Fostex PD-4 Preventative Maintenance Package

The Shop at Trew Audio has become a premiere service center for the Fostex PD-4 DAT Recorders, increasing our customers ability to record with confidence. With the benefit of years of PD-4 experience, we have created a Maintenance Package made up of a checklist of items we have found to eventually cause problems if left ignored.

When your career depends on the performance of your recorder, even one problem prevented can more than pay for the modest cost of this service.

Our PD-4 Preventive Maintenance Package will increase the reliability of your recorder.

Heres what we do:

1. We remove and apply LokTite to 26 screws that commonly get loose. Three of them form the electrical GROUNDING for the Transport Controller Board and if they get loose cause all kinds of transport lunacy because they eventually fall out and short-circuit the Main Board (which costs $1000 to replace). Those three screws also get star washers applied for better security.

2. We epoxy the 15 LED Lenses. At least one will be sure to fall out and then you better pray they don't get into the Transport Gears. We epoxy ALL of them just to be safe.

3. While the Front Panel is apart to do the Lenses, we clean all 4 Gain Pots (Main, Channels 1-3 Gain Faders).

4. We glue (with a very special adhesive) the Top Panel plastic frame surrounding the Transport Plexi Lid. It will come loose (if not already) eventually causing downward pressure on the Capstan Bearing Cap, which either wears out the Capstan Motor or causes speed fluctuations with red LEDs galore -- or both.

5. We overhaul and LokTite the four Transport Shock Mounts. If and when the Right Rear Shock Mount works its way loose (theyre spring-loaded) you will not be able to close the tape lid without damaging the lid mechanism. We lock all four.

6. We reroute the Transport Data Cabling for better RF immunity, and replace the ribbon cables if necessary.

7. We replace the plastic NP-1 Release Lever with a new one. (Its real fun bunging up your ATM card on location trying to get an NP-1 out when that lever breaks.)

8. We perform a visual inspection for dirt or oxidation. We remove all the dirt and sand, and if any evidence of corrosion is present, we coat it with either a light silicone or a heavier antioxidant depending on its location in the machine. We also clean and re-lube the Transport.

9. Once all the above steps are complete, we calibrate the unit to Fostex Specs and send her home. The price for the Maintenance Package can vary because some machines have already had a portion of this work done, and others may require extra work to obtain spec. Average cost of the above is only $400-$500. A small price for such increased security.

Available at our US location only

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