ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE FOR MCI JH-16/114 MULTITRACK:

Cleaning

Demagnetize tape path (machine off).

Clean heads & guides (pinch roller only occasionally) with 91% - 100% pure isopropyl alcohol or a good quality head cleaning solution. Do not use denatured alcohol on the pinch roller.

If needed, clean white ceramic capstan shaft with "Formula 409" or "Fantastik" brand cleaner. Do not allow the cleaner to run down into the capstan motor bearing.

Reproduce Alignment

1. Place MRL test tape or tape with client's tones on transport. (See "*NOTE ON REPRO ALIGNMENT TONES" on next page.)

2. Set remote master status switching to TAPE position. Put all tracks in safe (black buttons out). Make sure all red BIAS CAL buttons on machine and grey buttons on remote are not depressed.

3. Play the 1 khz tone and adjust the repro trim pot on each control card (the top card) for the appropriate level (0 VU if using client's tones. If using MRL tape, see note** below)

4. Play the 10 khz tone and adjust the appropriate Hi FREQ reproduce equalizer on each Repro card (2nd card down). The pot marked HI SPEED is for 30 ips, LO SPEED is for 15 ips. Adjust to the same VU reading as in step #3.

5. If a large adjustment was made for the 10 khz tone, recheck the 1 khz tone. Re-adjustment of the 1 khz tone may be necessary. If re-adjustment was required, check the 10 khz tone again.

6. Set remote switch to AUTO. Play the 1 khz tone again and adjust the CUE pot on each Control Card to the same VU reading as in the steps above.

7. If you are doing a full repro & record alignment, proceed directly to "Record Alignment". If you are doing repro only, just complete the next step.

8. Set remote to TAPE. Play the 100 hz tone and adjust the aproppriate speed LO FREQ reproduce equalizer on each Repro card for 0 VU. In some cases a 0 VU setting is not possible; just set it as close as you can.

*NOTE ON REPRO ALIGNMENT TONES: A typical MRL alignment tape is recorded @ 250 nwb/meter or "+3" level. So, if an operating level of +3 is requested, the repro level would be set to 0 VU with this tape. If an operating level of +6 is requested, the Repro level is set to -3 VU (all record levels are set to 0 VU). This procedure applies only to MRL tapes. Client's printed tones are always set to 0 VU.

Record Alignment

1. Check tape path & clean if necessary.

2. Set oscillator on console to 10 khz and depress all group or "buss" buttons (you may have to engage a "slate" button as well). With board in "buss out" mode, adjust oscillator level for about 1/2 scale reading on the buss output meters.

3. With Client's record pad or a new roll of tape on machine, put all tracks in record ready (black buttons in on remote). Remote should be in the TAPE position.

4. Enter record and set each BIAS ADJ. pot (bottom card, bottom pot) as follows - DO NOT touch ERASE PEAK controls!: turn pot back and forth until a peak is found, then clockwise until meter drops 1.2 Db (VU) past this peak (this setting is for 30 ips. For 15 ips, use 2.5 Db over the peak). Please note these figures are for ATR Master Tape only. For RMGI/Emtec/Pyral SM911 tape, use 1.25 Db @ 30 ips and 2.5 Db @ 15 ips. For RMGI/Emtec/Pyral SM900 and SM468 tapes, use 1.25 Db @ 30 ips and 3.5 Db @ 15 ips.

For Scotch 250, 226, 966 & Quantegy/Ampex 456 tapes, use 1.5 Db @ 30 ips and 3 Db @ 15 ips. For Scotch 996 tape, use 2 Db @ 30 ips and 4 Db @ 15 ips. For Quantegy/Ampex 499 tape, use 1.2 Db @ 30 ips and 3 Db @ 15 ips.

5. Reset oscillator to 1 khz and adjust all buss faders for 0 VU on board. Again, make sure console is in buss or "group out" mode and not in tape return mode.

6. Enter record and adjust each RECORD pot (on control card) for 0 VU on machine.

7. Set oscillator to 10 khz (make sure the console's busses read 0 VU), and with machine in record adjust the appropriate speed high freq record eq (on record card; third one down) for 0 VU. The HIGH SPEED control is for 30 ips, the LOW SPEED for 15 ips.

8. Set oscillator to 100 hz. Enter record and adjust each appropriate speed LOW FREQ reproduce equalizer pot (on Repro card, 2nd card down) for 0 VU on tape machine. In some cases, a 0 VU setting is not possible; just set it as close as you can.

9. Stop machine. Set oscillator to 1 khz and recheck buss faders for 0 VU level on console meters. With remote on INPUT, set the INPUT pot on each control card for 0 VU on the machine. (On some machines, this pot may be marked REC CAL and/or located on the record card, or might not even be present. If it isn't, just skip this step). If desired, new tones (1 khz, 10 khz & 100 hz - 1 min. of each) can be printed at this time.