Reel tapes recommendations

Two track tapes can be played on a 4 track machine but one of channels will be very weak. Best to use a two track machine to play two track tapes, like Tapeproject, Quinton and broadcast tapes. Machine's like the Technics 15xx have in addition to being two track machines, a 4 track switch. As with all aged tapes, best to clean heads very often.

Glai,
Connect Track 1 and 3 outputs to your preamp if you are playing a two-track tape on four-track heads. Leave 2 and 4 open. If that doesn't work try using Track 2 and Track 4 outputs only. See if that remedies the problem. Often it is not "print-through" but simply the manner in which the tracks were recorded on the specific tape, or more accurately, the width of the track on the tape.

These r helpful tips. Anyway to remove or prevent print thru?

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You can prevent it by making sure your tapes are wound slowly, which makes them wind evenly. Using the fast forward and fast rewind causes the cape to wind unevenly. Once you have print-through, it cannot be corrected or removed....the tape is ruined.
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Mitch,

That would mean I would have to play the tape to the end without using FF or RW. That seems somewhat painful. Any work around?

I have a Studer A810 which is suppose to have a good drive mechansim. I certainly don't wnat to damage the tape project tapes.