NAD 6155 Cassette deck repair

[@jeffdowning4877]

I have tried boiling belts before- just on my own intuition, with limited success. But I realize watching this video that you let them go for 15 minutes, which I would never have guessed would not just melt the thing. So I am doing one now in the microwave and letting it go for longer like you have. This came in handy. Thanks!

[@kardeef33317]

Sometimes the simplest, right in front of a tricks you never think of like using tape to hold the other belt in place you can't see. And others like boiling the belt is so far out there makes me wonder how it was discovered. Thank you for sharing this wisdom and experience with us. I know sometime in the future I'll use one of these tricks and mentally give a big thanks for taking 90% of the aggravation from a repair.

[@12voltvids]

The boiling belt can be credited to an old mentor of mine. A very smart broadcast engineer by the name of Leo Partanen. He was the head engineer at a cable station I worked at, and I saw him so that once for a 3/4" VTR that was throwing the capstan belt all the time. He had the machine in the shop and had the belt in the microwave. I asked what he was doing and he said "fixing it" Of course I had to try that, and well we know how this story ends. I learned that long before I was even considering a career in electronic repair. I was actually an intern at a TV station, as that was my field of study at college. Didn't pan out, and I went into the electronics business as I had already worked at a shop while I was going to school.

[@bouffman88]

@@12voltvids I believe heating or cooling belts to shrink them goes back to the days of leather and cotton belts used in heavy machinery in factories. I volunteer in a local flour mill and the miller once tried to shrink a belt on an oat milling machine we have there.

[@RandyDarkshade2]

Thanks, this video has provided some insight into what is likely the problem with my old marrantz system. It's a twin tape deck in a stack system, but both play fine, both rewind fine but neither rewind, if they do it's sluggish, or they stall out. I think one day I'll brave it and open the deck again and take a look at the belts because I assumed belts were fine as it plays and fast forwards.

[@richardgreenfield9021]

Great video, I’ve just replaced the belts, however I have FF and RWD but no play. Couldn’t see you had covered such a repair.

[@Nmalson]

It's not everyday you find a repair video of the exact unit you are working on. Nicely done. Now if only I could find a replacement for the Capstan belt...

[@GrahamAtDesk]

I learnt a lot there - thank you for putting the time in to capture and explain it so thoroughly.

[@Agent24Electronics]

I've personally never had success with belt boiling, so I just replace them. Same for the pinch roller. Cleaning only gets you so far with an old deck.

[@AnthonyFrancisJones]

Brilliant! Boiling belts! Who would believe it! I have NAD cassette deck, amp, CD and tuner units - some since new and they all still work beautifully (apart from a belt replacement on the 6240!) Great kit but kids today just listen to music on their phones... Oh, nice to see a bit of tape on the 'record' holes in the top of the tape cassette - memories! And remember using a pencil?!

[@EddieJazzFan]

The microwave trick is really cool. Thanks for sharing. By the way, for some reason, the bland design of the NAD components makes me think of how audio components would look in the Soviet Union around 1975.

[@THEtechknight]

I found using a set of micro pick tools very helpful when maneuvering and remounting belts. I tried boiling the belts from my GXC-39D which is what, 42+ years old? it shrunk down but they are still +/-5mm out of tolerance. But they were roughly 12mm or so. So it does work :-)

[@bradleyhove4177]

The tone is from saving computer data, specifically a Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Edit: did not see the other comment by BillyLapTop

[@phillanassa759]

Boiling belts and pinch-rollers, GENIUS! Is that Jewel on the lead outro music? Thanks for sharing this great old cassette deck. NAD had a couple of cassette decks and other stuff that were hidden gems, offering performance value which was typically only present on much more expensive models from flagship companies, with stellar performance. Even these NAD 2 head decks were kick-a$$ sonic contenders!

[@jmmbos]

Azimuth corrections are nearly almost neccessary , after a while 70% of the 2 head decks need to be re-adjusted 20 till 40 degrees to the right (clockwise) in this set up, especially when the screws are mounted in plastic .. The left channel which is always the child of the bill is going to benefit the most . Recordings will sound more open and defined

[@68pishta68]

I had a Tomy Tutor 16-bit TMS9995 based.....same as a TI TMS 9900. I remember the sound of saving a graphic picture.

