Vintage TX
Analog forever
Hmm..wonder why that is ?
best sounding 8 track player
- Thread starter kennnethr16
- Start date
sssmokin99
Well-Known Member
What I have done to play the few 8 tracks that I have picked up over the years is to use an automotive deck. I have a NOS Delco in dash unit that was intended for mid sized GM cars of the 70's to early 80's. Built like a tank, and being new, works perfectly. There are TWO belts from motor to capstan flywheel- that is how overbuilt this thing is. anyway, since I have a small collection of car radios (mostly GM same era), it is easy to just plug this in and let er rip. All you need is a deck, speakers, and a power supply, which is easy to find.
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
I have a picture of a CTR that appeared with a new product announcement in a trade journal, but never an actual unit. There was also supposed to be a cassette deck in that line also. From what I've been able to piece together, 3M pulled the plug on Wollensak, and folded it into the Mincom division, just as those units were supposed to be introduced.
The Realistic 800 series machines are excellent. The 880 series (which were originally Allied before RS bought them) are OK but not nearly as nice. I think at some point I've owned all of those, but now I'm down to just my Akai CR-81D and two Panasonic receivers with 8Ts built-in.
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
CTR/Wollensak 8 tracks
Since you asked:
Features:
Solenoid-switched transport controls
Mode Indicator lights on light-touch push keys
Dolby B noise reduction
Bias & EQ for standard and Scotch Classic tape
Switchable peak limiter
Frequency response 30-15,000Hz with Classic
Wow and flutter 0.1% weighted RMS
1% playback distortion at 0dB
S/N 60 dB w/Dolby, 50 dB without
Fast forward @ five times normal speed
The picture is of a CTR-3. The 2 is the same, without Dolby.
Since you asked:
Features:
Solenoid-switched transport controls
Mode Indicator lights on light-touch push keys
Dolby B noise reduction
Bias & EQ for standard and Scotch Classic tape
Switchable peak limiter
Frequency response 30-15,000Hz with Classic
Wow and flutter 0.1% weighted RMS
1% playback distortion at 0dB
S/N 60 dB w/Dolby, 50 dB without
Fast forward @ five times normal speed
The picture is of a CTR-3. The 2 is the same, without Dolby.
Attachments
Dwartz
Iron Oxide Addict
That's pretty neat, Larry. I'm sure the writing was on the wall for 8-track, so it was probably a sound decision.
The Panasonics you mentioned - would that be the bronze (6600?) models? I notice that they command a pretty high price (for Panasonic) on eBay - are they that good? I remember our local hardware store had a demo for sale well into the late 80s - I never took the plunge.
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
Yes, I'm sure somebody at 3M looked at the prototypes and said, "$400 for an 8 track deck? Are you nuts?"
Yes indeed. The series includes the RA-6600, 6800, 7600 and 7800. Mine is a 7600 (bronze face). Perfectly adequate, if low powered unit. Decent specs, too.
My other receiver/8T combo is an RE-8140, which I believe at least one other AKer has. Decent enough, but not really in a class with the RA models.
I own a Pioneer H-R100. Bought it in '85 when I was in the Navy with a bunch of Pioneer stuff. It sat up in a hot attic from 1987 to 2004. Finally gave it a listen in 2009. I played The Sound of Music (an eight track found at St. Vinny's). It sounded warm and inviting, even with the slight hiss. The player has Dolby NR, which eliminates the hiss completely. After all that time baking in the attic, coupled with its age, and it still sounded good enough. It's currently not in my rotation because of lack of space but when I have space I will add it. And it is very cool looking little unit.
S.J.
S.J.
Last edited:
I'll second (or third) the Pioneer H-R100 it's a pretty cool deck and well built. I've never recorded with it but it does have the capability. It's part of my office system and I still play 8-Tracks every once in a while
. If I remember right it's got one main drive belt which is a snap to replace.
One weird thing about it is the 8-Track is the on/off switch (8-Track in (on) 8-Track out (off).
. If I remember right it's got one main drive belt which is a snap to replace.One weird thing about it is the 8-Track is the on/off switch (8-Track in (on) 8-Track out (off).
Yes, I have just aquired the 801 unit (I believe that's the correct #). No Dolby. Built like a tank. Must weigh 10-15 pounds. One feature that I consider essential, is the option to have it stop at the end of a "program". This allows me to be able to inspect and replace the splice and or sensing foil, before it allows tape spillage into the innards of the deck.
The deck sounds pretty good. I have not opened it up. One chanel is much louder than the other, but the meters suggest similar level out of both-don't know. I just adjust the balance knob. I could go in and change belts, clean heads, investigate the balance issue, etc. Seems wierd, but somehow the fact that it works as is, I just don't want to fuss with it. It seems to suit the format. It is supposed to be dead, but somehow, it still lives on, and provides pleasure. Just like the tapes. Beautifully imperfect, like a lot of things
1tumbleweed
Kozmik Kowboy
The 801 is an excellent unit, and the prices they still bring you-know-where reflect that. There's been a lot of discussion of this series on the 8 track group, and the general opinion is that they were manufactured by Sharp, although Fujitsu General is a possibility.
