Fostex X-34 Maintenance, Block Diagram, Capstan and pinch roller, Demagnetizing the head

Model X-34 Owner’s Manual

Maintenance

1. Cleaning the exterior

* For normal cleaning, use a soft dry cloth.

For stubborn dirt, moisten a cloth in diluted detergent, wring it out firmly, and wipe off the dirt . Then wipe down the unit with a dry cloth.

Never use solvents such as alcohol, thinner or benzene, since these will damage the printing and finish of the exterior.

2. Cleaning the head, roller and capstan

* Record/playback head

As the X-34 is used, the record/playback head will become coated with oxide residue from tapes. If this residue is allowed to build up, recordings will contain more noise, and dropouts may occur during playback. To prevent this, regular cleaning is important. Use a commercial cleaning kit to clean the head. If cleaning the head does not restore the sound quality, it is possible that the head is worn. Contact an authorized service station for repair.

* Capstan and pinch roller

The capstan and pinch roller are important components that hold the tape and move it along at the correct speed. As with the head, these parts can also become dirty with oxide residue and dust, which will cause increased wow or flutter, or even damage the tape by pulling it out of the cassette. Since cassette tape is very thin, it is especially dangerous to use a cassette deck with dirty pinch rollers. As with the head, it is important to always keep these parts clean. Clean them using a cotton swab or gauze soaked in cleaning solution or isopropyl alcohol. Never use organic solvents such as lacquer thinner, since this will severely damage the pinch rollers.

3.Demagnetizing the head

After long periods of use, the head begins to develop a magnetic field in addition to the oxide residue described above. This can also occur if a magnet or a magnetized object (scissors, etc.) is allowed to come near the head or touch it. If the head or capstans become magnetized, frequency response will be degraded and noise will increase. In extreme cases, noise can be generated when you play previously-recorded tapes, rendering them useless.

Once a month or so, you should use a demagnetizer (head eraser) to demagnetize the head. Carefully read and follow the instructions included with your demagnetizer, and do not allow it to came near recorded tapes.

Block Diagram

						L R CUE/AUX	MASTER
				T1 T2 T3 T4			FADER
INPUT1	INPUT/PLAYBACK						L
	FADER	2BAND EQ
	INPUT1				PAN			LINE OUT
	TAPE1		CH MIX	A	RECORDER		R
	AUTO BOUNCE				TRK1
		LOW	HI				MONITOR
					AUX/MONMIX LEVEL
INPUT2	INPUT/PLAYBACK							PHONES OUT
	FADER	2BAND EQ			PAN
	INPUT2
	TAPE2		CH MIX	A	RECORDER			L MONITOR OUT
	AUTO BOUNCE				TRK2			R
		LOW	HI				A
					AUX/MONMIX LEVEL			AUX SEND
	INPUT/PLAYBACK
INPUT3
	FADER	2BAND EQ			PAN
	INPUT3						L
	TAPE3		CH MIX	A	RECORDER		R
	AUTO BOUNCE				TRK3		TAPE1
		LOW	HI				5DOT	BARGRAPH
					AUX/MONMIX LEVEL		TAPE2
INPUT4	INPUT/PLAYBACK
	FADER	2BAND EQ			PAN		TAPE3
	INPUT4
	TAPE4		CH MIX		A		TAPE4
					RECORDER
	AUTO BOUNCE				TRK4		1
		LOW	HI
MIC/LINE		B			AUX/MONMIX LEVEL
							2
INPUT								TAPE OUT
							3
1/3
							4
2/4
STEREO
RETURN
L(MONO)
	RTN LEVEL
R

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