My Tandberg 3000X...............

[tandbergfella]

Hey guys,
I just got a Tandberg 3000X reel to reel, and I'm loving it! It's the best 7 1/2 IPS deck I've ever had and heard! The transport is GREAT, much better than my Roberts/Akai transports, which are iffy, but not as good as the transport on my TEAC A3340S. The heads are good, they use Tandberg's iconic cross field heads, which REALLY improve the treble response AND over all quality of the recording! What do ya'll think of this deck?
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ryan, you've got Tandberg in your username, and love Tandbergs. What an amazing coincidence LOL.

I have to say when I was a lad decades ago, I hankered more after Nakamichis and Tandbergs than any top tt. Cassette was where it was at.

The lively discussions four decades ago on the best cassette tape, TDK, Maxell or BASF, Metal v CrO2. I think at one point I was more obsessed about these than girls.

 

[tandbergfella]

Ryan, you've got Tandberg in your username, and love Tandbergs. What an amazing coincidence LOL.

I have to say when I was a lad decades ago, I hankered more after Nakamichis and Tandbergs than any top tt. Cassette was where it was at.

The lively discussions four decades ago on the best cassette tape, TDK, Maxell or BASF, Metal v CrO2. I think at one point I was more obsessed about these than girls.

Haha! You were more obcessed on finding the best cassette tape instead of finding your soul mate? That's okay. Everybody's different. Yes, hence my username, I love Tandberg reel to reels. I also love TEAC and TASCAM, they make great high speed multitrack studio decks. I also like old Roberts/Akai tube amp decks, but the transports on those are a bit iffy.
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[stellavox]

Hello Ryan,

Good for you with your 3000X. Back in the 70's I also lusted after that brand - worked my way up thru their cassette decks and had a few TD-20's along the way. The 20 is a wonderful sounding unit

Charles

 

[DexterMiller]

There's a double-edged sword, so to speak, with the Tandberg rtr's: on one hand, even their single motor/non logic controlled models had far better performance than most of what Sony and Akai (for example) offered in the day...however: Tandberg HEADS are notoriously "soft" (I believe, the reason attributed to why they -while they last- can sound so good...the softer metal of their surface induces the best coercivity from the tape's magnetism; opposite, say, of Akai's "GX"/glass design...which, by contrast, tend to reproduce treble response with almost a muted and veiled feeling). Anyway, I'd make sure the pressure pad leading from the erase head remains in good shape or I'd replace it if not --- so, that, the tape wrap doesn't start veering off and (unevenly) wear the heads out to the point of being unable to ever relapp them (without, ultimately, resorting to having to sand off any more metal than necessary).

Mechanically, there's a large "figure 8" drive belt which wraps around the motor and both clutches of the supply and take-up reels (you might want to check to see if the surface of it has any cracks). Next, the old grease on the gear to change the speed is best cleaned and relubed (the gear is plastic and can crack if it requires undue force). Third, the take-up spindle has a felt disc sandwiched between the outer and inner halves which provides torque for the reel to catch tape. This often becomes worn down; causing the take-up reel motion to slip and fast forward to not work. On the back of the frame: the spindles are held in their bearing with a plastic set screw fastened to a spring clip retainer. If the take-up reel seems to wobble or pack too loose, tightening the screw on the back will put more tension on the winding of it (if, of course, the felt disc part is still serviceable enough to use).