Hello! Not sure if this is the right thread to ask for repair help in, but this is my first time posting in a long time so forgive me. Anyway, I got a Sony Walkman WM-EX655 off eBay. I purchased a battery case for it and a new belt. It was working great with the new belt… and then it wasn’t. I was listening to a tape and the wow and flutter started getting real bad and then the tape stopped and the player kept flipping between side A and B to no avail. I noticed that there was a grinding noise that was getting louder and worse the more I played it. It turned out to be coming from one of the brass capstans. I would appreciate some help on what to do next in reviving this unit. Here’s a photo of the capstan making the grinding noise.
Can you make a recording of the sound ? Is it the capstan that is making the noise (like metal-on-metal scraping) or is it gear noise ?
It definitely sounds more like metal-on-metal grinding than it does a cracked plastic gear. The grinding got progressively louder until when you would hit play, the tape would just keep flipping between side A and B.
Metal on metal scraping (I wouldn't call it grinding) can only come from the capstan bushing itslef, which is dry. If that's the case, the solution is to take the cap of the other side with a sharp tool (be VERY careful not to loose it, keep a finger above while removing) and then put oil in the bushing. You will need to clean the capstan from oil residue after you do this, otherwise it will contaminate both the tape and pinch roller. SONYs usually don't have much lubricants in them, especially on metal parts. That's why motors do fail a lot of these EX series and the bad part is those can't be lubricated.
In that case, I might sell it. Any other model you could recommend that would have the same level of sound quality and features like mega bass? None of the DD range have mega bass (right?) plus they’re quite expensive. I also care a lot about the design of the unit (one of the reasons I went with the EX-655)if the motor is gonna fail, then I don’t see any point in trying to fix it.
I won't be so pessimistic in regard to the motor. What I tried to say was these are more likely to fail than other designs, not necessarily that it's a guarantee they will fail in the near future. The fact that they don't put much (or any at all, don't know which one it is) lubricant from the factory and motor is sealed makes it a problem for sure, but a majority of them are still working. You can check the motor yourself by moving the pulley laterally: it should not have any lateral play. Some up and down play on its shaft is normal. When lateral play gets severe enough, the rotor starts to make contact with the stator, creating friction in some positions. Even in such cases, similar units can be used as donors. However, it is to be noted that there are about 5 types of motors used in EX series. As for the DD range, the latest ones (DD30 and DD33) do have MegaBass. In regard to other models, in my opinion Panasonic walkmans (the slim ones like RQ-S/RQ-SX/RQ-X series) are better than SONY WM-EX series in terms of sound quality. They are well lubricated from factory and motor won't ever be a problem on these (has much more solid bushing with larger surface area). It can also be re-lubricated if needed. Most of these do have a MegaBass-like function called S-XBS. The downside on Panasonics is replacing the belt is pretty involved (requires de-soldering of PCB), but a good belt will last a long time once you install it. And then it's the looks, most of them don't look that fancy (but not bad either), especially when compared to something like the EX655.
Hi Valentin. Are there some specific Panasonic models that stand out above the others for sound quality, in your opinion? I'm considering getting a used walkman and I'm seeking advise.
I'm afraid I cannot give you the advice you're seeking. I have only a handful of Panasonics in my collection and although I have repaired others, I'm not that familiar with all Panasonic models in order to tell you "model X or Y clearly stands out". And then what we call "sound quality" can be subjective. Some will prefer a specific coloration of the sound, like enhanced sub-bass (which is obtained when output coupling caps are larger). Other will prefer a flat frequency response coupled with an extension of treble. Other are interested in how good the Dolby NR system works or in wow&flutter. If you're specifically interested in low wow&flutter, RQ-X models are the best in this regard. When you say you're considering a used walkman, what type of walkman do you have in mind ? Older, newer ? With Dolby NR/without Dolby ? What kind of music do you listen to ? (on some types wow&flutter is extremely important) Do you listen only to pre-recorded cassettes or do you intend to record your own blanks as well ? How much are you willing to spend on a walkman ? Are you willing to spend more on getting it serviced or do you want something that is simple for you do repiar yourself ? There are just too many models out there (I certainly don't even know them all) to point out to a specific one without additional info.
