tc-k730es

[mark902]

hey. i like sony tape decks. so when i say this sony tc-k730es on ebay i thought, well, i have a k700es and i love it. and i can't tell the difference except for the chonks of fake wood and the left sided sony emblem so. i won the auction. 61 bucks. plus 63.75 for shipping.

if any of y'all had bid on it, i'm sorry. but it came today. and, i guess you should really be grateful that you didn't win. it's in rough shape. i don't know what is up. the heads are rusted... pitted with rust. in the pic they looked dirty but in real life they are pitted with rust. can you imagine? it's like a horror movie. i used to worry about the heads on my k700 but these are nuts. playback is obviously horrid and recording is a nightmare. the bias dial is scratchy. the record level knob was loose. the entire chassis is black unlike the k700 but it's covered in white spots. like, dusty lil white spots.

i don't even know what to do. i guess i'm gonna keep it. i could get a refund but i'd be out 64 bucks and have nothing. i guess i'd rather have the deck as like, well the pinch rollers are in pretty good condition, and like... i guess there are other bits and pieces in it too that i could use for my k700 if i need.

sigh. i guess it's good. it's like an experiment deck. it's a high end deck that i can take apart and put together and things like that. a learning machine. i'm kind of excited in that way but i'm also a bit irritated about the "very good condition" of this deck. i was excited to have another beautiful k700 with chonks on it. and no remote sensor logo. it has the sensor. but no 'R' logo highlighting where the sensor is.

sigh.

[Naknut]

I don't know where you live but $64.00 for shipping is outrageous unless it was some kind of special delivery. If the deck is not as described in the auction I would try to work something out with the seller including shipping reinbursment. Don't try and justify getting screwed...just my two cents.

[Scorpion8]

If the deck is not as described in the auction I would try to work something out with the seller including shipping reinbursment. Don't try and justify getting screwed...just my two cents.

Ditto, there's a big difference between "dirty" heads, and rusted-and-pitted. Dirty can be cleaned. Rusted w/pits are junk.

[mark902]

i got the 61 bucks back. it was from la to nova scotia. i don't know how much shipping should be. it's fine though now. i'm satisfied with the outcome. i love that huge door. you can see more of the tape than the 700es. i wish i could switch the doors. but that would be gross. maybe i could switch the whole front plate. i love that door so much. but i won't. i know i won't.

i knew i should have gotten that k81 instead.

[Scorpion8]

i knew i should have gotten that k81 instead.

Both are good decks. Is the 730ES worth refurbing?

[scan80269]

Both are good decks. Is the 730ES worth refurbing?

730ES has a dual-capstan quartz-locked DD 3-head mech and bias & level adjustments. This can be a decent deck if a replacement R/P head can be found, but this would be difficult and can cost more than what you paid for the deck.

Depending on the depth of the rust pits, perhaps the head can be relapped.

[A.N.T.]

Both are good decks. Is the 730ES worth refurbing?

I've got 2 TC-K730ES and one TC-K700ES (almost the same thing). The mech is very good - one of the best from Sony IMHO, the electronics is good and can be made better. The heads there were one of the very best from Sony - discrete laser-amorphous and I guess it should be possible to relap these or to find a donor deck with the same or similar head.

Alex

[mark902]

i spent today taking it apart a bit. i tried and tried everything to see if i could get the rust off. i even thought of using CLR. just a bit on a q tip. i know it sounds a bit crazy but what am i gonna do? ruin the rusted heads? it's a shame too cus really aside from the chassis and the heads everything looks really nice. the faceplate and the wood chonks are in really good condition. i switched the rec level knob with that on the 700es cus it's was chipped. i even tried to switch the cabinets but the screws don't line up. i like those chonks now.

i think that if i could get new heads it could work well again. the right and left levels are pretty close. the playback is a bit weaker than the source. i know that these things can be adjusted by internal pots. but the highs are really weak and there is a lot of noise. no doubt the rust. i'd love to find replacement heads. i think all the problems that i have with it are a result of the rusty heads rather than other electrical problems. why can't i just get them from sony still? it makes me crazy. i know why i can't but it still makes my crazy. they can't just whip up a batch? turn on a lightswitch here and flick a switch and bravo, discrete lc-ofc laseramorphous heads? i mean they used to make them. i'm sure if they made a batch they would sell. i know i've said it before. it's just crazy to me to have these wonderful machines that have been abandoned by the company who created them.

[Nakdoc]

Mark,
I have both model Sony decks here. I can sell you working or non-working. Most of my TC-K 700ES decks are missing the wood sides. PM me.