Cleaning/Maintenance

Bruce B · Nov 6, 2010

Just thought I'd start a thread on something pretty great I found out tonight. I was putting together my 4th A80 RC MkII that came from a studio and it seemed someone had spilled coffee and ??? all over the deck. It's a very solid deck, but left a lot to be desired cosmetically.
I needed something to clean all the aluminum, especially the discoloration. Well anyone wanting to put a luster on their Studers look no further than your Mother.
I stopped by the local autoparts place and got some Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish. Here are the results.

Also, does anyone know what the little white button above the FF/REW does?

jtinn · Nov 6, 2010

Sure is perty!

BTW, What's that white button above the FF/RW buttons?

amirm · Nov 6, 2010

This thing probably has the answer: http://cgi.ebay.com/Studer-A80-RC-MK-II-Manual-original-not-copy-/200539352270

Bruce B · Nov 6, 2010

amirm said:
This thing probably has the answer: http://cgi.ebay.com/Studer-A80-RC-MK-II-Manual-original-not-copy-/200539352270

Sorry Amir... I've got two of those and neither one says anything. I even went to the Studer document download site and did a search.

amirm · Nov 6, 2010

Is it possible it is an after-market mod? It is not aligned with the other buttons, it is a different style and of course has no label. Are there others with the same button?

Thinking out loud, it is above the FF/REW buttons so perhaps it is common to both. Does it change the speed in those modes? What happens if you hold it down while you hit FF/REW?

Bruce B · Nov 7, 2010

It appears to be standard Studer issue. The top plate is stamped out to to accept the button. The wire on the bottom has the same jacket material as the power line (gray). The pic just barely shows that whatever it is, Studer went to great lengths to make sure it was there.

Took cover off and got another pic.

I thought it might be a kind of "library wind", but the FF/REW or even Play speeds don't change. It's a mystery!

amirm · Nov 7, 2010

Anything happen on audio front when you engage it while in REW/FF? I recall some consumer decks having a button where you could select whether you wanted to hear the audio (in high-speed) so that you for example you could find the silent spots. It would selectively engage the heads/audio circuits.

Edit: Come to think of it, that was usually done in association with the play button so that may not be it...

amirm · Nov 7, 2010

BTW, have you seen this doc? http://recordist.com/studer/A80RCModificationtoHS.pdf

At the end, it has a series of schematics, documenting the control circuits. Perhaps you can follow them and what you see inside the machine and trace the button.

Bruce B · Nov 7, 2010

No nothing... this has a "Listen lever" for that. At least I know the stereo/mono switch works!

jcmusic · Nov 7, 2010

Bruce,
It looks great nice job!!!

Jay

c1ferrari · Nov 7, 2010

That's good to know, Bruce! I'm thinking of contacting Fred Thal and inquiring if he has "aluminite" cleaner or can source it. Perhaps, I should give this a go, first

Regarding, the white button -- maybe, you can trace the wires and see where that takes you

amirm · Nov 7, 2010

The white button mystery reminds me of something. I am driving my BMW one day and I see a red light blinking in the dash next to A/C and radio controls. It had no label in it so I go look in the manual. No mention there either. So I take it to the dealer and they come and tell me it is a reminder. I asked what it is reminding. They said it was a reminder related to the computer option I don't have! I ask how they can turn it off. They say they can't since I don't have the computer! So maybe it is for some option they took out but left the button behind

.

microstrip · Nov 7, 2010

Nice to know we have experts in the A80 in this forum!
I have now boght a lot of original Studer A101 spares and I can find at less three versions of this hybrid IC - one with a large round blog (capacitor?) encapsulated in light blue epoxy, another with a square thin capacitor, also encapsulated in light blue epoxy and finally a non encapsulated board using bc550c and bc560c transistors.
Which do you think it is the better sounding?

Bruce B · Nov 7, 2010

microstrip said:
Nice to know we have experts in the A80 in this forum!
Which do you think it is the better sounding?

The only expert I know is Ki. He could probably tell you more about this than I can.

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Cleaning/Maintenance

Bruce B

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jtinn

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Bruce B

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Bruce B

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Bruce B

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Bruce B

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