I recently aquired a Nagra III tape recorder. The machine sounds great
and everything seems to be working fine. I don't have much experience
with open-reel machines and I'm hoping to get some advice.

1. Given that it's working well, should I bother getting it looked at
by a tech?

2. If I take it to a tech, what tests/adjusments should be done to it
as standard? Are there any problems specific to this machine one
should look out for? Are there any standard repairs/adjusments a tech
_shouldn't_ do to a Nagra III?

3. I was given the name of a local hi-fi repair guy who's worked on a
Nagra before. Is this a job any competent tech will be able to handle,
or should I only entrust the machine to a Nagra specialist?

Thanks.

Hi

If the local hi-fi repair guy owns a manual or at least a schematic-
diagram of the Nagra III, confidence rises to 50%

If he owns test tapes (from any renown tape manufacturer) a device
to demagnitize the heads, an analyzer to read frequency-responses
we're up to 90%

If he can tell you right away that the electronics in this Nagra is
a bit odd ( it has the battery + as Ground and the battery - as supply
and uses RED wire for ground connections ) then go for the guy.

He should first check if the Nagra performs anyway according it's
specifications.
Then, in case, he should start cleaning and demagnitizing heads,
check again, adjust heads-position, check, adjust bias, and levels.

Oh and first of all, new batteries.! When they are a bit low the III
behaves really weird.

Andre



IP wrote:
I recently aquired a Nagra III tape recorder. The machine sounds great
and everything seems to be working fine. I don't have much experience
with open-reel machines and I'm hoping to get some advice.

1. Given that it's working well, should I bother getting it looked at
by a tech?

2. If I take it to a tech, what tests/adjusments should be done to it
as standard? Are there any problems specific to this machine one
should look out for? Are there any standard repairs/adjusments a tech
_shouldn't_ do to a Nagra III?

3. I was given the name of a local hi-fi repair guy who's worked on a
Nagra before. Is this a job any competent tech will be able to handle,
or should I only entrust the machine to a Nagra specialist?

Thanks.