vwestlife]

When the deck is REALLY dirty inside, you can get an instant improvement in sound just by licking your finger and rubbing it across the play head!

[uxwbill]

@vwestlife Never thought to try that!

I was incredibly bored the other day and found myself wandering around Youtube. Some way or another I came across your uploaded tapes of "Incorrect Music". Wow. (Or is that ow?) Anyway, I noticed that you were were using a dynamic noise reduction unit...would you tell me more about that, like the model number or maker name? It would be the first time I've seen DNR used outside of GM car radios.

[vwestlife]

@uxwbill It is the DNR System 911, manufactured by National Semiconductor, the same company which makes the DNR chip itself. Not a common unit, but Radio Shack and others did make some audio/video mixers with DNR circuits in them, usually with the adjustable sensitivity control.

[ChiefLeftenant]

Shoes on the bed? LOLS Sorry that stood out for me.

[uxwbill]

@ChiefLeftenant ...there in case I need to sleepwalk. ;-)

Actually, I just picked them up off the floor and set them there because it was convenient.

[CoolDudeClem]

I have to take the cover of one of my tape decks and partially disassemble it to do any kind of cleaning or demagnetizing because it's front loading with a motorized cassette draw, and there's a part inside that holds the tape in place so I have to take that out too.

[uxwbill]

@CoolDudeClem At some point, I'll probably talk about some of the more unique cassette tape transports and how best to clean them.

[linuxlove4004]

I think you've gone into a bit more detail than BadEditPro/JC. I probably should do this to the other cassette tape player that I've got.

[Knaeckebrotsaege]

by the way.. some tapedecks use microswitches at the top to detect if there's a tape inserted (as well as the tape type).

if it doesn't do anything when you hit play with the door closed and no tape in it, it probably has those switches.

just open the door up, push the switches at the top in with your fingers and hit play.. viola :D

my mom's Onkyo TA-2200 (manufactured from 1989-91) works that way

[uxwbill]

@Knaeckebrotsaege Even if you trip these switches, it's rare that the transport will blithely continue running--a tape spill sensor will shut things down. If your deck will stay running, you are lucky. :-)

[Knaeckebrotsaege]

@uxwbill on that onkyo tapedeck, it keeps running without a tape in it and you don't have to keep these microswitches pushed in.

it's probably just a simple block that prevents the play button from doing anything (one of the play button contacts opened by the microswitch?!)

[randomrazr]

another fine uxwbill production :)

if you want another idea for a tutorial video, im sure you prob know how to clean VHS players. My RCA 1991 fuly loaded VHS player is acting up. it wont eject the tape, well it tries but doesnt have enough umph to push it out lol not a huge deal since i rarely use it.

great video as always!

[Knaeckebrotsaege]

@randomrazr if the tray is belt driven, there's your problem.. ;)

[uxwbill]

@randomrazr There are typically several motors in the average VHS tape transport. (Cheaper and/or newer machines typically get rid of some of these.) You will usually find a motor in the spinning head drum, one to drive the tape back and forth, a "sequencing" motor that allows the transport to load the tape and "switch gears", and a "basket motor" that works to eject the tape. Some are direct-drive and others use belts. On a machine that old, you probably have a belt problem.

[uxwbill]

@uxwbill Whatever you do...don't touch, clean or do anything to a spinning video head drum unless you know what you are doing. They are easily damaged.

If you work on any other part of the unit, take pictures and make lots of notes. Also, be very mindful of how mechanical parts fit together--there are very important timing relationships that must be preserved. Don't take apart anything you don't have to--some things are not made to come apart.

[randomrazr]

@uxwbill thanks for the tips uxwbill! hopefully it will just be a belt change.

the spinning video head u mentioned, is that that big shin silver cylinder looking thing?

[Knaeckebrotsaege]

@randomrazr yep.. that's the video head assembly. the actual heads are spinning with the upper part of the drum. using cotton swabs on these heads is an easy way to destroy them completely.

[uxwbill]

@randomrazr For something like the tape/load eject operation, precise speed is not all that important. If you have a suitably sized rubber band, it may be used to test your theory.

Yes, the large silver cylinder is your head drum. It should be left alone.