How to clean and demagnetize the heads on your cassette deck - tape recorder

[@MannixGarage]

Hi All, this video will show you the steps involved in cleaning and demagnetizing the erase head, play/record head , capstan and roller in your cassette deck. Take care

[@billmiller6274]

I would move a lot slower in a random pattern instead of circular motion, and do the playback head and capstan once, pulling away SLOWLY. The pinch roller bracket doesn't need anything, especially without any motion, and the erase head does not need it either, since it in itself is a demagnetizer.

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for the comment, good advice and will try that next time when demagnetizing the tape deck 🙂 thanks for watching take care.

[@DIY-valvular]

Judging by the yellowing of some parts of the cabinet front, the previous owner of that deck was a smoker. Window cleaner is useful Best wishes from an old serviceman of Buenos Aires Argentina.

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, yes I agree with you and thinking the same about the previous owner being a smoker, I noticed on the side of the cassette deck by the door it was yellow too. I gave the outside of the cassette deck a wipe down with window cleaner, it makes a good cleaning product that's for sure. Thanks for watching and take care 🙂

[@Gauntlet1985]

Great video and a fist bump for your well organized storage and work station! Love it 🤜🤛

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks so much for that, yes its a good little work area to work on my projects. Thanks for watching 👍🙂

[@samtdl]

What a beautiful deck

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for that, yes its not a bad cassette tape deck from the early 80s 👍 Thanks for watching 🙂

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Ottimo lavoro,sei in gamba!

[@MannixGarage]

Thank you for the lovely comment and very much much appreciated. Take care 🙂👍

[@rico5870]

Nice Video Mate ! Im restoring two Dual C-844, Sony TC-rx80es , Tc-Wr870 and others. Greetings from Tauranga !

[@MannixGarage]

Hi thanks for watching, those are some nice cassette decks you are working on there. I managed to pickup a 3 head Hitachi D-E66 not going I suspect belts so will be a project ill be looking at down the track once I get some belts sorted. Thanks for watching and take care 🙂

[@57too]

Just acquired a 4 trk cassette to do some demos with so thanks for the video because I didn't know any of that. Cheers from the Kootenays!

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there thanks for watching and commenting I don't think I have had someone reply from Kootenays before, lovely looking scenery when I googled on the internet. No worries and wow a 4 track sounds interesting and I hope you smash it with your demos 🙂

[@57too]

@@MannixGarage Thanks! My stuff is on Bandcamp as The Hereafters. Cheers!

[@BobSullivan-f4m]

I've had a de-magnifier for a while now,and I have never used it correctly. Thank you much

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there Happy New Year, they are handy little tools to have glad to hear that the video has helped thanks for watching. 🙂👍

[@captaintrips2980]

Cleaning is important, but one can demagnetize simply by operating the deck in record mode. I learned that from an old reel to reel manual. It does work.

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for that feedback hopefully that will help some people out. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@carstenhundt4515]

Hello, I saw all the tools and you are a bike enthusiast as well, aren´t you ? Tapedecks and old Racebikes are my interests as well....thanks a lot for the video ! Greetings from Germany

[@MannixGarage]

Vielen dank for watching and happy to hear someone watching from Germany. Yes I am also interested in older bicycles. I used to work in the cycle industry a while ago now and really enjoyed that time., Thanks and take care 🙂👍

[@keithyakouboff8755]

I was surprised to see how long you applied that demagnetizer. I used one on my H/K TD-202 about 10 or so years ago, (I believe it was the kind you insert like a cassette) and wound up killing one of the channels. It only played (and I believe recorded) one side. Ruined my aging but still quite usable deck. And, I didn't use the demagnetizer half as long as you did.

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, sorry to hear about your tape deck that is a nice looking model. Yes just the pass like I did in the video is all you need with the wand type no problems there. The instructions say around 1 second for the head. You don't have to count 1 second for example just concentrate running through the pass at a similar speed like I did in the video is fine. As for your cassette deck I wonder if cleaning the head may have helped afterwards, especially after using a cassette demagnetizer perhaps that was dirty causing the issue? Thanks for watching 👍🙂

[@keithyakouboff8755]

@@MannixGarage Sure, and thanks for the instruction. Since then I bought a Nakamichi CR-2A off eBay. Worked for the past 10 years, but recently had it repaired for dead-spotting, and now it won't play (play button gives no response, and it almost dead-spotted again last night. I think it's time for a "new" deck). I used to techno-lust after this model by NAD in the late 80s. Forget the model #, but it was in excess of US$800. Still close to $200 in some listings. Yikes. But, maybe now's the time to look at this model? Better late than never :) Unless you have a recommendation other than this model (for playback only) or for repairing my current deck -- something I'd rather not do, since I've already recently done this and the drive to and from this shop is a bit ridiculous.

