EMI BTR-2 reel to reel tape recorder restoration projects

Its been a while since I have uploaded, trying to make a video with a Canon 7D camera isn't the easiest. Recently I was given a complete BTR-2 machine which spurred me on to getting my other 2 dead machines working, even the one which had the wiring loom cut in multiple places. If anyone has any spares for these machines or a complete one they wish to sell I am always interested.
These machines have been used around the world, most famously in Abbey studios, before and during the introduction of the Studer J37, the BTR-2 machines were very common, later came a very rare BTR-3 stereo version which was not as successful, many of The Beatles records would have been mastered on these machines. The recorder started life in 1952 and many were decommissioned in 1980, the BBC modified them to stereo which gave them another 5-10 years life as the recorders mechanics were so well built, they showed very little wear and tear.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• EMI
• Reel
• reel to reel
• tape recorder
• The Beatles
• Abbey Road
• vintage recorder
• BTR-2

[PA2OLD]

Nice to see a video from you again!!

[Seblington]

Cheers, I still havent got a good camera and I have so many more machines to show (Like the PCM3324, Ferrograph studio 8, Stellavoxes, and many more)

[studerj37]

Great!!

Impressive collection of vintage tape recorders!!

[Seblington]

Thank you very much

[Seblington]

The capstan shaft oil well was dry when I made this video, it does start a lot quicker now

[Rydo182]

What's that small drill sound that keeps happening in the video?

[Seblington]

That’s the camera, the Canon 7D is really a high quality still camera but with video function, the only thing is the camera will not focus in record mode so you have to do it manually, and the lenses being used can not be switched out of automatic as that switch is broken, hence the motor noise when focusing.

[daveisoverproduced]

Absolutely awesome to see this. Thank you!

[70sgitbox]

Outstanding!!

[Germannio]

Nice video.

When you push play in the first machine, it can be heard that the speed goes growing too slowly, it seems like if the capstan motor not were been running previously to press the button. Is motor power circuit switched by "play" button?

Second one starts very quickly as is usual in most recorders.

As I said, I'm not experienced about EMI's but I guess that capstan motor in this machines is of hysteresis synchrous type. I'm right?

Thanks in advance.