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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 13th Jan 2021, 2:42 am   #1
Uncle Bulgaria
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Default Uher CR 210 Overhaul

After the success of my CR 240 being used in the studio, back when we were going to work, an impressed off-grid colleague ordered a CR 210 which will run on her 12V photovoltaics.

Threads on the CR 210 are thin on the ground here so I thought I'd report as I go along in case it's useful for anyone in the future.

It's basically working after some mechanical fettling and judicious soldering of tiny broken wires to the solenoid control board. It's an autoreverse deck, and has the option of playing forwards and backwards. Interestingly, playing backwards (I assume this because the joystick control is flicked left, and the play indicator shows '2') has a much clearer sound than playing forwards. More treble, less muffled. Any idea why?
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Old 13th Jan 2021, 10:17 am   #2
DMcMahon
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

PB head alignment possibly.

David
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 11:51 am   #3
HECTOR63
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

https://zstereo.co.uk/2016/01/19/uhe...0the%20formula.

This article may help about half way down with advices.
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 11:54 am   #4
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Thanks HECTOR63 - I had seen that article but that was partly where the confusion has arisen. It refers to the fixed azimuth meaning autoreverse playback is not ideal, but in my case the playback quality is far less muffled in reverse than it is normally!

I haven't checked the head alignment, though it seems an unlikely part to go out of alignment by itself. Perhaps it's been 'got at' in the past. I have the service manual on the way from SDS, just in case there are different procedures than on the CR 240. With new belts, testing will be easier too!
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 11:58 am   #5
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Tape riding up or down? It doesn't take much.

Lawrence.
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 12:15 pm   #6
HECTOR63
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Bulgaria View Post
Thanks HECTOR63 - I had seen that article but that was partly where the confusion has arisen. It refers to the fixed azimuth meaning autoreverse playback is not ideal, but in my case the playback quality is far less muffled in reverse than it is normally!

I haven't checked the head alignment, though it seems an unlikely part to go out of alignment by itself. Perhaps it's been 'got at' in the past. I have the service manual on the way from SDS, just in case there are different procedures than on the CR 240. With new belts, testing will be easier too!
Many thanks for reply- yes be good to get a scope on the playback points to check head alignment etc as I used to work for a Car radio repair centre in the 80s and Uher made some fabulous gear-in the golden age of the likes of Sansui,Nakamichi,Pioneer,and dare I type Sharp and Audio line plus Motorola etc. Clarion did some very impressive gear too-very busy and very happy days during those times! We even had a Philips Prestel terminal for factory parts orders with Germany and witnessed so many new technology take ups from Philips and alike from the very early Traffic updating right into RDS then tape to Dat to mini disc and finally CD and later DVD! Uher and Blaupunkt Graphic equalisers for dash mount were superb specially Uher sold a whole lot of them in them days!

Last edited by HECTOR63; 14th Jan 2021 at 12:17 pm. Reason: Spelling!
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Old 14th Jan 2021, 12:30 pm   #7
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1ZiJdpKHKc

This is worth a watch aswell
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Old 17th Jan 2021, 11:28 pm   #8
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Here's the first big problem: switch breakages. The record switch has snapped as on my CR 240. Also the latching mechanism for one of the other switches has sheared. It's a nylon part, so I'm not sure what's the best method to repair or re-manufacture this. The small hook you see next to the piece should be inside the cavity, to catch the pin of the switch to enable latching.

The record switch is more awkward than the CR 240 because the contacts continue over the top of the switch body. I'm not sure if my previous method of using copper-clad board will work, although the broken end suggests they have done exactly what I did and used two pieces of a similar material.
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Old 18th Jan 2021, 12:15 am   #9
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

That is bad news !
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Old 18th Jan 2021, 1:50 pm   #10
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Yes very tricky indeed! Possible £D printer cutter for parts manufacture? Or resin fix with and using a Dremel to shape and profile very fiddly and time consuming but worth a look Otherwise usual scrap parts from another hopefully not having the same issue but due to ages and wear and tear etc can be problematic! In the 80s the amount of Flywheels and Head latching tape head mechs we did was vast! Flywheels became part of a repair kit from Philips after a while but the head plate mech part we used to use a humble metal part reshaped from crimp connector spades and file down to profile and shape and became 100% fix all the time. But that was Philips but a bit of ingenuity at times works wonders even if time consuming
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Old 18th Jan 2021, 3:24 pm   #11
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

I will investigate the contacts to see if the top part does anything, or if it's merely for continuity between the two sides. If the latter, it could be done with two pieces of PCB, suitably etched, with wire-and-solder vias. That would have the advantage of mechanically linking the two halves as well.

The nylon part needs more thought. It's for a friend, so I don't want to have to buy another CR 210 from Germany (likely £100) just for a nylon part, which will then make the second CR 210 useless. I suppose the most drastic method would be a new latching switch somehow mounted in the case.

I have no experience with 3D printing, but understand it's possible to get small parts made by uploading a file to such websites as do such a thing. Making the 3D file might be a drag though, and it would need a lot of cleaning up. Possibly a metal casting could be made using jewellery techniques. My brother is a jeweller so that may be a robust option.
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Old 19th Jan 2021, 1:51 pm   #12
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Default Re: Uher CR 210 Overhaul

Yes great idea with seeking your brother's help Looks like it's made for you then on this one Yes 3D is a bit of work but if somebody was all geared up that might be able to help at least it's another possibility and the board idea if it works might be worth a trial

There is a very good repair agent called Les Evans that's been repairing Car Radio for many years and might be worth a call, just google the name think it's called Les Evans Electrical. Used Les in the past and he's a real good guy worth a punt!
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