A leisurely look at the classic Sony TC-765 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
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- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
- Thanks to a very generous donation I temporarily have a classic Sony Reel to Reel in the house. Before I pass this on to a friend, I’m checking it out to see what works and what needs work. Join me as stay in and test it out while passing on a few basic tips for anyone unfamiliar with open reel machines.
Reel to Reel Tape Recorder section on eBay (Affiliated Link)
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Here’s my video about the Nixielyzer which appears near the beginning • Nixie Tube Spectrum An...
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Extra special thanks to Wilson for donating the recorder and to Andy for picking it up for me.
I buy my tape reels from www.thomann.de/intl/recording...
The power button was straightened out after making the video - I didn’t notice it was wonky until someone pointed this out on Patreon.
I also spotted a slight imbalance on the zero rest position on the VU needles - so adjusted this using a screw driver in the holes provided for this purpose below each meter. In some shots it shows correctly as the video was shot out of sequence.
I won’t be doing any repair work on this machine. I’m just the intermediary - this is a project for a friend. It’s currently in storage until it can be delivered.
He’s advised me that the woodwork will be getting replaced with proper solid wood panels - turns out he’s a part time carpenter and apparently pretty good with electronics too.
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In this time of madness & chaos, we need more 30 minute long *Techmoan* videos !
Wiggysan Wiggysan longer the better I could watch him live just playing music and stuff man needs a tv channel
Agreed!
I would gladly take a 60min video :)
Here, here!
12 hour live streams!
"The red ink on the metres has faded ... they probably got some sun". So the VU got some UV?
Ian Zamojc An hah....some humor!? You 'needled' us! Ouch! We got the 'point', in 'around (2) bout' fashion. Just "Capstanising in a PINCH!" I jusy love going to the movies to see 2 REELERS!
I love puns
@@SACWarrior70s Lol, like flipping a switch xD
@@SACWarrior70s lol, vinyl and tape jokes
ROFL
I used to be a cabinet maker, making jewelry display cases. That Sony would be a piece of cake to fix cosmetically!
I know absolutely NOTHING about audio equipment but I watched the entire thing in one go with undivided attention. It is entertaining, educational and, dare I say, therapeutic. Keep it up , Mat & stay safe.
Thank you for being a distraction during this difficult time in the world. Stay safe
here here!
And here too :)
Me, I would say “Hear, hear!”.
And WHAT a distraction it is!
Exactly!
I had a zoom department meeting start during a techmoan video and my boss was like, ‘who’s the English man I’m hearing?’ He wasn’t sure if it was a recording or what. I told him his English accent gives me comfort during this, which for some reason he thought was funny.
That enormous clunk noise when Mat presses those buttons ♥️
*sound
that is not noise lol ;-)
... is pleasing!
indeed
That's the sound of a tape transport made of real metal, not plastic or some other cheap material. In 2050, someone might just replace the electrolytic capacitors and rubber drive components in that Sony (or the Pioneer) and enjoy that fine "chunk" sound again as they play some golden oldies from 2020.
Early home VCRs were like that. *Clunk* so satisfying.
A comment on the meters: If I recall my decks correctly, your Pioneer RT909 has dB meters, while the Sony has VU meters. It's an important distinction and they indicate two different things and operate completely differently. That could account for some of the discrepancy you noted. Keep up the great videos as long as you can, Mat. I'll do the same with the random stuff I'm making.
How cool is this - two of my favorite youtubers checking out each others channels!! Stay safe both and please keep the vids coming. (It's no good I've got to head over to Dallas now (virtually speaking))
That’s not quite correct. dB is just a scale of measurement- specifically, the difference between two voltages or power levels. In the case of a recording meter, it is the difference between the ideal voltage for recording to the tape and the actual voltage received.
What you are probably thinking of is VU vs Peak meters. A VU meter is basically an average over a short period of time (a few milliseconds.) A “peak” meter is an instantaneous measure of the highest level over the last second or so.
Both meters should be calibrated to the same zero level - around 0.3v RMS.
