I'm just curious on who follows the Service Manual for Speed Adjustment on their Sony Walkman? Yes, I have Mihokm 3kHz test tape(15 Minute Test Freq.), and also a 3kHZ, 0 dB full side. The manual states on most, that the phono output should be weighted 16ohms, etc. And that you use the Center portion which is understandable. I also see a lot of Techs use the TEAC MTT-111N 3KHZ - 10DB? I guess my question is that I have not read often that others follow this? Even People making videos on YouTube don't even make the point? So, who follows what for a precise Tape Speed Adjustment? I was thinking hard about this months ago. As I know when it comes down to good Tape Decks, it's critical. Thanks, if someone could clarify and make clear to me. I repaired Laserdisc Players for around 20 years. I just never got into repairing analog equipment. Just started for myself this past 15-months as I still have around 300 -/+ Pre-recorded Cassette's and some are special to me. I'm really impress with the Walkman Techs as it takes patience and more patience!
Personally, I now use the HPR 3015Hz calibration cassette in combination with WFGUI to measure speed and w&f and find it totally adequate for decks and portables alike. I'm ok if a walkman measures 5-10Hz either side. Decks, especially those used for making recordings need to be spot on with preferably no greater deviation than 2-4Hz. The belted capstan ones I have usually fluctuate around that margin anyway. My Dragon, being Direct Drive is usally rock steady.
I just purchased my 1st DD Walkman, DD3, and it was serviced by Valentin. All my other walkmans are at 1% or .5%. The DD3 is quite impressive when I seen the W+F service records!! Wow! Direct Drive and Quartz lock makes a big difference. I own a Nakamichi RX-202. (It was what I wanted when I was like 11 Years old)! Because of the Mechanism flipping the Cassette externally. I wish I invested in buying Dragons in the 90's at $800 in the box! I probably could've retired before I hit 50! Thanks for your input!
The exact frequency and level of speed calibration tape is not important (you can use either 3000Hz or 3150Hz). Every service manual will list the method they use and their own test tape. The level is important only to the degree that it's high enough to get a reading in WFGUI. So it's ok to use any tape as long as: - it's recorded on a deck with wow&flutter figure much lower than the one you want to measure; - the cassette itself has a decent shell and good hubs, so friction between tape and slip sheets is insignificant; Marian's one is good, but so are 3150Hz ones the and so would be one recorded by yourself asssuming you have a deck that can do 0.04% WRMS or lower. If the cassette is used to adjust speed, it's ideal to be recoreded on a deck with quartz lock, so speed is very accurate. 1% and 0.5% WRMS ? Or are you reffering to the WFGUI range ?
Yes, The WFGUI range DIN. The WM-EX808 that I completely gone through gets the lowest of my Belt Driven walkmans. On WFGUI I get around .4% or less. Speed is consistent around 3K on Fwd and Rev. I just started to play with this to see where my walkmans stand. They are nowhere near the DD3 or other highend Walkmans. So, is it good practice to adjust speed center of cassette?? As that's why I created this thread to see if I'm just being to picky by going by the book?
Yes, it is good practice to adjust at the center of cassette, but not critical. Going by the book can be very important in some cases, where there are procedures specific to a particular model (like WM-DD PLL adjustment). But then there are some service manuals which say +/-90Hz on speed adjustment. If I would take such manual as the reference and measure 3060Hz, by the manual I should leave it as-is. In reality I would adjust it to be 3000Hz +/-10Hz. Other walkman manuals (AIWA ones in particular) give very high values for w&f figures, which again I won't take as a reference and would want to obtain much better than what the manual is saying. Then in SONY manuals I have seen errors (don't ask me which exact ones, cause I don't remember). In my opinion, it's very important to understand how things work. For example, many service manuals for recorders have a very convoluted procedure for calibrating the recording level and bias. I don't use that as it's imprecise and requires a very low level signal to be generated (using an attenuator), then fed into the MIC input. Then they want a very exact output level. It's much simpler to feed a line level signal to line in and adjust so the input (what you feed in) is equal to the output (what has been recorded). Only thing important here is to adjust the input level so you don't saturate the tape. Something like -10dB for example, not 0dB. Then if we take Dolby level calibration cassettes, on this level is critical. But even then chances are we won't be able to find the exact one service manual recommends. But we can see what fluxivity the original one has (for example SONY P-4-L300 has 160nWb/m) and convert the levels specified in the manual for the tape we have (which may be 200nWb/m or 250nWb/m).
