Quick Reference — All 12 Heads
| Head # | Head Brand / Model | Cat No. | Serial | Drum Brand / Series | Tip | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | BF977 | Videomagnetics N/A | N/A | Unknown — ACCEPTED QA sticker |
| #2 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | BJ232 | CMC Technology N/A | N/A | Unknown — ACCEPTED JUL 02 sticker |
| #3 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | 8684 | CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Transistor | Low RF Noise (noted on PESA sticky) |
| #4 | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) | 1840705 ⚑ | L8155 | CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Transistor | Noise Vibrations (noted) |
| #5 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | BD692 | CMC Technology "S" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Transistor | BAD HEAD (noted) |
| #6 | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) | 2373047 ⚑ | DU449A | CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Nuvistor | BAD — Scratches Tape (noted) |
| #7 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | 6022 | CMC Technology "S" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Transistor | No Drum Rotation (noted) — critical mechanical failure |
| #8 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | 12035 | Videomagnetics N/A | N/A | Good — .75 dev tip; No CT Head; Poor Velocity Error; Low Guide Vac |
| #9 | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) | 1800705 | 3460 | CMC Technology N/A | Transistor | Bad Bearings; Quadrature Dist.; Bad CT Head; Needs Reconditioning |
| #10 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | BE446 | CMC Technology "NC" Series Mark X | 10 Mil Transistor | NG (No Good) |
| #11 | Ampex Mark Ten | 1800705 | BE184 | CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X | N/A | Unknown — heavily corroded/dirty |
| #12 | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) | 1800705 | 7033 | CMC Technology / Videomagnetics N/A | Ferrite (Compatible) | PARTS — heavily corroded/dirty |
HEAD #1
Unknown — ACCEPTED QA sticker
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | BF977 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | Videomagnetics |
| Series | N/A |
| Tip | N/A |
Ampex Mark Ten High-Efficiency Video Head with Transistor Preamps (red label); Videomagnetics service label on drum housing; ACCEPTED QA sticker on chassis; sub-assembly 1240763 visible
⚑ CAT NO 1800705 confirmed from blue Ampex plate; ACCEPTED sticker indicates passed QA inspection
HEAD #2
Unknown — ACCEPTED JUL 02 sticker
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | BJ232 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | N/A |
| Tip | N/A |
Ampex Mark Ten High-Efficiency Video Head with Transistor Preamps (yellow label); sub-assembly label 1240763-01; V1/V2/V3/V4 trimmer pots visible on preamp board; ACCEPTED sticker dated JUL 02
⚑ CAT NO 1800705, SER NO BJ232 confirmed from blue Ampex plate
HEAD #3
Low RF Noise (noted on PESA sticky)
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | 8684 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "XPL" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Transistor |
CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X, 10 Mil Transistor head drum; calibration history label: Input 3: 3559.1 (10/31/97), Out: 3623.14 (1998), Out 6/16/00: 7120.3; "Low RF Noise" condition note on PESA-branded sticky
⚑ SER NO 8684 matches calibration label ID; low RF noise is a desirable characteristic
HEAD #4
Noise Vibrations (noted)
| Cat No. | 1840705 ⚑ Unique Cat# |
|---|---|
| Serial | L8155 |
| Head | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "XPL" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Transistor |
CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X, 10 Mil Transistor head drum; blue label: "Low Gain for Spin Physics Inc. Refurbished Mk X"; "SP Type II" label; Ampex Mark Ten chassis label also present; handwritten "375" on chassis; NOTE: CAT NO 1840705 differs from all other heads (1800705)
⚑ Spin Physics Inc. refurbished unit; "Noise Vibrations" condition indicates mechanical issue; CAT NO 1840705 is unique in this collection — may indicate a variant or updated assembly
HEAD #5
BAD HEAD (noted)
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | BD692 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "S" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Transistor |
CMC Technology "S" Series Mark X, 10 Mil Transistor head drum; "Bad Head" written on PESA-branded condition note
