Exploring a Reel to Reel Tape Recorder: Sony TC-366

This has been such an incredibly useful video. Amazing, simple explanation. Thank you.

Enjoy this video very much indeed 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I know this is 7 years old, but most auto reverse units would not have 6 heads, but only 4 as they do not have record function in the reverse direction, so it is only 1 extra playback head. The erase and record head would not be duplicated. Some machines use a rotating play head, but this was not common in open real, but was quite common in auto-reverse compact cassette machines.

Heavier objects have more inertia, tho momentum does work, but usually for things in motion witch is why it does works here, but I don't believe it's the most accurate word you could have used since your explanation explained inertia better than momentum. I know I'm being pedantic about the semantics but this has been the first and only thing so far after binging all of your videos that I have enough knowledge about to correct, so I hope you can excuse me😅🤣🤣💜

I've got a TC-252D and a TC-377, purchased recently at estate sales. Nostalga for me as I used to bounce tracks between similar machines in the 1980s. They are built like tanks, but I have an issue it the 252 record circuit preventing one channel to record. I'm still having fun with them. Long tape delays are the purpose for the two machines.

How do I connect my tape deck to wifi?

The way that engineers are able to design such complex combination of precise motions and precise physical forces keeps amazing me every time I look at such devices being disassembled!

You answered ALL MY QUESTIONS....
GREAT JOB!!..

i still have sony tc-270 it still works great i bought used back in 1990

I'm just here to watch all the great content.

Thank you I just bought this very machine... Any part numbers for Main Belts?

This is such a good review and explanation. Thank you!

Loved your videos for a long time but hadnt gone this far back in your video library. I found a TC-366 in a pawn shop and this video gave me some great info on repairing it, thank you so much!

I have the Sony TC-377 the next version that offered F&F Ferret & Ferret heads. I need a new capstan clutch and reel clutches and tried all sources available. Do you know where I can order these parts at?

I've had a TC-366 (or two) for most of the last 40 years.
Great machine, but owners should always keep a spare takeup belt on hand and learn how to change it efficiently.
Other models with the same mechanism include the TC-377 (more features) and TC-388 (more features and fancier cosmetics).
There was also a TC-366/4, the 4-channel version.

That machine might need servicing. I hear a noise in play mode. Just an FYI.

Just got one! Someone was throwing it out and it is in pristine condition! Anyone got tips for places to buy reels? Or any other tips ofc! Ty for video, now at least I know how it works haha

Thanks for the upload! I have this SONY TC-266 Tapedeck. Very well explained how these systems work! Greets from The Netherlands Europe!

Thanks I just received the Sony TC366 this helped me out

Nice Video & Mp3 Song

Nice overview of Sony et mechanics. I Think you erred on one point. The round felt pad lies between the two disks on the take up spindle. The two disks lock together on the supply spindle.

Very cool!

ok, but how do I insert the tape correctly on the take up reel? I just dug all this shit out of the garbage of a house I bought and have no idea how to use it.

When you were discussing the Capstan, you missed an opportunity to talk about where that name came from. Remember that 70's duo, The Capstan and Tenille? That's where it's from.

My favorite part is that the empty reel is not pulling on the tape it just spools it and the speed of the spool is self regulating. Amazing engineering!

It's a lot of fun to record a music at certain speed then play them fast or slow... There was a Tom and Jerry episode where Tom was dancing with a female cat and Jerry would mess up his rhythm by speeding up or slowing down the record.

Wait a minute: the tape changes color when is magnetized?? Why?

A very good job of explaining the workings. I have restored over 125 of these units and could not have done a better job.

