Sony TC-KA1ES / TC-K561S

[lovretta]

Hi fellow sony deck owners!

Newbie around here, i just got my first *proper* cassette deck the one mentioned in the title. Since i'm on tight budget, i spend as little as i possibly could, so i found this deck, it costed 45$.

My sister picked it up, so i didn't know in what shape it was really. Previous owner said it's in great shape.

But it has problem - auto detector switches & "tape inserted detector switch()" don't work properly - tape is in, but tape type is "blinking" on the display. It works for some time, then it blinks again - so for the deck it appears that tape is not in, while it is. Now it does work, but how long don't know.

I already dissasembled it, and i "overriden" switches manually by short-wiring the first one with a scredriver, it did the job. But there are four switches, and keeping the deck open would be a bit awkward, don't you think *hypnot*

Well, this is just a start it seems. No plug and play with this things :)


Yet i have to get me some demagnetizer and proper alcohol for cleanng the deck (when i got it i just cleaned the head and pinch roller with dry cloth).


Will write more extensively my feels about it, going to bed now. Got to work early *headache*


Haven't i said? Regardless of all problems, i did suceed in doing some short dolby s and dolby off tests, and i think this proper three head decks are amazing stuff, i'm amazed at how good a cassette can sound! (so far only did tests with Sony HF type 1 and Sony CDit Type 2)
(be ware this is the only 3 head deck i saw and owned ever, so i can only imagine how good naks or totl pioneer/sony/aiwa or whatever sound)

[VintageSteve]

I have a similar model Sony (TC-KA1ESA/TC-K500S). I don't know if the sensor switches are the same as on your deck but mine look like small "reed" switches. I have done maintenance on some Nakamichi reed switches as follows:

* cut a small strip of card stock (piece of thick stiff paper like a post card) making it only as wide as will fit into the side of the reed switch but long enough to hold on to with your fingers.

* spray the tip of the piece of paper with an electrical contact cleaner (like DeOxit)

* insert the damp end of the piece of paper into the reed switch between the contacts and move the paper gently back and forth, in and out, so the contact points of the switch are cleaned. The paper acts as a very, very fine sandpaper...

* be careful not to bend the reed switches!

This may fix the problem but be very careful. Did I say don't bend the switches? *no*

[Scorpion8]

I think VintageSteve has the right idea. Some contact cleaner may help in the meantime.

[lovretta]

Well, eventually it sorted itself out without me doing anything other then recording a complete side of the 90 min tape after it didn't blink..

But, i discovered some other issues :(

I did some cleaning yesterday with alchohol, skipped the pinch roller as i don't have isopropyl (as i understood ordinary alchohol would stiffen it?) - cleaned both playback/record and erase head. I noticed that erase head has VISUAL damage onto the line on the "upper" side of it, which i guess is the part of it that erases the tape. It has some sort of a long, nasty scratch.

While i was attempting to record something later after cleaning, i increased the volume A LOT before i've sent any signal to deck (music, that is :)) and i noticed that i can hear calibration test tones from the right channel, but highly muffled - right channel is not erased completely. Then i went for the music, and later i just recorded nothing over it - again same thing, i can hear it. It is deep down into the noise area, but it is there. Right channel only.
Since i don't have much experience, two things come to mind:

- faulty erase head, replacement needed
- i need to hurry up with getting me a proper demagnetizer (advices welcome :))


there is some other thing, but i got to go back to work *sarc*

[R.Daneel]

Hi!

Though I won't say the erase head is not the problem, it is not necessarily the reason your tapes are not erased properly. First of all, you didn't mention the tape you were erasing - is it a metal formulation tape? If it is, there might be some issues with erasing that tape on your Sony deck. The deck I used to have which is amost the same as yours didn't do a good job when recording or erasing on metal tape. In fact, the manual even suggested using chrome tapes instead of metal tapes due to the low bias frequency of 105kHz. In don't think that was the problem however, it is more likely it has to do with cheaper electronics (head pre-amps to be exact). Also, make sure your input level is set to the MIN position when erasing and turn the dolby circuit off.