However, it looks like the Sony unit is calibrated to a higher nominal voltage, and it commits the worse sin of measuring the playback signal after the output level control. That’s not where you should be metering on a tape deck. The system should always meter the output signal after the pre-amp and before any output level or volume controls.
In other words, the meters are basically useless when measuring output levels, but they are probably reasonable when measuring _input_ levels.
My guess is that Sony and Pioneer have made different assumptions about the saturation level of the tapes and so have calibrated their meters to different reference levels. When being used by itself, it doesn’t matter as much, but if I was using that deck in a studio where tapes might get played on different units, I would absolutely build a calibration tape with known sound levels, then calibrate the recording and playback levels on those meters to a specific audio level on the tape.
@@tomwilson2112 Indeed dB is about comparing levels according to a log scale and defined electrically on a specified impedance. Even meters with needles moving around can be made to show real peak levels if the preceding electronics transform the detected peak levels to the right indication of the needle. Of course without such electronic measures "normal" VU meters would be too slow to follow short peaks. My Tandberg casseteplayer has needle type meters, while my Revox B710MKII uses LED-strips. Both are fast enough...
@@tomwilson2112 The Sony has VU meters in decibels and the Pioneer seems to have PPM-ish peak meters, also in decibels. The VU meters though will almost always register lower for most kinds of content because VU meters have 300 millisecond integration time and PPMs are like 5ms or just instantaneous, a VU meter is effectively doing a 300ms rolling average. VU and peak meters only agree on alignment tones or steady-state sounds.
Really interesting discussion on meters. I looked at a couple of my pro machines all in vu. My definition of pro 1/2 track full bias/eq pots screwdriver set of course right under the meters and (this costs $$) No connecting jacks other than xlr/balenced. Just a thought Happy New Year
The music slowing down combined with taking off the reel at 3:30 was such a smooth edit, very satisfying :)
I would've liked to see the recording made on the Sony played back on the Pioneer system just to see if at full volume it would've maxed the meters out there, either way it was a great video.
Yeah, I was thinking that exact thing.
Yep see my comment made today
Tones are the only way to get it right
Yup, same here.
I have seen the same thing, cassette recorders are somewhat more consistent, however the standard levels for open reel seem to be more manufacturer dependent.
Lovely! I grew up with Sony reel to reel decks, so I appreciate seeing this.
Your technical & troubleshooting abilities excel - even without electronics experience. I also like your shirt! Hunkered down in New York - good luck everyone!
These are truly a piece of an art. They are so satisfying to watch, however the satisfaction costs.
Your channel is so very enjoyable to watch, thank you for all your hard work.
Matt/Techmoan thank you for your brilliant content. My thoughts are with you and others like you who are at risk at this time. Keep up the great work. Without doubt you are amongst the very best CZcams content providers. If I was a Tech or music teacher I would have all my pupils distance learn by having them watch your back catalogue.
You sir, are a legend amongst men. Stay well.
One of my favourite channels, always learning something from you in an entertaining way. Especially now, everyone needs a distraction so thanks so much. Look forward to the next one.
1:20 - you sir are a gentleman and a scholar 👍
Thanks for the video, Mat! I want a reel-to-reel someday for myself, and your videos teach me a lot. I'm an old school technician from the old days, but retired from a totally different field. Lately I've been getting back into old tech that I owned myself back in the 70s and 80s. So far I have a decent turntable and cassette deck. I bought an old 8-track player at a garage sale and was able to repair it and use it in my "stack" of components. I have a feeling that this is just the beginning...
Thank You Mat for doing these videos. I am completely entertained with all your videos on older technology that we may not have known existed. I too was an extreme fan of hifi equipment in the 80's and really enjoy collecting the equipment and seeing it in action.
I always find your videos soothing for some reason, I'm sure lots of people appreciate that more than ever right now, be safe out there, cheers man.
One of the best channels on CZcams. Thank you for continuing to upload during this time of crisis. Stay safe.
The sound of well-recorded tape is highly Desirable, these days. I'm not surpised the machines are still expensive.
ungratefulmetalpansy Do Germans use weird English? Asking as someone with German heritage out of Canada
Andrew Barratt just reel to reel tapes or cassettes as well?
