I have a Wollensak 3M tape recorder Model 2520 and need the specs. I need a tape player to play up to 17,000 Hz. Does this tape player do that?

Hi Brenda, When the Wollensak was new it certainly had a frequency response that was greater than 17 kHz. There are several things however that could lower the response. The first thing to look at is the head of the tape recorder. If the head has any dirt or tape residue you will have to clean it with a q-tip and alcohol. Look carefully at the head to see if the head is worn. A worn head will show a groove where the tape travels across it. As the head wears down the gap between the magnetic poles gets wider and this eliminates more and more of the high frequency. Finally the quality of the tape that is being use make a big difference. I have a nice reel to reel tape recorder with tapes from the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately the tape has aged and my heads are worn so the music lacks the crisp sound that it had all those years ago. The best thing to do is to get a frequency generator and record the sound turning it up and noting the frequency. You can then play it back and monitor the output to see how high the frequency goes before it drops out.

John

Thank you so very much.

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Hi Brenda, I thought of one other factor. Use the highest capstan speed to get the best high frequency response. This is probably 7 inches per second.

John

Hi Brenda,

I did a little more research and found out the 2520 was a cassette recorder and not a Reel to Reel. My previous post about the capstan speed doesn't apply but the other information about the head is still pertinent.

John

Thank you, John. I realized the error but trusted the other info. It is a big relief, though.

Thank you so much for your thoroughness.

Brenda

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Is this to replay old tapes or to make new recordings ?

MK

I am wanting to listen to some older tapes.

Brenda

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In that case just try it and see how it sounds. Cassettes recorders very rarely managed 17kHz response although quite a few claimed up to 20KHz and above. The reality is that unless the recording was made on good tape with a very good machine in perfect alignment then the response of the playback machine at 12kHz and above won't matter much.

If it sounds OK then you're sorted.

If the tapes are valuable then try the least valuable ones first. Old tapes on old machines often tangle.

MK