Thread: Tandberg 3041x
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Old 21st Aug 2011, 11:45 pm   #5
Ventnor_Neil
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ventnor, Isle of Wight.
Posts: 2
Default Re: Tandberg 3041x

I had a 3041x from 1970 and it was continually in use until three years ago. The quality of the audio design is so good that I made up various amplifiers based on their circuits very successfully. It was necessary to have an aluminium circular mould made for beeswax for the clutch mechanisms.

Although the cross field bias system produced very good frequencies with 30 KHz -12db, using special tape, it suffered from the usual very short duration drop outs, that affected hf frequency response,and hence stereo positioning. This is due to small variations in tape thickness. To overcome this , I removed the cross field bias had and incorporated some 6mm potentiometers and small capacitors and mixed bias from the erase head onto the record head.

On another thread a query about a 0.1uf and 100 ohm resistor. I believe that these were for anti spark suppression when the ac power was applied and removed to the motor.

I did notice that the left channel did have a larger tendency of drop outs than the right channel.
Provided that the capstan pinch roller was cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and ALLOWED to thoroughly dry (in excess of 20 minutes) otherwise it was still soft. The wow and flutter did not deteriorate over all the years. Although the lower speeds were only used for background music at parties, all work was done at 7 1/2 ips.

In it's last years the stereo audio inputs were converted to sum and difference. i.e. the left channel on the recorder had L+R (sum) and the right channel on the recorder had L-R (difference). This was for mono and stereo recorded simultaneous use on other equipment.
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