Recursive Delete Audio/Visual

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Recursive Delete Audio/Visual

Recursive Delete Audio/Visual Audio recording & production, VHS/Hi8/Super8/cassette archival, sound for film, Mac / iOS / Hackintosh support and peerless falsetto provided by golden-eared tape operator Jack Saturn in Portland, OR. Contact me if I can help you with a project! #recdel
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A place for collaboration & innovation, while still embracing the warmth of classic recordings, Recursive Delete is the recording studio of Portland, OR-based producer/engineer Jack Saturn.

03/24/2020

A few weeks before we all quarantined ourselves, I bought a set of brake cables for my bike, fully intending to install them myself. My old ones were frayed and I didn’t want to risk an accident. But with my Bridgestone being my main form of transportation and without the right cutters for the job, I decided to call in a pro. @whatthehellmason made a housecall on Sunday and we kept an appropriate distance(!) while he installed the new cabling and adjusted the brake tension. Mason is super friendly, his rate was extremely reasonable, and he would be glad to help you out if you run into any problems with your bicycle during this rough time!

03/22/2020

Isopropyl alcohol is something I use every day at my workbench. Now it’s been called into active duty cleaning not 4-track recorders, but doorknobs. Other than that, I count myself lucky that the coronavirus closures have not affected my ability to do my work, as my job is solitary and I work from home to begin with. I will be continuing through my backlog of repair projects and for the time being, I’ll be meeting clients in the driveway. Stay safe, everybody. #recdel

03/10/2020

Jason brought me his Fostex 280 because it had quit recording and playing back. It also turned out there was no signal in the left channel of the master output. I replaced the capstan belt and re-lubricated the reels, then finally traced the other issue to a bad op amp, which I sourced and replaced. The machine was returned on a leaf-strewn day in November. #recdel

03/05/2020

Removing components with solder wick is time consuming, the removal is never very clean and I always run out of it right when I’m about to start a project. I finally purchased a desoldering station for myself, so now replacing old capacitors will be a breeze — and dare I say, fun? The photo is from my first work with the desoldering gun, recapping all the playback channels in a Tascam Porta02mkII. The capacitors up top were the originals, and the ones below are the new Nichicon replacements. #recdel

02/14/2020

This Tascam 414 has been in Dan's possession since he found it at Trade Up Music 15 years ago, and it’s still so clean! He brought it to me because it had quit recording to track 4. Turned out the wires for that channel had come loose from the record/playback head. I resoldered them and cleaned/demagnetized the heads while I was at it. This 414 is back in business! #recdel

02/12/2020

An “exploded view” of the Tascam Porta One during its spa treatment. I take the whole thing apart and clean every nook and cranny. This machine will be for sale soon — DM me your email address if you’re interested! #recdel

01/13/2020

Photographer Alin Dragulin needed to replace his old Mac laptop with something more powerful, so he asked me to set up a Hackintosh for him. He picked out the parts and I built/configured the machine. It was based around an i9-9900K processor and the Geekbench tests returned great results. I love helping people sort out their computer needs, so let me know if I can lend you a hand! #recdel

01/10/2020

I’ve worked on at least three Tascam machines in the past week, all of them different models, which each had some kind of problem in the headphone amplifier section. The Line Out signal would be fine, but the headphones would either have an unbalanced stereo spread or crackle. I’m beginning to think it’s an epidemic! This Record/Playback PCB from a Porta One is the latest to go under the knife...err, soldering iron. #recdel

01/08/2020

Sold this Tascam Porta03mkII to Zach from Dark Fjord and you can tell how thrilled he is about it! I replaced the belts, installed a new voltage regulator, and included a new power supply with the sale. Zach didn’t need a machine with a bunch of EQ options, as he’ll be running the output “through a bunch of pedals.” I’ll be curious to hear the results! Are you looking for a 4-track for your own projects? #recdel

