Usually track bleed only occurs on adjacent tracks. I'm not really familiar with the machine your working on, but I wouldn't think that track 1 would be adjacent to track 5. If the tracks are adjacent, then you really need to align and calibrate your machine. Even with a properly aligned and calibrated machine, you may end up with a little bleed from an adjacent track, but it shouldn't really be noticable if both tracks are recorded on.

Not sure if cleaning and demagging it will do anything for track bleed. I would think a proper alignment, calibration and biasing would have more beneficial. I assume you have a calibration tape and know how to calibrate your machine?

You will probably get more answers in Tech Room.

wait - if you mute ch 5 on your mixer this solves the problem? that seems like that points more to crosstalk in your mixer than anything to do with the tape machine. perhaps i'm not fully following you though...alternately, unplug all inputs to the tape machine except ch 1 to truly verify if the problem is on the tape machine side or mixer side.

I've recently noticed that while I am recording with my Fostex R8 1/4 8 track, it seems like track 1 bleeds over to track 5 a little bit while recording. I clean and demagnetize the heads before each session, and I've been able to work around it somewhat, but I think it is affecting what I'm recording on track 5. I've been able to work around it for the most part by selecting mute on channel 5 my mixer while I'm bouncing down in order to mute the added noise when there is not recorded material on track 5. It's getting a little frustrating. Do you think there is magnetism built up, or the machine needs to be realigned? I was recommended not to align the machine since it has 2 heads. Anyways, I'd rather be able to resolve the issue instead of just working around it. If anyone has any ideas let me know. -Wes

I'm going to try cleaning the machine again and demagnetizing it one more time and studying the issue further and trying some tests to see if it is for certain track 1 bleeding onto track 5 and check back.

I had some recommendations that I not try to calibrate the R8 since it is a two head machine and would be an absolute pain, and I have not calibrated a simpler machine before. So in short, no. I could purchase it and try the calibration of course, but I'm going to try some other things first. If anyone has some really in depth sources about alignment and calibration of two head machines it would be much appreciated. The source I was recording to track five on what I'm working on was a quiet source so I had to use a lot of pre-amplication which could be a reason why the channel sounds a little noisy when there is not recorded material on it. There may not even be an issue other than my own error.I'm just going to finish up the recording I'm working on, should take another couple weeks and then test it out with a new reel of tape and see if I still have the issue. -Wes

stupid\_life wrote:I had some recommendations that I not try to calibrate the R8 since it is a two head machine and would be an absolute pain, and I have not calibrated a simpler machine before. So in short, no. I could purchase it and try the calibration of course, but I'm going to try some other things first. If anyone has some really in depth sources about alignment and calibration of two head machines it would be much appreciated. The source I was recording to track five on what I'm working on was a quiet source so I had to use a lot of pre-amplication which could be a reason why the channel sounds a little noisy when there is not recorded material on it. There may not even be an issue other than my own error.I'm just going to finish up the recording I'm working on, should take another couple weeks and then test it out with a new reel of tape and see if I still have the issue. -WesWell, if you're not going to learn how to calibrate the thing, then you've really only got 3 options: find someone who can calibrate it for you, live with the way it sounds, or get rid of it. Of course, if your in the middle of a project and the thing was out of alignment when you began, you should wait until after the project is complete to avoid worsening the track bleed on the tracks you've already recorded.

I agree. Lining the machine up will be a pain in the arse but you should still learn to do it. You will probably start to notice the limitations of the transport with all the winding back and forth you will have to do. I also agree that this doesn't sound like a problem with the heads, much more likely electronic crosstalk either in the tape machine, cabling or mixing desk. I would put money on the heads not being at fault.(And yes, you should ask a mod to move this thread to the tech room, you'll get a lot more help in there)

For calibration you'll need the manual and a calibration reel.These articles by Eddie Ciletti take into account two head machines if I remember correctly...http://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/Tech ... ogTape.htmhttp://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/Tech ... gPt2-1.htmhttp://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/Tech ... 01P3\_1.htm