Weak, distorted audio on a JVC HR-7100U
 

I've had a JVC HR-7100U for a couple years now, only today did I finally clean the heads enough to get a clear picture in full color. However, audio is overly quiet and oddly "warble-y". I know pre-HiFi VHS audio wasn't great but this seems like a problem to me, could it be capacitors or just a dirty audio head?

The quiet could be dirty heads or caps or the tape it's self. Warbly is what it is as long as the video is tracking right...Linear audio on VHS especially at the EP (aka SLP) speed usually has a surprising (read appalling) amount of wow and flutter (and landline grade frequency response and fidelity) especially if recorded on a different machine.

If you have tapes recorded with HiFi don't waste your time with a linear player unless you're using a TV with really poor sound. Good HiFi decks are still $10 thrift store finds around here.

That's a pretty old machine.. well all VCRs are now. I would bet there is a bad cap in the audio circuit. Can you try the tape on another machine? If that deck is in good shape, I can see wanting to make it function correctly! If you have a scope, that would help you find the problem quickly (Unless you are like me! LOL)

I think I'm going to try a couple more tapes, it's entirely possible the disposable recording of some movie I don't care about wasn't recorded the best to begin with.

I do remember using a different tape when I last worked on this VCR (a George Carlin standup special from the 1980s) that sounded better...

As featured in the intro of "The Goldbergs" TV show.

http://www.videokarma.org/attachment...1&d=1712155775

On some VCRs I used to have to use a little automotive polishing compound on a q-tip to polish off buildup on the audio head to restore proper tape contact when alcohol wouldn't remove it.

That's a great tip! Thanks for sharing!