Restoration of a Vintage Audio Tape Deck | Retro Repair Guy Episode 9

Retro Repair Guy completely restores an old 1977 Hitachi D-720 audio cassette deck. For this restoration I had to replace all the capacitors, repair the power supply and replace the VU meter lamps. This retro audio cassette deck is now ready for a new life.
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𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗥𝗚'𝗦 𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗞𝗦: / theretrorepairguy
The ninth episode of the Retro Repair Guy. A series aimed at retro and vintage electronic repair and restoration.
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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒
00:00 Snazzy Intro
00:15 Show Intro
04:18 Opening up the vintage cassette deck
05:29 Inspecting and testing of the old tape deck
06:53 Cleaning the retro cassette deck
07:57 A word about Hitachi diodes
09:05 Replacing the vintage VU meter lamps
09:17 Replacing the belts
11:25 Reassembling the vintage audio tape deck
14:16 Wrap up and testing
16:11 Credits
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Footage, pics and information:
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• Wikipedia & Wikimedia Commons
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• Other media featured is either marked as public domain on Google Images, used with permission or shown under fair use law. Every attempt is made to contact others before including content. If something has been forgotten please don't hesitate to let me know and I will fix it.
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Retro Repair Guy Playlist ▶▶▶ • Retro & Vintage Electr...
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#restorationvideo #cassettedeck #vintageelectronics

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Make sure to watch the latest Christmas episode I have two giveaways! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oorMlJh7qadnm5Y

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Make sure to watch the latest episode where I take a pile of garbage parts from the donation bins I received and turn it into a brand new functional Vintage Commodore VIC 20 retro computer! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b36Un6xnec2dicU

[@sergiomontes5534]

Really love your videos, my dad used to repair electronics back in the mid 80s to early 90s. Now I'm beginning to get interested in fixing anything vintage.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi there! Thank you very much I really appreciate hearing when someone is enjoying the videos. I probably learned from guys like your dad. All the guys I worked with in the early nineties were much older than me and were the best. They had all kinds of tricks up their sleeves because in their days parts and tools weren't as available. It was great times! If you want to fix vintage stuff, I can tell you I find it very rewarding to breath new life into this old stuff. This in one of my older videos, please check out my latest episode where I repaired a drum machine from the 80s kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaDSYmB6iN-Wa6M Thanks for watching!

[@davids.8459]

I had this same unit back in ‘79 and loved it. Sold it in ‘83 then bought another one again from a flea market in ‘96. Restored it with new belts and lights but has since been out of action since a few years ago as one channel no longer worked and the indicator needle paint has all but come off. Still have it stored and may give another shot at restoring it again.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! I know it's not the best out there but I find it to be a sturdy and great sounding unit, especially when paired with the OCL Amp I also repaired that was part of the system. And I love the piano mechanical keys as opposed to an electronic mechanism. Hope you get yours up and running. Thanks for watching!

[@davids.8459]

Thanks for the feedback. One quick question (as I don’t recall from memory on my original unit) but does your door mechanism feel and sound rough when closing. I know it uses a mechanical system to open and close compared to hydraulic.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

@@davids.8459 Hi again. Sorry I don't know why KZbin threw your second comment under "SPAM" and I just saw it. Not sure what you mean by rough but I have it next to me and just tried it several times and I hear the gears engaging and feel them when I push it closed so yeah it's not smooth so you could call it a bit "rough" especially when compared to other tape decks I have.

[@davids.8459]

That is the same as I get thanks.

[@RESTORATIONOFSCRAPMETAL]

nice restoration👍👍👍

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you I worked hard!

[@pauloratm]

Really great looking at the end. All the work you had paid off well. Thank you!

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for watcing!

[@RockNRod.]

Let's take a bath, wait what, am I on the right channel, lol? Nice video.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! That was last year! Please check out some of the newer videos you’ll see the boards are washed in the dishwasher. This was just to prepare you mentally. 😂😂 Thanks for watching!

[@TheCueUpBlog]

Such a great and informative video. I got a deck at home that I have been wanting to open up and service. Thank you !

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you very much and I'm happy it was of help. I just released one about a Sony DVD player that you might like. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3yoiYGbr5t1pNk

[@rbyb1627]

Same. Watching your video and making a list of all the mechanisms to check and restore. First timer. PYE Diotran CD600 model. So excited for this project. Thanks for your video!