[@MannixGarage]

@@keithyakouboff8755 Hi hopefully you find a good replacement deck. As for suggestions. I only like Hitachi since I grew up in the 80s and that's what my father had, so the models I have are budget models, although I do have an 80's 3 head Hitachi model as well but I have no idea where that stands in the scheme of quality for the time. I think you need to look for that NAD model from the 80's and take the plunge on that one, it is always nice to buy something you remember from back in the day. 🙂

[@keithyakouboff8755]

@@MannixGarage heh... that is true

[@ebinrock]

Just wondering if you're supposed to keep the red rubber cover on the demagnetizer or take it off? What's the red cover for?

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, good question. The red rubber cover is to protect the head of the cassette player. When using the demagnetizer it will pull towards the head when you operate it so its to stop the scratching of the head if you accidently make contact. So best to keep it fitted to the demagnetizer. Thanks 🙂

[@AudioGuyBrian]

I see you "Demagnetize" the capstan. I believe the capstans are usually made of Stainless Steel which is non-magnetic. I know the ones in my high-end 3 head decks are anyway. Maybe the cheap decks use regular steel capstans.

[@MannixGarage]

Hey thanks for that insight. To be honest I wasn't sure with mine and just ran the demagnetizer above it to be sure. Thanks for watching 🙂👍

[@dansullivan9152]

Very thorough explanation. Didn't know that I could use glass cleaner on the roller, though I was going to have to buy special solution. Thank you!

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for watching glad to hear you found the video helpful 🙂

[@cranegantry868]

Nice job. I often wondered how to do that. Where did you get that 240 VAC tape head demagnetizer, I want to get one too, please?

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, thanks for watching. The tape head demagnetizer I used in the video I got given to me a while ago. I am unsure where you would buy one to be honest other than waiting for one to popup on the likes of ebay or search google for tape head demagnitizer 240v and I see there are a few results. I hope you find one, don't pay big dollars for one, and I think someone mentioned in the comments a DIY solution. Take care 🙂

[@cranegantry868]

@@MannixGarage Thank you for your reply.

[@VioladorDeLaLey21]

Thanks the cool video! I'm going to do this to my Walkman 😊

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for watching 🙂 good to hear you have a Walkman they were a cool piece of tech back in the day!

[@jackevans2386]

Hi, Where did you buy the 100% isopropyl alcohol ? I figure you're either in NZ or Australia.

[@MannixGarage]

Hi Jack, thanks for the sub and question 🙂. Yup I am in NZ, the brand is TMK Isopropyl Alcohol and available at Mitre10 if you are in NZ. Cheers

[@jackevans2386]

@@MannixGarage Thank you for the info. Much appreciated from ChCh. Cheers

[@rameshnagarajan4915]

Very useful.. thank you

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, thanks for the comment glad the video was useful, good to keep the heads cleaned and listening to some old cassettes 🙂 Take care

[@Taketimeout3]

Hello mate Is there something one can use to demagnetize the head if one doesn't own a "demagnetizer wotsit" ?

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, not that I know of. You maybe able to DIY and make one, but it will probably be easier to buy one. Keep an eye out for a second hand one. I actually got mine free from a community online group someone was giving away a tape deck and the demagnetizer came with it.

[@MikeDS49]

12voltvids uses an old AC/AC adapter connected to wire wrapped around a nail to create an electromagnet. I think you need a couple amp adapter as I tried with a 0.7 A transformer and it didn't work well. But I doubt a 2 head deck will need demagnetization, as the 40-100 kHz bias signal used while recording in the erase and play/record head should also demagnetize themselves.

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for that, the DIY demagnetizer is handy to know, thanks for sharing 👍🙂

[@bob-g3e3x]

you can use your dick

[@RONSUND]

All good but there is no need to demagnetize the erase head and the capstan pinch roller

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 🙂👍. As far as the other bits for demagnetizing, if you have a wand do them anyway it won't hurt them and will only be a small amount of time to carry out.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

Doesn't window cleaner leave a residue? I would think the detergents in it would be more harmful than using alcohol

[@MannixGarage]

