I usually turn clock wise and anti-clockwise until I lose the treble in either direction and then settle in the middle. The special tool I use is my ears.
me too. I reckon my ears are trained enough after listening to music for many years - if it sounds off, Im pretty sure I can tell. I also compare it to a digital version of the music through the same hifi.
Hi Gary. I had to oil the motors of my Yamaha KX-580se because while playing back tapes recorded on other tape decks it started making a horrible squealing noise. Without thinking, I unscrewed the pinch roller and heads. This means that both my record and playback heads are now out of alignment. So, if I record something, I'm recording with a misaligned head. If I then adjust the playback head to make that recording sound good, won't other tapes recorded on an aligned deck sound bad?
What I have since discovered is that the Yamaha KX-580se is a two head deck which means that the left head is erase and the right head is both record and playback. So, alignment of the playback head azimuth is also alignment of the record head azimuth. So, I guess my new question is: how does one correctly align the erase head?
The erase head is not realy in need of alignment. Assuming you have only undone it and not bent anything then the erase head will be ok . Just pop it on the mounts it came from. If you Alline the Azimuth as shown in my video that will be ok for playback and record.. The Erase head just has to be the correct height. The best way for the layman is to record some loud music on both sides then record silence on one side and when playing back the silence listen if there is a breakthrough from the recording on the other side. . any further questions please just ask.
Here are my findings on this argument: even if you use high quality cables I would never go through a Y connector. They've always been garbage and they'll always be, once you connect to some other source even if they were the best it's going to hamper the quality especially in the upper frequencies you're trying to alight your tape deck with. Then there's the alignment: I would never align a tape deck onto itself (e.g: deck A to deck B). What I'd do if lacking a proper test tape which are getting rarer and rarer these days is align the azimuth on some known optimally recorded tape from the same deck (example: when it was new), use a known good quality cassette album (music) or ask someone with a very fine non-reversing deck to record an alignment tape for me and use that as a reference. I've already in the past been victim of myself by trying to align a tape deck through adapters: always use direct in/out, or the headphones connector of the tape deck. If you really need to pass through an amplifier at least use source direct to skip the equalizing step. That Function Generator app is simply amazing.
I input with a Trrs AV lead. The tablet was fed with a Mono coupler. The Mic input is signal, the app i used is happy with line level. I used a AV lead ( left right Video) the Mic input on the tablet was the Video plug.
On the head assembly, there are two screws. One is mounted into a solid screwed stump, the other normally has a spring around the screw and that one can be adjusted,. The exact arrangements differ from deck to deck but they are all a variation of the same thing. That screw will adjust the tilt (Azimuth) But a word of warning. Mostly it is sealed, and should not need adjusting. So don't do it until you have proved beyond a doubt that it needs doing. Good luck. I hope that helps.
The best piece of equipment when adjusting the azimuth is your wife. My high tone hearing is buggered ruding motorcycles and going to gigs. My wife can hear at least 3khz higher than me. Use your good lady for fine adjustment
I have both as I pointed out in the Video. This is a' Get yourself out of a HOLE' that you should not have gotten into in the first place' HOW TO'. There is a video on my channel about what Azimuth is and also a Troubleshooting- How to which states. Don't Fiddle leave well alone unless you really have to. Then once they have fiddled, if they want to, they can get it done by a PRO. or not.
I usually turn clock wise and anti-clockwise until I lose the treble in either direction and then settle in the middle. The special tool I use is my ears.
That's what a lot of people do. My ears are old so I use a phone app ( free) just to be on the safe side.
me too. I reckon my ears are trained enough after listening to music for many years - if it sounds off, Im pretty sure I can tell. I also compare it to a digital version of the music through the same hifi.
Hi Gary. I had to oil the motors of my Yamaha KX-580se because while playing back tapes recorded on other tape decks it started making a horrible squealing noise. Without thinking, I unscrewed the pinch roller and heads. This means that both my record and playback heads are now out of alignment. So, if I record something, I'm recording with a misaligned head. If I then adjust the playback head to make that recording sound good, won't other tapes recorded on an aligned deck sound bad?
