Ampex ATR100 repair

[gareth magennis]

Hi,

how do you get the input/output modules out of the rack above the machine?

Normally I can work these things out.

https://atrservice.com/ampex-atr-100-series/



Cheers,


Gareth.

[Scott Dorsey]

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>
>how do you get the input/output modules out of the rack above the machine?

On the far right of each I/O panel, in the center of the righthand side, is
a hole with a hex screw inside it. Put the right hex tool (it's not the same
one used for the head adjustments) in, and unscrew the screw as far as it will
go. It's captive but at some point it just rattles around.

Then grab both knobs and pull hard and it will pop out. It is held in only
by the edge card connector but if it's been a decade since it was last pulled
the connector might be kind of sticky. Cramolin it before you put it back in
and next time will be easier.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[gareth magennis]

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message ...

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>
>how do you get the input/output modules out of the rack above the machine?

On the far right of each I/O panel, in the center of the righthand side, is
a hole with a hex screw inside it. Put the right hex tool (it's not the
same
one used for the head adjustments) in, and unscrew the screw as far as it
will
go. It's captive but at some point it just rattles around.

Then grab both knobs and pull hard and it will pop out. It is held in only
by the edge card connector but if it's been a decade since it was last
pulled
the connector might be kind of sticky. Cramolin it before you put it back
in
and next time will be easier.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."




*******************



Thanks, Scott, I didn't want to break anything.


Gareth.

[Tobiah]

On 07/11/2018 03:08 PM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>>
>> how do you get the input/output modules out of the rack above the machine?
>
> On the far right of each I/O panel, in the center of the righthand side, is
> a hole with a hex screw inside it. Put the right hex tool (it's not the same
> one used for the head adjustments) in, and unscrew the screw as far as it will
> go. It's captive but at some point it just rattles around.
>
> Then grab both knobs and pull hard and it will pop out. It is held in only
> by the edge card connector but if it's been a decade since it was last pulled
> the connector might be kind of sticky. Cramolin it before you put it back in
> and next time will be easier.
> --scott
>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-68iTvhWNB0

:40 sec for the impatient

[gareth magennis]

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message ...

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>
>how do you get the input/output modules out of the rack above the machine?

On the far right of each I/O panel, in the center of the righthand side, is
a hole with a hex screw inside it. Put the right hex tool (it's not the
same
one used for the head adjustments) in, and unscrew the screw as far as it
will
go. It's captive but at some point it just rattles around.

Then grab both knobs and pull hard and it will pop out. It is held in only
by the edge card connector but if it's been a decade since it was last
pulled
the connector might be kind of sticky. Cramolin it before you put it back
in
and next time will be easier.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."



***********************



Scott, quick question if I may be lazy but perhaps learn something I
wouldn't otherwise ....

This is a 2 track machine, but it doesn't output the Sync signal on either
side, though the logic/leds work as expected.
I realise if you are using this as a stereo recorder you would not need to
use the sync facility, but is there a sync able/disable function built in?
Or are there stereo versions and 2 track versions?



Cheers,


Gareth.

[Scott Dorsey]

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>
>This is a 2 track machine, but it doesn't output the Sync signal on either
>side, though the logic/leds work as expected.
>I realise if you are using this as a stereo recorder you would not need to
>use the sync facility, but is there a sync able/disable function built in?
>Or are there stereo versions and 2 track versions?

The reason why the sel-synch on the ATR-100 just sounds so much better than
any machine ever made before it is that it has a completely different signal
path for sel-sync.

The record head has a second set of windings for synch and there is a
second playback amplifier with different setup than the normal playback
head amp.

Anything anywhere in that path could be wrong, but if it is a machine of
unknown provenance and you don't have the log book for it, I'd first check
to see how many wires are coming out of the record head. Someone may have
replaced the record head with a less expensive third-party version that did
not have a synch winding, expecting they would never need to use sel-synch.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>
>This seems to be a very nice machine indeed.

It has some kinks and it's heavier on tape than you might want for archive
material, but the transport is nothing short of amazing and it is rock steady.
If you do not know about the Ampex mailing list, it is worth looking it up
online and joining.

I have never seen a tape machine with lower subjective flutter.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Scott Dorsey]

Gareth Magennis > wrote:
>Good call, Scott, the heads have been replaced.
>The connector for the Sel Sync coils is hanging in mid air.
>
>Can you tell from the photo what these heads might be?
>
>http://tinypic.com/r/111qs6h/9

The big Flux Magnetics logo on top is a giveaway. If you call JRF, John
will probably know the complete history of that machine.
--scott


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."