That was my first cassette deck, purchased in January of 1981 at Ciro's on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. To be honest with you, it was the best deck I've ever owned. It sounded great and looked cool and worked really well. I tossed it in 1990 and bought a typical 2-deck unit when the RSM45 couldn't transport the tape properly anymore and I didn't know anything about fixing these things yet. It had the two microphone inputs in the front, which made voice recording possible. It had a really fine mechanism so that you could make very precise edits, because the reaction time was very short once you hit record and the transport engaged. Thinking back on it, who really needs a 2-head deck unless you're making copies of tapes, which I never did.
For used and more specifically glazed pinch rollers (no idlers yet), i am cleaning them with paint thinner. I am not applying too much pressure, just until the rubber looks clean and has a matte finish. Immediately i am using a ln IPA earbud for cleaning the remaining thinner and after is is dried another one just for being sure that nothing is left for making the rubber into goo. I have revived a shot walkman like this. Of course, the rubber rejuvenator is better but....you are working with what you have. Thank you for the videos
This method worked on my RS-M270X idler tire. Same mechanism as the unit in this video. I had weak torque on my take up reel, slipping fwd and rev.... After applying some of this stuff it works perfectly.
I've got two of these m45 models. Had same problems with playback/ffd. Cleaning the rubber didn't do much. Found Out that the spring for playback wasn't tight enough for correct pressure. No replacement available. So i Put a little capacitatur under the spring. Now it plays again. Not a pro repair but it works....😂 I like the slim line design since it came out in 1980.
I got the same model non functioning for $22 couple months ago, and the motor stopped at random places during play so I just let the motor run at 12V by connecting a screwdriver to one of the solder points and the grounded mechanism chassis. Worked like a charm afterwards, probably just some worn brushes inside
Losers out there everywhere. Someone was subscribing one of my throw away email to every spam list they could, so I tossed the email address and now nobody can contact me as it is no longer monitored or responded to.
I have a special question for you. As your 40 year? experience... 1) How long was the expectance of life of these machines? Did the factory mention something like that? Did they expect machines, when wel cared could last 40 years with only routine manteinance? We know common people goes to technician only when failures appear.
I own this deck and was having this issue on mine (slow fast forward and take-up reel occasionally not moving at all). Will definitely give this a shot!
Follow-up - I used rubber renue on my idler tire and it helped a ton. Very easy to do. I also purchased a replacement tire to hold onto for the future, and it seems to be fairly easy to pull off/on when the time comes.
Thank you for producing such outstanding videos, I've learned a lot from just playing your videos in the background while I'm working. The way you troubleshoot things through process of elimination is awesome and your knowledge of different components and the history of the gear is very neat. Can you tell me when to use MG Chemicals vs Caig products and in what scenarios you would use Nu-trol vs D5 vs Faderlube etc. because I notice in your videos you use different products for different situations? I haven't been able to find a decent video explaining the differences between the different product types and the appropriate times to use them. I'd also be really interested in seeing and hearing about your personal gear.
The formula of nutrol I use is the old, now unavailable version as the solvent used, freon tf is now a banned solvent as it is hard on the ozone. It is basically freon tf and diesel. The current formula is alcohol and mineral oil based. Deoxit is naphtha based. Deoxit is better than the current nutrol formula but old formula I think is superior to everything available today. Don't get me wrong the caig products are the best we can get today, but the old stuff was better as tf solvent was one if the best cleaners we have ever had.
I have the same Deck with the same idler issue. Clean it up and working fine. The little bulb in mine was also dark, but after fiddling around on it it lights up.
