Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Ampex AG-440 Tape Deck... Need info.

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Topic: Ampex AG-440 Tape Deck... Need info.

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-14-2001 09:05 AM

Well just scoot up to Toronto we have a tone of electronic surplus joints up here (actually Mark G cleaned out one of them

)
Does any one have the drawings for the later AMpex theatre stuff after they were taken over as electrosound

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 11-14-2001 10:43 AM

Paul: I couldn't remember if Josh's 280 used a plug-in module or not. It's been a long time since I played with one.

I had an RCA CTC-35 color TV that had intermittent color issues. I could touch the board with anything and the color would pop back on for a minute or so. After days of head scratching, I eventually soldered the entire video/color/demod board and the traces. Fixed it so good, that it is still running every few days 22 years later!

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Josh Jones
Redhat

Posts: 1207
From: Plano, TX
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-14-2001 11:07 AM

This particular control card is removable. It appears to have two card-edge connectors on the chassis. I am beginning to think it is a power supply problem, but at this point in the game, who knows.

Josh

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John Anastasio
Master Film Handler

Posts: 325
From: Trenton, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-14-2001 08:13 PM

I installed and maintained AG440-4s in the Air Force recording studio I built in Germany back in 1970 and then used 440-2s for 14 years in a radio station in Princeton. I always like them. We couldn't get 1/2-inch tape for the 4-track models, so we traded stuff for the tapes the guys in the spook squadron were using on the computers! You've got a popped diode in there and a dried out cap or two. Use an in-circuit transistor tester and you won't have to unsolder everything to find it.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-15-2001 07:27 PM

Bruce, we have the AG-350 series. Will that be any help? I have manuals on it, too. Jim (the owner) would be interested in selling you all that shit if you are interested. Firesale prices.....

Paul

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 11-16-2001 09:10 AM

Paul, I have to decline due to lack of space for anything unrelated to my current projects. The AG-350 is a different baby. A BEAUTIFUL baby, I might add...
John A. is right. I think I will find a blown diode is causing all the trouble. I just would like to have some literature to get this solved. There are several bridge rectifiers on this one.

Dont have an in-circuit checker at this time, but I do have a load of diodes...

I DID run a signal from the machine thru my mixer, to my amplifier last night. There's some slight hiss... on both channels.

There's no big rush to get this baby running. I've only got about 10 different projects going at most times. My Holmes 8's have to be run, too!

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 12-03-2001 12:20 PM

Alot has happened since the last posting here. I have been in touch with the Ampex guys on their site that Jerry turned me on to. What a wealth of information!

THEN: My guru at work found the original manuals for MY Ampex!

THEN: My digital meter died. It never was a really good one, but...

THEN: I got a new meter.

THEN: Found that my local parts jobber carries nothing that I can use in the form of caps, etc. anymore. I closed my account with them. I'll be buying on-line from now on...

I got the big filter cap. It arrived on Friday.

This weekend, I looked thru my garage for a Holmes base for a friend here on the site, and worked on the Ampex. I installed the cap, replaced the 4 bridge diodes, and found the total culprit: There was an intermittent diode across the tape-lifter solenoid that would short after a few seconds of "on"-time.

Replaced a total of 6 parts. I've invested less that $30 in this machine, so far.

I cant believe how good this machine is running with no adjustments anywhere, yet. Cooking the electronics seems to be what it needs.

Just so I can keep this thread film related, I didn't locate the Holmes 8 base for you, RICK! This is becoming a nightmare.

I will continue the search...

Ran some 2-track stuff after degaussing and cleaning everything. Sounds good, and smooth. Even my tone tapes sound good.

And to think that it all started on this FILM site. Thank you one and all. (Gush...Gush... )

Bruce

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