Chris's QXHD
Bought on Craigslist with its manuals for $100 and found with the pinch-roller arm stuck in dried grease. Rebuilt, relit with LEDs and given a home-made remote with a light for every function. About the QX →
The log
2026-10-13
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDA home-made CR-705 remote with a light for every function
Well, my remote control has lights for every function; even stop.
2026-10-13
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDTake-up reel motor: poor fast forward
So, what the heck is squeaking? It was the tape itself!
2026-10-13
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDThe $65 rescue: a stuck pinch roller and an LED retrofit
$100 got the unit, manuals, some tapes, and a split-reel that the seller made a point was worth good money. Sold it on eBay for $35 so the OTARI ended up costing me $65.
2026-10-13
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDCapstan speed change and power supply connector
The locking toggle was added to allow speed changeover without moving solder-jumpers on the PCB.
2026-10-13
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDSmaller mods, and a record lamp that will not blink
Record lamp will not blink when record function is selected on the electronics section. Turns out this is normal for my model.
2026-10-04
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDGold-plated C&K pushbutton switches
Why would Otari use gold-plated card-edge connectors that just sit there, but not use gold contacts on switches that are always moving in and out? Hmmm.
2022-01-01
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDRebuilding the interconnection cable
During a move I misplaced the 10-conductor cable that interconnects the tape transport to the electronics. DANG! UPDATE: I found the cables!
2021-12-01
Chris · Delaware, USAMX-5050-QXHDRecapping the whole QXHD
Capacitor C4 on the PM-872A Reproduce Amplifier was a big leaker on all four of my boards.