@ungratefulmetalpansy my phone capitalised "desirable" for reasons best known to itself.
@@oliverfasola19 a lot of studios record digitally and then put the individual tracks through a tape machine, to add saturation, a slight bass bump and warmth to a mix.
ungratefulmetalpansy isn’t a noun a person place or thing? If so we capitalize them as well, not saying I didn’t find that capital weird myself. I just googled this to not look dump lol but wouldn’t that be an adverb? ( not a language expect myself )
These machines are so majestic!
Thank you Mat, please carry on making great videos and we will carry on watching them. It's a modern circle of life.
Honestly didn't even notice this video was almost 30 minutes long. This is exactly what we need in times like this, a leisurely video on a lovely piece of equipment.
After your Reel to Reel - Most expensive format ever I bought my first one it was a Sony TC 280. Nice little unit to get started with the hobby.
Loved this! Stay safe and healthy Mat, and we'll be happy for whatever you're able to put out in the coming weeks
Very nice system....thanks for your video. Love seeing great older machines
Watching your videos has made me really start wanting a reel to reel player for myself. It's a format I totally missed out on, as cassettes were the main format in my earliest memories. There's something very endearing about reel to reel players, not to mention how connected one would feel to their music having to be so deliberate in playing it.
I always wanted one but they were orders of magnitude more expensive than a decent cassette deck. The Technic’s models were the ones I lusted after but they were $1,600 in late 70’s money. I’ve never seen his Pioneer one before. It’s another one to drool over.
We used reel to reel in radio back in the 80's and 90's for recording and editing phone calls. Memories.
So you worked in evidence manipulation and/or kompromat production?
I had my eyes shut to hear the music, opened them and you had turned the light out, well played Sir
Thank you for your quality work. Please take good care of yourself and your loved ones. Watching your videos helps bring peace and joy to a hectic and overbearing day filled it with overwhelming anxiety. A million thanks!
I imagine that the easiest would be to replace the sides with solid wood - that way you could also decide to go with ash, oak etc. to change the look.
What a good idea!
Sir Sim, Esquire fixed
That's a great idea, maybe something with a nice smooth grain to it, and myself would go with a gray to dark gray stain.
I think that would look good, also you could play with the thickness of the wood to match whatever might be around the machine.
Nothing wrong with a little customization.
@@Wineman3383 You probably want to use MDF then: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fibreboard
@Csab Why?
As usual a very interesting video, to be honest your relaxed style of infotainment could go on for an hour or more as time passes quickly just relaxing and seeing some old tech. Oh and you have the nicest toys too, that Pioneer tape machine is a work of art, dozens of buttons and brushed steel, delicious! As always thanks for creating :)
Thanks for sharing this. It makes so much fun to see these machines working. 👍🏻 keep up the good work.
Many thanks for taking the time to produce this video
I have never needed a reel-to-reel tape machine, but I still want one. After this video even more so :)
Like many hobby's they can take hold of your life for a long time.
I had one for similar reasons, but after getting into digital audio recording on a PC, I realised the space it was taking up could be put to better uses, so I sold it to an older bloke who was most happy.
Lovely hearing the mechanics of the machine again! I used to operate a live/automated radio station. I did the live bits, had to load up the tapes and ad carts, and, even if doing something else, would always be listening for the solenoids that told me all was running smoothly.
Hearing those sounds even brought back the memory of the scent of the tapes...
I love looking at a reel to reel do it’s magic.
Very enjoyable (as always) thank you. This kind of thing is just the tonic that's needed at the mo. Keep it up!
Great video as always. One small thing- the reel size switch adjusts the torque of the spindle motors, not the tension arms themselves.
That makes sense. Good observation.
Yes: I noticed that, and confusion between capstans and pinch wheels/rollers as well.
13:35 “touching the tape”
leader tape will assist you greatly in this.
EDIT: Sorry you didn’t have a good experience with the Akai gx-625. I use mine almost daily. Fantastic deck.
The blank reel didn’t have a leader.
Techmoan when I ordered a reel from ATR, it didn’t have leader either. I had to make a second order of some and splicing tape. I really wish they’d just ship them with leader already attached.
