Offered is a vintage Realistic TR-802 stereo 8-track tape
player/recorder generally in very good to excellent operating &
cosmetic condition. As received the player powered on and mechanically
ran well (with the exception of the counter) but did not track well. At
fault was the plastic frame for the playback head which had split in
one place and so the head was loose (a common problem with many 8-track
tape players from this era). The capstan belt was still in great shape
but the counter belt was stretched out. Cosmetically the deck was in
nice shape with very few blemishes. The deck has been extensively
serviced to put things back into proper working order. There is a
short video with, track 4 recorded music, track 1 1000 Hz -7db, track 2
5000 Hz -10db, track 3 1000 Hz -10db back to track 4. The camera
microphone doesn't actually pick up the 5000 Hz tone.
Service Items:
1. New counter belt.
2. The interior tape chassis area,
capstan and head (just one erase/record/playback) cleaned. Head
demagnetized
3. Exterior cleaned.
4. Plastic head housing repaired and
reinforced. After the final alignment, with testing of both playback
and recording, there were no changes in the alignment.
5. Record/playback
head adjusted for proper tracking (maximum signal with no track
crosstalk) and azimuth aligned.
6. Mechanical moving parts lubricated
with appropriate synthetic oil/grease. The counter works well but there
is one spot in every five seconds or so interval that the movement
slows slightly (an internal plastic gear is not perfectly uniform).
7.
Deoxit (contact cleaner) applied.
8. Playback level adjusted.
9. Recording
levels set and tested (up to 10kHz). Both channels are comfortably
within the stated specifications (which, in my opinion, are rather
generous). There are no bias trim pots and so no channel compensation
is possible (without circuit modifications).
10. Erase tested, no
audible ghost sounds from prior recording.
11. Dolby operation tested
during playback following a test recording.
12. The motor is rated for
13.2V. Record and playback speeds are equivalent.
13. Various playback
functions tested. Fast forward is 2.5 times standard speed. The
playback is still audible. For a recording the record button must be
pushed in while the tape is inserted.
14. Various functions including
automatic tape ejection feature tested and working.
Cosmetics: There are a small number of very minor
dings/scuffs here and there but really nothing of note. The two issues
on note that I saw are
1. The red paint has partially flaked off the
left channel needle for the VU meter
2. The record button has a
slight tilt (from left to right).
Quirk: One odd attribute that this
player exhibits is that there is actually no audio output provided
during recording (only during playback). Thus, the only way to know
that the unit is recording is by monitoring the VU meters.
This item
comes with a 30 day return; buyer pays return shipping.
Thanks for
looking.