What I have since discovered is that the Yamaha KX-580se is a two head deck which means that the left head is erase and the right head is both record and playback. So, alignment of the playback head azimuth is also alignment of the record head azimuth. So, I guess my new question is: how does one correctly align the erase head?
The erase head is not realy in need of alignment. Assuming you have only undone it and not bent anything then the erase head will be ok . Just pop it on the mounts it came from. If you Alline the Azimuth as shown in my video that will be ok for playback and record.. The Erase head just has to be the correct height. The best way for the layman is to record some loud music on both sides then record silence on one side and when playing back the silence listen if there is a breakthrough from the recording on the other side. . any further questions please just ask.
@@GaryKeepItSimple Thanks, Gary.
Hi i have a walkman but the screw near head is a bit stripped i think how can i adjust it now?
Send me a picture of it and I will see what I can suggest. email address in channel details.
what oscilloscope app are you using?
This series of videos shows the app I use. All were available from Google Play for free.
ua-cam.com/video/hneuHSux6cQ/v-deo.html
@@GaryKeepItSimple thank ya sir
Here are my findings on this argument: even if you use high quality cables I would never go through a Y connector. They've always been garbage and they'll always be, once you connect to some other source even if they were the best it's going to hamper the quality especially in the upper frequencies you're trying to alight your tape deck with.
Then there's the alignment: I would never align a tape deck onto itself (e.g: deck A to deck B). What I'd do if lacking a proper test tape which are getting rarer and rarer these days is align the azimuth on some known optimally recorded tape from the same deck (example: when it was new), use a known good quality cassette album (music) or ask someone with a very fine non-reversing deck to record an alignment tape for me and use that as a reference.
I've already in the past been victim of myself by trying to align a tape deck through adapters: always use direct in/out, or the headphones connector of the tape deck. If you really need to pass through an amplifier at least use source direct to skip the equalizing step.
That Function Generator app is simply amazing.
No argument from me.
@@GaryKeepItSimple I know... I am fighting my own shadow.
How did you connect stereo jack to tablet?? I cannot get input to my tablet, only output :(
I input with a Trrs AV lead. The tablet was fed with a Mono coupler. The Mic input is signal, the app i used is happy with line level. I used a AV lead ( left right Video) the Mic input on the tablet was the Video plug.
You can get good results using the inbuilt mic. It is better than by ear but not Ideal.
How do I adjust the tilt?
On the head assembly, there are two screws. One is mounted into a solid screwed stump, the other normally has a spring around the screw and that one can be adjusted,. The exact arrangements differ from deck to deck but they are all a variation of the same thing. That screw will adjust the tilt (Azimuth) But a word of warning. Mostly it is sealed, and should not need adjusting. So don't do it until you have proved beyond a doubt that it needs doing. Good luck. I hope that helps.
The best piece of equipment when adjusting the azimuth is your wife. My high tone hearing is buggered ruding motorcycles and going to gigs. My wife can hear at least 3khz higher than me. Use your good lady for fine adjustment
Or an app if she is not available. LOL
Don't understand your connections from cassette deck to laptop.
It was an Android tablet. you can use the Mic it is good enough.
Looks like special tools to me!
Only if you call a screwdriver a special tool and the Phone apps are free. What were you referring to as a special tool?
The test tape... If your device is the device you need to adjust, you can't use it to record the test tape.
What software are you using for this? I think you'd be best off using a proper test tape with tones.
I have both as I pointed out in the Video. This is a' Get yourself out of a HOLE' that you should not have gotten into in the first place' HOW TO'.
There is a video on my channel about what Azimuth is and also a Troubleshooting- How to which states. Don't Fiddle leave well alone unless you really have to. Then once they have fiddled, if they want to, they can get it done by a PRO. or not.
azimuth
Yep
Are you aware that you just used a magnetic screwdriver on the tape path?
It was not magnetic. It was steel. It was not a problem. I checked. Anyway I have a demagnetiser if required.