OTARI MX-5050 BII2 Reel TO Reel HELP !!!!

[Deadear]

Need help with this deck please , first on playback at 15 IPS the deck slows down after about one minute of play , any ideas what might be the problem ? Also if someone has either a operators or service manual I would appreciate it , Thanks , Gary .

[dr*audio]

First check the simple stuff: Are you using Ampex backcoated tape or did you run one on the deck recently? It could have left black sticky goo on the guides and the tape is sticking and binding.
Ok so it's not that. What now? Well if memory serves this deck has a direct drive capstan motor. I don't remember it having the belt. But I think it has a variable speed control and / or play switch. Clean the switch and control. If that doesn't fix it, the problem is probably in the motor drive, could be just a dirty speed control pot, could be a drive transistor has desoldered itself. I don't have the manual, my customer has his own manual.

[Nakdoc]

i have 5050 manuals, but not mk2. In the 5050 there is a 2uf phase capacitor connected to the motor. When it goes bad the motor will slow. These caps are actually easy to find. Applianc distributors carry replacements for fans. Measure the dimensions and buy whatever will fit. Do not use any other capacitance. You also cannot substitute any other type of capacitor.

[jblmar]

Try monitoring voltage after the capacitor (before the motor). You may also have a power supply or back tension problem. Check the voltage regulator in the power supply.

As Warren suggested, did you use a back coated tape? Those tapes will cause the deck to slow in fast wind and come to a complete stop in play. I had that on both my Teac decks. Be careful! It's very easy to cause damage to the motors if they stall.

Ron

[jblmar]

IIRC, the 5050 is a rim drive deck? :scratch2:

Ron

[Deadear]

Ron , not sure what a rim drive is but this is a direct drive unit with no belts at all . I tried it at 7.5 IPS and it plays fine at that speed. Warren, do you know where the speed control adjustment is located at , it has a variable pitch control on the front panel , is that what you are referring to ? Thanks , Gary .

[dr*audio]

Yes, clean the variable pitch control and the switch on it. You have to remove the back of the deck to get to it. Use a non-residue contact cleaner and spray it into any opening in the control and the switch on the back of it. Then rotate the control back and forth a bunch of times and the switch in and out. Then follow up with De-Oxit as a preservative.

[Deadear]

Warren , I cleaned all the switches and pots but the deck still slows at 15IPS , all other speeds are fine . Where is the capstan motor capicator located at and do you think that is the problem ? Thanks , Gary .

[dr*audio]

Gary,
I don't think it has a startup cap. this deck has direct drive with electronic speed control. In this type of system there is no need for a cap. I think the problem is either the internal speed adjustment pot is dirty, or there may be a phase adjustment that is off or the pot is dirty. If I recall there are a bunch of wires that attach to the motor. If you follow the wires they go to the board. My recollection is the board is on the left side, looking from the back, mounted horizontally, about 1/2 way up. It has several pots on it and I'm not sure the service manual had any information on how to adjust them.
I found this for a MX5050, maybe it will be the same:
http://www.otari.com/support/pdf/tb-5050-001.pdf
It shows the adjustment locations.

[Deadear]

Warren , I tried adjusting the middle pot for the high speed setting (15) IPS and it did not seem to make a difference , any other ideas ? Thanks , Gary .

[goldear]

Did you confirm that your tape is defintiely not at all "sticky"? A sticky roll of Ampex tape can halt even the strongest machines ever made. :eek:

[Deadear]

goldear , yes I have confirmed that it is not the tape , have tried 3 different brands and all slow down only at 15IPS , all are fine at all other speeds , Thanks , Gary .

[goldear]

That would seem to point to the servo mechanism when the unit is run at 15 ips. But since this only happens at 15 ips, this could be something as simple as dirty contacts inside you speed switch. I assume that Deoxit has already been applied too?

[goldear]

That would seem to point to the servo mechanism when the unit is run at 15 ips. But since this only happens at 15 ips, this could be something as simple as dirty contacts inside your speed switch. I assume that Deoxit has already been applied too?

If the switch is not the issue, then something else is probably out of whack with your servo.

[dr*audio]

That would seem to point to the servo mechanism when the unit is run at 15 ips. But since this only happens at 15 ips, this could be something as simple as dirty contacts inside you speed switch. I assume that Deoxit has already been applied too?