01/06/2020

I've recently transferred a few 1/4" audio tapes for @bluechalkmedia , including this Vietnam War-era reel made by Scotch. The reverse side of the plastic box was fitted with a postcard which allowed the "Living Letter" to be mailed to a loved one immediately after the recording was finished. This tape was particularly crisp — like it could have been recorded yesterday. If you have any old family recordings that you'd like preserved, please get in touch — I'd be glad to help! #recdel

12/12/2019

This Yamaha MT120 was brought to me by @quiet____time and was not playing tapes. Turned out it had a nylon bushing in the clutch that had developed a hairline crack and fallen off. Through the miracle of modern technology I was able to replace it with a 3D-printed part — success! I also replaced the belts, as well as some capacitors that helped minimize the radio interference from the motor that I was hearing in channel 4. #recdel

12/09/2019

I have an old MacBook Pro 2011 that I’ve been using for most of my productivity apps over the past year or so, to leave my main Hackintosh freed up for audio work and gaming. This weekend I finally got around to installing MacOS Mojave on a Dell Optiplex 7010 that I picked up for $75. Once I’ve upgraded the RAM and added an SSD, this will be a pretty decent machine for under $250! If you’re interested in having me configure a Hackintosh for you — either a simple one like this or a souped-up model — get in touch and let’s discuss! #recdel

11/05/2019

The AMR MCR-4 was a rackmount cassette 4-track released in 1989; Peavey was AMR’s parent company. The MCR-4 was available in a wooden frame, coupled with the AMR 42 mixer. That’s the combo that was brought to me by a client, and it’s the first one I’ve seen in person. I’m currently inside the deck dismantling the tape mechanism so I can measure the belts for future reference. #recdel

10/29/2019

Jared had me fix his Tascam 488mkII and mentioned that he was interested in upgrading to a 688. Well it just so happened that I had three of them in my stock of non-functional machines. I took the cleanest parts from each and made a near-perfect 688 for Jared, cleaning the thing inside and out, replacing the belt and all 58(!) tactile switches. He’s thrilled with the results! Maybe you too are looking for a new multitrack cassette machine? Drop me a DM and let me know which one! #recdel

10/25/2019

A client brought me his Tascam 488mkII to repair and one of the issues he described was an intermittent headphone jack connection. It had always been that way since he purchased the machine from its previous owner; so long as he angled the headphone cable just the right way, the connection worked fine. When I opened it up...well, you can see for yourself. 😂 Looks like the broken-off tip of an old headphone jack had been living in there the whole time. #recdel

10/21/2019

Back in 2014, I mixed & mastered an EP for John’s project Acid The Bear, which he recorded on his Tascam 424mkII. Who would’ve known that 5 years later I’d have a thriving 4-track repair business and John would bring me that very same machine to refurbish? I gave the faceplate and knobs a bath, replaced all 15 tactile switches, corrected both tape speeds, contact-cleaned all the potentiometers to get rid of crackle, and finished up by cleaning and demagnetizing the heads. It’s looking like new! #recdel

10/01/2019

I’ve been working on a Tascam 238 for a client . The capacitors in the direct drive motor had gone bad, so they had to be replaced, but afterward the speed was still very wobbly. I came to discover the pin in the pinch roller had fallen out, which lead me to realize that, “Hey, waitaminute, this isn’t the same pinch roller assembly I’ve seen in other 238’s!” It appears to me that some previous owner either lost or broke their pinch roller arm and so they welded and screwed together their own! I have total respect for this DIY approach, ‘cause it’s one I have to employ all the time, given that these parts are no longer available from Tascam. Props to you, wherever you are! But luckily I do know a source for this part, and we’ll be replacing it with an original. 😊 #recdel

09/27/2019

Over the past year I’ve attempted to work on 3 different machines for Tyler, all of which had unusual problems and were eventually relegated to the “parts machine” pile. I was starting to think we were jinxed. 😆 Well, fourth time’s the charm! The second Porta One he brought me ended up being a keeper! I freed a stuck cassette that was in the machine from its previous owner, then installed new belts and gave the whole thing a bath. It’s looking and sounding great now — time to do some recording! #recdel