[@desmond5593]

Hi, thank you so much for this video. I have many of those TDK cassette tapes you are using for your restored Hitachi. Going to look for a vintage player soon for all my tapes.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi Desmond. Thank you for watching. I was lucky enough to inherit this one from my uncle who was the only owner and know exactly where it's been and was taken care of but unfortunately sat there for many years. If you're looking, I would stay away from online auction sites and check out garage sales and thrift stores, it's amazing what people get rid of. Please subscribe if you haven't already to see more of my videos. You might like the Boombox I fixed last month: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnfInmZ3qceNg5I

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi everyone! The store is up and running. I'll be adding more items in the days to come as well as merchandising for the channel. Prices are in Canadian dollars. Purchases of items fixed by me will include a signed certificate of authenticity that states the item was fixed by Retro Repair Guy. Thank you for your support! retrorepairguy.com

[@RetroRepairGuy]

BIG DISCOUNT on items for sale on my website for a limited time only. The items were restored as part of the show and will help support the channel. retrorepairguy.com/product-category/electronic/ There is also a new Donations link for the channel square.link/u/xikGzrwa where you can make a ONE TIME or RECURRING monthly donation. It's completely secure and all proceeds go to the channel. I will include your name in thank you credits of the video, if you give me permission to do so. If you want to donate any item to the channel, please get in contact with me by filling out the form on my Website retrorepairguy.com/contact-us/ and make sure to select the subject from the drop down list. THANK YOU ALL!

[@Fardeenfarwest]

Hi, am very impressed ❤️and I really appreciate the hard work you have done. These tape deck was in my childhood in the year 80s. It still fresh in my mind. Last week I collect a vintage Silvano 550 in the garbage. Waoooh it had been rusted mostly. Looking at this tape deck I feel sad. I have only removed all the dust and and cleaning all the pcb and trying to figure out what the problems. The turner is on. Fm is playing. Now the tape deck and the line out is not working. May the STK ic. Is gone that's I have to dig more by checking it. Whats really sad I had dig into Google to find the data sheet of these model but could not fine one. I like vintage tape deck. And I really appreciate and this make me feel happy when I see someone give new life to old tape deck. I really appreciate your work. Keep on 👍. Thanks for this beautiful video.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you so much I appreciate hearing kind words and when someone recognizes the amount of work that goes into a restoration. If you want to see more please subscribe it also helps me grow the channel so I can continue.

[@paulcodd1820]

Brilliant and very informative, thank you. Could you tell me how I can adjust the motor speed - it's playing a little fast - on my vintage Hitachi D230 deck please?

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you! Before adjusting the motor speed I would ask why it's running fast. The belt and capacitors should be looked at first. Then is it needs adjustment (best be done with the service manual) there is either a tiny hole under the motor (WARNING best to use a plastic screwdriver) or a potentiometer near it. Thanks for watching!

[@rev.waynet.oleary7387]

Great video

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi there! Thank you, I always appreciate hearing that. I do want to mention that this is a very old episode Please check out some of the newer ones they are more detailed and include some history of the item in the beginning. Thanks for watching!

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Watch my latest video where I restore an old 90s Boombox kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnfInmZ3qceNg5I

[@RetroRepairGuy]

My latest video is out kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaDSYmB6iN-Wa6M I restored an old drum machine that was extremely dirty. It's a Yamaha RX5 which is the same model used by many groups in the 80s including a-ha, Prince, Madonna and Vangelis. Hope you enjoy! I worked really hard on it.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Watch my latest retro restoration. A Panasonic S-VHS Reporter camera. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4vEmKqFas90npo

[@harjonoharoen5186]

many hitachi tape deck in my country (indonesia) but i cannot find the belt for replacement...any suggest from you?... anyway you restoration is great and easy to unferstand...thank you very much.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi again! Thank you for the kind words. Not sure what is available in your country but you can buy bags of many different sizes and shapes from China through Aliexpress or Amazon. This is much cheaper than buying the exact belts for the unit. You then match the belts to the correct size.

[@scottnutter3068]

Great vids! I have a sansui sc-5100 cassette deck. I replaced all the belts and it does everything except play. It tries to and then stops! Very frustration when you are new to this stuff like me. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! While it's hard to diagnose without seeing it, stopping just like that sounds like it could be the pinch roller. It could be slipping or needs to be replaced. You could try cleaning it and using Rubber Renew otherwise look for a replacement. It could also be an electrical problem. I would try the cleaning first. The belt is used to turn the tape and when used it causes problems with Wow and Flutter or stops turning. The pinch roller puts tension on the tape and pulls it across the head if it slips it shuts off. This is why I say it sounds like this issue which is very common. Thanks for watching.

