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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 11th Jan 2021, 9:44 pm   #1
johnPH74HR
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Default Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Hello,

I am new to audio electronics. I purchased a Pye 9118 cassette recorder, circa 1973, recently. I changed the belts and lubricated the motor and capstan (sewing machine oil).

Tapes play and the sound quality is as good as I remember (owned one in 1973)...but when I attempt to play a tape (push forward the start/wind/rewind lever), the cassette turns at normal speed but at first there is usually no sound. If I then push the said lever further in, say a couple of times, eventually I get good quality sound. This may last for up to 10 minutes before the volume fades to almost nil....and a further forwards push (or two) is required. I am wondering if it is a lubrication issue with the tape head/tape engagement mechanism...and if so, would the cure involve disassembly.

Thanks,

John
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 2:32 am   #2
jamesperrett
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Is the sound muffled before it appears or does it appear suddenly. If it is muffled then I'd suspect the pressure pads in the cassettes but if the sound appears suddenly then I'd suspect switches. There is likely to be a long record/playback switch on the circuit board which probably needs exercising with a bit of switch cleaner.
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 8:15 am   #3
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Sounds like the rec/rep switch to me.
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 11:11 am   #4
johnPH74HR
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Thank you for your replies...they are very helpful.

To my ear, the sound appears suddenly....and fades, equally suddenly, after some minutes of good sound, to a dull sound, before disappearing.

I will read up on long record/playback switches, before purchasing some switch cleaner and looking for said switch on the circuit board.

Am I right in thinking that the long record/playback switch and the rec/rep switch are the same thing?

Thanks again,

John
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 11:24 am   #5
DMcMahon
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Yes they are the same thing.

David
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 1:17 pm   #6
TIMTAPE
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

The long record/play switch often needs cleaning but normally just activating play mode doesnt move the record/play switch. If the problem here is temporarily fixed by pressing the play switch further in then it sounds more like a dirty or out of adjustment play mute switch. The switch turns off the audio from the play preamplifier when the play switch is not engaged. Not all tape machines had these though.

It could be a mechanical problem though. Sometimes if the pinch roller doesnt press firmly enough against the tape, the tape can slowly wander up or down the capstan shaft and mistrack against the play head, often sounding weak and dull when it does. Pressing the play or start button harder in can sometimes temporarily fix the problem by increasing the pinch roller's pressure. A pinch roller in poor condition can also contribute to this problem too.

To check this, you'd need to actually watch the tape as it travels across the head and capstan areas. This problem is usually worse at the beginning of tape sides.

Last edited by TIMTAPE; 12th Jan 2021 at 1:33 pm.
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Old 12th Jan 2021, 6:15 pm   #7
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

No obvious mute switch listed on the schematic.

David
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 11:19 am   #8
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Quote:
Originally Posted by TIMTAPE View Post
Pressing the play or start button harder in can sometimes temporarily fix the problem by increasing the pinch roller's pressure. A pinch roller in poor condition can also contribute to this problem too.

To check this, you'd need to actually watch the tape as it travels across the head and capstan areas. This problem is usually worse at the beginning of tape sides.
I agree totally.

It might be necessary to remove the mech from the case, then power it up 'bare' with a modern, transparent-shell tape so you can see exactly what's going on at the pinch roller area.
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 8:55 pm   #9
johnPH74HR
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Thanks again for your replies...they are all most helpful, especially to a complete beginner.

I aim to work through each reply item in order.

I have ordered some contact/switch cleaner (Servisol Super 10) and have opened up the Pye 9118 and checked the larger of the two circuit boards. So far I have not seen anything that looks like a long record/playback switch. I did some searching on the web to see if I could find an image of a Philips/Pye long record/playback switch, without luck.

Could anyone point me at an image of such a switch.

Thanks again,

John
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 9:34 pm   #10
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

The record/playback switch is on the component side of the main circuit board.

Lawrence.
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Old 21st Jan 2021, 1:31 pm   #11
johnPH74HR
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Thanks to all for the replies. I have now sprayed the record/playback switch with contact cleaner...and exercised it......and I now get immediate normal volume 10 times out of 10. Many thanks to all.

Interestingly, as soon as the contact cleaner had been applied (Servisol Super 10) the cassette started to play slightly slowly (I tried several cassettes, with the same result). Could this be coincidence? On the Pye 9118, is there a way of increasing motor speed to adjust back to normal speed. I searched the UKVRRR site but no ref. to the Pye 9118/playing slow came up

Thanks,

John
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Old 22nd Jan 2021, 2:15 am   #12
jamesperrett
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

There are a couple of possibilities regarding the slow speed...

Did you get any Servisol on the drive belt? Could this now be slipping a bit?

Alternatively, it would be worth looking at the motor controller. I don't know this particular model but other Philips machines of that vintage have a small motor controller board with a preset on it to adjust the speed.
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Old 22nd Jan 2021, 10:30 am   #13
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Schematic shows a Motor control panel with adjustable pre-set potentiometer R580 which must be for fine motor speed adjustment.

Looks like this board will be separate from the main board.

David
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Old 22nd Jan 2021, 11:45 am   #14
TIMTAPE
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Default Re: Pye 9118 cassette recorder; ?intermittent tape head/contact

Quote:
Originally Posted by johnPH74HR View Post
Interestingly, as soon as the contact cleaner had been applied (Servisol Super 10) the cassette started to play slightly slowly (I tried several cassettes, with the same result). Could this be coincidence? ...
It seems likely. Maybe the better connections in the switch would lead to less power available for the motor... but that seems a long shot as the motor has its own regulation.

Is it possible the dirty rec/play switch caused such obvious problems that a slightly slow speed was not noticed until the main fault was sorted?
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