UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Citroen (Freeman) 550 tape recorder- bad capacitor?

ct92404 · 19th May 2017, 7:10 am

Thanks for the help so far, guys.

I took a picture of the heads with the cover off. There are only 2 heads, so I'm guessing the 1st one is supposed to be the erase head and the 2nd one is a combination record\play head.

Ricard, are you referring to the circuit schematic in a picture someone posted in that topic? That tape recorder was made by the same company, but it's a different model. I understand schematics and I can tell from the diagram that one does in fact have an erase head and combination record\play head. Although I'm lost on some of the terminology you used.

So could the problem with overlapping sounds be that for some reason power isn't getting to the erase head? Are there any common problems that could cause that, or is it just a matter of me having to trace the circuit from the erase head and checking each component? I'm honestly a little nervous about it. I've fixed several antique vacuum tube radios, but those have simple point-to-point wiring, whereas dealing with fragile circuit boards and solid state parts is way different.

I don't know for sure if that diagram is useful since they're talking about the model 650 tape recorder in that topic. I don't know which model that diagram is for. I guess I could try finding it on RadioMuseum.org

- Chris

19th May 2017, 7:10 am	#13
ct92404 Pentode Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: San Bernardino, California, USA. Posts: 101	Re: Reel to reel tape recorder - bad capacitor? Thanks for the help so far, guys. I took a picture of the heads with the cover off. There are only 2 heads, so I'm guessing the 1st one is supposed to be the erase head and the 2nd one is a combination record\play head. Ricard, are you referring to the circuit schematic in a picture someone posted in that topic? That tape recorder was made by the same company, but it's a different model. I understand schematics and I can tell from the diagram that one does in fact have an erase head and combination record\play head. Although I'm lost on some of the terminology you used. So could the problem with overlapping sounds be that for some reason power isn't getting to the erase head? Are there any common problems that could cause that, or is it just a matter of me having to trace the circuit from the erase head and checking each component? I'm honestly a little nervous about it. I've fixed several antique vacuum tube radios, but those have simple point-to-point wiring, whereas dealing with fragile circuit boards and solid state parts is way different. I don't know for sure if that diagram is useful since they're talking about the model 650 tape recorder in that topic. I don't know which model that diagram is for. I guess I could try finding it on RadioMuseum.org - Chris Attached Thumbnails Last edited by ct92404; 19th May 2017 at 7:24 am.