Is a Broken Nakamichi Worth It? | Repairing the Nakamichi RX-202 

Fantastic that a young person already has so much technical experience! Keep up the good work

These old machines are built like tanks. I'm happy to see younger generations appreciating old tech.

I am impressed! Love that younger people are getting into these older machines! Also love the sony dots :)

Nice. Reminds me of myself about 40 years ago! These decks are incredible works of engineering.

Good for you. I am glad you are enjoying what Nakamichi is about. Not the OEM stuff they are doing now. Please keep the faith on the original. I go back with Nakamichi since the very beginning. I had an LX-5, ZX-7, and have a CR-3a now. Been doing this a long time. I have had many cassette decks. Still have 11 now. I love tape, and it is a cool way to keep the music the analog way going without killing the bank if you are careful. I am glad you got that RX-202 going again. Nakamichi will never build tape machines like this again. A shame too. But times have moved on, so it is up to us, you and me, and others to keep this wonderful brand alive and well. I have a dying motor syndrome on my CR-3a. Have to work on that. Also consider replacing the elctrrolytic capacitors on that RX-202. Machines of that age or older the Electrolytics are suspect with out of spec, or electrically leaking or physically leaking Electrolytics, and also Equivalent Series Resistance issues that Electrolytic Capacitors will do as they get really old. You have something really special. Keep it alive. Don't crush them. Restore them.

Still have mine, had the belts all replaced 10 yrs ago. This replaced my NAD tape deck in late 80's. Sounds great still.😃

Mine has the same problem, been in a box in the loft for years, watching your video has been very helpful thanks, I loved that machine

thanks so much i had the same issue you had towards the end of the video with the door not aligning itself correctly and this helped me fix it in a blink of an eye ! congrats and keep up the good ! work ^^ just ordererd that idle well thingy next step is going to be fiting it in !

great to see you're into retro repairs at such a young age, I enjoyed the video and hope you do many more

Nice work young man! I picked up a RX 202 and a RX303 to work on for my friends. I also had my Father's RX505 and gave it to a young man to have in his system. More recently I also found a never before installed TD1200 MK2 car player that is the Dragon unit for the car with NAAC same as the Dragon! Keep up the great job reviving these amazing products. I have had Nakamichi's since 1983! All the best!

Great video! It's cool to see someone around my age that is also interested in retro tech ! Keep up the great work 👍

Very nice! Great condition & price! Very informative video too. I've always marveled over the spinning cassette over the revolving tape head that will go out of alignment. Also, I still desire one of these Nak cassette decks. Lucky you. Enjoy!

Excellent job @retro kid!

This is great, and has inspired me to pick one of these up to try and fix it. I’ve worked on lots of other Naks, but not one of these. Thanks!

Looks like a well looked after example of a high quality deck .

this deck i just bought one because either than a pioneer deck from the 70´s ,this was the best system and at the same time a funny auto-reverse. I tested it in a life-style ehxibition ,where there were only top brands of everything, in the hi-fi section there it was one of thee decks the 505 for one to try it ,in the AKAI area they gave us tyoe I cassettes ,i recorded a few seconds than made it take out and in the cassette several times to see if it worked with perfection ,and it did

If it helps you can use o rings for drive wheels that have groves for the tyre.

That's awesome! I have a RX505. It's not playing great and the sound goes from normal when it starts to muffled in a few seconds. Then when you hit stop and play again it plays normal and goes muffled again. Gotta see what's causing it. Rollers been clean etc.

Great video. You're the new Techmoan :-)

Sounds like whatever track that controls the flip mode needs to be lubed, maybe petroleum jelly or light grease can help.

😘 my first hi end deck

Excellent work 🙌👍

Good video except you did not actually show how to change the idler tire or the belts you just described it and most people want to see it actually happening. Also the part numbers for the belt/idler kit would be nice to note.

Great job bro !

So the transport stuck was the main culprit? Glad you managed to solve it

da ex possessore di rx.505...quanta nostalgia!

I bought one a couple of years ago for 400 dollars because the seller said it was in good working condition, but guess what? When I got home and got it ready to play it wasn’t working properly, took it to the shop and after 480 dollars 💸 it’s working like new, but it was worth it.

Good job really impressed

Awesome content dude 🤠😎

Well done son! Wanna fix my 505? :P

Great vid 👌

great job 😀

wooow awesome little guy..!

Very impressive!

Awesome :) Thuymbs up!

Immediately subscribed!!

I have the same unit (Nakamichi RX 202) since new and having the same problems. I don’t know if the new parts will available?But I better not trying to fixing by myself.

It's really a professional cassette deck. For fixing up the whole deck first you should have refer the service manual. Then the boards. Any way you did it well. For a professional deck like that need some extra care. Like a doctor looking at sick person. But I love to have that deck

Well done! A lovely piece of engineering there. Loved the video...maybe something to enhance is the intro music...but only if you want to...love your take on the Sony logo! Great to see someone your age taking an interest in all things retro👍🏻

hi i worked on alot of decks it's the first time i seen inside this model i am more a 1/8 tape pro kind like loop cassette reel to reel 1/8 reel to reel slave decks full track mono there ways a round the flipping heads in low cost decks as i had high end decks go bad on me

I put a new tensioner belt on the roller, but it needs more tensioner on it, it there a way to adjust the tensioner when the roller goes up against the tape drive spindles?

Got mine for 5$ the other day!

Good presentation. However your voice is too soft. Higher volume needed, Mr. Audiophhile.

Awesome repair man, have you looked at the Pioneer Communication Series? Might be a fun series to do, repairing them and all that. Got a CT-8R and they are almost impossible to repair depending on the mechanism you get.

I just got a 202 also!!

Send me this device to Russia. I will be grateful.

MY GOODNESS $275?! GEEZE THAT AIN'T WORTH IT!!!

I have 2 of these that need service

Lol a kid explaining a 40 year old device to you.. lmao

Can you fix my nacamichi 303 everything works is the head don't want to come down n play it flip I think it have new belts I bought it on eBay working but when I press record it didn't not wanted to record I don't care about the record I just want it to play that all the tape deck head don't want to come down that what it have n it need aliments I just wanted to play I think is a 3 head tape deck I have 2 of them it have the same problem it have new belt already n it play n rewind n forward just the play head don't want to come down I don't want to touch it cus I'm disable now with chronic pain I can't fix it myself I rather give it to someone that know how to mess with it I think mine is a simple thing the head of the tape deck need to come down n play I live on New York I send it to you I don't care if you are on the State I want my nakamichi working back again 😁😭😭😭 it sound nice it had been 2 years I had not found no one to fix it for me I pay you of course

Who still listens to cassettes?

Could I private message you for help with mine?