These early Technics tape decks were well built, and this relatively high end model is a good representative of what was produced in the early 1980's. A touch driven mechanism with a motor or solenoid was not an entry level thing. Next was eventually Metal position then Dolby C, concurrently with Bargraph Vu meters, LEDs and fluorescent type... If the original belts are still in, that is also a fairly good sign for quality and long term conservation. And if you compare most recent decks, it's full of electronics, design and accessibility look great, mechanism mostly built with metal parts (not the later fragile composite plastic molded on metal!), looks like an piece of equipment worth every cent spent on it, and certainly fit for another 40 years! I've read on the bottle of Rubber renew "contains xylenes"! I don't know if that kind of product is still available with the same formula, as this is classed as cancerogen and prohibited for public access in most countries. I've searched some nowadays equivalent in Europe without success... So many highly efficient products have disappeared over the years: contact renewers with ozone non friendly content or other water nasty chemicals, paint removers, plastic cleaners, general purpose solvents. We have healthier conditions at the bench, but the work is not necessarily easier. Best wishes for the 100k!
What do you think of Luxman decks, I recently picked one up for a couple dollars not working of course. Model k8, I managed to replace the belts but that did nothing, the motor just spins but nothing engages when pushing play , rewind or fast forward. I'm wondering if it would be worth having it professionally repaired.
I haven't seen one video of changing the main flywheel belt. I can assume most don't need changing? How is the access to it if it does need to be changed?. BTW - Your videos are my bible. Learning a lot and your editing is outstanding! NEVER MIND -I just saw it's direct drive - GOLD !!
My Onkyo deck 2 started playing slow as if had batteries then stopped playing. Deck 1 was still good but I've tried taking other units to different shops here but few days later it starts messing up my tapes. I just stopped trying to get them fix and just buy another one unit everytime it goes the way of the dodo.
This is a fun deck to have and use. Robust and works every time, except when the FF/REW tires get slippery. I heard your comment about the cab belt on the RS-M275. Did you finally have to replace that belt? I recall in that video you simply dressed it with solder rosin. Didn't that work for long? I have an RS-M253X with the same transport and the same issue. I got the belts in a bag and pondering on when to take it apart. I was hoping that some rosin (I have rosin pens for SMD traces) would fix that in a snap, though. PS. The M45 is the lower end of the series with M65, M75, M85, M88 and M95. I have them all in my collection, in working condition. They are, in my view, the best lookers in the Technics series of decks.
The cam belt was changed then it started slipping again. I dressed it with rosin years ago and it ran for a long time but needs another application. I rarely use the deck as I don't use tape except to archive and since I can just tap the cassette door and it plays that is what I do. I thing the head mech is getting gummed up from lack of use.
Must b real good rubber renew stuff,,,I wonder if I can still get this online,,,as I receive a few stereo cassette decks for repairs regularly,,, that have rubber drive problems. Looks like that ceiling fan is going clockwise,,,meant to b going in counterclockwise direction for summer season,,,not winter. At least it does look well balanced,,,u have done really good in getting it installed,,,and u had got it for free too.
Wonder if this could be the same thing happening on my Technics RS-630USD, especially the RW is slow(er) and even tends to grind to a halt when reaching the end of the tape. (in other words when the tension rises?) And when I release the belt that runs to the counter the RW is somewhat better able and gets back to higher speed
Just what I was looking for - I have a sad RS-M270X waiting service. Same styling and mech, but with dbx (it was the very first Technics with dbx). The mech is working so-so but one channel is oscillating wildly at around 500 Hz (at any NR settings). Perhaps, replacing electrolytics will do the trick?
Probably not a bad idea. I am in an open work shop but when I worked for 20 years in the business the owner was too cheap to put in ventilation so I have probably shortened my life by 20 years by now anyway. All those cleaners and solder smoke. The owner would get upset if any smells wafted into the store and he would close the shop door to keep us working in a hot box. I probably should worry as my assistant developed early onset althimizers and he used to work with the cleaners mostly. He was great at cleaning tuners and controls. Spraying stuff around his face all day. I was on the other side of the shop. My poison was mostly solder smoke.
@@ilovemysmartmeter My dad was an electronics repairman and he inhaled solder smoke all day long. He also smoked cigarettes and even use carbon tet to clean things back in the day. He lived to be 92, so I wouldn't worry.
