Hi all, I picked up a Crown RX-9800 suitcase boombox, among other things, from an elderly gentleman who used to work in Japan. It powers up with the power cable plugged in (one of the springs in the battery compartment had broken off, likely due to corrosion) and the radio works fine. The FF and REW as well as music search works on the tape deck. However, when I pressed play, it plays but with a constant, loud metal pinging. Tape does play with sound but with audible wow and flutter. I stopped it right away as I wasn't sure if the pinging is doing damage to the tape deck. I know this is a rare Japan only model and I was not able to find any kind of information online as to how to take it apart. Just wondering if someone on the forum has worked on this particular model and might have the service manual or even just advice on how work on it. Thanks.
Awesome find! Super rare but it comes up on the forum about every 10 years. I don't think many were made so finding service manuals might be impossible, I checked the usual websites and didn't see anything. You can get on www.yahoo.jp and go through their search engine try some different word combinations. The box will work on our voltage and the plug is identical but since it's most likely made for Japanese 100v I highly recommend a voltage transformer, you don't want to damage anything that might not be replaceable. This is a super popular model, the Nissyo, made in Japan. This is their big one, they have a smaller one that should work but I always like to go overboard. https://www.amazon.com/NISSYO-indus...child=1&keywords=nissyo&qid=1615998255&sr=8-1
I have one too, but I've never seen a service manual for it. Did the seller tell you when he purchased it, and how he used it?
Yes, I am using a step-down transformer with it. A couple of those were included with the things I purchased from the gentleman. He mentioned that he worked in Japan from around late 70s to early 90s and brought a bunch of the electronics gadgets and equipment back with him when he moved back to the US. I'll try a deeper dive into the internet through yahoo.jp per your recommendation. So far the only one I've found is http://blog.livedoor.jp/yakusokunonatu/archives/2545105.html in Japanese. It does show the boombox apart but not the process of taking it apart. Hopefully I'll be able to find more details through yahoo.jp. Thanks.
He couldn't quite remember when he got it, just that he purchased it new in Japan sometime in the early 80s. He said he used it in his apartment while in Japan as he worked in an office and didn't really travel a lot while there (long work hours and only Sunday off). It was mostly plugged in but he said he left the batteries in the boombox one of the few times he took it out of the apartment and forgot about it. They leaked and the corroded the battery compartment so one of the springs broke off. He found out while packing his stuff for the move back to US. It's been sitting in his storage since the 90s so he's not sure what's causing the pinging sound with the tape deck when playing.
