Fostex e16 to 30 IPS?

[Phil Manning]

Looking for info re: is it possible to modify an E16 to run at 30 IPS -
if so, where can I find instructions or any other info on E16 mods

Thanks

Phil Manning

www.lbmusic.com

[Rick Ruskin]

On Fri, 06 Aug 1999 15:46:49 GMT, Phil Manning <ph...@lbmusic.com>
wrote:

Contact Fostex. They might not do the mod anymore but should be able
to provide the info. I still use a factory made 30ips E-16 from time
to time and am quite happy with it. Only draw back is the Dolby C nr.
I defeat it and use dbx I instead. Much better transient response and
high freq performance.

Rick Ruskin
Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA
http://www.isomedia.com/homes/liondog
http://www.itrstudio.com/rruskin.html
http://www.videoprogressions.com/rickbio.htm
http://www.fingerstyleguitar.com/books.htm

[Michael Grass]

Ooops, mine is a G16, not an E. I dont know if you have the jumpers or not.
Rick Ruskin wrote in message <37ab304b...@news.isomedia.com>...

[Michael Grass]

No real "mod"needed, just a couple of jumpers on the motor control board. On
mine they are labled. Pull the back off and look aound, I do not remember
exactly where to tell you to look, but mine went from 15 to 30 in about 15
minutes. Good luck.

[Michael Grass]

Yep. Absolutely
2DJVengac wrote in message <37AD83...@is.right>...
>axeman wrote:
>>
>> Don't you have to re bias?
>
>re-bias
>re-eq
>re-cal rep & rec
>
>things you should do every time you turn the thing on, much less do
>somethign with the cover off...

[axeman]

Don't you have to re bias?

On Sat, 7 Aug 1999 10:15:39 -0700, "Michael Grass"

[2DJVengac]

axeman wrote:
>
> Don't you have to re bias?

re-bias

re-eq
re-cal rep & rec

things you should do every time you turn the thing on, much less do
somethign with the cover off...

>

[Phil Manning]

My E16 definitely has jumpers on the capstan motor for 15/30 ips - that much I
knew - I'm glad to hear that 30ips E16s exist - however a "tech" told me it
was much more complex than just switching the jumper - changing components on
the rec/repro boards and like that - I was hoping against hope that I could
just move the jumper and set up the machine - I bought the service manual - it
shows nothing about 30 ips - but I find it hard to believe they would make
completely different rec/repro boards just for a speed change - I may give it a
whirl just on one channel to find out once and for all

Thanks for your input

Phil Manning
www.lbmusic.com

Michael Grass wrote:

> Ooops, mine is a G16, not an E. I dont know if you have the jumpers or not.

[Jay Kahrs]

I should've jumped in a while ago. Anyway, my E-16 was purchased second hand
and it was already at 30ips. I considered modding it so that I could switch it
between 15 and 30 with the flick of a wrist. So I called John French at JRF
Magnetics and he said that while it was possible to do he wouldn't recommend
it. You really have to commit to 15 or 30. In addition to the alignment
issues the machine has to be recapped and change some resisitors etc.

I don't know if my machine is stock at 30 but I suspect it was modded. The
manual makes no refrence to a 30ips E-16. I do have schmatics for both the
machine and the remote, and the owners manual for both. I think I also have
the service manual if anybody wants a copy of it.

<<My E16 definitely has jumpers on the capstan motor for 15/30 ips - that much
I
knew - I'm glad to hear that 30ips E16s exist - however a "tech" told me it
was much more complex than just switching the jumper - changing components on
the rec/repro boards and like that - I was hoping against hope that I could
just move the jumper and set up the machine - I bought the service manual - it
shows nothing about 30 ips - but I find it hard to believe they would make
completely different rec/repro boards just for a speed change - I may give it a
whirl just on one channel to find out once and for all>>

-Jay Kahrs
BrownSound Studios
Morris Plains, NJ
http://members.tripod.com/~BrownSoundStudios

[trock...@gmail.com]

Hello everyone! I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

Thanks. Trockstudio

[Mike Rivers]

On 5/19/2014 4:58 AM, trock...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
> When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
> I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

If that's the best way you can describe your problem, I think you
probably need more than the service manual, you need a better
understanding of tape recorders before you go to work on it. Bias
adjustment on this machine is very time consuming because it doesn't
have a separate playback head. You have to record a test tone (most
likely 10 kHz), check the playback level, make a slight change to the
bias, record the tone again, play it back, and see if the level changes.
If it doesn't, make a further adjustment of the bias, and test again.
Repeat until you find the peak level, then increase the bias a bit at a
time so that the level drops to 3 dB below the peak.