I would say it is unlikely the erase head has suffered some damage due to wear. If that was the case, the playback head would be in far worse condition unless the combination head was replaced by the previous owner.

On the head demagnetizer, I recommend the TDK HD-30 cassette demagnetizer aihav h only god experences withit has been running for years without problems. It is effective and very fast. The demagnetize head has a film on the topo so it doesn't damage the cassette deck's heads.

Can you post some pics of your deck?

[lovretta]

Hi!

Though I won't say the erase head is not the problem, it is not necessarily the reason your tapes are not erased properly. First of all, you didn't mention the tape you were erasing - is it a metal formulation tape? If it is, there might be some issues with erasing that tape on your Sony deck. The deck I used to have which is amost the same as yours didn't do a good job when recording or erasing on metal tape. In fact, the manual even suggested using chrome tapes instead of metal tapes due to the low bias frequency of 105kHz. In don't think that was the problem however, it is more likely it has to do with cheaper electronics (head pre-amps to be exact). Also, make sure your input level is set to the MIN position when erasing and turn the dolby circuit off.

I would say it is unlikely the erase head has suffered some damage due to wear. If that was the case, the playback head would be in far worse condition unless the combination head was replaced by the previous owner.

On the head demagnetizer, I recommend the TDK HD-30 cassette demagnetizer aihav h only god experences withit has been running for years without problems. It is effective and very fast. The demagnetize head has a film on the topo so it doesn't damage the cassette deck's heads.

Can you post some pics of your deck?

*WARNING* you may get tired after a while *wave*

Well, i did it with the Sony CDit II Chrome tape. I bought them two years ago (i didn't have where to recorded them back then :)), few weeks ago friend gave me a Sony MHC RX30 mini system, it's tape was faulty, fixed it (replaced some belts, taken out from an old Philips boom box), and i opened these tapes for the first times, they were sealed, recorded on one of them only once, other one i was testing the mini systems tape deck with it (i discovered bias adjustment pots inside on the PCB, together with the rec and pb level, speed also). So one of them was re-recorded at least 10 or even more times, but these were mostly some generated sine-wave tones of various frequencies.
I never noticed previous recordings when recording on a mini system.
Be ware, this is right channel ONLY and that makes me so doubious about erase head.

Other thing i said i'll describe is this: when i playback a tape on it (or monitor it during recording) deep down in the noise area is noticeable low frequency rumble, with most powerful frequencies being 70 & 161 Hz.
This is present only on playback - played the tape in my car deck & mini system, absolutely no signs of rumble. You can hear it at the end of the attached file, going on for some 50 seconds. Increase volume to hear it.


Will post some pics and video later on. Tommorow going on a trip right after work, so expect some on Tuesday.

For now, here is a recorded (on PC via sound forge) recording session (took part on Sony deck), with me switching occasionally between source/tape monitoring (you'll notice small skips, i'm sure you all know how it manifests itself). Song is.. a rather nice one :)

Tape is Sony CDit II c90 Chrome tape, slide case. Made in mexico, bought in 2008, opened few weeks ago. Bias & rec level calibration did with the aid of calibration (deck recording test tones, and some meters need to be matched, ie. on should not be higher or lower then the other one).
Dolby off. Meter peaks around 0dB mostly, with occasional jump into the +2 - 3 zone.

Dunno about you guys, but to me this sounds really good - i'm still amazed at how a good old cassette can perform.


One more thing: erase head in this deck and in mini sysem "appear" the same - visually they look the same. Every one has the two lines of part numbers (or whatever the purpose of this much numbers) written on them. Lower line is identical on both, while the upper line is not.


And second thing; which i'm really ashamed and was thinking of not writing it here, but i must be honest and show how much of an idiot and clumsy i am:
while i was cleaning the erase head last night with a cotton swab, swab slid off to the left and it broken down the two small parts sticking above the heads, which i would call tape leaders :( And speaking of it, that is the only (visual) difference between the mini system erase head and this one: the one in mini system has metal "leader".
Just a note tough: right channel also couldn't be erased properly before the incident, so it is not the reason for it not being erased.