So what is the proper way to read WRMS % using WFGUI? IDN looks to be default for 3Khz Test Tapes. I read so many inputs on this and youtube. So, the average Walkman what I read on (Tapeheads.net) is 0.2% WRMS. Is this correct? I really don't want to start a new hobby on Figures only, if it sounds good to my ears, the cleaning and repair was successful. Thanks for your Input Members.
Weighted RMS (WRMS) is the most typical measure for wow&flutter. This is the circled green value. Apart from this, WFGUI shows a peak value, which is shown in some service manuals such as the D6C (see picture attached). Then, in the circled blue part you have a max in 10 seconds, meant to show some infrequent spikes in w&f. If you're interested in reading more in regard to wow&flutter, I recommend reading a very good article written by forum member CDV: https://reflectiveobserver.medium.com/wow-flutter-explained-31cc9495d24 As for walkmans, for the vast majority of belt driven ones you won't see wow&flutter specifications. Attached 2 pictures of some that give such spec. The w&f figure on such walkmans will vary quite a bit depending on wear and tear and belt used. Most belts available nowadays are not as good as the original ones and most walkmans do have some wear and tear. With this said, 0.2% WRMS is actually a good typical value on a walkman with wear and using a currently available belt. Some mechanisms will perform better than this reaching 0.15% WRMS, some will perform worse reaching 0.3% WRMS or even a bit higher. An exception to this are WM-DDs which do have a specification (typically 0.08% WRMS) and will meet it or even exceed it. Then it really comes down to the type of music you listen to: if you listen to music with long note decays (like classical), this figure of 0.2% WRMS will seem way too high to be acceptable. However for majority of music genres, the mentioned figure and even higher ones will not be a problem. And as you stated, if it sounds good to your ears, it's good. As a sidenote, in my opinion, setting our baseline expecatations based on the w&f needed for classical to sound good would be unrealistic for a belt walkman.
Valentin!! You could write a Book!! I know the Leader W&F meters, etc. I just don't need to purchase one. Analog Cassette isn't really my specialty on the Bench. I was just trying to understand the Vasuc WRMS %. So far in my experience with restoration of the Belt Driven ones is the Capstans! Rust and and rough spots, even if you can't see it. I don't know the proper way to make them clean=easy way. I think when theur Etched from rust, they can't be saved. Twice Now that was the Entire Problem, and any rust on the pinch roller pins. Even though cleaned with a fiber Pen, if their etched, it seems they are no good, even if they look new. These issues seem to affect the WRMS% , And that what I have learned recently. I run out of time to read everything, as it's a hobby in its own separate World. *Thanks for all your Detailed Replies!* I have my 300+/- Cassettes and some I repurchased to restore my important collection, so that's how I got back into this walkman, even though I have my Nakamichi RX-202 / 35+ Years! I worked hard to earn that as a young kid!
In regard to rusty capstans, I have seen that on a few walkmans, especialy the WM-700 series but these are not the only ones. If there are just light rust spots, capstans can be sanded then etched with ferric chloride. Problem is there's only so much material you can remove before the diameter of the capstan will change and tape speed will decrease. This is especially problematic in autoreverse walkmans, as this means you will have high speed difference between FWD and REV. So the conclusion is if rust is light, you can sand it as etching alone won't remove it in most cases. I use 800 grit and 2000 grit paper then etch. However, if I take the WM-700 series as an example, in the majority of cases rust was too deep and capstan/flywheel assembly had to be replaced with one from donor unit. Pinch rollers also need to be replaced if they have been affected by rust, as you already stated.
For a belt driven Walkman, that would be a low number. For disc or direct drive, those are usually lower. Except for the DD22 using the cost optimized mechanism.
