VHS Player Audio is really low when played

[Sir_Loin]

Hi everyone

I recently purchased a Panasonic NV HS9600 which had been kept in great condition by someone who respected VHS. The palyer has been playing fine however,earlier today i captured a VHS tape (footage is off a video camera) and the audio on the tape is really low, to the point where it is hardly there. I tried the same tape in another machine and the audio played fine and is clearly audible (kids jumping in the pool etc).

I tried a different tape in the Pana and the audio played fine.

What could be the problem?

The tapes are dated 2001 and appear to be in good condition. Visually the play back fine. No mould or other visible condition.

Thanks a lot

[jan5678]

I know this isn't much of help but i have the same problem with a panasonic nv-hs830.
Some commercially bought tapes are fine wile others the audio is hardly audible.
the tape where the audio is poor plays fine at another vhs player (cheap jvc )

I think it has something to do with the way the tape is recorded somehow?

I hope that someone here can help!

[Skiller]

Probably related to whether the tape was recorded with Hifi audio or just the mono linear audio.

I've had the same issue with a VCR (very very low audio volume with linear audio tapes) and fixed it by cleaning the linear audio head. There was a thick layer of black gunk on it.

In this picture the linear audio head is number 6.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Vcr_lw_o.jpg

[JVRaines]

I tried a different tape in the Pana and the audio played fine.

So it's not a dirty audio head or every tape would sound bad. Play the tape and finely adjust manual tracking up and down. You may find a spot that cleans up the audio without affecting the picture.

[Skiller]

I tried a different tape in the Pana and the audio played fine.

So it's not a dirty audio head or every tape would sound bad.

Wrong conclusion.

If a tape has Hifi audio and unless the user decides to play the linear audio anyways (every tape has to have linear audio as a fallback) the audio heads on the spinning head drum are used to play the Hifi audio; the audio of the linear track (which is read by a head not located on the spinning head drum) is not played and thus the audio sounds fine.

If a tape does not have Hifi audio the linear track is output and thus it may be compromised while the Hifi audio of a different tape sounds fine.

[JVRaines]

Absolutely right! Thanks for catching my fuzzy thinking.