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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc.

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Old 2nd Sep 2019, 8:08 am   #1
Justine
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK.
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Default Help with Truvox PD93

Hi. I've just dug out of a cupboard my dad's old reel to reel which is a Truvox PD93. It was last switched on at least 35 years ago. I plugged it in connected it up, the tape played and rewound fine but no sound came out other than a hum and the VU meter didnt move at all, in fact it just sits on maximum whether the deck is turned on or not. I've had a look for a service manual but cant see one and wondering if anyone has one or can offer any suggestions as to what I might do to get it working? Appreciate it may also be the tape as well which is a TV recording of the moon landing so its 50 years old! Am trying to find another tape to see if that is the issue.

Thanks in anticipation.
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Old 2nd Sep 2019, 10:50 am   #2
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Help with Truvox PD93

It's not a terribly good idea to power up valve kit after such a long lay-off without checking it over first. Capacitors in particular will deteriorate, affecting operation and possibly causing damage. How to proceed partly depends on whether the tape or the machine is your primary concern. It's relatively simple to transfer the tape, less so and probably more expensive to refurbish the machine.
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Old 2nd Sep 2019, 3:14 pm   #3
Justine
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Default Re: Help with Truvox PD93

Thanks Ted for your reply. The tape is what we really want to listen to and we're less concerned about the welfare of the machine. Any suggestions on what may be preventing us from hearing any output - could the capacitors impact that? The main issue is that we don't know how to check the machine over in the absence of any manual or technical supporting material.
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Old 2nd Sep 2019, 6:55 pm   #4
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Help with Truvox PD93

Valve machines quite often have right-hand zero meters. In other words the rest position is at maximum and the circuitry holds it at zero when switched on. Since your meter has not moved, I suspect that the HT supply may be below par. Aged capacitors are a common cause of this. The audible hum would tend to support that view, since the PD93 has no speaker. In your shoes I think I'd get the tape transferred and worry about the machine later, if at all.
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Old 3rd Sep 2019, 11:36 pm   #5
ben
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Default Re: Help with Truvox PD93

It is unwise to test out unknown equipment with potentially unique family recording tapes, as for all you know it could be erasing the tape!
Get hold of a sacrificial tape from ebay or somewhere to use first until you are sure the machine is usable. Or ask on the wanted area here for a transfer to a CD.
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