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Thread: Cassette deck repair - still viable?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default Cassette deck repair - still viable?

    Dug out my old Sony TCK-611S after, oh...10 years of storage and was looking forward to a night of nostalga playing some old tapes.

    Its not playing properly!!!

    Sound seems to be playing at correct speed, but its "warbled" and very low in volume.

    Funny thing is, it starts off ok for a second or so, then it goes bad.


    The Sony was a good deck in its day, would it be worth getting it repaired cost wise or just get a good second hand deck for around the same price, considering its not for "critical" use and perhaps even just for a one off use for digitising the tapes I want to keep?


    Thanks.
    Gary
    Thanks.
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  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    I bet you could get a perfectly working 611S for less than the cost of repair - assuming parts are available...

    Check that the pressure roller is perfectly clean and fast wind some tapes from one end to t'other and back to give the mech some excersise. Like the Denon 34HX I have in storage, the springs which pull the head block up into play mode may have stretched, as they're extended when stopped, but as I only know the Sony from experience of a friend buying one (and liking it) I can't say for sure...

    Hope you have a friendly tape deck expert nearby. Most service engineers haven't a clue on mechanicals and often make things worse.........

    P.S. Are your AE109's original? if they are, you may need to lift the tweeter about 3 - 5db in level to make them more neutral (I think there was a resistor quite high in value feeding the tweeter for some reason - we traded some in once and I looked at the crossover to see why they were so dead and dull sounding..)
    Last edited by DSJR; 19-07-2009 at 21:34.
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  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Hey Dave,

    Thanks for that, I wondered about the 2nd hand market actually, not looked but I bet the repair cost is around £60/70 and im sure I could get a good Yamaha or Nad for that.

    Now, what is REALLY interesting is that AE109 comment!

    Any information on the tweeter3-5db lift you mentioned?
    My AE's are the original ones, bought in '96 I think, and I've always felt they are a bit dull and shut in at low volumes, and I have to turn the wick up to get them motoring..

    I'd be very interested in this, its what I feel my systems been needing.


    Cheers,
    Gary.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  4. #4
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Cheshire UK

    Posts: 198
    I'm Alex.

    Default

    Gary,

    I can probably swap your Sony for a nicely sounding fully serviced 3-head deck out of my collection, for instance Aiwa AD-F850 - for a price of postage both ways . PM me if interested.

    Cheers

    Alex

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Nice one Alex, thanks for that.
    A lot of my tapes are decoded in Dolby S though, not sure if thats a problem?


    Best
    Gary.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Cheshire UK

    Posts: 198
    I'm Alex.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gazjam View Post
    Nice one Alex, thanks for that.
    A lot of my tapes are decoded in Dolby S though, not sure if thats a problem?


    Best
    Gary.
    Hi Gary,

    I do have some Dolby S decks but nothing that is ready to go. You definitely will need Dolby S capable deck to get a good playback quality from your tapes thought.

    Cheers

    Alex

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Shame, ah well.

    OK, Alex, thanks for the kind offer.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Cheshire UK

    Posts: 198
    I'm Alex.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gazjam View Post
    Shame, ah well.

    OK, Alex, thanks for the kind offer.
    Gary,

    Have a look at this one on ebay - it may be a reasonable option for you, especially if you can get it for less.

    Cheers

    Alex

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    thanks.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Bristol, UK

    Posts: 9,962
    I'm Nick.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Nikitin View Post
    Have a look at this one on ebay - it may be a reasonable option for you, especially if you can get it for less.
    I used to have a K515S and it was a nice deck.
    Nick
    My system...


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