What he said :thmbsp: The only thing I can add is it's possible there may be a power supply problem, where it just doesn't have enough voltage to run at 15 IPS. The other possibility is there could be a phase adjustment that's out. See if there are any more pots on that servo board.

[Nakdoc]

If the 15 ips adjust doesn't change the speed, then a relay or switch that switches between the two controls is surely the problem. The 7 1/2 sppek ok absolves the motor and most of the servo. There may be a timing cap switched in the servo when speeds are changed.

[Deadear]

Goldear , the low high speed control switch was the problem , took two cleaning attempts but it is fine now , a wee bit fast but will reset the 15IPS pot and all will be well , Thanks .
Can you please tell me what the SEI-REP switches are for as well as the >SRL on off switch on the output ??? Thanks , Gary .

[Orcinus]

Goldear , the low high speed control switch was the problem , took two cleaning attempts but it is fine now , a wee bit fast but will reset the 15IPS pot and all will be well , Thanks .
Can you please tell me what the SEI-REP switches are for as well as the >SRL on off switch on the output ??? Thanks , Gary .

the SEL-REP switches are to select the RECORD head to use as a playback head for syncing previously recorded audio while recording on another channel.

SRL is "Standard Reference Level". In the SRL position, the playback level is determined by an internal preset potentiometer, based on the position of the Record Level switch on the rear (H, M, or L). H = 320 nWb/m, M = 250 nWb/m, L = 185 nWb/m.

The manual for the MX5050 series deck can be found here. http://classes.berklee.edu/mpe/pdf_files/manuals_pdf/otari_mx5050b2.pdf :)

[Deadear]

Thanks Orcinus , I had about given up hope of finding this information , Thanks , Gary .

[Doug Olitsky]

deadear;

I have the same issue w/ my hi speed control, how did you access it to clean it.

I hope it will cure my hi speed stop issue!

[Bm66603]

I have a Otari MX-5050 BII Reel to Reel deck, It plays and records good, on both sides, However when I flip the tape over it sounds like it is playing backwards. If I record over whats there, then it sounds good. But when I flip the tape back over to the side I just recorded on, It then plays backwards. Is there some wrong or is it a setting or something else? Feel free to email me, bm66603@yahoo.com

[nu2toobs]

I have a Otari MX-5050 BII Reel to Reel deck, It plays and records good, on both sides, However when I flip the tape over it sounds like it is playing backwards. If I record over whats there, then it sounds good. But when I flip the tape back over to the side I just recorded on, It then plays backwards. Is there some wrong or is it a setting or something else? Feel free to email me, bm66603@yahoo.com
Is it a half track?

[Bm66603]

Thanks for your reply, I'm not sure, I'm new to this reel to reel world, I don't know the difference. Is half track good or bad?

[Tinman]

The Otari is a half track. It records only in one direction, using the whole tape.

Yes, it CAN PLAY 1/4 track tapes with the head select switch, but it cannot record 1/4 track. I have never seen one set up to record 1/4 track, but it can be done with another head stack.

[Bm66603]

Ok, Now I got you, It is a half track then, because it does record on the whole tape. Thats why it plays backwords when you flip the tape. I took a tape from another machine and played it, It sounded like you could hear 2 different songs playing at the same time, 1 sound good, and the other song sounded like it was playing backwords. So once you record on one side, your done with that tape, you then just use another tape.

[Tinman]

Yes. On tapes that are recorded on 1/4 track, lift the head cover up and look for the 2 - 4 track switch. Just flip it to 4 track to play back those tapes.

The Otari is a very good machine. Congratulations.

[Bm66603]

Thanks Tinman, I tried doing what you said, It sounds totally awesome. I picked this deck up for $50.00 at a garage sale about 5 months ago and just started playing with it. It came whit 7 -full 10" and one take up reel. I don't know what it is worth but now I feel I got one heck of a deal. Thanks again for your help.

[schwarcw]

That is one heck of a good deal! Enjoy the Otari!

Carl

[Bm66603]

Thanks, I will have fun with it now that I know a little about it. I look forward to learning more about it. I have a lot of LPs to transfer.

[Tinman]

BEWARE of sticky shed tape! If you don't know what that IS, there's plenty of reading here and on google.