Then, after adjusting the playback level and equalization using a
calibration ("alignment") tape,, you need to go through a similar
procedure as the bias adjustment only this time adjusting the record level.

On a recorder with separate record and playback heads, the electronic
adjustment is a pretty simple operation, but since the E-16 shares the
same head for recording and playback, you can't observer what's
happening with the playback in real time while making a recording
adjustment.

Was there really a 30 ips model of the R-16? I though it was only 15
ips. Conversion would be a pretty extensive job.

--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without
a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be
operated without a passing knowledge of audio" - John Watkinson

Drop by http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com now and then

[Scott Dorsey]

In article <67b7695b-ea04-4db7...@googlegroups.com>,

What do you mean by "blown out?" Meters peg or don't move at all? Is it
going into record mode with all the red lights coming on? Does sel-sync
playback work?

Give Fostex a call, they still have service manuals for the things and
still a lot of spare parts (or they did as of a year ago when I worked
on a B16 for someone).

Odds are if it's failed in storage, it's apt to be connectors and contacts
going bad.
--scott

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

[William Sommerwerck]

Mike, I don't think your description of analog open-reel tape recorder setup
is correct.

[PStamler]

On Monday, May 19, 2014 7:54:18 AM UTC-6, William Sommerwerck wrote:
> Mike, I don't think your description of analog open-reel tape recorder setup
> is correct.

It's pretty much right as far as bias adjustment is concerned, and he tells you how to deal with the single record/playback head, which is a screaming PITA.

15 ips and 30ips have completely different EQ curves; 15 (on American NAB machines) has corners at 50Hz and 3150Hz, while 30 uses the AES curve, with a single corner at 9000Hz. So that need to be changed; the bias and pre-emphasis do too.

Me, I'd sell the thing.

Peace,
Paul

[Rick Ruskin]

Is this a 30 ips machine or are you attempting to convert it to that
speed. What the hell does "all tracks was blown out" mean?

[Rick Ruskin]

On Mon, 19 May 2014 06:40:50 -0400, Mike Rivers <mm1...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>On 5/19/2014 4:58 AM, trock...@gmail.com wrote:
>> I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
>> When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
>> I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.
>
>If that's the best way you can describe your problem, I think you
>probably need more than the service manual, you need a better
>understanding of tape recorders before you go to work on it. Bias
>adjustment on this machine is very time consuming because it doesn't
>have a separate playback head. You have to record a test tone (most
>likely 10 kHz), check the playback level, make a slight change to the
>bias, record the tone again, play it back, and see if the level changes.
>If it doesn't, make a further adjustment of the bias, and test again.
>Repeat until you find the peak level, then increase the bias a bit at a
>time so that the level drops to 3 dB below the peak.
>
>Then, after adjusting the playback level and equalization using a
>calibration ("alignment") tape,, you need to go through a similar
>procedure as the bias adjustment only this time adjusting the record level.
>
>On a recorder with separate record and playback heads, the electronic
>adjustment is a pretty simple operation, but since the E-16 shares the
>same head for recording and playback, you can't observer what's
>happening with the playback in real time while making a recording
>adjustment.
>
>Was there really a 30 ips model of the R-16? I though it was only 15
>ips. Conversion would be a pretty extensive job.

Fostex did make a 30 ips version of the E-16. I have one. I would
completely align the playback on all tracks before doing anything on
the record side. It is a pain to set up properly.

[Trevor]

"Rick Ruskin" <lio...@isomedia.com> wrote in message
news:r3gkn9592beo1btnc...@4ax.com...

Since I can't see any point in ever recording with it again, I'd just align
it for the tapes you are trying to play back and be done with it.

Trevor.

[James Perrett]

I've no idea what you mean by blown out but it is extremely easy to make
these machines run at 30ips (or 7.5ips for that matter). Of course, the
equalisation will be wrong but, as the 30ips version was available from
the factory, it shouldn't be too hard to change with a little soldering.
The service manual is out there on the net if you look hard enough...

James.
--
JRP Music - http://www.jrpmusic.co.uk