Great video and trip down memory lane. Had one of these in 1986; £220 second hand, without power supply which was an extra £30. Somehow I managed to smuggle my X-15 and battery cart into a Depeche Mode gig in Edinburgh in '88. No idea how the bouncer searching us managed to miss it!
This was the machine I used to step into the world of recording, back in the '80's... I'm very proud to own and have restored three of them at the moment. He's right... it doesn't come with a lot of possibilities to choose of, but with a rather small extern mixer it became a living memory of nearly 40 years ago... I also still have my Yamaha MT 8X, 8 tracks with DBX... but I noticed that DBX is more of a (more aggressive) 'Expander' than the Dolby on the X 15. These days while using Pro Tools and Logic, it still I my Second Love...
What a great review! I had one of these and spent countless hours laying down my pieces of music onto it and sending them off to the 'Friday Night Rock Show'. The host Tommy Vance played 3 of my tracks on his radio show. Somewhere, probably in my fathers loft, there is a box of many cassettes of my musical efforts. I would live to get hold of one again!
I'm rebuilding one of these and the tape transport / head is stuck up, and the play mechanism goes down but the wheel doesn't spin. Rewind and fast forward work fine. What do you think? New belts, mechanical stuff?
My X15 I bought in 1984 cost £200 second hand. Used every weekend for around 10 years! A couple of years ago I thought I'd look to see if any were on eBay. To my surprise I managed to get one for only £5 - and working fine too!
I am the original owner of one of these units (USA model). It stopped working. I was wondering whether to fix it or look for another unit that can play the master tapes I recorded with this machine. With this in mind, can you recommend an alternative 4 track cassette multitrack recorder that can replace my X-15 unit. I can't seem to find any (working) Fostex x-15 units these days. If you have a tip on another alternative unit that can work for me it would be much appreciated. Thanks, bob
I have this machine but cant seem to get the 4 tape outs to work.... no idea what im doing wrong. Ground loop sound and track bleed on all four tracks. I know this is vague, but any ideas where to start?
It's tough because I haven't found a legible schematic for that unit, so diagnostic approaches like using an audio probe are going to be hard to apply...if you can put up with the hassle of ordering and installing replacement electrolytic capacitors for that whole board and apply fresh solder to all contacts while you're in there, there's a fair chance that will catch your issue.
@@Tetrakan Thanks for the response, ive been able to pick up two copies of this unit for $50 CAD each so I will try recapping the board as I have a spare if it goes to shit. I really enjoy the aesthetic of this machine so having fun with it.
Wonder if you can help with a question - do you know how the insides of the x15 composer t the x18? Is it a different cassette player inside? Have a chance to grab one for £20 but would be my first time trying a repair/resore.
I don't know for sure because to date the be never had one of those,, but judging by the exterior of the unit in photos it's either got the same transport as the x15 or the same one that's in my Tascam porta 02 and 414 teardowns which is actually easier to work with. In either case at £20 I say it's worth a shot because even if you get stuck someone else will buy it off you for more than that.
@@Tetrakan thanks for the reply - sounds useful to get then. I am keen to have a go as a personal challenge so £20 is a chance to open one up and have a go at very little cost :)
You need another unit that does slow speed (1 and 7/8 inches per second) and the same type of noise reduction, that’s dbx for the porta one. Some tascam units are single speed, some dual, you need one that is dual speed or slow only . Some fostex units are Dolby noise reduction, but off the top of my head I think all the tascams are dbx. If you’re looking at specific units on craigs list or whatever msg back and I can advise you n compatibility
@@Tetrakan Thanks for the quick reply. I will have a closer look at my porta01 but I know I could vary the speed when mastering so I could reach those high notes!
