8 Track Player question - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

tinman55 · 30th Jan 2023, 10:00 pm

I have vintage 8 track car tape player all 4 channels work ... but channel 1 the left speaker/track does not have sound - there is sound from the right speaker. The 3 other channels are working and i have sound out of both left and and right speaker. Any help here would be appreciated.

Analogue man · 30th Jan 2023, 11:18 pm

Normally 8 track players move the replay head up and down the tape to pick up the various tracks, there are three possibilities here as I see it, one is poor head alignment in relation to the top track on the tape or that there is a disconnected wire on the head which touches its terminal when track two three and four are selected but stops touching when the head goes to track one or when the head reaches track one perhaps something shorts out the connections for the left channel.

hamid_1 · 31st Jan 2023, 2:48 am

I think it's most likely to be a head alignment problem, as suggested above.

8 track players normally have a screw to adjust the head height. On many car players there is a hole in the top or bottom of the metal case, into which you can insert a screwdriver to adjust the head height. If not, you'll need to remove the cover to access the adjustment screw.

Carefully turn the head height screw while playing program 1 until you hear the correct track playing from both speakers. Check the other programs are correct, and that you do not hear 2 programs playing together (often one will be quieter than the other, but still audible.) Readjust if necessary. Ideally, try several different tapes.

There is another potential problem. Some late 1970s 8 track players, particularly portable ones made in Hong Kong have a plastic bracket that holds the tape head in place. The plastic goes brittle and cracks. The head becomes loose and doesn't align with the tape properly. I've tried gluing the broken plastic back together but it usually breaks again. I hope that's not your player's problem.

Restoration73 · 31st Jan 2023, 1:58 pm

Just to avoid confusion, is the player is 8-track Stereo, with 4 programs per tape?

There was also a rare 8-track Quadrophonic with 2 programs per tape. This will have 4 amp channels and 4 speakers, normally they will also play Stereo 8-tracks.

30th Jan 2023, 10:00 pm	#1
tinman55 New Member Join Date: Jan 2023 Location: Cornelius, North Carolina, USA. Posts: 1	8 Track Player question I have vintage 8 track car tape player all 4 channels work ... but channel 1 the left speaker/track does not have sound - there is sound from the right speaker. The 3 other channels are working and i have sound out of both left and and right speaker. Any help here would be appreciated.

30th Jan 2023, 11:18 pm	#2
Analogue man Hexode Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Raunds, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 268	Re: 8 Track Player question Normally 8 track players move the replay head up and down the tape to pick up the various tracks, there are three possibilities here as I see it, one is poor head alignment in relation to the top track on the tape or that there is a disconnected wire on the head which touches its terminal when track two three and four are selected but stops touching when the head goes to track one or when the head reaches track one perhaps something shorts out the connections for the left channel. __________________ Graham

31st Jan 2023, 2:48 am	#3
hamid_1 Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: High Wycombe, Bucks. UK. Posts: 796	Re: 8 Track Player question I think it's most likely to be a head alignment problem, as suggested above. 8 track players normally have a screw to adjust the head height. On many car players there is a hole in the top or bottom of the metal case, into which you can insert a screwdriver to adjust the head height. If not, you'll need to remove the cover to access the adjustment screw. Carefully turn the head height screw while playing program 1 until you hear the correct track playing from both speakers. Check the other programs are correct, and that you do not hear 2 programs playing together (often one will be quieter than the other, but still audible.) Readjust if necessary. Ideally, try several different tapes. There is another potential problem. Some late 1970s 8 track players, particularly portable ones made in Hong Kong have a plastic bracket that holds the tape head in place. The plastic goes brittle and cracks. The head becomes loose and doesn't align with the tape properly. I've tried gluing the broken plastic back together but it usually breaks again. I hope that's not your player's problem.

31st Jan 2023, 1:58 pm	#4
Restoration73 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK. Posts: 2,801	Re: 8 Track Player question Just to avoid confusion, is the player is 8-track Stereo, with 4 programs per tape? There was also a rare 8-track Quadrophonic with 2 programs per tape. This will have 4 amp channels and 4 speakers, normally they will also play Stereo 8-tracks.