You may have guessed i'm attempting to replace erase head with the one from the mini system and see if it changes something.


PS. The system i'm listeng this from, is pc only:

Source: lossless audio played in foobar2000 with SoX resampler to 96kHz/24 bit output (using HDCD decoder for some cd's, 24 bit output required for it to work)

Sound card Behringer BCA-2000 audio interface (http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BCA2000.aspx), a small sound card/mixer combo (USB).

Speakers: active monitors US blaster (forgot the exact model number), connected to the output of the sound card via a balanced connection. (Amp power 50W) Very detailed in sound and microdynamics. Small but they do the job.

(I have this type of system because occasionally i do some sound effects work for a company that builds professional vehicle simulators (mostly oriented towards pro racing teams)). Over time i will for sure build some sort of a *proper* system, but thats gonna have to wait for now... One day when i start building a system it'll be Tripath amp (a friend has one, listened to it many times on his open-baffle vintage-look a like speakers (actually all speakers were acually built in 50's or 60's, can't remeber really))...

Ouch what a long-ish post. You've been warned! *grin*


EDIT. Did some testing, this time with dolby s on, now the low f. rumble is exactly on 50 Hz. Hmm. I wouldn't relate it to power supply, because it only occurs on playback.
Just finished uploading the recorded recording session :D

part1 http://www.box.net/shared/eeam9k0p2z
part2 http://www.box.net/shared/4tbj8l2smg

(due to my limited account it comes splitted in two parts, first one 24 and the other one 8 MB. Comes as a rar archive containing only flac file)

[lovretta]

Hi guys,

i see no one has written any sort of response, i guess it's probably due to fact that i've broken something inside my "brand new" deck. I'm no happy 'bout it either, but i would appreciate your opinions on some of issues with my deck.

Now, after week of using it i'll say i'm getting to like it every day more :)
I mostly done some recordings for playing back in my car, without any NR, so far so good. I'm experimenting with Dolby B on, how will my car player accept tapes encoded with it.

Also i've found a TDK HD-30 demagnetizer, i hope i'll have it about a week, then i'll see how the PB head will behave.

R.Daneel, are there any sources of new tapes around here? I've looked "everywhere" found only Sony HF and TDK D?

I've got my two pieces of Sony CDitII before, somewhere in Split. Wondering if the store still has them, hidden somewhere in warehouse :)
These tapes, from what i see so far perform very well on my deck, better then (used) TDK SA and SA-XS.

Overall sound of the deck is laid-back, it's slightly rolled off at the high frequencies.

[lovretta]

Here are pictures of the deck *reelspin*

First, picture of the Sony's boombox erase head

http://c.imagehost.org/t/0695/Sony_TC-K561S_16.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0695/Sony_TC-K561S_16)

The pics to follow are all of Sony TC KA1ES deck.

mechanics 1
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0245/Sony_TC-K561S_19.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0245/Sony_TC-K561S_19)

mechanism 2
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0327/Sony_TC-K561S_21.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0327/Sony_TC-K561S_21)

On these few close up mechanism pics, you can check the erase head and see what i've broken and also you can see the "scratch" on erase head.


mechanism 3
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0515/Sony_TC-K561S_24.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0515/Sony_TC-K561S_24)

mecahnism 4
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0396/Sony_TC-K561S_25.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0396/Sony_TC-K561S_25)

big close up 1
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0615/Sony_TC-K561S_27.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0615/Sony_TC-K561S_27)

big close up 2
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0136/Sony_TC-K561S_29.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0136/Sony_TC-K561S_29)

left side close up
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0822/Sony_TC-K561S_31.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0822/Sony_TC-K561S_31)

display
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0335/Sony_TC-K561S_38.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0335/Sony_TC-K561S_38)

mid side close up flash off
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0961/Sony_TC-K561S_39.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0961/Sony_TC-K561S_39)

mid side close up flash on
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0764/Sony_TC-K561S_42.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0764/Sony_TC-K561S_42)

right side close up, flash off
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0452/Sony_TC-K561S_40.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0452/Sony_TC-K561S_40)

right side close up, flash on
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0690/Sony_TC-K561S_41.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0690/Sony_TC-K561S_41)

[R.Daneel]

Hello!

