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Okay, now that I'm re-familiarizing myself with my new (eBay new that is) Pioneer RT-909 and loving it, one thing that's great about this R2R is when I've got it in pause mode and if I hand-turn the reels forward or back I can still hear the sound on the tape when I'm monitoring the tape (i.e., having the source button toggled to tape vs source).

So, one thing I miss (but not the hiss ;-) is if I fast-forward or fast-reverse the tape the machine by default no longer outputs the sound on the tape, aaarrggh! I suppose this would be considered a nuisance to most users but I want to hear the tape sound during fast forward and reverse!

I wonder if there is an "easy" way for me to hot-wire the machine to keep monitoring the tape and output the sound via the line-out jack the same way it does in the pause mode?

http://www.1234zzzz.com/pub/WHYWOMENLIVELONGERTHANMEN.jpg

LOL, what a great photo, and file name too!

Hope no one minds me throwing in the occasional humorous photos, if so just say the word and I'll resist the temptation ;-)

John

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TVPostSound Wed, 05/17/2006 - 10:58

So, one thing I miss (but not the hiss is if I fast-forward or fast-reverse the tape the machine by default no longer outputs the sound on the tape, aaarrggh! I suppose this would be considered a nuisance to most users but I want to hear the tape sound during fast forward and reverse!

The lifters always lift the tape from the head during FF & RR, it minimizes head wear. Most pro and semi-pro machines had a manual lifter defeat button, so you could hear a cue. Im not sure if thats the case withthe Pioneer.

RemyRAD Thu, 05/18/2006 - 00:00

As I recall, some Teac's, Sony's and Revox's had the ability to defeat the mechanical tape head lifters but had internal head short switches that muted the output of the head. It was easily defeated by removing the switch or putting a piece of adhesive tape between the contact points.

One of the reasons why you DO NOT want to fast-forward or rewind with the tape in contact with the head fully is that you will blow your tweeters up within just a couple of seconds! Even on the older professional machines like the Ampex's and Scully's, the head still picked up some of the magnetic signal even with the tape head lifters engaged while in fast wind mode, so you could still sort of detect some audio at high speed. The defeatable tape head lifters were more applicable during the editing process as opposed to fast wind cueing. Be careful!

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Ms. Remy Ann David

TeddyG Thu, 05/18/2006 - 07:27

You might be able to just hold down/up the head lifters with a finger? Should still be in "play" mode - though, as REMY says, watch the volume AND the amount of time(s) you do this - it is very wearing to the heads and the tape, itself. I only did it when someone else owned the machine AND was buying the tape(Ha!)...

TG