My Fostex X-15 broke. I'm interested in finding alternative cassette 4 track machine that can play back my Fostex X-15 recorded multritracks. Can you recommend some good used units that would accept my tapes? @@Tetrakan
I love your POV videos with you talking, great stuff, I can get my hand on a X-15 with for 100€ with all the ass. punch-in ball, ( no clue where this is for) manual, power supply unit, replacement belt, battery strip for portable use, and cinch to 6.3mm jack cable. I don't have any experience with a multitrack tape recorder, but I know I really like it, its just the risk of no knowledge how to repair it myself.. But the owner says it works ok. In yourteardown video you quote: "Honestly this is not an ideal beginners project, in fact it's one of the hardest units I've worked on" I want to start cheap to avoid big disappointments.. Really want to make gritty lofi and using synths with it. So its a gamble I guess for this x15? for 200€ there are other options with more channels, and options. difficult to decide
That price for that condition in this market = quite a good deal, and if it needs no work for the next couple of years, you got a bargain, but yeah - it is not easy to work on, if it needs work. To be honest many of the cheaper, smaller ones like porta one, porta 05 etc also have this cassette player in it- it is time consuming to fix up, but not impossible for a beginner, especially since i made 7 videos demonstrating the process. It was the electrics which gave me problems, but because the X15 is relatively cheap in the secondhand market, making a working unit with the best bits of two would be an option if your unit developed electrical faults. Good luck!
@@Tetrakan I just bought it, I'm so stoked! my first Tape multitrack Machine! Cant wait to hook it up to my live set and have jam with it. I might open it up and look inside how it looks, I saw your teardown and the foam was complete shmushi ( is that a word?) Will do an update later. Thans for all you're effort and quick response :) Nando - The Netherlands
Great video and trip down memory lane. Had one of these in 1986; £220 second hand, without power supply which was an extra £30.
Somehow I managed to smuggle my X-15 and battery cart into a Depeche Mode gig in Edinburgh in '88. No idea how the bouncer searching us managed to miss it!
I used on from 1989 until 2000 and then I went digital! Great machine, I still have mine.
I was 14 when this came out, and my band and I chipped in to buy one. At the time, it blew our mind.
That makes me smile - you should upload the recordings if you still have them?
@@Tetrakan Ah, my friend. They are lost to the winds of time. :-P
I am *sure* that they sucked.
This was the machine I used to step into the world of recording, back in the '80's... I'm very proud to own and have restored three of them at the moment.
He's right... it doesn't come with a lot of possibilities to choose of, but with a rather small extern mixer it became a living memory of nearly 40 years ago... I also still have my Yamaha MT 8X, 8 tracks with DBX... but I noticed that DBX is more of a (more aggressive) 'Expander' than the Dolby on the X 15. These days while using Pro Tools and Logic, it still I my Second Love...
What a great review! I had one of these and spent countless hours laying down my pieces of music onto it and sending them off to the 'Friday Night Rock Show'. The host Tommy Vance played 3 of my tracks on his radio show. Somewhere, probably in my fathers loft, there is a box of many cassettes of my musical efforts. I would live to get hold of one again!
I'm rebuilding one of these and the tape transport / head is stuck up, and the play mechanism goes down but the wheel doesn't spin. Rewind and fast forward work fine. What do you think? New belts, mechanical stuff?
My X15 I bought in 1984 cost £200 second hand. Used every weekend for around 10 years! A couple of years ago I thought I'd look to see if any were on eBay. To my surprise I managed to get one for only £5 - and working fine too!
Thats a bargain, you dont see them go that cheap often nowadays
I am the original owner of one of these units (USA model). It stopped working. I was wondering whether to fix it or look for another unit that can play the master tapes I recorded with this machine. With this in mind, can you recommend an alternative 4 track cassette multitrack recorder that can replace my X-15 unit. I can't seem to find any (working) Fostex x-15 units these days. If you have a tip on another alternative unit that can work for me it would be much appreciated. Thanks, bob
Hi! Can you tell me which components you replaced please? Im having an issue with mine - get a consistent hum when the machine is playing.