09/26/2019

Working on a Fostex X-28H which will be available for sale soon. I’m replacing the motor and doing as much internal cleanup as I can due to the corrosion and gunk I found when I opened it up. (Zoom in to see what I mean.) I can just picture some home recordist in the ‘90s who thought they’d capture more “vibe” if they poured an entire can of Dr. Pepper into their 4-track. 😂 #recdel @ Recursive Delete Audio/Visual

09/23/2019

This Tascam 688, brought to me by Rob from Bathrobe, had an issue where the heads wouldn’t advance to meet the tape. Turned out the belt had stretched a bit over time. When I replaced it, though, the speed was all over the place — the motor had gone bad as well. I managed to locate a rare replacement and upon installing it, all was back to normal. #recdel

09/19/2019

An Audio-Technica RMX-64 had been on Jov's wishlist for awhile when he spotted one on Reverb a few weeks ago. When it arrived it had a few problems: the Gain knob didn’t work on Channel 1 and it wouldn’t record to any of the tracks. I did my magic and got it working again. Jov reached out to the seller about a partial refund to cover repairs, but they never responded. Shout out to reverb.com for stepping up and covering it despite the seller’s delinquency! #recdel

09/12/2019

Lots of Tascam 246’s passing through here lately! I just worked on one for Heather Perkins & Land-O-Newts! Records. It’s been freshly updated with new belts, idler tires and pinch roller. The tactile switches in the transport section have all been replaced, so the buttons have a satisfying, responsive click to them. I also cleaned the faceplate and soaked all the plastic knobs while I was at it! I fix a lot of newly-acquired machines, but it’s especially rewarding to get one refurbished for its original owner. #recdel

09/11/2019

A client has been waiting to buy a Tascam 246 that I’ve been fixing up, but after a good bit of testing I determined that the playback head itself was damaged. Luckily the Porta One uses the same head! Transplant in progress. #recdel

09/06/2019

Gregory recently acquired a Fostex X-15 Series II, the same model he’d owned back in the ‘80s. His plan was to revisit some of his old demos, relearn the material and re-record it. But when he went to use his new machine, the tape got stuck! I was able to get the tape removed unharmed, and I installed all new belts and a replacement pinch roller so the problem won’t happen again. I also set him up with a new 15V power supply, getting rid of some of the hum that was audible when using the 12V adapter that came with the machine. Gregory is excited to return to his old tracks! #recdel

09/04/2019

We have a client’s TEAC A-3300SR which came in because the pinch roller had seized up. Jeff fixed that problem, but next we had to contend with a mystery electrical short that is keeping the machine from working at all. We have been stumped, and Jeff is currently in the midst of detaching wires to try to isolate which PCB holds the problem. #recdel

09/02/2019

I worked on a Tascam 414mkII for Jesse from Half Shadow. When it arrived to me it was eating tapes, and I soon discovered that the c-clip/washer for the capstan shaft had gone AWOL. Luckily it was loose in the machine and eventually turned up! I also took the time to deep clean the device inside and out, gave the knobs a bath and contact-cleaned the potentiometers as needed. It’s looking like new and ready to record new tunes! #recdel

08/22/2019

Returned from 10 days in Alabama with 51 videocassettes of home movies to digitize. Got some old family memories you’d like me to help you save? #recdel

07/27/2019

Just installed sixteen new tactile switches on this Tascam 246 that’s going home with a buyer this weekend. There’s such a pleasing, responsive click to the buttons now. #recdel

07/05/2019

Got a Tascam Porta 07 that won’t power up? Let me fix it for you! This one is being returned to its owner, who will be excited to put this excellent Goodwill find to use! #recdel

06/27/2019

Looking for blank Type II cassettes? I’ve got ‘em here at #recdel! 44 minutes in length and housed in clear Norelco cases. $15 for 5, $25 for 10! Send me a DM if you’d like to come pick up a few!

