Hydrogenaudio Forums > Azimuth Adjustment

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colorfinger

Apr 27 2005, 21:04

Hi. This is probably a really simple question to answer... I want to use azimuth adjustment on my Nakamichi DR-2 but I don't have a a service manual and I'm not sure which screw is the azimuth adjustment screw.

Could anyone please help me? (Please be specific) I know the general area, but I'm not sure what screw is what. (I don't want to mess up my tape deck by playing with the wrong screw.) I've tried searching online and nothing really points what the azimuth screw is obviously because they are different for different models.

Pictures would be most helpful but a detailed description would be fine as well.

Thanks,

Alex

odious malefactor

Apr 28 2005, 13:48

QUOTE

If you are keen on adjusting the azimuth, simply leave the door off, and adjust the azimuth with a small screwdriver. If you look at the head mount design, there are a group of toothed plastic wheels to adjust the head heights, tilts and azimuths for the record and play heads. The play azimuth is simply the largest toothed wheel on the right. It even has click stops, so you can easily return to the original setting.

In my general opinion, any cassette is usually so inaccurate that it's not worth my time to set azimuth more than once, but I suppose if you are fussy and believe you can hear a difference, adjust it as often as you need. The same with changing the EQ. Most cassettes are made with the bias, Dolby level and so on, so out of whack that the minor change in IEC EQ on Naks is a non-issue to me. If it sounds off, simply EQ in the digital domain until it sounds good.

Link

Edit: Service manual for 14.99$ here.

JeanLuc

Apr 28 2005, 13:57

Normally, the azimuth screw is the one with the spring, located on the far end of the head's tape leading fork.

Paul M

Jul 31 2007, 15:48

HELP! Does anyone know how (where?) to adjust the azimuth on a Nakamichi BX-300? Would the adjustment be similar to the DR-2 that I was just reading about in this forum? I printed out the complete service manual for the BX-300 but am having trouble interpreting it, since I'm not a technician. Are there two different azimuth adjustments on Nakamichi decks: one for PB and one for Record?? This is so confusing. On most cassette decks there's simply one azimuth screw (as far as I know) -- sometimes conveniently located in a little hole beneath the face-plate, like on most of my 1980's 3-head Aiwas. I've always assumed that that basic screw adjusts the azimuth both for playback and recording, but is that because most decks have just one single playback/record head whereas Nakamichis have two separate heads??? In the above-mentioned manual, there seem to be two different azimuth screws and two different head height screws (!!). If there's anyone in Los Angeles who's experienced with repairing or adjusting Nakamichis and could come over and help me, I'd be happy to pay him for his trouble. Azimuth makes a TREMENDOUS difference in the cleanness of the sound especially in the highs. Before making tapes for friends, I always first have them send me a little sample tape, and then I determine their machine's azimuth and use that setting to make all tapes for them. But I recently got a BX-300 and an MR-1-Pro, because I'll be exchanging CD's and cassettes with someone who's based overseas who has a Nak DR-10 and I just wanted to use a Nakamichi to make his tapes (because of the notorious EQ differences between Naks and other brands of cassette decks). I'd be so grateful for any help, if anyone could e-mail me.

>>> Paul Miller (forlino@ca.rr.com)

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