Probably it was electrolytic capacitors on the audio path, if you’re thinking of replacing yours you can message me on Facebook for guidance
I have this machine but cant seem to get the 4 tape outs to work.... no idea what im doing wrong. Ground loop sound and track bleed on all four tracks. I know this is vague, but any ideas where to start?
It's tough because I haven't found a legible schematic for that unit, so diagnostic approaches like using an audio probe are going to be hard to apply...if you can put up with the hassle of ordering and installing replacement electrolytic capacitors for that whole board and apply fresh solder to all contacts while you're in there, there's a fair chance that will catch your issue.
@@Tetrakan Thanks for the response, ive been able to pick up two copies of this unit for $50 CAD each so I will try recapping the board as I have a spare if it goes to shit. I really enjoy the aesthetic of this machine so having fun with it.
Wonder if you can help with a question - do you know how the insides of the x15 composer t the x18? Is it a different cassette player inside? Have a chance to grab one for £20 but would be my first time trying a repair/resore.
I don't know for sure because to date the be never had one of those,, but judging by the exterior of the unit in photos it's either got the same transport as the x15 or the same one that's in my Tascam porta 02 and 414 teardowns which is actually easier to work with. In either case at £20 I say it's worth a shot because even if you get stuck someone else will buy it off you for more than that.
@@Tetrakan thanks for the reply - sounds useful to get then. I am keen to have a go as a personal challenge so £20 is a chance to open one up and have a go at very little cost :)
I recorded a lot of songs on a Tascam porta 01 in the 1980's. Would those tapes work on another brand 4-track if I wanted to redo some tracks?
You need another unit that does slow speed (1 and 7/8 inches per second) and the same type of noise reduction, that’s dbx for the porta one. Some tascam units are single speed, some dual, you need one that is dual speed or slow only . Some fostex units are Dolby noise reduction, but off the top of my head I think all the tascams are dbx. If you’re looking at specific units on craigs list or whatever msg back and I can advise you n compatibility
@@Tetrakan Thanks for the quick reply. I will have a closer look at my porta01 but I know I could vary the speed when mastering so I could reach those high notes!
My Fostex X-15 broke. I'm interested in finding alternative cassette 4 track machine that can play back my Fostex X-15 recorded multritracks. Can you recommend some good used units that would accept my tapes? @@Tetrakan
such a beautiful machine imo
It really is!
I love your POV videos with you talking, great stuff, I can get my hand on a X-15 with for 100€ with all the ass. punch-in ball, ( no clue where this is for) manual, power supply unit, replacement belt, battery strip for portable use, and cinch to 6.3mm jack cable. I don't have any experience with a multitrack tape recorder, but I know I really like it, its just the risk of no knowledge how to repair it myself.. But the owner says it works ok. In yourteardown video you quote: "Honestly this is not an ideal beginners project, in fact it's one of the hardest units I've worked on" I want to start cheap to avoid big disappointments.. Really want to make gritty lofi and using synths with it. So its a gamble I guess for this x15? for 200€ there are other options with more channels, and options. difficult to decide
That price for that condition in this market = quite a good deal, and if it needs no work for the next couple of years, you got a bargain, but yeah - it is not easy to work on, if it needs work. To be honest many of the cheaper, smaller ones like porta one, porta 05 etc also have this cassette player in it- it is time consuming to fix up, but not impossible for a beginner, especially since i made 7 videos demonstrating the process. It was the electrics which gave me problems, but because the X15 is relatively cheap in the secondhand market, making a working unit with the best bits of two would be an option if your unit developed electrical faults. Good luck!
@@Tetrakan I just bought it, I'm so stoked! my first Tape multitrack Machine! Cant wait to hook it up to my live set and have jam with it. I might open it up and look inside how it looks, I saw your teardown and the foam was complete shmushi ( is that a word?) Will do an update later. Thans for all you're effort and quick response :) Nando - The Netherlands
Pan sweep is a nice facility.
5:44 😂🤣🤣👍🏽
$500 of 1984 money in 2023 dollars is $1400