[@waynemckinnon1238]

Hey Dave..."well" done again. Get it? Tape well. No...? Ah well. There's more where that one came from. And the cd player too. Top drawer work! Oh God, I can't stop...

[@kardeef33317]

I always say YOU KNOW what you need to be safe. The reason trolls complain about people not being safe enough is because they are less skilled and knowledgeable and half to take extra steps to prevent themselves from getting hurt.. Don't let the trolls get to ya.. I visually laff, because I can see them making stupid mistakes and hurting themselves. If you did everthing the trolls and people that want a nanny state things would MUCH longer and the Cost to skyrocket or even worse nothing would get done, because you can never prevent a idoit from hurting themselves. Ignore the thumbs downs from the troll. I think your lever of safety matches your skill level. Thanks for the vids.

[@12voltvids]

The troll is being dealt with with the legal department at youtube. He crossed the line and is being taken very seriously. Nuf said.

[@charliehustle5529]

trolls need to go. good luck with that . you post a lot of good info with your vids . i have learned a lot from you and your vids . now i try to fix stuff before it goes in the trash . THINK YOU !!! SIR!!!

[@RoughJustice2k18]

I agree - I learn a lot from watching 12voltvids tech talk videos. :)

[@chadholland1038]

Hey there, thank you for this video. I realize it's a few years old but wondering if you've ran across this scenerio; I've replaced all the belts in this exact model and everything works, plays great, but ff and rew buttons won't stay down....they work great but don't stay engaged. Just curious if you've ran across this? It may be something I moved or didn't reassembly correctly..

[@joseph9770]

I cleaned the pinch rollers in my decks with alcohol way back when I was a teen more than once. I still have one of my Sansui decks and it's fine. It probably evaporates before it can really do any kind of damage.

[@Hagledesperado]

IIsopropanol is pretty gentle with most materials. Just keep it way away from anything acrylic and you'll most likely be fine.

[@RoughJustice2k18]

Nice repair job. You make it look so easy!

[@andyy2008]

I have a Kenwood kx-31 and I believe it has the same tape transport mechanism. :)

[@jerryspann8713]

The noise at the beginning of the tape sounds like data recorded on a computer. When I was growing up, we had a Texas Instruments computer that also had a cassette recorder. When ever I needed to save a program, I would save it to tape. Whenever I wanted to load back the program, I'd type OLD CS1, and press enter, then it'd tell me to PRESS PLAY ON CASSETTE PLAYER THE PRESS RETURN. Then you'd hear that same noise you just played on that tape.

[@nickfrench7372]

Cool record/playback level indicators in 3 colours,,,like a traffic light backwards,,,green,,yellow,,red. I've got only one tape deck that does show those colours.

[@TripoliLuigi]

Excelente trabajo, Muy buena paciencia .Aprendí mucho Gracias por estas clases Saludos desde Caracas

[@TheBinaryWolf]

Thanks for the excellent presentation.

[@zx8401ztv]

Cracking job :-D, ahh the rec-play mode switch, i used to use servisol for those :-). The stubborn ones i dissasembled and cleaned manually. I've always used ipa for cleaning rollers/heads/pulleys, never caused any problems for me.

[@dlichtenberg]

Great content! I own a NAD 6240. The door opens very fast and it makes a tape "grinding/whining" sound at the beginning of a tape but goes away half way through. Any ideas?

[@DavidBerquist334]

I put a line fuse in my tape decks i have videos of that in my youtube is that a good idea belts i had some t urn to tar and hard to clean. Have you seen that

[@dwoodog]

Nice video. Wish you would do a video on adjusting the internal playback output voltage and record voltage. I mean where you adjust the POTS. Need the service manual and the voltage specs. Its my understanding that these settings are critical to the dolby working correctly.

[@12voltvids]

Yes you do need the service manual specs to set it up. That is why I don't just start tweaking,unless someone else has been in there messing with them they will be correct.

