I had my Teac 3340 restored, but have a problem......

red71rum

Active Member
I had my Teac restored after getting it for $30. I visited the tech and he played a tape for me that he had recorded with the 3340. I listened to the tape on headphones, and it sounded fine. The machine worked great. I get the Teac home, and decide to finally show my wife(who did not approve this by the way), how it sounds and so on. I had already got the reels on(hooked up to my Sony STR V6) and ready played the music, and now it sounds like the chipmunks playing music. I tried a different speed(there are only two) and there was no improvement. I am doing something wrong, right?
 
You are playing a stereo quarter track tape? You might be listening to tracks 2 and 4 which would be backwards music or you could have the tape on wrong.

The 3340 isn't really a nice stereo system add-on but a 4 track machine. Easy enough to use as a stereo system add on depending on how you want to do that. But for a standard prerecorded tape, Channels 1&3 would be forward playback and Channels 2&4 would be playbacked when the tape is flipped over but they would be in the 1&3 channel locations. Lot to learn on this machine. Good luck.

There are other ways, but you just need to be able to play a tape right now.
 
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Do you have the 2/4 channel playback switches set correctly since you are probably playing a 2 track tape on a discrete 4 channel machine?

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Also could the capstan pinch roller be slipping a little?

Bob
 
Do you have the 2/4 channel playback switches set correctly since you are probably playing a 2 track tape on a discrete 4 channel machine?

qd9TyZz.jpg


Also could the capstan pinch roller be slipping a little?

Bob

I have the channel switch set correctly to 2 channel. I called the tech and he said he lubed the capstan roller, but it is still slightly sticking so I might have to nudge it for a bit to work itself in.
 
Yes, if the pinch roller isn't solidly engaging the capstan, the tape will play too fast and you get the chipmunk sound. That pinch roller mechanism probably needs to be cleaned and relubed. I had an A-3340S whose pinch roller was sluggish to engage when I first got it.
 
Yes, if the pinch roller isn't solidly engaging the capstan, the tape will play too fast and you get the chipmunk sound. That pinch roller mechanism probably needs to be cleaned and relubed. I had an A-3340S whose pinch roller was sluggish to engage when I first got it.
The tech said he did that and it just needed to works itself out. I will have to check it out on my lunch break.
 
It turns out that the tape he gave me to use had material recorded on it that is incompatible with my Teac, recorded at a different speed.There is nothing wrong with it physically. If I wanted to record say, some flat from my pc to the Teac to test it, is that fairly easy? I have a Emotiva Little Ego DAC.
 
Your 3340 runs at 7 1/2 and 15 ips speeds only. If you are trying to play a tape recorded at 3 3/4 ips it won't work as this machine doesn't go that slow. Most ordinary quarter track stereo machines for home use will run at that speed but the 3340 is a bit more of a specialized machine geared towards making home demo tapes and isn't set up for the slower speed. Keep this in mind if you plan on buying any pre recorded tapes since many of them are recorded at the slower speed and won't be playable on that machine.
 
Your 3340 runs at 7 1/2 and 15 ips speeds only. If you are trying to play a tape recorded at 3 3/4 ips it won't work as this machine doesn't go that slow. Most ordinary quarter track stereo machines for home use will run at that speed but the 3340 is a bit more of a specialized machine geared towards making home demo tapes and isn't set up for the slower speed. Keep this in mind if you plan on buying any pre recorded tapes since many of them are recorded at the slower speed and won't be playable on that machine.

Oh I realize that, but when I went to pick up the 3340 from repair, the guy played a doors song on my Teac that he had recorded with it. I went to my car to get something and he put another tape on the unit and said I could use it. I thought the tape on the unit was the one he had played earlier, and was wondering why it sounded so strang. It turned out that the material on the tape had been rexorded at a speed incompatible with my Teac.... Anyway, I am going to connect my Teac to my little ego DAC and try recording from my pc for a test tonight.
 
Nice. That's a very good machine there, it does a great job and it's built to last. Enjoy it!
 
The tech said he did that and it just needed to works itself out. I will have to check it out on my lunch break.

IF the PINCH ROLLER is not engaging with a crisp SNAP - it sounds like the tech may have hacked the work.("Restored" ? ) It Does Not "have to work itself in".('' I called the tech and he said he lubed the capstan roller, but it is still slightly sticking so I might have to nudge it for a bit to work itself in.'')

See properly repaired units on You Tube. Almost ALL A- series Teacs work the same way. I DID ONE THIS AFTERNOON - takes ~ 45 minutes if one knows what they are doing.
This is a good one to watch.>>>
Grab a beverage of choice and WATCH THIS !!

2340 is little brother to 3340

And What The Hell's with 'switching tapes' on you while you're out at your car ??????

Good Luck !
 
Oh Jeeze, yeah +1 what eddisc said!! I didn't catch that in your original post, I was focusing on the playback speed issue. If the pinch roller has to be "nudged" at all and doesn't engage / disengage instantly on it's own then it has absolutey not been serviced properly. Chances are that the entire stationary post that supports the pivot linkage sleeve is turning instead of just the outer sleeve itself (due to gummed up grease locking the two together). The linkage must be completey removed, all old grease and varnish must be stripped away and either new lithium grease or a few drops of fine clock movement oil applied to the inside of the pivot point. Simply oiling the pivot point and hoping it works itself in ain't gonna cut it and the problem will return if that's all he did.

This problem is easy to repair yourself if you have even a little bit of mechanical inclination. TEAC "A" series open reel decks are a breeze to work on, just make sure you keep track of which screws you remove and put them back in the correct places to prevent damaging the faceplate from behind with the wrong length screw.
 
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