I love these things bought a sony tapecorder from the 60's it works perfectly without me touching or replacing anything even the belts are still good

this is a cool channel, im not a tech wizard, but i usually try the oddest things with varying gadgets. i came from days of black and white tv with 13 channels than only ran 18 hrs a day, and at the time I was the remote control. i'd hear my name called and thinking someone was interested in me, only to hear "hey change the channel. they thought that was the coolest thing. Mix parts and double up on non known outcomes has always played out in favor of only relying on manufacturers directions that always have warnings about the use of other manufacture products. some crazy things i've found out for sure. but in the 80s from finding things thrown away in the trash, i got reel to reel recorder, and i really had no use for it's recordings but it did some awesome amplifications to normal marantz amplifiers run through some ar15 speakers (if that sounds right,) and some sony cassette player that had a separate playback and recording docks on one machine is what the signal would come from, it'd shake the house. it was the reel to reel that made it all worth while. never settle for what technology limits. supercharge everything. you might get less overall life of it, but when it's running, it's leading the race. i got a military telephone back pack thing, it works but there's not a receiver to send messages to. but it's got this huge crystal thing that plugs in. i'm trying to figure out what to do with it. remember in the early 60s the hearing testers at school? it's have these tones to test your hearing quality, and a bone test to see if it it was connected to something in your head. i have a couple of those too. works like new.

Thanks for the video. Now I believe I know the 2 things I need to look at to figure out why the reels will not stop after stopping fast forward or rewind when I am trying to find a particular spot on the tape. I normally have to just play the tape from beginning to end without using those functions.

I came across this tc 377 in brand new mint condition. Looks like the one in the video. What type of tape do I use? Where can I buy tape for it. Is there music I can buy for it?

what are those background pictures at the beg. behind you?

I have a tc-366 and I love it. I had to replace the belts and the motor capacitor but besides that it’s a great piece of history.

Good job on the video . My parents bought this machine long ago in the seventies when i was a child , more than 50 years now , and i still have it . Thanks to this video i understand fully , for the first time , how it is built and how it works .

Some interesting history on 1/4" stereo tape.
Back in the 70s I had an old reel to reel machine that played both mono and early stereo tapes.
The first version of stereo tape used two heads, one for left and one for right, with about a 2" space between head. Each channel took up 1/2 of the tape; the right channel took side one and the left took side two. This meant the tape was one directional, and had no 'side 2'. Also, the left channel was delayed on the tape slightly. This was called the 'staggered stereo configuration.
Later, technology allowed both channels to be contained in one head, aligning the tracks on the tape. But, each channel still took half of the tape. and the tape was still one directional. This was called the 'stacked stereo' configuration.
Part of the reason the interlaced, two side, stereo tape (as described in the video) was developed as the interlaced configuration, was so that early 'stacked stereo' tapes could be played on an interlaced stereo machine.
The machine I had played standard mono, stacked or staggered stereo tapes, but it would only record in mono. and it had a very cool "magic eye" tube VU meter.
By the time the stereo compact cassette was developed (originally, cassettes were only mono), technology had progressed far enough to be able to put two pick-ups into the same head, right next two each other. This allowed each channel to take 1/4 of the tape, and allowed those two channels to take the same space as one mono track. This meant both stereo and mono tapes could be played on either stereo or mono machines.

I have had this exact same machine since mid 1975 that I bought used and it was in great shape/low hours, It still plays great.
I used it to record many Brand new Virgin LP vinyl records on High Quality Virgin 7-1/2" Tape so I would have a near master copy of those records for the future. Only the rubber drive belt has had to be replaced once. Thanks for this video.

I'm not skipping any of the ads because I love this channel!

Very informative video! Keep up the good work!

I've always been impressed with the audio quality these things are capable of. I listened to some of the masters of Pet Sounds on le Tube and it's absolutely incredible how detailed it is, it's like it could have been recorded yesterday.

Mmm that record head could do with a serious re-lapping.

i have a 353 or 355 but can't get it to play the tape at an even speed i already replaced the motor run capacitor and belts What do you suggest?

"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds."
😎

Great stuff!

So the cap stem acts like a gyro

Liking the user manual background thing. But don’t stop your “normal “ background and something new in the shelf

That tape deck was built like a tank, my Dad had one of these exact models around 1973, and it sounded gorgeous, I wish I could still have use of it! Very informative video, thanks.