[@chekiechekie]

I noticed that when you recorded, the source was up to +5dB but when playing back the tape, it hardly ever reached zero dB. Isn't the source and tape supposed to be the same level? This either means that the tape doesn't run as hot, or the internal rec level needs pushing a little to normalise. Just wondering...

[@12voltvids]

The shots of the meter were not necessarily what was going to or coming from tape. They were made after the shots were done for an insert shot.

[@chekiechekie]

@@12voltvids understood. Thanks for clarifying that.

[@RuneTheFirst]

The noise was a program stored from/for the Texas Instruments TI-99/4. Computer. Cassettes were the default method for saving/loading its Basic data.

[@rawr51919]

Ray Rooney Same with the Commodore 64 and most other 80s computers.

[@MrMrstapleton]

hi just puchased a 6155 and when you insert a cassette in and push play / ff / rewind nothing happen just wondering if there is a transit screw being used or have i bought a duff one

[@stereomann83]

10:20 What kind of solder do you use? let me know thanks & Great Video and thanks for the Belt Tip i will have to try it

[@Driss722]

Super travail de professionnel

[@davidstark8894]

I found your videos today and so glad I did! Thanks so much for sharing your repair videos!!!

[@THOMMGB]

Hi Dave, Will the restored belt last just as long as a brand new belt? How many times can you do this treatment to a belt? I'm guessing you can only do it one time. Regards, Tom

[@nikodemus1able]

I WOULD PUT A NEW BELT...............PLENTY ON EBAY,.....BEST

[@KolfMAKER]

Thnx 12voltvids, I have enjoyed many of your videos. I have watched this one as I also have a NAD cassettedeck (NAD 602) with the same issue. Both Rewinding as Fast Forward are very slow (slower than Play). Initially, I also had an issue with no Playing. But I have changed the main (flat) belt, and now Play works perfect. Unfortunately, winding was not solved. I have looked for other belts, but there is only one other belt; for the counter mechanism. Do you have any other advise for me what I could do?

[@kardeef33317]

Good, about time utube did something. Sux you had to be put through so much crap for such a long time.

[@metroboytartu]

Whats the thing that transformer inside a cassette deck being such a strange placement, far a way from other components and in 45 degree? Is it noisy component or it affects playback/recording head? Just it stands out there...

[@Hagledesperado]

It's basically a mains powered electromagnet.

[@scaleop4]

true, but that is a magnetically shielded transformer, so it should not matter were it is placed, maybe they were just playing it safe.

[@Dillisive]

This is a good looking deck

[@TheMilford]

I have one of these in really nice shape that needs repair. Can I have you fix it?

[@bones007able]

Were NAD considered high end ? I changed a belt on one similar, and it weighed about 2 pounds....lol...

[@owen-trombone]

NAD was above average quality at a reasonable price. They made some nice gear with a very identifiable clean, almost military looking, design style.

[@markphilpot4981]

How about that! Recovering a bad belt with the old boiled belt in the microwave for 15 minutes trick. Does that work on just rewind belts or are they all that way in this brand? Works for me, saved a belt! Not bad. Pretty quick too, but I have a discwasher DMag and it works just lovely.

[@12voltvids]

Depending on the type of belt. Some will recover nicely, and others not. Depends on what they are made of.

[@adriantoms5408]

what are all those variable adjustment i presume resisters for , there seemed to be a lot of them. Great channel buy the way. cheers

[@milisav23567]

I have a Wega C120 cassette deck and when I connect to it a mp3 player on a cassette deck is not heard any signal? How can I fix it? I connected to the amplifier but no signal comes and can not record!

[@nalamo1000]

When you demagnetize the heads do you leave the tape deck on or off?

[@12voltvids]

It really doesn't matter if it is on or off, just not in play or you will have the playback amplifier on, and could in rare instances damage the playback amp first stage. Also you never touch the head itself. For 1 you could scratch it, but direct contact would turn it into a transformer and could induce a relatively high voltage back into the circuit. I have a spacer about 1/4" on the end of the bolt that will get me close enough to eliminate any residual magnetism but far enough away to eliminate the possibility of inducing a high voltage in the head winding.