I think it's quite common in the professional and semi-pro fields to see tapes without leader; after all, studio technicians were probably presumed to know all the precautions and pitfalls by the time they "graduated" to handling that kind of equipment.
BertyFromDK My statement is just from my own personal use. I can see how in a studio with editing and splicing that leader isn’t necessary.
@@sawyerlightsey3709 I understand; for home use, where a tape is often used many times for multiple recordings, the leader is certainly a bonus as it tends to prolong the life of the tape, whereas in a studio, tapes tended to be used once and then archived, and a new tape would then be used for the next recording project.
Keep safe Mat! And keep the videos coming please. For those of us confined to the sofa indefinitely, your videos are a welcome relief from the constant bad news we are receiving at the moment!
I've been so anxious and this video was really nicely paced for that. Thanks Mat, and stay safe.
Now that Pioneer is the ultimate in retro-hi-fi, and the black ones I've seen on eBay look as if they could be made today. The Sony looks awesome too.
@ungratefulmetalpansy You're ignorant.
@ indeed if all.machines are maintained they are all good. The pioneer is a behemoth in its class, I know I have one that would put any technics to shame, my comparison is my Studer A807.
@ungratefulmetalpansy For its price range, Pioneer performs quite well. However, if you want to go down that road, Technics sucks. McIntosh is the real deal.
I miss the 80s PIoneer logo. I used to have car speakers with that logo on them. Looked as cool as they sounded with a Blaupunkt radio.
I really like the woodgrain. Somehow I always end up with akai gear. I like it though. I think that since Also stopped making consumer electronics, people don't recognize the brand, therefore they put it on Craigslist rather than eBay. On another note, always have a look on local selling sites, because the customer base is a lot smaller.
Regarding the meters, it's possible the previous owner had the playback level set to full at all times, but didn't want the meters on the front stuck in the red all the time. You can use the little flat head adjustment screws on the front of them to adjust them back up to their correct level! (haven't finished the video yet, just in case you end up doing this anyway!)
Great machine. The folks getting that are very lucky. Thanks
Loved every second of watching this. Love to hear you talk sense. I have an AKAI GX 255 and also a TEAC X-10R
God bless you my friend. You’re one of the best CZcamsrs imho and I thoroughly enjoy your videos. In fact my top 5 youtubers are all Brits haha. Must be the BBC effect. Stay safe and healthy
3:04 - "You are listening to Seeburg FM. The easy choice!"
I very much enjoyed every second of this video . i have a very special soft spot for reel to reel tape machines.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Thank you for another awesome R2R video in these difficult times. It's a wonderful coincidence that I just picked up a TC-766-2 (the half-track 7.5/15ips version) this evening, it was meant to be! Take care and stay healthy.
A reel to reel machine with handles?
My brain: I like to move it, move it.
I found a wonderful place in Nelson, Lancashire that repair reel to reel machines, Wilkinson's Hifi.
That’s really good to know - thanks for the info.
@@Techmoan I can strongly recommend a guy named Geoff Kremer, in Bexhill-on-Sea. Find him here.
www.servicesound.com/
With things like these you really need to be within driving distance - a trip with a courier will do them more harm than good.
@@Techmoan luckily, I'm an hour away from Nelson. But I would drive anywhere in the uk to drop something this fragile in person.
I’m under 40 mins from Nelson - but Bexhill on Sea - that’s a ten hour round trip.
I just came for the shirt and got a half hour video about some amazing piece of tech as a bonus. Well done and thank You very much.
Please carry on, make as many videos as you want to, and be a sanctuary in a sea of madness! Thanks Techmoan, you really are a star!
I, like you, have some hearing loss but am fascinated with your coverage of all this retro tech. I don't have anything but CDs and now a Sony NW-45 that I picked up after watching your review and getting interested in lossless media like FLAC, etc. That leads me to the next question, do you think lossless digital sounds better, the same, or not as good as a reel to reel (assuming the highest settings like 15 IPS, etc., and whatever else you can do to optimize it)? Or is it more for the love of the format and the nostalgia of former times? And to you reel to reel hard core fans that will inevitably read this, please don't go off on me. I've never heard one live and I'm just looking for an honest opinion. Thank you, Mat, for another great video. From Boston, best regards and stay safe.
