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Anyone know the best and least expensive source for rubber belts nowadays? I see PRB is still around in a convoluted way. If there is a fast, inexpensive, and reliable online supplier I would love to know about it. Used to de dozens in the old days. Also if anyone has a link to a Tascam cross reference? The catalogues just list Teac.
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LAst I looked, a moment ago, MCM still sold belts. Belts are sold dimentionally, not by cross reference to part numbers. SO flat round or square and circumference.
As tape decks fade into history, I use fewer and fewer belts. I think most belts I use anymore are for the tray motor in CD players.
And google "tape recorder belts" and get a number of suppliers listed. Just searching rubber belts includes all those V-belts for heavy motors.Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned. -
Thanks Enzo.... I still have my PRB pro line catalogue from the mid 90s. It has pages of belts under manufacturer, model, and part number cross refferenced. It just doesn't have Tascam. I don't like to guess on drive belts and am refurbishing a few R to Rs and high end cassette decks to convert tape to digital. I have the part number to PRB number cross for the Teacs and the Yamahas, but for some reason the Tascam isn't listed. Back on the day I knew which Teac and Tascam mechanisms were the same. It's been too long for me to remember. MCM was the supplier that was slipping my mind. I was pricing belts and they seem to be gold plated. Thanks again.Originally posted by Enzo View PostComment
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The best is rubber o rings, sold at the hardware store.Originally posted by olddawg View PostComment
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Most belts are flat or square with very specific dimensions. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and pay $5 apiece for PRBs for the ones I can't cross to MCM eqivalents. Not as easy as it used to be.Originally posted by soundguruman View PostComment
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You sure you can;t come up with dimensions? Use a piece of string or even a piece of old reel to reel recording tape to make a dummy band, then measure its length. To each his own, but I never have to look up brand/model cross lists. An 8"x1/4" belt doesn;t care whose part number it equates.
Or if the PRB lists the number, do they also have a generic decription for each number? In other words, they may list belt 123456 for the Teac ABC200. And that same belt might also work for the Technics XYZ400. But there also ought to be a listing for 123456 that calls it a flat 7.34" x .187" or whatever. Then look up that dimensional data in generic belts.Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.Comment
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Thanks again Enzo. Yeah, I've done all of that before. For old R to Rs it isn't so critical. For dual cassette decks belt specs make a big difference imhe. The thing is, I'm no longer in shop environment with all the cross references, archived service manuals, etc immediately at hand. I couldn't even remember MCM as a supplier. But then, we always had a guy that just did parts and billing. I'll get it done. I'm just finding what used to take me half an hour on the bench when I was a pro takes me hours at home sourcing parts. I've been out of the loop for years. I was once a authorized audio/video tech for Akai to Zenith, Yamaha Certification, CET, the whole deal. Garage benching is a whole different deal.Comment
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If it's a TEAC/TASCAM...have you tried them? I ordered a new one for an old Porta-One. It was less than $10.
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