Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

barretter · 20th Jan 2017, 4:36 pm

I recently bought a Uher Report Stereo 4200 IC which reputedly suffered from unstable tape transporting, speed fluctuations, sliding tape, etc But after I'd cleaned up the heads, capstan and pinch roller and plugged in my Z124A1 power supply it seems to work just fine apart from one grossly obvious fault: a cracked supply reel table.
I have a donor machine (exactly same model) but there is no obvious way of detaching the reel tables. Does anybody know how?

bojitchko · 20th Jan 2017, 7:32 pm

Must be disassembled. This is the work of someone who understands.

camtechman · 20th Jan 2017, 8:47 pm

Quote:

a cracked supply reel table.

This is quite a common problem. The plastic shell is by an injection moulding process over the inner metal hub.

I'll dig out my notes for removal of the assembly (I had the same problem with my 4200 Report Monitor) and advise later.

Tony

barretter · 20th Jan 2017, 9:41 pm

I've figured out how you do it : unscrew the pulley for the counter belt on the bottom of the reel-table spindle, then remove the top plate and unscrew the bracket which holds the wire which wraps around a groove in the reel table's middle, acts as a brake and holds the reel table in place, and don't lose any of the plastic washers. I found some of the fabled "hardened grease" in the process, and I managed to reassemble it, but I think I will undergo three months of Zen Buddhist meditation before I try it on the recipient machine, or I could just really clean up my workspace so I don't lose any of the tiny screws (which are very hard to start) which Uher use to hold things together.

Pine Marten · 21st Jan 2017, 8:16 pm

It is well worth recapping these machines. The Fraco electrolytics in particular will be well out of spec by now. Good quality proprietary caps will do, no need for fancy so called audiophile grades unless you want to. My 4400 is on a par with my Revox A77 on playback at 7.5 ips.

barretter · 22nd Jan 2017, 4:05 pm

I've managed to replace the reel table without too much drama. Removing the top plate revealed an awful bodge on the power supply board. A previous owner has replaced one of the three Frako 1000uf axial caps with two radial caps and covered the entire mess with blue insulating tape. There are also Frako caps on the main board and on the power amplifier board. I will replace them all in due course.
The machine still makes a sound though, unlike a previous 4200 I bought which worked mechanically but produced no sound whatsoever until I replaced 4 1000uF caps on the main board and the power amplifier board. Three of them were short-circuits, but they were Roederstein, not Frako.
Any suggestions on a good brand to replace them with?

Pine Marten · 22nd Jan 2017, 8:36 pm

I've done a lot of recapping lately, all my Naim gear, the Revox A77mk4 and now the little Uher. I like Nichion muse KZ and Elna Silmics in signal path applications. For all other applications I like Panasonic or Vishay. The Uher was working on arrival, but with lots of issues, the soldering iron and multimeter have been busy! It now records and plays very well. Tapes recorded on the Revox played on the Uher are astoundingly well played. I just need a right hand vu meter now, and its finished.

20th Jan 2017, 4:36 pm	#1
barretter Heptode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 870	Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC I recently bought a Uher Report Stereo 4200 IC which reputedly suffered from unstable tape transporting, speed fluctuations, sliding tape, etc But after I'd cleaned up the heads, capstan and pinch roller and plugged in my Z124A1 power supply it seems to work just fine apart from one grossly obvious fault: a cracked supply reel table. I have a donor machine (exactly same model) but there is no obvious way of detaching the reel tables. Does anybody know how? Attached Thumbnails

20th Jan 2017, 7:32 pm	#2
bojitchko Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Sofia, Bulgaria. Posts: 68	Re: Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC Must be disassembled. This is the work of someone who understands.

20th Jan 2017, 9:41 pm	#4
barretter Heptode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 870	Re: Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC I've figured out how you do it : unscrew the pulley for the counter belt on the bottom of the reel-table spindle, then remove the top plate and unscrew the bracket which holds the wire which wraps around a groove in the reel table's middle, acts as a brake and holds the reel table in place, and don't lose any of the plastic washers. I found some of the fabled "hardened grease" in the process, and I managed to reassemble it, but I think I will undergo three months of Zen Buddhist meditation before I try it on the recipient machine, or I could just really clean up my workspace so I don't lose any of the tiny screws (which are very hard to start) which Uher use to hold things together.

21st Jan 2017, 8:16 pm	#5
Pine Marten Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 50	Re: Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC It is well worth recapping these machines. The Fraco electrolytics in particular will be well out of spec by now. Good quality proprietary caps will do, no need for fancy so called audiophile grades unless you want to. My 4400 is on a par with my Revox A77 on playback at 7.5 ips.

22nd Jan 2017, 4:05 pm	#6
barretter Heptode Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 870	Re: Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC I've managed to replace the reel table without too much drama. Removing the top plate revealed an awful bodge on the power supply board. A previous owner has replaced one of the three Frako 1000uf axial caps with two radial caps and covered the entire mess with blue insulating tape. There are also Frako caps on the main board and on the power amplifier board. I will replace them all in due course. The machine still makes a sound though, unlike a previous 4200 I bought which worked mechanically but produced no sound whatsoever until I replaced 4 1000uF caps on the main board and the power amplifier board. Three of them were short-circuits, but they were Roederstein, not Frako. Any suggestions on a good brand to replace them with?

22nd Jan 2017, 8:36 pm	#7
Pine Marten Tetrode Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 50	Re: Uher 4200 Report Stereo 4200 IC I've done a lot of recapping lately, all my Naim gear, the Revox A77mk4 and now the little Uher. I like Nichion muse KZ and Elna Silmics in signal path applications. For all other applications I like Panasonic or Vishay. The Uher was working on arrival, but with lots of issues, the soldering iron and multimeter have been busy! It now records and plays very well. Tapes recorded on the Revox played on the Uher are astoundingly well played. I just need a right hand vu meter now, and its finished.