⚑ Condemned unit — "Bad Head" note; "S" Series drum differs from "XPL" Series on heads 3, 4, 6
HEAD #6
BAD — Scratches Tape (noted)
| Cat No. | 2373047 ⚑ Unique Cat# |
|---|---|
| Serial | DU449A |
| Head | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "XPL" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Nuvistor |
CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X, 10 Mil NUVISTOR head drum (nuvistor type — differs from transistor type on heads 3 and 4); blue label: "Low Gain for Spin Physics Inc. Refurbished Mk X"; "SP Type II" label; calibration label: DL-449A, Out 1: 9-11-97 8158.2; NOTE: CAT NO 2373047 is unique — entirely different from all other heads
⚑ DANGEROUS — "Bad Heads, Scratches Tape" means this unit will physically damage tape; CAT NO 2373047 unique in this collection; nuvistor preamp type is earlier technology than transistor; Spin Physics Inc. refurbished unit
HEAD #7
No Drum Rotation (noted) — critical mechanical failure
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | 6022 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "S" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Transistor |
CMC Technology "S" Series Mark X, 10 Mil Transistor head drum; "No Drum Rotation" label taped to chassis (appears upside-down in photo); yellow cable visible at head drum
⚑ Critical failure — drum motor not rotating; requires major repair before any use
HEAD #8
Good — .75 dev tip; No CT Head; Poor Velocity Error; Low Guide Vac
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | 12035 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | Videomagnetics |
| Series | N/A |
| Tip | N/A |
Ampex Mark Ten High-Efficiency Video Head with Transistor Preamps; Videomagnetics Inc. Certification No. 27814; labels: "Good / .75 dev tip" and "No CT Head" (Control Track head missing); service notes: "Poor Velocity Error / OK Spare Play Head / Low Guide Vac; Needs Checked"; "Poor DC-DF" noted; "1984" date visible on chassis
⚑ Videomagnetics Cert 27814; missing Control Track head; serviceable as spare play head per notes; guide vacuum and velocity error issues noted
HEAD #9
Bad Bearings; Quadrature Dist.; Bad CT Head; Needs Reconditioning
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | 3460 |
| Head | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | N/A |
| Tip | Transistor |
Ampex Mark Ten chassis; CMC Technology head drum; blue label: "Low Gain for Spin Physics Inc. Refurbished Mk X"; "SP Type II" label; handwritten "3401?" on chassis; service notes: "Bad Bearings / Quadrature Dist. / Bad CT Head / Needs Reconditioning"
⚑ Spin Physics Inc. refurbished unit; multiple serious defects — bad bearings, quadrature distortion, and bad control track head; SER NO partially obscured — may be 3460 or 3480
HEAD #10
NG (No Good)
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | BE446 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "NC" Series Mark X |
| Tip | 10 Mil Transistor |
CMC Technology "NC" Series Mark X, 10 Mil Transistor head drum; "NG" (No Good) label on chassis; service note: "Guide Vac Tip Port Re-glued"
⚑ Condemned — "NG" (No Good) status; guide vacuum tip port was re-glued; "NC" Series drum is a different variant not seen on other heads
HEAD #11
Unknown — heavily corroded/dirty
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | BE184 |
| Head | Ampex Mark Ten |
| Drum | CMC Technology |
| Series | "XPL" Series Mark X |
| Tip | N/A |
Ampex Mark Ten chassis; CMC Technology "XPL" Series Mark X head drum (label severely degraded); "BE 184" handwritten on chassis; unit heavily corroded and dirty throughout
⚑ Heavy corrosion and contamination; serial BE184 from handwritten marking — Ampex plate label too degraded to confirm; needs cleaning and assessment
HEAD #12
PARTS — heavily corroded/dirty
| Cat No. | 1800705 |
|---|---|
| Serial | 7033 |
| Head | Ampex / Spin Physics Mark Ten (Refurbished Mk X) |
| Drum | CMC Technology / Videomagnetics |
| Series | N/A |
| Tip | Ferrite (Compatible) |
Ampex Mark Ten chassis; "Low Gain for Spin Physics Inc. Refurbished Mk X" label; "SP Type II" label; Videomagnetics "PARTS" label (written in marker); "Compatible Ferrite" orange sticker — ferrite-tip head variant; Videomagnetics Inc. Certification No. 28945; unit heavily corroded and dirty; string tag attached
⚑ Designated as PARTS unit by Videomagnetics; ferrite tip is notable — most other heads are standard tip; Videomagnetics Cert 28945; Spin Physics refurbished; SER NO 7033 confirmed from blue Ampex plate