[@Prattvw91]

Hi, 12Volt. I am having a hard time finding capstan drive belts online, that aren't warped and poorly made. They all sound like warped crap! I was wondering where I could find decent belts that give a nice perfect tone. Square belts or flat belts. Thanks!

[@12voltvids]

I just ordered a bunch from fleabay, so when they get here I will have a look at them and see if they are any good. I used to buy from a local distributor, but after the owner passed away his son decided not to continue with the family business and pulled the plug. So I am in the same boat as most are these days.

[@gilbertlabra7531]

How about a flat synthetic belt a thin one. It is ok to boil on a microwave for 15 mins?

[@mdrheedhuan]

Is it ok the deck running while u spray contact cleaner over the switch? Coz im always turn off the deck to do it so

[@12voltvids]

Most contact cleaner is flammable when wet. So it is probably a good idea to unplug the unit as if there was a spark....

[@jmmbos]

There are a few later models from NAD that have a belt somehow connected to the door . So if this belt becomes too loose or breaks , the door won't open at all .. I don't know exactly how it works but I think its Very strange

[@Alphadec]

Got a sony TC-K215 that eats tapes, whats the reason could it be belts that needs to be replaced/boiled. ?

[@12voltvids]

belts or idlers as a rule

[@thehunterofdeath2180]

Nice video bro thanks for the idea I see you know your thing thank you dude 👍😎

[@tharkthax3960]

I use saliva with cotton buds then dry cotton buds to clean pinch roller. Works fine! Is that cassette data for a c64? Or perhaps amstrad cpc464? I have spectrums and Atari 8 bit gear and it's definitely not them. Ah I notice the question is answered!

[@12voltvids]

TI99/4A

[@dennisraymond4339]

Wow that's the tip of the year. Neat.

[@kabeza79]

Hello. Im a follower of tour vídeos. I love this kind of stuff. Im trying to add a líne un jack to my old stereo system. I have disassambled it and i hace thought to connect to the cd audio out connector. It has 5 pins, 2 of the grounded. I need some advices por recommendations. I know it is difficult because i have not found any information about this equipment. Greetings

[@musicnerd72]

Question about a Sony dual cassette deck from 2000. Would you happen to know the voltage the solenoids use?

[@12voltvids]

I believe it was 12 or 15

[@musicnerd72]

@@12voltvids thanks!

[@jessede1970]

The sound was from zx spectrum on the cassette I'm jess from Helland in Cornwall in the UK I really good video

[@ratos74]

no, it is not.

[@ElectoneGuy]

What do you think of MG Chemicals Rubber Renue for belts?

[@12voltvids]

Idler tires it is OK. Don't put it on belts. It will make them larger.

[@ElectoneGuy]

Good to know. Thanks.

[@BigJimSportsCamper]

Commodore PET?

[@markmarkofkane8167]

Question:How did you record the 440 Hz tone?How did you verify the recording speed was exact? Just curious.

[@rawr51919]

Mark Markofkane a) Some sort of tone generator and b) likely by ear and via the scope.

[@therestorationofdrwho1865]

I’m not entirely sure how you’d know if the machine is running at an exact speed. I don’t think there’s really any way to tell. You can have your machine running really slow during recording, it just has to play back at that speed to sound right, but doesn’t mean it’s universally the correct speed. I guess the correct speed of tape decks was determined by mass produced cassettes recorded back in the day, done on the big proper machines. And by comparing the speed of the deck playing one of those tapes to the professionally remastered versions of them would be one way to know if the machine is running at the right speed. Technically all he really did was tune this deck to the speed of his own one, and who knows what his deck is tuned to.

[@brunomoyano8727]

11:15 a tone from commodore 64

[@Synthematix]

its defo not an atari 800 ti werent sold in the uk, we had oric and tandy, spectrum

[@Johny666EU]

comodore c64 like some say before, i was using those tapes later for music and i did copy of the games for friends on decks. hehe was fun with it. :)

[@arun2402]

Sinclair computers. I owned a ZX+ Spectrum way back in 80s.

