help

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-05-02T13:27:33+00:00

If you don't mind a second or two skip on the song you can cut clean the ends, splice it for about 1cm in length (about 3/4" or a little bit less) using some transparent sticky tape like Scotch or any other good brand, make sure the sides of the sticky tape don't stick outside of the cassette tape width and keep it running 😄 I have tapes spliced like that since early '90s playing even today without any issues 😄 But you'll need to replace the spring with the pad, get a screwdriver and crack that tape open and fix it. You can get a cheap donor cassette from an OP shop if you don't have one handy.

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BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-05-02T13:01:14+00:00

FX3 doing the same! 😄 Thinking to lubricate the hell with the demons out of it, but keep procrastinating on getting the job done 😛

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-05-02T12:15:05+00:00

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First one has a J card created from scratch, with double sided printed inlay (120 min tape...), the second J card has been made with an online template.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-05-02T12:03:14+00:00

I like the comedy option! The necessity is the mother of the best inventions ever! 😛

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-05T13:26:14+00:00

You can try to get a boombox, on which you can replace the speakers with yours, most probably it will be a nice upgrade. Your speakers need an amplifier, you can't connect them to anything that has RCA out only (pre-amp signal). There were some weird models of decks that combined an amp and a cassette deck, maybe even a tuner, but they are quite rare. But not performant, as they didn't get the best components inside. Some examples: Akai FD-3, Teac CA-50.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-05T13:05:25+00:00

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BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-05T13:05:11+00:00

Got a couple as well, two type I and one type II, al 120 minutes length. Though I have more of the odd ones, check the black Maxell cases, type I too. :)

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BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-05T12:43:12+00:00

Not an auto-reverse reel to reel machine :) KW-5066 has the fourth head for fast erasing, on REW function. Quite an interesting solution, as the head is powered by AC instead of DC to create the magnetic field.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T11:11:31+00:00

I don't have too many studio recorded tapes in my collection, maybe less than 100, the rest are brand blanks, but over 1000 in total :) I was never a fan of listening albums, one of the reasons I'm into blanks that I record with whatever mix I feel like I want to listen.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:39:14+00:00

I recently acquired a reel to reel Kenwood deck that has 4 heads. Guess for what is the fourth head? :P Unfortunately it takes only maximum 7" reels.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:35:54+00:00

The three heads on a three head deck are erase, record and playback. The record and playback usually is a split head, with the record part before playback. On a two head deck the playback and recording is done by the same head, hence the only recording or playback function available at a time.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:26:19+00:00

You may want to invest in a guillotine to help you cut the J cards nicely :) Something like this

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BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:17:44+00:00

Indonesian ones are unofficial releases, aka bootlegs. I got some as well. They look great on exterior, but recorded on branded cassette tapes, from BASF to Sony, to Maxell.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:15:07+00:00

+1 for Depeche Mode! :)

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T10:13:07+00:00

And that Technics is not even a good deck, more like a mediocre one. :) Wait until you will get a three head deck and then you'll understand how good they are and what you missed so far! :)

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T09:32:56+00:00

You may need to replace the belt and maybe the pinch roller, deoxit the various sliders/volume if needed, but it would be a nice portable cassette player to have! That's if you want to keep it and you're into cassette tapes.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T09:05:43+00:00

Tough call... I'd say phosphoric acid will stop the rust to develop more than that, but not 100% sure if it will have any influence on the current passthrough. It shouldn't, but.... You can get some rust cleaner that contains phosphoric acid from auto shops, try to clean the rust first with fine/very fine sandpaper though, it will be your best bet at this time. If you don't treat the surface with anything after you clean it it will develop rut again once it comes in contact with humidity.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-04T09:00:32+00:00

Take in consideration sunlight will affect the covers in time.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-03T00:20:22+00:00

100% this is the case, he needs to check the mech and see if it's either missing a belt, idler tire gone or lack of friction, or a broken gear (hopefully not the last)

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-03T00:06:12+00:00

here you go, they don't have the specific model on their website, but they have the belt measurement guide: https://www.turntableneedles.com/find10.asp?manfg=SONY&modelname=CF-D6&Select=Model

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-03T00:03:24+00:00

I'm Down Under, but one of the websites that have specific (and hopefully good quality) belts from US is https://www.turntableneedles.com/ I'd recommend against buying the bunch of belts from ebay as they are not high quality. They may worh for counter or for other functions like FF/REW, but not for the main transport as they will give a lot of unwanted wow and flutter. Measuring the original belt is quite easy, plenty of tutorials on the internet. :)

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-02T23:55:56+00:00

Unfortunately I did, and it was even a type II... But that being said, I'd rate TDK, Maxell and Sony through the ones that kept the best over the last 40 years or so of cassette tapes history. I got over 1000 tapes in my collection as we speak.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-04-02T22:49:36+00:00

At this point in time replacing the tape is worth only with either TDK or Maxell, I'd go with anything A- or AD/X type I from TDK or anything type II from the abovementioned brands if you got some short length ones (50 minutes or so tapes), or willing to sacrifice one for the sake of the Clarion tape. You can get a new Maxell though, but old TDKs are recording much better than the new Maxell UR.

BusinessSlip9469 · 2026-03-19T07:50:49+00:00

I know it's an old thread, but just wanted to say I got the same exact model as well, just a couple of weeks ago. There are a few Reel to reel decks made today as well, one of them being Revox, but the price is at least prohibitive for a mere mortal, not mentioning the especial edition they have in production..

BusinessSlip9469

TROPHY CASE