No, I did listen to your samples. Now it seems to me like a faint humming sound which might indicate a capacitor needing replacement problem. The same thing happened with my Sony deck but since I got a replacement at that time I didn't feel like investing time in repairing it.

I hope you like the HD-30 demagnetizer cassette. Depending on the condition of your deck's heads, the effect might be revealing or very subtle. Sonically, with cassette decks that were never demagnetized, the effect of using such a cassette is sometimes more noticeable than doing a full cleaning of the tape path. Though it is not necessary to do the procedure often, I do it every time I clean the heads as it takes only a few seconds and hey, it is fun!

As far as tapes go, I am sorry... it is getting extremely hard to obtain them. Your observation of being able to get only the Sony HF and TDK D (and FE which comes below D in my opinion) is quite true and unsettling. Some moths ago I did order a large quantity of Sony UX-S from a official Sony store near here but they failed to deliver them. After waiting for a month, they called me and said they are sorry but the importer does not import tapes any more so the only stock they had was the one they already had in the warehouse - needless to say, the Sony HF. So yes, not good at all.

But send me your address in a PM, and I will dig up something for you:)

Regardung your comment on the Sony tapes sounding better than TDK tapes... in the case of your cassette deck, that is absolutely true. I don't know what tapes Sony used to do the final calibration of the deck but your deck will almost certainly be spot-on with a Sony UX based chrome tape. On my Sony deck I got excellent results on a UX-S with the manual calibration settings set to their nominal values every time. So if ou can obtain some tapes in large quantity for this deck, you should opt for the UX-S. I think I did a review of the very same tape somewhere in the cassette section of the forum. These are extremely smooth tapes accross the board with some very fine extension in the high-end and slightly detached, but nice punchy bass. In terms of hiss, these are truly state-of-the-art tapes and probably the quietest chromes around.

[lovretta]

Hello!

No, I did listen to your samples. Now it seems to me like a faint humming sound which might indicate a capacitor needing replacement problem. The same thing happened with my Sony deck but since I got a replacement at that time I didn't feel like investing time in repairing it.

I just opened it up, was unable to spot any electrolytic capacitor that went bad, but i have some suspects. Need to look closely and more carefully on the PB section, because only occurs on playback. In car plays fine and boombox also plays fine (tapes recorded on KA1ES).


I hope you like the HD-30 demagnetizer cassette. Depending on the condition of your deck's heads, the effect might be revealing or very subtle. Sonically, with cassette decks that were never demagnetized, the effect of using such a cassette is sometimes more noticeable than doing a full cleaning of the tape path. Though it is not necessary to do the procedure often, I do it every time I clean the heads as it takes only a few seconds and hey, it is fun!

Still haven't got it, it should arrive during next week. Somewhere here i read that deck should be off while demagnetizing, is this true? How will i be able to demagnetize head if i can't lift it up (deck off?)? (maybe that info was referring to stick-type demagnetizers, but just checking).


As far as tapes go, I am sorry... it is getting extremely hard to obtain them. Your observation of being able to get only the Sony HF and TDK D (and FE which comes below D in my opinion) is quite true and unsettling. Some moths ago I did order a large quantity of Sony UX-S from a official Sony store near here but they failed to deliver them. After waiting for a month, they called me and said they are sorry but the importer does not import tapes any more so the only stock they had was the one they already had in the warehouse - needless to say, the Sony HF. So yes, not good at all.

Did you notice this topic (http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=9965)
I found a "back street" store in Split last week, which still has nice amount of tapes. You can't tell my big surprise when i entered that small store and saw glass stand full of tapes, big part of them being Type II, spotted only one Type I - TDK T1.


But send me your address in a PM, and I will dig up something for you:)
Thanks for the kind offer, i was thinking of sending you these TDK's i've bought, for you to do a review on your Pioneer.