If I may ask a question? I have a Cybernet CTS 300A cassette deck and the feed reel in the cassette when at full tumbles around on the spindle. Any ideas what could be causing that?
Hi, I have the same deck with me and where can we get the spare from ? Especially the idler, belts, roller. Ebay, only idler is available. Can you please advise ??
I have a tascam 234. The take up reel slips on the clutch when playing a tape and is noisy. Sounds like it's in FFW all the time. Plays fine, but i think it's slipping on the clutch too freely. Any tips on firming that up? It's not easy to remove the reel table at all. I can see the clutch from above looking inside the unit. Just can't remove it.
I have quite a few issues with my M85 but I suspect i will need to replace many dried out caps. There are approximately 100 to check. One thing that happens is when play works (all switches need cleaning) it sounds fine but level control seems to act more like a tone control with sound becoming brighter as i turn it up, when i stop or pause there is an AC hum. I'm guessing this is due to failing caps but not sure why it's fine during play. I'm guessing this process on the idler is similar to how you did this one. FF and RW are very bad. I'll be buying some rubber renew or similar product myself.
Are you familiar with the Pioneer CT-F900 at all? I have one that I think has a bad reel drive motor. the speed is kind of all over the place, and the motor will often times just stall and cause the tape to get eaten a bit before it detects the stall condition and stops. Tapping on the motor will cause it to kick back up again for a bit. Ive done some googling and people say the brushes go bad. Just curious if you had any experience with it. Belts have been changed.
@@THEtechknight you might be able to take it apart and repair. Unfortunately replacements are hard to come by. Since they are scarce expect any that do come up to command a high price.
What’s the purpose of keeping sponges inside the springs?? I have the same tape deck and I accidentally removed these sponges thinking that they were some kind of debris stuck inside the springs.
That generally doesn't work. For starters the inside side is generally very smooth and slippery and 2, unless the tire is extremely low profile you won't be able to flip it over.
0:30 were there any minor modifications? mi 45 doesn´t have that plastic guide and arrow on cassette compartment. It´s not the same cassette door, the rest is identical (no 2 "screw covers",) Mine is silver , not transparent... The text is the same.
is it normal cassette deck motor to run all the time?? I'm using Technics M205. recently removed for some repairs and i noticed that the motor is running all time..
Except the direct cleaning the rubber wheels another solution is to unpolish the surface using a light sandpaper and clean after that.And also clean the surfaces of each plastic wheel where the rubber wheel gives the motion.Almost as good as new but not for a long time and if the customer is a serious cassette listener the deck will be on the road for repair every two or three months.
I understand it´s hard to find the bulb, but can you tell me the type? any model or connector for attaching it to main board? I want to look out for it. Thanks
@@12voltvids Thanks for the response. I understood the oil in the rubber renew could damage the tape. Is that incorrect? I actually found this video cleaning pinch rollers ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zXwFp4BYloY.html and claims never use IPA to clean pinch rollers. Seems like some contradictions. Thanks again.. PS I have a 2016 Volt. Love it.
@@kphickman Rubber renew contains xylene, ethylbenzene and methyl salicylate. Oil and rubber are not conpatable. Now if it is still wet it could damage the plastic base of the tape. After use on a pinch roller and this is a last resort, I would clean with isopropyl or freon tf, to remove the residue. Freon tf was the best cleaner but unfortunately it eats the ozone and has been banned world wide. Ipa works good. If you are concerned about it drying the pinch roller follow up with water to rinse it off.
Well, don't drink it, don't huff it, and don't get it on your skin. It's not that bad. Been using it for years and I am still here but I do take precautions when using and if it gets on skin I wash it off immediately
Dave, 792nd viewer! And nobody cares, rightfully so. Do you think that a "rubber glaze" buildup happens on this rubber idler wheel and that causes some of the problem? Regards, Tom
Expensive stuff but as you saw it works. I have been using it for over 40 years. First used it as a teenager working at my first job at the first TV shop after school.
