Ampex 440C or 440B Alignment Problems Trouleshooting

 

If you are having alignment troubles with an Ampex 440C or 440B, here is one thing to do first before all else.  Typically, problems are something simple.  This assumes you have a good alignment tape and have checked all of your input and output connections.  Do you have a channel or two that have “low output” @ 1kHz even after turning up the “repro” level all the way?  The first thing to try is to swap playback head cables and see if the problem transfers to the other channel.  If it does, you may have a bad play head or head connection problems.  If the low output stays on the same channel, here’s the most likely solution.

Pull the “Reproduce Amp” cards on all channels and clean the connectors with denatured alcohol and a Q- tip.  

Also pull the small “Reproduce EQ” assembly cards on all reproduce amplifier cards and clean those contacts with denatured alcohol and a Q- tip.

  It’s also a good time to pull all the other “Bias Amp”, “Record Amp” cards and clean those contacts.  Do the same for the “Record Equalizer” cards on the “Record Amplifier” cards.  This is a good starting point and usually clears up any intermittent alignment troubles.