Sony TC-KE300 Late 90s Cassette Deck - Repair, Belts & Service 

Thank you for making this video. Today I have got my mums TC-KE200 back working on what is the first anniversary of her funeral. It means so much to have this working again, and that is thanks to your video. 😊

Love the cat at the end who was thinking of making herself a bed in the cassette player at the end. 😅

I think the 90's is the peak of cassette technology. Great repair.

Another thank you for this great video. My KE200 had also stopped working as both belts had disintegrated to an oily mess. I followed the instructions you provided and got into the unit and spent at least 1.5 hours cleaning the oily gunk out (truly a messy process - I used most of pack of cotton buds and a third of a botte of IPA). Got a replcement belt and roller kit from Ebay (£11) which included a new spindle for the roller and fitted them as shown in this video. Fired it up and was extremely pleased to have my cassette desk workng again.

Was gifted a non working TC-KE200 (bad belts), and this video was exactly what I needed to repair it!

Thank you for this! Just finished restoring the TC-KE300 I got for cheap on eBay. That grey wheel that moves the transport mechanism up and down was a pain to position correctly. The assembled deck would make a loud grinding noise, trying to reset itself, then lock the lid, and I had to take it apart again twice before it finally worked.

Fascinating! Thank you. My cassette player tape holder as well as its faceplate fell off as well as a spring from somewhere. Off to the radio technician on Monday. Obviously needs a big service.

Highly professional video and restoration! Another lovely Sony saved!! Thank you!

Pulled this vid up as I'm needing new belts for mine own Sony tc-ke300. Absolutely fantastic video. Perfect pace and explanation. Spot on all round...subscription imminent and likes . Cheers .

I did notice that the drive gear on your reel motor (The one with the small belt) was cracked... You can also hear it in FF/REW. It's very much and thing with this generation of deck and the previous lines with these 90's mechs. The parts are available by the way and I've done a swap out myself, very easy. Not trying the be that guy just giving a heads-up. :)

Wow! This is exactly what I need. Thank you so much! I've got the same model and the same starting problems plus - in my case - the tape has been blocked inside.

Great video, very relaxing actually.

Great video mate. I've got a few decks but never been brave enough to try any repairs, just basic head cleaning etc. This gives me confidence to maybe have a go. Will subscribe and look out for more.

Great video sir 💖

This video and you both are great..

Excellent and very informative

Thank you. It's work...

Nice job!

good job.towards end of casette era (beginning of CD era), dome decks suffered from cost reduction measures- the construction of a critical component, like flywheels, you noted, for instance, substitution of metal chassis members for white -nylon -plastic - potentially hygroscopic - might warp,crack. latter material even seen on a number pf Nakamichi's models. presumably as moulding components cheaper than pressing, machining, finishing metal parts. maybe even belt quality. very sad. Personally, I would mot use anything abrasive on capstan shafts.

You have murdered that flywheel at 19:00

Your suppose to pull the belt over the 3 post below where you had it. Looks like a screw post where you put it.

I would use a jewellers saw blade no.2 to get the gunk out of the v grooved pulley. I am going to replace the rollers and drive belts on my Technics RS-DV 280 twin deck.Hoping it will sort out the problem,the deck is 19 years old from brand new in 2005.

Nice and very clear video...One question.. How tape eject system operates ?

Everything starting to look very plasticky on the inside by this era. But I love the modular design of the transport.

Great video! Thank you. I changed the belts and it works but I still have a problem. Maybe you have some advice. When I insert a new cassette is does not run on continius speed. After fast-forwarding it just for a few seconds, it works. I can't explain why. Do you have any idea. Maybe a mistake when I re-assembled it? Thank you.

Hello, nice video! Did you noticed that pressing stop key when playing produces the left reel turning and loosing the tape to the right? 36:40 minute. Do you know the reason of this?

remember one thing. rubber can be destroyed and removed with benzine (solvent made of petroleum), especially when it has degraded to this state and has no resistance to this liquid. don't use alcohol as it's absolutely useless to remove this residue. Scratching it with some tooth stick is ineffective as well when it has glued to the surface and turned to something like resin. I cleaned my cassette deck recently and I have removed the remains of rubber belt with benzine and it was just like wiping it off. I believe it doesn't do anything to plastic in no way. But benzine dissolves most types of rubber unless it has a special benzine-proof formula. I doubt these belts are made of something like that, otherwise it would never turn to such a slime within time. I remember that eons ago I used to repair bycicle inner tubes and benzine was required to prepare rubber surface for glueing as it affected it strongly making it clean and sticky. I don't know what they use to make inner tubes nowadays, but it was made of real rubber in the past. belts in cassette decks seem to be made of something like that yet a lot less stable. btw where are you from?

40:20 the app WFGUI can give you wow and flutter measurements as well as speed

Great video. But mine just whirs when pressing play but does not lift up the head to the tape. I can hear and oce I opened the lid I could also see the belt spinning momentarily when I press play but the tape head stays down. Also whirs endlessly when pressing "auto cal" but again nothing happens.

Hi thanks for your video.mi have similar unit. A Sony TC-K707ES. Can you direct me where to purchase replacement belts? Thank you!

Hello mate, what do you use to clean it?

Very nice video, thankyou. I have done two of these now without success; the mechanism doesn't operate properly - as if the cam wheel and relevant levers/gears need to be in a particular location when you reassemble the 2 halves of the transport. Is anyone here able to shed any light on this for me please?

Why not go all the way and bring all adjustments back to factory specs.? It makes a big difference after all these years. Tape speed, azimuth, playback levels for dolby calibration, bias adjustment per tape type, oscillator frequency and recording levels to name a few.

I haven't watched the entire video, Im at 9:26, so Im going to say the problem is with ALL sony's 190 drive's is that small gear is cracked on the motor shaft where the small belt goes.

:/ Don´t use Sandpaper or so on the Capstan you kill your tapes over short times

Nice work but i wouldnt really say it s worth your time....