[@CesarJuarezVargas]

I would like to ask if you also cleaned the tape before testing. I've done a bit of homework, and some audio restoration professionals recommend doing a complete pass on the tape using a Q-tip with isopropyl alcohol (like a tape loop) forwarding it with the pencil or a pen. Have you done or tried this method? Many thanks!

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi and welcome to the channel. I always use a new tape for both initial testing and for testing when I'm finished. I never use an archived tape just in case as I would not want to ruin it if something goes wrong. As for cleaning, my opinion based on thirty years experience is that I've never had to clean a tape itself and I would be afraid of the alcohol damaging the tape. If it's really bad for some reason, you can open it up and clean the interior of the housing or even replace the housing (same goes for VHS, cassettes and 8 tracks) you can also replace the sponge in the middle if it deteriorated. For obvious reasons we clean records because dust gets inside the grooves but a tape is smooth, compacted and rolled up inside a plastic closed box and inside another plastic box. I'm not sure what the benefits of this would be as I don't see this as being the same as cleaning film in special chemicals to get dust off of them as they did for Star Wars years ago for example. In my experience and opinion it's better to make sure the items are properly stored and cassettes rewound and remember that this media cannot last forever so if there is something of value to think about digitizing it to preserve it. Thanks for watching!

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Hai lavorato come si deve

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Grazie mille lo apprezzo!

[@johnlomasney7632]

love tape

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi John! Welcome to the channel. Me too and this one especially because I have recordings of me made on it from when I was eight years old! Please make sure to check out some of my latest videos. Thanks for watching!

[@johnlomasney7632]

@@RetroRepairGuy listening to some old tapes at the moment

[@Ricecooker64]

Late seventies decks are very minimal and affective with playback.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! Yes i love them and still sounds great. Thanks for watching!

[@karimdailyjazz]

good job

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you! Always nice to hear!

[@hifi.david.]

nice vid

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Thank you very much!

[@maxwellnjuguna5433]

Why does the fwd n Rew piano keys on my Akai deck slipping , play also occasionally

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi Maxwell. This sounds like regular maintenance is needed; changing the belts and while at it clean the heads and pinch rollers. Thanks for watching.

[@CyndiTigerDobrinic]

I need belt kit for cassette on a Hitachi SDQ-9922H cassette player have idea where to get it?

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi there! Unfortunately it's become very hard to source these parts and I've looked around. The only place that you can get them now is from Chinese manufacturers and the cheapest way is to by a bag full of different sizes and shapes and then match the new belt to the old one. If you don't have the old one you can also find the exact size and whether it's round, square etc and and match it as well by ordering them through Amazon or Aliexpress. Unfortunately Digi Key or Mouser don't carry these. On eBay you can sometimes find a kit however if it's NOS, remember it's rubber and make sure it's not past its shelf life and dried out. The bags full are worth it and much cheaper if you intend to do more like I do. They are approximately $12 US per bags of 50 on jungle site and even cheaper on the other. Hope this helps and thanks for watching! PS I just checked the old PRB line catalog who used to make the replacement belts and for your unit this is what I found: Belt Fly Wheel - FRM9.0 Belt - SCQ6.5 Belt Counter - SCY8.0 So SC=square cut and the number is your size and FRM = Flat Rubber. The other extra letter is the wall thickness. Q=0.50 Y=0.39 M=0.210

[@marlonperdomo9944]

I have this Hitachi deck D220 but when i put in on i Heard the motor run direct when put in on.when i push the play bottom the tape don't move.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi Marlon. Sounds like the belts need to be replaced. These are old unit. It's normal that rubber, dries out or melts. Thanks for watching!

[@marlonperdomo9944]

@@RetroRepairGuy thanks for answer My comment.yes this weekend i Buy the Belt to replace them

[@franciscoalvarez2875]

Hello ! Do you know how to remove oxidation from aluminium panels in the front? Thanks

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! I have to mention to please do at your own risk and there might be a better way to do this but here's what I would do: I would first clean it as best as possible with a soft bristle brush for dishes, hot water and dish soap just like I would with dishes. Afterwards I would try cleaning with vinegar and if really bad, soaking the panel in some vinegar for about an hour, and again using a gentle bristle brush or toothbrush and rinse off. If it still doesn't come off I would use a fine grade steel wool or try an sos pad for pots and pans. But I would try first the back of the plate or side and not rub too hard as not to scratch it. Once it's clean, use some metal polish (like car product stuff) to finish it off. The panels are pretty sturdy and although the words on them don't rub off easy, I would be more careful and gentle around those areas.