[@rajaizkraja]

Hi 12voltvids, first of all, I'd like to thank you for the great content that you provided on your channel. :-) I have the same deck, I bought it like two years ago, and all I needed to do was to change the belts and clean the heads. It has served me perfectly ever since, but now it seems that I have a new kind of problem. When I press play or rec buttons, the deck won't engage. The buttons engage for like 3 seconds and then come back to their original position. I have tried cleaning the switch, but it seems that the problem is more of a mechanical nature. Rewinding and fast forward work perfectly well. I guess that my question is do you have any idea what could be the source of this problem and what is the potential solution. It seems that pinch roller doesn't come up to "pinch" since when I hold it with something in place the whole thing works. Thanks in advance!

[@12voltvids]

Sounds like the auto stop mechanism is tripping

[@rajaizkraja]

@@12voltvids Yep, I guessed so. Any ideas what I could try? ;-)

[@12voltvids]

@@rajaizkraja I believe it runs off the tape counter belt, but could be wrong. Would have to see the mechanism.

[@rajaizkraja]

12voltvids Ok, thanks, I’ll try to hunt for it in th eservice manual. Thanks a ton!

[@barryg1467]

@@rajaizkraja Hey Nick - did you ever find a solution for your auto-stop issue? I have a 6240 with the same problem. I believe the counter belt is downstream from the main problem, but haven't had a chance to get into it to find out directly. Thanks for your help.

[@ratos74]

22:37 - is the take up roller struggling to rotate or it's just me and my beer?

[@ranjitragu]

Whichever of the two reels is bigger will rotate slower than the other.

[@ratos74]

@@ranjitragu That is corect. But just look at the left roller ... it rotates in a smooth way. Cannot say the right roller does it the same way.

[@musicnerd72]

Is there a way to determine if a belt is pure rubber or not? I'm guessing it'll melt in boiling water?

[@12voltvids]

Water boils at 100c far below what rubber or synthetic rubber melts.

[@musicnerd72]

@@12voltvids gotcha.. thanks!

[@gilbertlabra7531]

Question; It is ok to boil a belts in a small pot through stove even you dont have microwave?

[@12voltvids]

No

[@gilbertlabra7531]

@@12voltvids ahh why? Its melting the belts?

[@12voltvids]

@@gilbertlabra7531 Yes the bottom of the pot will get far too hot and melt the belt. In a microwave the water can't get above 100C but the bottom of a metal pot sure could.

[@gilbertlabra7531]

@@12voltvids ahh ok. So if i boil the belt in a microwave i set a temperature in 100°c in 3 mins or 5 mins?

[@calebashby]

That Tone Was , If I'm Correct, The Sound Of A Computer Tape Drive?

[@12voltvids]

Yes I said that, but the quiz was what type of computer and we got a winner.

[@421CentralIowa]

I heard the tape played at 12 and a half minutes and it sounds like my dad loading a program on the TI-99/4A when I was a kid roundabout 1983. 10 CALL CLEAR 20 PRINT "LUKE IS AWESOME" 30 GOTO 20 RUN.

[@12voltvids]

It was a ti 99/4a!

[@DoNaSbaR]

That sound...(11:20) ZX Spectrum games, perhaps !

[@Qubic3D]

I am a programmer from the 80´s. For sure it is the sound of a small program of a TI 99 4 or 4a...

[@12voltvids]

Yup, one to make color bars on the screen actually. For a TI 99/4a

[@SzymekCRX]

Very well done!

[@TheVCRKing]

I should do that with my VCR belts as a last resort

[@ivanigorpollick6690]

it is for SPECTRUM-Sinclair,for games programs-I owned one.

[@CristianRusu]

i live in romania, we did not have sinclairs and commodores, we had the HC 85 and HC 91 (ice felix)

[@chrislane4637]

Can you do the same with a CD player belt

[@28noch]

In Brazil this mechanism in Philco-Hitachi Pcd-30 tape deck

[@chupamishuevos303]

can u put them in oil also to make them expand ?