In response to similar questions I have said that the best "Walkman" to buy is one that you can check out as working before handing over any cash. Otherwise, bear in mind that anything you buy might turn out to be an expensive paper-weight (or a source of spare parts for the next one).
S80 stands above, but cost arm and leg and is pita to repair. Then S65/S55 have amorphous heads and Dolby C. If you don't need Dolby C then easiest to repair would be S15, then S33(Dolby B and no amorphous head version of S55), then S35 (younger brother of S33). S15 sound not as great as S33/35 (difference is there, but it's more like 10%) but it's less complicated. For the first buy and repair I would go for Panasonic RQ-S15. I like sound of SX5 (especially with vibration option) and SX33, but those are pita to repair (especially taking and reinstalling back case part), and I wouldn't (as with S80) suggest them as first S/SX series Panasonic to buy.
Thanks for clearing up my misunderstanding, and sorry for my ignorance. I do have some questions regarding the WM-DD30 and WM-DD33. Do they use the “dreaded” SMD capacitors? And do they have the center gear issue and if so how hard is it to repair?
WM-DD30 and WM-DD33 do not have problems with capacitors. The only ones that have the "dreaded SMD capacitors" are the DD1/DD10/DD11/DD22 (these do not have a center gear). As for center gear issue, all that have a center gear type mechanism have the issue. Those include: WM-DD, WM-DDII, WM-DDIII, WM-DC2, WM-D3, WM-DD100, WM-DD30, WM-DD33. As for how hard is it to repair, it's hard to say cause I don't know what your repair skills are. If I were to rate a WM-EX belt replacement as a 2.5 out of 10 as far as difficulty goes (10 being the most difficult), repairing a DD would probably be a 6-7 out of 10. The only ones that I would rate an 8-9 out of 10 are the DAT walkmans. I recommend reading this tutorial: https://www.walkman-archive.com/articles/sony-dd-repair-guide_01.html and also click on the link on my signature as there is more to it than just the gear (read WM-DD buyers guide for a complete list). The good part about the DD30 and DD33 is Dolby levels are not adjustable, so one thing less to worry about. The levels are ok though and will decode Dolby-encoded cassettes perfectly.
I looked up the WM-DD30 and wM-DD33. The DD30 looks absolutely fantastic, but they seem to be quite rare and pricy when they do show up. While I don’t like the design of the DD33 as much as the DD30, it still looks nice and is more obtainable. So that’s the unit I’ll probably go with. They don’t appear to be quite as rare and have most of the same features. Anything else I should know about these models or the DD range in general?
@Ethan Henning Please don't quote the previous message if your response is immediately below mine, there's not point in doing that. As for those DDs, DD30 is indeed a rare one and the only difference from DD33 is a different megabass IC and a different servo IC (the old CX20084 on DD30). As for anything else that you should know, I can't say as I don't know what's on your mind. If you have more questions feel free to ask. In regard to DD33, the one I have for sale is still available and it's on a discount for forum members, so if interested this is an option. Everything is already done on it, all common problems adressed, including bent pinch roller bracket issue, plastic slider repair, pinch roller replacement, auto-stop levers cleaned. I state all this because the ones I repair get completely disassembled, cleaned and relubricated, something that you probably won't do yourself if attempting the repair. You can check the pictures on the forum's gallery I recently uploaded to see the process through which a DD goes through.
Sorry about the quote misunderstanding. Also forgive me for asking, but where might I be able to find the DD33 you have for sale? I’m still relatively new to how this forum works lol.
See the auctions & classifieds section @Ethan Henning : http://stereo2go.com/forums/forums/2ndhand-ebay-auctions/ I also have a D6C for sale, restored by Valentin.