[@franciscoalvarez2875]

@@RetroRepairGuy thank you so much for your fast and very detailed response, i will try it carefully, Again than you for your help!

[@vandewoude]

Hi, Hopefully you can help me. I have an AKAI GX 220D Tape Deck. It has a blown fuse 1.5 AMP 120 Volt. I cannot find this fuse. I've been told and acquired a 1.5 AMP fuse, but 220 Volt. When I change the volt setting on the back to match, I get dim lighting, but none of the other instruments on the deck work? Any ideas?

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi Mike. I've never opened that unit however looking at the service manual it shows me two things. First that the main fuse (F1) is a 2.5A fuse and not a 1.5. Secondly it shows me another fuse (F601) on board MS-5024 that is 1A. Now The voltage rating on a fuse is the maximum voltage that the fuse can tolerate so it can be higher but not lower. What's important is the amp rating. Don't change or play with the unit's voltage rating. That is for when you are in Europe for example and their electricity operates on a different voltage and Hz. You could damage the unit. Verify the length of the fuse. Is it a short or long. You can get them from Digi-Key and ceramic fuses perform even better in audio applications in my opinion. Short one www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/bel-fuse-inc/5HF-2-5-R/1009735 and long one www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/bel-fuse-inc/3AB-2-5-R/1009764 But please measure the length. If what I sent is not the correct length then do another search on their site. You can also put a regular glass one. Also here is a tutorial from them on fuses that could help you in the future www.digikey.ca/en/articles/fuse-tutorial You can take a look at the service manual here www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/akai/gx-220d.shtml Start with the correct fuse and return the voltage to its proper operating state and then see what happens. Verify that other F601 fuse as well and see if it's OK. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!

[@westelaudio943]

The voltage ratings are maximum ratings, to prevent arcing across the fuse when it's blown - lower voltage is not a problem. Set the deck to the right voltage from your outlet. Further, 1.5 A seems quite excessive for a tape deck - are you sure that's the correct current? I wouldn't expect any more than 500mA... Or is the fuse on the secondary (low voltage) side?

[@robertcox5228]

Can u help with a pioneer ct1830wr

[@stevengray5970]

Hello buddy I have the D-555 & find I have to crank up the record levels to match my technics unit so wondered if you have any ideas of a fix and what I should be looking for ? Thanks for any help.

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi! First thanks for watching. It's always hard to diagnose without seeing a unit but it could be the preamp section. However, one simple thing that I have seen in old models like this is the record switch on the board (the one that when you press record has a long hook that goes into it). Try cleaning it with some contact cleaner and operating and pressing it on and off a few times (I showed it here when I fixed the boombox kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnfInmZ3qceNg5I at 6:46 in the video). I've seen this happens in the past where it was dirty and affected the record levels. Similar to a dirty potentiometer that affects volume. While you are there, a good head cleaning all together never hurts. Hope this helps!

[@skankingrudeboy]

Dye-odd 🤣

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi there! Sorry I don't understand the comment.

[@crazed8486]

Hi mr retro I have bought an Phillips art 60 with a tv boom box do you know anything about them

[@RetroRepairGuy]

Hi there! I've only seen them on Internet. I have never seen one in person or know of anyone here owning one. Was it made only for Europe? Beautiful piece of equipment. Wish I could get my hands on one and, of course, crack it open! 😁

[@crazed8486]

It works great but the horizontal holed is not working properly need to find part or could try fixing myself. Thanks for the reply

[@RetroRepairGuy]

@@crazed8486 Hi. The TV part is like any old Television. Many times the problem with the horizontal hold could be the potentiometer that needs cleaning or changing. Could also be bad caps, etc. Remember, that even when unplugged, the tube still holds a charge and needs to be discharged before working on it. Once that is done, try some contact cleaner in the potentiometer and turn it back and forth. Then plug everything back and try that before changing parts. If you have never worked in a television before I highly advise against it, it could be dangerous.

[@crazed8486]

@@RetroRepairGuy is it easy to discharge the tv

[@crazed8486]

@@RetroRepairGuy I’ll send you mine you can fix it and put it on your channel if you want.