[@HDXFH]

kabronplay no because the belt stays slippery

[@jonvincentmusic]

Only one issue...you corrected the speed of the motor, so the poor guy who owns this cassette deck, all his home recorded tapes are now going to run too slow lol.

[@rawr51919]

Jon Vincent It isn't the fault of the tape, as it can easily be corrected post-transfer if he wanted to transfer the recordings.

[@stphinkle]

Was it a TI/99-4A on the tape?

[@rawr51919]

Stephen Hinkle Yes, that's what it was.

[@ve1arn]

Been a while, but it sounds like my old TI-99A.

[@aaronfeliciano4969]

IBM or Commodore 64

[@Hagis2k]

Must be a Commodore C64 i guess :)

[@calebashby]

NAD Built Wonderful Stuff, Just Too Pricy For Me! B&O Taste With A Soundesign Budget.

[@12voltvids]

Yes very nice. Yes expensive. No I don't own any, but I wish I did.

[@catsbyondrepair]

I lost my faith in nad when they started cheap Chinese class d amp crap

[@12voltvids]

In audio equipment, old is better unless you are buying the high end domestic amps. The new Hafler and Dynaco amps are made in Canada by hand and are or very high quality, same goes for PS Audio in the USA. Again you will pay for this type of quality. Now as to class D amps, they are getting better, and some of them are so good that unless you were told it was a class D you probably wouldn't know.

[@jasejj]

12voltvids NAD? Expensive? They were very much at the budget end of the market in the UK. They built their name on good cheapo amplifiers in the 70s and 80s, but their tape decks and CD players were generally just cleaned-up Sanyo designs (knock-down kits in some cases) made in Taiwan by Tatung. The record decks were badged Rega units and pretty good, but none of it was especially expensive in their glory days.

[@tharkthax3960]

I have a nad c352, first thing I did was change out all the caps for Panasonic ones. The cheap ones it came with are known to fail so I did a pre-emptive recap. Totally brill amp. Runs a pair of monitor audio RS6 speakers.

[@caroman6761]

What is the name of the Musictitle on Min: 21:53, please???

[@theotherchannel2279]

How long would a belt last after being microwaved?

[@12voltvids]

I have a few that have been in for years and still working. Depends on the belt. I've done it many times over the past 30 years.

[@theotherchannel2279]

@@12voltvids Would boiling water do the same thing as I do not have a microwave here.

[@12voltvids]

@@theotherchannel2279 it's the hot water that does the work of restructuring the rubber not the microwaves so yes I would expect the same results.

[@theotherchannel2279]

@@12voltvids Cheers mate. ;)

[@TeDBildplatte]

I think it is an Apple II Tape?

[@jwl9286]

Sounds like early days computer data to me. TRS 80 or TI 99. Others too.

[@jackoamator3325]

Super robota

[@vikingbeard]

11:15 That's the first note of Love Me Do :-)

[@technixbul]

ZX Spectrum?

[@Millertme75]

I need the belts where do I get them and size ?

[@HDXFH]

Millertme75 ebay

[@taiwanbirdman]

The sound is Apple II using a tape as data storage.

[@12voltvids]

Texas instruments ti99/4a.

[@taiwanbirdman]

@@12voltvids can one hear the difference between a TI and an Apple II data recording sound?

[@12voltvids]

@@taiwanbirdman Yes totally different.

[@eggshellskullrule7971]

My two 6155's have been more than headache to me.

[@Delorean29]

Time 22:15 Everyyy daaay he sings name of artist & music? :)

[@mertuckan]

Computer tape sound. Could be commodore, sinclair or atari

[@12voltvids]

Texas instruments ti99/4a

[@DavidBerquist334]

Is it a comadore

[@12voltvids]

Ti 99/4A

[@markbriscoe8526]

That’s even from a Commodore 64 or a Vic 20 or Spectrum 48 or 128k tape

[@12voltvids]

Ti99/4a

[@musicworkstujuh8109]

Hello sir, please do tutorial for sansui d 90 restoration please hehe

[@TheChroniclesOfAnAverageJoe]

ZX Spectrum with an old Z80 processor