It's a difficult one to answer because often the stuff put out on hi-res has been cleaned up, remastered or is in some way more suited to getting the special treatment. A quickly thrown together mid 90s pop album might not benefit from hi-res, but a specially recorded acoustic number with a wide dynamic range might do. Some people prefer tape as they want the best quality while keeping things analog. You've probably seen my video about the 15ips 2 track tapes - but if you haven't it delves a bit more into this world. czcams.com/video/5KHSz9Gi-II/video.html
Hey Mat - Havent finished yet and I think there are screw adjustments in those 2 holes below the VU meter. Its so you can set the level
That would require complete calibration using a signal generator and oscilloscope. I wouldn't recomend just tweaking by ear.
I do believe those are only for zeroing the meters, not necessarily the overall level.
Don't they just set the zero position?
Great job as always Mat, thank you .. The VU meter holes are just to zero the meters.
*There’s a bit more information about this in the video description text box.*
Thanks for sharing! My dad used to have one of those set up in a basement bar area. Cool to see one again.
Frivolous? No, we need stuff like this more than ever! Stay safe! 👍
Another informative video, will there be a follow up with any more stuff from the chap from Sony? Stay safe Matt.
This is really it - the other things (bar a couple of small items) weren’t something I could use and have gone to other people.
You should check out The Vinyl Guru. I feel like youd love her....
Mademe X She’s way more “out” there than Techmoan which isnt bad but i just checked her out and subbed. Good channel!
Ok, ill check her out!i like that YT name already! VINYL FO LIFE!!!!!
Florans Yousif haha yes! I just discovered her and I feel like the way they are boutbaudio is the same. She said she had a reel to reel top so total kindred spirits.
Way cool... just loved it... I love watching the reels rotating.
I appreciate the chill vibes here, Matt. Take care of yourself!
I love that the first thing you see is the broken light bulb. OCD rules! 😉
I miss the puppets , they really finish a episode and do the moan of the tech. Thank for the videos
That table where he sat the Sony unit, that was the one they sat at.
Just discovered the awesome world of reel to reel decks the sound is captivating down this rabbit hole l go great video thx
All the best Mat and thanks for your wonderful videos.
6:59 I wonder how many of the non-British (or younger British) viewers know the origins/significance of "other brands are available" as an aside comment?
I'm 25, and I get it. But maybe I'm not "younger" anymore...?
Haha, I wondered that too! It doesn't even make sense in a CZcams video really but it made me laugh. It's still very much a thing on the BBC - Radliffe & Maconie say it all the time.
I know about it from other british CZcamsrs, like Ashens would joke about it and say "Wait, I'm not the bloody BBC"´, so I assume that's what the british TV channels would say to stay in line with Ofcom regulations and make sure nobody thinks they're being paid to show the brand? :)
@@pierdeer yeah, specifically the BBC bc it has more neutrality mandated than the commercial channels. Though sometimes the commercial channels still black out logos and say the thing if they haven't been paid, to try and encourage product placement money >.> "we're not doing it for free!" etc
@@pierdeer Correct!
People watching this in ten years will be like "Why can't he leave the house? Is his wife really that controlling?"
@@aserta Payback from China??
Once they figure out that this kind of "social distancing" campaign is great help in avoiding climate disruption & the inevitable sea level rise (people not travelling as much, so we're not burning as much fossil fuel), they may decide we should keep doing it. Apparently, the pollution level has already dropped significantly in China.
@@Syncopator Yes, let's just destroy human culture and civilization. I agree about the environmental benefits but this isn't the real answer.
I don't think Techmoan's intentions, when he mentioned the virus, was to be starting a whole debate on it, on his channel! Let's leave it nice and revert back to the very point of the video's subject. Please. Thanks.
@@aserta very likely some of us survived, I mean this is not the first time humankind dealing with a global pandemic.
Thanks for doing this. Every good wish to you and your family.
Rewind is BEAUTIFUL!