06/25/2019

The final step before this Tascam 234 gets returned to the client is to replace two VU bulbs that aren’t lighting up. 💡#recdel

06/22/2019

The grease they used at the Tascam factory had a tendency to gum up over time, and when a client brought me this Tascam 388, the pinch roller wouldn’t move at all. I removed the head stack, cleaned off the old grease and re-lubricated it. Works like a charm now! Next up I’ll figure out why only 1 of the 8 line inputs is working... #recdel

05/24/2019

Anyone looking for a Tascam 234? I have two of ‘em here currently getting new belts and idler tires installed, followed by a full run of testing. They’ll be for sale within a week or so, one with original box and manual! Get in touch if you’d like me to put one aside for you. #recdel

05/14/2019

It’s a tale as old as time (or at least since 1979). A tale of two Teac’s — one mine, one belonging to a client. Two machines that by all indications are the same build, yet one faceplate is dubbed “Multitrack Series” and the other, “Tascam Series.” Only their mother can tell them apart. #recdel

04/30/2019

If you’ve brought a reel-to-reel machine to me for repair, you may recall me mentioning my friend Jeffrey who assists me on those projects. He also has his own business called Analog Only where he refurbishes old receivers, tape decks, tuners and other hi-fi gear. I will be promoting and selling his machines as part of my inventory, and you can search for “Recursive Delete” on Craigslist Portland to get info about these first 4 units! #recdel

04/29/2019

The way you present yourself reflects on who you are. I want the machines my clients use for their work to reflect that same sense of self-esteem. That’s why I crave the opportunity to tear down a machine to its individual parts and get in there with a toothbrush. (Zoom in on this “before” shot of a dirty Tascam 488 faceplate that’s about to get beautified.) #recdel

03/29/2019

We’ll call this one “414 In The Shade.” This Tascam 414mkII was sent to #recdel to refurbish and resell by a client. All the faders and knobs got a bath, and It has been fully cleaned, including some graffiti that was scribbled on various parts of the faceplate. The loose door was reattached and all functions have been tested. I’ve got a few people waiting to buy one of these, so this one is likely accounted for, but contact me privately about finding a 4-track for you, or if you’ve got an old one you’d like to sell. (Or simply feel free to drool in the comments!)

03/07/2019

Hi 👋 to all the folks who discovered #recdel today via AMULETS! I’ve spent this snowy Portland afternoon inside a client’s early ‘70s Sony TC-122 cassette deck. First step: installing new belts and replacing its burned out lamps. Let me know if y’all have a tape machine that could use some TLC!

02/10/2019

After decades of use, the foam inside an Electro-Voice RE-20 microphone can be pretty nasty. Not only has it simply degraded over time, both crumbling in one part of the mic and turning gummy in another, but you can imagine how gross it must be after all those years of singers exhaling through it! Today I’m cleaning up an RE-20 for a client so it’ll live to capture sounds another day. Let me know if you’ve got a mic that needs some attention! #recdel

02/04/2019

Taking the cassette mechanism out of this Sony TC-RX470 cassette deck was a breeze — but of course, then it turned out that it was layered like a sandwich and installing the new belts meant taking it apart 2-3 times before I had all the gears reseated just right! I was eventually successful, and the machine will be up for sale on CL later this week. Give me a shout if you’re looking for a stereo cassette deck with Dolby B, C, and HX Pro! #recdel

01/31/2019

Currently under the hood of a Marantz PMD740. It’s always fun when a client brings me a 4-track cassette machine that I’ve never seen in person before! This one has a pinch roller that keeps popping out of its assembly, and luckily I was able to track down a replacement part. 👍 #recdel

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Located near Tri-Met lines 24 and 72.

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