With your particular unit, I'd try cycling the record button in-and-out a few times, there may be some corrosion on that switch that's affecting the output. The meters are likely reflecting the output from the preamp stage, before the switch, so cleaning that switch may cure the problem.
With your particular unit, I'd try cycling the record button in-and-out a few times, there may be some corrosion on that switch that's affecting the output. The meters are likely reflecting the output from the preamp stage, before the switch, so cleaning that switch may cure the problem.
There's also another belt for the tape counter, but of course not necessary and pretty much useless in terms of 8-tracks anyhow. The main belt is indeed easily accessible via a removable cover on the bottom of the unit. A very simple task to replace.I'll second (or third) the Pioneer H-R100 it's a pretty cool deck and well built. I've never recorded with it but it does have the capability. It's part of my office system and I still play 8-Tracks every once in a while
Awesomeaudio
Super Member
I can see it using Internet explorer but not in Mozilla.. :scratch2:
Flash is up to date too.
Thanks 1tumbleweed. I guess cycling the switch a few times will not upset the 'so wrong it's right' karma :thmbsp:
hammondcrazy
Well-Known Member
All I know is,, that I always liked the sound of 8 track. Especially being a young kid in the 70s/80s I remember many a car with 8 track. And I remember many a car in the family that only had am radio. 8track was a wonderful vacation from the buzzing humming am radio (I love that sound too) I was always happy with the sound and got good at remembering where to hit the select button to get to a good song. It was a skill that was fun to acquire. CDs sound much better than vinyl (that's what they say,yet vinyl is making a comeback) it is in the ear of the beholder. I miss the 8 track and I love looking through them at flea markets, I love all the colors they came in orange blue black and white I am sure other colors too, ALL part of the experience. It is as much visual as audible when it comes to vintage gear, Watching the reels spin on a RTR watching the record spin on a turntable or the tuning eye on a vintage Motorola console. I am bored with mp3 players and hard drive decks.
illinoisteve
Super Member
I'm going to see if I can track down a working 8-track player, either a portable or AC, locally, but only because I see an 8-track tape from time to time at the thrift shop that interests me. But I have nothing to play one on. For me, it is partly an interest in wanting to be able to play another format (its limitations accepted). It is interesting to hear about what models of brands may have been better. When they were common, I really only listened to friends' 8-tracks a few times.
old thread worth reviving
you're taking a stand against the 8-track cartridge format, based on many false premises. let me explain:
first off, 3.75 IPS is not a "bad" speed. cassette only operates at half that, 1-7/8 IPS. So how bad can 8-track be ? It's 2x the speed of the cassette. Sony Elcaset, a large sized cassette that was 4 track 1/4" tape, was also 3.75 IPS. I have 2 of those machines as well, and let me tell you this- they rival any 1/4" open reel machine easily, or best them. so much for the speed argument.
commercially recorded open reel to reels from the mid-1960's until the late 1970's were also only 3.75 IPS, on the 4 track 1/4" stereo format
now the "tape slipping" statement. the tapes only slip if the capstan is heavily worn down, or shined up and needs to be resurfaced. On the "better" machines with the larger capstan and motor, that problem is almost nonexistant.
the WOLLENSAKS are completely OVER RATED. They have small DC motors and a ton of wow/flutter. The first one the 8050, had an AC motor and was the best of the bunch ! I know techs who returned new Wollensaks back in the day, because they had such bad wow/flutter.
what makes 8 track so desireable is, the best era of rock and roll was recorded on it, and those tapes can be bought now for 25 cents each. You can build a huge killer rock collection of 400 tapes, for the cost of 6 new CD's.
and the players and tapes have become collectible. a rare player may hit $400 on Ebay, and some tapes go for $100 each or more.
fixing the tapes can actually be fun and interesting. the format has a "fat" sound. for the record I have more problems with old cassette tapes not playing, than 8-tracks. Cassettes are thin and fragile tape and get all wrinkled and stretched and have to be thrown away. the larger 8 track tape is more durable. CD is a good car format because it's low maintenance with no tape heads or capstan to clean. In the house I prefer to listen to vinyl or analog tape. It just has a smoother more relaxed sound to my ears.
true, the designers never intended 8-track tapes to last more than a few years, and be thrown away. 2-5 years stated on record. But here we are almost 50 years later, still playing those old tapes. They're a lot better than they realized.
For those into quadraphonic sound, the quadraphonic 8-track medium offered more discrete quadraphonic releases than any other quadraphonic era format. This is reason enough to own and use an 8-track player.
The picture below shows a Harman Kardon Model 8+ quadraphonic 8-track player and a SQ matrix decoder.
The picture below shows a Harman Kardon Model 8+ quadraphonic 8-track player and a SQ matrix decoder.