Can you not just swap the side panels for now, that way the damage would be at the back...
It looks that you can switch left with right with no problem. Good idea!👍
There appears to be a wood support piece on the behind, i didnt notice if it was just on one side or both, but id imagine its probably a sticking point to just flipping the pieces
*There’s more information in the video description.*
More leisurely look videos mate! Churn out prolific content. It’s time to totally wipe out and utilise every idea you have. I’m sure you’ll gain hundreds of thousands of subscribers in the process.
Another awesome vid! I love my cpu digital setup. But there is just something so aesthetically pleasing about the analog hi-fi equipment. With its vu meters, toggle switches and analog knobs. My parents had an RCA entertainment center in the 70's. Tv, Phono, Tuner and 8 track combo with left and right built in speakers. I loved it! As I grew up it grew with the times too. First using the line in to run a standard cassette. Then later with my first cd player. The old girl finally blew the picture tube somewhere in the early 90's. But the memories from my first 45's and Lp's right up through my teenage years were priceless.
Mom just passed nine months ago. But the memories last a lifetime!
Thankyou for this video Mat, this brought back happy memories for me listening to Pink Floyd with my late father in the late 70s on his Akai reel to reel. Stay safe
The overlay at 15:35 is the kind of quality post-production that keeps me coming back. Well done, sir.
Thanks for putting such a thorough look at this reel to reel
Thanks for taking the time to make this video, I like reel to reels. I have a TEAC 4300, 7 inch reels. It's heavy and built like a tank. Great sounding machine and has auto reverse as well. I just have to get the brakes adjusted. Shortly after I got it, I had it in fast forward and pressed stop. SNAP! Busted a perfectly good tape! Stay healthy over there!
Thank you. Reely great content and I have lived with your sunshine popping in... phew! 😁 👍
Mat, great video. All the better for it's leisurely attribute! Hopefully more of same please....you're needed more than now in these isolation afflicted times!!! Brilliant.
Now this is high quality content, informative, entertaining and I didn't even notice that half an hour is gone.
20 years ago people visited the pub after work to unwind, today I like to flick to your channel with a good brew.
Look after yourself Mat, and may I thank you very much for your videos over the last few years, it's like having a brand new telly channel which always shows your favourite programs! Cheers mate, Nick.
That looks very much like the tape deck my friend had in the late 1970’s. I was always impressed by the quality of it, nice looking piece of kit.
Your videos are always so entertaining. Stay well 🤠
Very good of you to pass it along. I still have dad's RCA SRT-301 that I would like to work on one day. Cheers from Austin.
Lucky people who got that beautiful machine, thanks for great videos, and greetings from Copenhagen Denmark
Whether to publish a video, I am so glad you did. Reel to reel was a ‘must have’ for me in 1971 and I had a couple of machines in the day.
I loved the machines then and now. Especially my TEAC A2300 machine.
Really cool video that brings me back down memory lane. Thanks
Hi, spent years repairing these old decks and enjoyed every moment. Brings back memory's , remember the pioneer esp was a nice deck that had a logic problem. Most 3 motor decks were built real well.
Beautiful vintage kit.
I just love those machines! And Your channel!
Keep up the excellent stuff!! - really enjoy watching this stuff. I am currently a Brit in Algeria on an oil field, so this stuff keeps me going. All the best to you and your family.
Both Reel to Reels are stunning in their own way.
Nice - we had a Sony touch control reel to reel of mid-70s vintage - TC-850. It looks like the VU meters are jerky on playback versus line monitoring and record. Videos from YT creators like you are *very* much appreciated during this stressful time. They are entertaining like usual, but also stress relievers and a distraction. Thank you for what you do, always!
I wish there was more people like you in the world👍 nice video
You inspired me to fix up my grandpa's old player! We have a bunch of unmarked reels and I played a few, turns out most are 7½ ips Elvis and Niel Diamond and Four Seasons! It's great! Thank you!
Nothing frivolous about doing something that helps other people -- and I have to say, this video was soothing and reassuring on a day when not much is. Much appreciated, as are your other videos!
You are a very good friend... I wish I had a friend like you, sir...