What is Magnetic Tape?

Magnetic tape is a tape-shaped material carrying a magnetic layer for recording sound, images, digital or other signals. It is a magnetic recording material with the largest output and the most widely used. It is usually made by coating a layer of granular magnetic material on a plastic film tape base (support) or by evaporating a layer of magnetic oxide or alloy film. Paper and celluloid have been used as tape bases, and now polyester films with high strength, good stability and non-deformation are mainly used.

Magnetic tape can be roughly divided according to use

Common tape failures

The sound is not clear (allowable error range of national standard -48dB)

Possible faults:

There is dirt on the head of the player.

Solution: Use an alcohol cotton ball to gently wipe the playback head. Be careful not to use tweezers, screwdrivers and other metal objects.

The wool sticky pad on the top of the tape is loose or detached.

Solution: To repair, replace the wool sticky pad.

The tape is deformed, discounted, dampened, or magnetized.

Solution: exchange and scrap.

The playback head is severely worn.

Solution: Replace the playback head. When the amateur is replaced, the magnetic head inductance and resistance should be the same.

The head azimuth shift is incorrect.

Tuning: Put the cassette in the box to play, and use a small screwdriver to adjust the spring-loaded screws on the magnetic head to move inside and out to maximize the volume.

The sound is suddenly loud

Possible faults:

Check whether the mechanical transmission of the player is normal, such as whether the pinch roller is aging, whether the main shaft is dirty, whether the belt is aging, or the groove is wrong.

Solution: Clean or replace.

Whether the white wheel of the cassette tape is deformed, and whether the wool sticky pad is loose.

Solution: repair, replace

Left and right channel crosstalk (allowable error range of national standard -34dB)

Possible faults:

Check whether the magnetic head of the player is worn.

Solution: Replace the magnetic head.

Check whether the moving machinery is normal.

Solution: Repair.

The tape is not acceptable.

Solution: swap the tape

AB surface crosstalk (allowable error range of national standard -52dB)

Possible faults:

Check whether the playback magnetic head and mechanical transmission are normal.

Solution: Repair.

Check whether the magnetic head fork is loose.

Solution: adjust the stickiness.

Whether a super high power amplifier is used.

Solution: Turn the volume down.

The tape is unqualified.

Solution: swap.

Interruption of the transport process

Possible faults:

Check if the machine's supply pulley rotates.

Solution: Repair or replace.

Check whether the two wheels of the tape can rotate flexibly.

Solution: Repair or replace.

Whether the take-up reel of the player is rotating.

Solution: Repair or replace.

Is the method of operating the player correct?

Solution: Change the operation method.

Inaudible

Possible faults:

Inspect the magnetic head for dirt, wear, aging, and correct head azimuth.

Solution: clean the head, repair, and adjust.

Check whether the hair sticky pad on the top of the tape has come off.

Solution: repair, replace.

Factory processing is unqualified.

Solution: Reverse tape repair, that is, rewind the front and rear wheels of the tape by reversing the phase and rewinding.

Voice interruption, pause

Possible faults:

Check whether the playback operation method is wrong, and press the wrong button. (If you press the recording button by mistake)

Solution: Correct the operation method.

Whether the drive mechanism of the player is normal, whether the power supply voltage is stable, whether the battery clip is oxidized, and whether the contact is bad.

Solution: Repair or replace the battery or power supply.

Whether the tape rotates flexibly.

Solution: Repair, loosen the five screws on the front of the tape

The left and right channel levels of the tape are not the same, the sound on the AB side is different (the national standard allows 1dB difference between left and right, and 2dB difference on AB)

Possible faults:

There is dirt on the sound head, the magnetic head is worn or the factory is unqualified.

Solution: clean the head or replace the player.

The playback head is aging, the magnetic head is worn away, the azimuth is uneven, or the tape is unqualified.

Solution: Replace or repair the player or replace the tape.

The difference between tape piracy

Genuine (original) magnetic tapes are generally imported materials, including cake tapes, adhesive tapes, AB stickers and outer seals are printed by regular printers, factory machines are used for labeling, and machine packaging. The instruments and equipment are imported digital master machines and 10MHZ bias magnetic independent amplification, wide frequency response, low noise, and high distortion duplicators. The slitting and filling machine is produced by a national standard manufacturer. The slitting is reliable, the head and tail are consistent, there is no blank space before and after, the sound is clear, and the tone is not out of adjustment. In addition, the original (original) tapes of song tapes are characterized by sufficient records. The songs on the tapes are complete and long. Some songs are as long as nearly 5 minutes, more than 5 minutes, or longer. Long version of the song.

Pirated tapes use inferior cake tapes, each wheel (front wheel, rear wheel, white wheel, etc.) is not wear-resistant, the quality of the slip sheet is very poor, and the copying equipment is very poor (generally a small machine dubbing). Low level, high noise, poor frequency response, unclear sound, running tune, long front and back margins. In addition, pirated tapes in song tapes are characterized by insufficient recordings, incomplete and short songs, and some songs have been shortened by just over a minute or less. When recording, some songs are recorded without beginning or end, and some songs are omitted from the middle when recording. Individual songs even disappear after a while. ^[4]