Hi Jason, thanks for the comment and watching. The idea of not using alcohol on the roller is that I have found in the past the alcohol brakes the roller down when cleaning, eg black rubber comes off onto the cotton bud. I don't think the alcohol it self is good for rubber from my research it can dry rubber and cause it to crack. I have heard of people using soapy water, how effective this is for cleaning the roller I'm not too sure as I haven't tried it my self. As for residue left on the roller it self, I don't think this would be an issue its the heads you need to look out for. Hope that answers your questions take care. 🙂

[@davidhenderson9197]

What causes a cassette deck to crease the edges of certain tapes. It only seams to do this on the recording deck when I'm recording 😵‍💫

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, sorry for late reply but my thoughts it could be the rubber roller, perhaps compare the recording deck roller to the play deck, do they look different (condition the same for both or recording one in worse condition?) maybe the roller needs replacement? Without a tape see if you can operate the deck, see if the roller sits square on the capstan and if it does perhaps try clean the roller. Hope that helps you 👍🙂

[@davidhenderson9197]

@MannixGarage cheers for the reply. I bought the deck used. A teac w-416 but looking at the tape path including the pinch rollers it looks like its never been used as there as no stripes over the rollers indicating use. I thought It might be down to using a cheap cassette in it as it doesn't do it with tdk or Sony brands

[@bobbyjones3432]

What if a tape head has some rust

[@MannixGarage]

Hi there, try clean with the alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol) solution first. If that doesn't work use very lightly a metal polish such as Autosol. You can use the cotton bud/q tip to polish lightly and finish with the IPA to clean. Hope that helps. Take care and thanks for watching 👍🙂

[@colloidalsilverwater15ppm88]

At 6:58 there is video edited. How vome cotton became yellow? Confess.

[@MannixGarage]

Its cigarette tar, you can see the yellowing on the side of the cassette door area as well. Thanks for watching and take care 🙂👍

[@vincentleeadams]

So, to demagnetize the heads on Mykacet I need to purchase a demagnetizer? Good to know😂

[@MannixGarage]

Yeah either that or you can make head demagnetizers too. Thanks for watching 😀

[@captaintrips2980]

I'm going to draw contradictory remarks, but simply inserting a blank tape and running it in record mode will demag the head. This instruction was included in older tape deck manuals.

[@VintageAudioTech]

What’s with people Loving all these cheap tape decks? What is the internet broke or something?

[@MannixGarage]

Haha I think its all the 80's kids reliving their youth hehe 🙂 I have subbed to your channel you seem to have quite a few tape deck models looks interesting. I have just purchased a 3 head Hitachi which ill needs looking at. I haven't opened it up yet but suspect its just broken belts, I don't have any calibration tapes to check wow and flutter so may just have to be a belt change with ear test only. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@firdaussani7165]

very clean head player mke sound shit ,no sense .thts part you dont need clean .untouchable ,are you crazy . only clean span at (cassete itself) wth cotton bud. tht enough .please ignore the head and pinchroller at player. very clean head player will get unmature sound believe me like kid song sound total less no make sense .blieve me

[@MannixGarage]

Thanks for the interesting info there. Not what my service manual states (thank goodness I thought I was crazy!) 🙄 However I will endeavor to look out for the model of cassette tape deck you use as it sounds easier to maintain which I guess saves time and money and lets just say in todays economy with high inflation that is important. Take care and thanks for watching 👍🙂

[@beatprocess]

like those beats brother

[@MannixGarage]

Hey thanks so much for the comment brother appreciated! I have subbed and like your beats you have made especially Boom Bap cook up and Be Free. 👍🙂

[@beatprocess]

@@MannixGarage aw man, appreciate that. Subbed. I got a question. They say recording to tape adds saturation. Some people use a 3 head player to monitor sound going out. I have a 2 head and I plugged my headphones into the deck and heard a difference. Is that possible? I have a Fisher CR-120

[@MannixGarage]

Hey Man, I am not a beat maker but wish I was hehe so had to google saturation. I do know the difference in sound to say tape, vinyl and cd. Speaking from my experience with cassette tapes they have an audible hiss and I find them not as Bassey as say cds or vinyl. At about 12.44 into the video its the sound of the tape playing actually that Cxdy beat but recorded on the go pro , and then crosses to the mp3 version as the dog jumped onto me, The high sounds sounded good but I noticed the bass wasn't good on the tape as say playing the mp3 on my computer used in the video. But got me thinking, the melodies you play on your keyboard or high sounding stuff might sound cool sampled off tape back into your editor? If you can pickup a 6 head hifi VHS people say they have sound comparable to reel to reel, but not sure on that myself. I will have to look into the Reaper software you use and have a play one day, maybe a tape sound plugin is available? Do you find that software good?