Echoplex Signal to Noise Ratio

[rgorke]

So, I have an echoplex that sounds great EXCEPT for whenever I turn the "volume" pot past "1" or so I get a lot of noise. The noise, once it is there, is not dependent on the value of the volume pot. Meaning, the noise comes on at 1 and stays the same all the way up to 10. It is also much worse when the gain is up. When the amp is clean, the noise is almost manageable.

So, any thoughts?

I get nice clear repeats, its just the noise.....

[chrisom]

I've had several echoplexes including an early tube model, but never kept them long enough to have to service one, but I was the A/V tech for a school district for over a decade and had to do my fair share of cassette tape recorder maintenance back before they made them so cheap that they were disposable.

I have had them come back to sounding fine from as noisy as you say your echoplex is, simply by removing any erasable medium to FAR away, then cleaning the heads with a radio shack chamois on the end of a stick (shaped like a dental tool) and some head cleaner solution, and then demagnetizing the heads (with the tape unit unplugged) by turning the demagnetizer ON while still far away, and bringing it slowly in near the heads without touching them(important!), and then pulling the demagnetizer away before turning it OFF. Repeat for capstans. They also had some sliding contact mechanism inside for Play/Record that I used contact cleaner on along with volume and tone pots if any. Cleaned pinch rollers too, and oiled moving parts.

Some of them had a "miraculous" recovery from a similiar noise problem. Don't know if this will help at all, but as long as proper etiquette is followed with demagnetizer, it couldn't hurt... Also, check tubes if any, worn tapes and small filter caps maybe...

[chrisom]

It's not exactly the same as a real Echoplex, but I use a Strymon elCapistan now. Easier for me. Just because I was a tech doesn't mean I want to spend all my time fixing broken stuff... It does sound great though- really close, though nothing is like the REAL thing... My last real Echoplex (EP-3) did that slow ascending slide on "Babe I'm Going To Leave You" exactly like the album...

[Lefty Lou]

The Catalinbread Binson "Echorec" is not so very bad either. I also have a Hughes & Kettner Tube Replex that I rarely use anymore.