Regardung your comment on the Sony tapes sounding better than TDK tapes... in the case of your cassette deck, that is absolutely true. I don't know what tapes Sony used to do the final calibration of the deck but your deck will almost certainly be spot-on with a Sony UX based chrome tape. On my Sony deck I got excellent results on a UX-S with the manual calibration settings set to their nominal values every time. So if ou can obtain some tapes in large quantity for this deck, you should opt for the UX-S. I think I did a review of the very same tape somewhere in the cassette section of the forum. These are extremely smooth tapes accross the board with some very fine extension in the high-end and slightly detached, but nice punchy bass. In terms of hiss, these are truly state-of-the-art tapes and probably the quietest chromes around.

I only have two Sony chromes, CDit II bought also in Split i looked in the stores for them, but no... Too bad as i'm really happy the way these sound. And read here that these might possibly be rebadged UX tapes from Mexico. It was written on my two tapes "Made in Mexico".


Pictures of the deck inside:

Big close up
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0262/100_1506.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0262/100_1506)

Big close up 2
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0524/100_1520.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0524/100_1520)

PCB big
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0487/100_1512.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0487/100_1512)

PCB 2 big
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0689/100_1514.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0689/100_1514)

look on the mechanism
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0345/100_1529.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0345/100_1529)

Unused 3 pin connector..what could it be? Phones level?
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0768/100_1537.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0768/100_1537)

somewhere across the pcb 1, small card-like pcb's are dolby circuits
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0705/100_1533.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0705/100_1533)

somewhere across the pcb 2
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0914/100_1534.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0914/100_1534)

across the pcb in four pictures
http://c.imagehost.org/t/0340/100_1535.jpg (http://c.imagehost.org/view/0340/100_1535)

[R.Daneel]

Hello!

No need to thank me. In the words of Scorpion8 "it is how we do things on Tapeheads".

There is no need to send me any tapes though. If it is something I have, just tell me what tape and I will do a review on it.

My advice to you is this - if you already haven't, go to this store and buy all those tapes!! You mentioned a TDK T... I am not sure I ever heard about this tape though. Once you get them, maybe you could post some pictures.

Also, the CDitII is a fine tape. Is that the one with the transparent blue cassette shell and the sliding case? If that is the case, then it is the last CDitII and it was made in Mexico yes. It is far better than what you would expect from such a lightweight shell. As far as it being a UX tape, I really wouldn't know since the UX tapes were quite rare here. The UX-S has seen many versions and the the last Mexican ones are the best ones by far in my opinion and your blue CDitII shares a lot of it's potential as well.

So as far as those tapes you've found in that store go, GRAB and RUN!!!

[R.Daneel]

Oh yes, the link you posted. Take my advice and grab those tapes while you can. If you don't have the money and they cost a lot of money, send me a PM and we will do it together. We can split the cost. Let me know what you think.

[lovretta]

Hello!

No need to thank me. In the words of Scorpion8 "it is how we do things on Tapeheads".

There is no need to send me any tapes though. If it is something I have, just tell me what tape and I will do a review on it.

My advice to you is this - if you already haven't, go to this store and buy all those tapes!! You mentioned a TDK T... I am not sure I ever heard about this tape though. Once you get them, maybe you could post some pictures.

Check the bottom of the page here (http://vintagecassettes.com/tdk/tdk_files/tdk_year/tdk_95e.htm)
It appears to be lower-grade then even TDK FE, or it may be a FE with different name.



Also, the CDitII is a fine tape. Is that the one with the transparent blue cassette shell and the sliding case? If that is the case, then it is the last CDitII and it was made in Mexico yes. It is far better than what you would expect from such a lightweight shell. As far as it being a UX tape, I really wouldn't know since the UX tapes were quite rare here. The UX-S has seen many versions and the the last Mexican ones are the best ones by far in my opinion and your blue CDitII shares a lot of it's potential as well.

Yup, that's the one, blue transparent shell, sliding case. I must admit i like this sliding case, in car it's alot more practical then "classic" case.


So as far as those tapes you've found in that store go, GRAB and RUN!!!

Next week going there *reelspin*

[R.Daneel]

That's great!