Beocord 1200, no recording or playback

[CharlieWednesday]

I really have disappeared down the B&O rabbit hole now – a Beocord 1200 reel-to-reel came up for sale locally and for a fraction of the normal price, so I bought it.  Such a lovely looking piece of kit, and it’s in great cosmetic condition.

I juts wondered if anyone could tell me where to start though – there was a tape reel included and I find it hard to believe it is blank, but when played, there is no sound (I have connected it to the Tape2 input of my Beocenter), and the level meters don’t move at all during playback.  Tape moves, heads are engaged, but no sound.

I tried recording, and I can see that it is receiving the input – the level meters move as expected when I play a CD and try to record it, but then when I play that back, nothing. No sound, and the level meters don’t move.

Before I get the screwdrivers out, does anyone know where I might start?

[Dillen]

Sure you have the tapes playing side against the tapeheads?
The tape could be twisted so it has the backside against the heads.

Martin

[CharlieWednesday]

I’m such an amateur with reel-to-reel – I didn’t even know there was a correct side!  I’ll try and reverse it and see what happens – thanks.

[CharlieWednesday]

You were right – thanks!  The tape was already loaded when I bought it, it was obviously loaded incorrectly – when I checked there are printed arrows on the ends that show which side should be facing out, and when I took a closer look it became more obvious anyway – the ‘correct’ side that hits the heads is the familiar red-brown colour of tape, the other side is black.

There’s a lot of hum when I connect it to my Beocenter (even when not playing), and the sound quality is poor, but I’ll give it a bit of once over, clean and demagnetise the heads, and so on.  I’ve found a service manual for it online.  This is my new project then!

[Madskp]

There are some reel to reel threads on the archived forums that might be interesting for you to take a look at, for example this

https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/18355.aspx?PageIndex=1

Other that that I have almost zero experience with reel to reel

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks _ I forget to look at the old forums but I’ll have a look.  I’ve not opened it up yet but I’ve been playing around with it- it does at least play, and record, and it appears to play at the right speed.  If I plug headphone into it the sound quality is still pretty muffled, but the loud hum that i get if I connect it to my Beocenter is not there when I listen via headphones.

The DIN cable is really old and worn (it may be original!) so I will replace that first, then give the heads a proper clean, then it’s trial and error from there.  I don’t have a demagnetiser for the heads but I may buy one.

I have no practical use for a reel-to-reel tape recorder of course, but it does look very cool!  I’ve stood it up next to my other equipment (it has clever swivelling legs on the back that help it stand up).  It would be nice to get it working better but it’s not the end of the world if I can’t.

[CharlieWednesday]

Update – the new cable arrived, and there is no longer a hum when it is connected and switched on (but not playing), so the cable was part of the problem, but only part.

There is still a hum, not as loud as before but still very audible, whenever it is playing.

There is od music on the tape that came with it and it plays in okay-ish quality.  If I record new music however it’s poor quality when played back, particularly on the right channel.  Very variable and scratchy, and lower in level than the left.

It seems the right place to start is the capacitors on the power supply board.  I have the service manual and it’s quite easy to identify them, so while I’m no electronics expert, I should be able to get the multimeter and soldering iron out, get hold of the capacitors!  Wish me luck.

[CharlieWednesday]

So, I finally got around to opening this thing up and talking a look inside.  I have a downloaded service manual already

I was surprised by how clean it is inside – there’s was even a brown paper envelope fixed to the inside of the back panel with a folded schematic inside!  Never been opened.

Anyway – I need some help from someone with more electronics knowledge than me!  There are a total of 3 electrolytic capacitors in the power supply unit. Two large ones connected by cables (1000uF/25v, and 3000uF/50v).  There is one much smaller one soldered to the circuit board (50uF/35v).

Obviously replacements are available very cheaply, but I am having trouble finding one of them – 3000uF/50v.  In places like CPC or RS, the nearest equivalent is 3300uF/50v.  If I search on eBay specifically for 3000uF/50v, there is a small number of results but much more expensive.

Am I missing something?

[Author]

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