WM-D3 Resurrection | Los Angeles

I first purchased an original the Walkman Pro cassette recorder some years ago.
I had started a new job, and I wanted to be able to record certain business meetings.
The device cost a lot of money for me back then.

I was disappointed when the persistent clicking noise started to happen.
The device was sent to Sony support and I paid more money for that.
But the broken gear was just replaced with another defective part.
A service technician at the desk even told me that the unit was crap.
So it went into deep storage.

Now recently I rediscovered the device, and I thought about maybe 3D printing.
Then I noticed the new work that Marian Mihok was doing in Europe.
And I was delighted to imagine reviving the impressive little device.

I tried to find someone around the Los Angeles area to do the repairs.
One expert advised me . . . no way and do not get married to that can of worms.
So you can imagine how pleased I am to have found success with this now.
There are still people out there with a sense of pride in craftsmanship.
The money thing can still be reasonable, recognizing the level of expertise.

Through this forum, I located Al Voss -- Voss Electronics, near Phoenix AZ.
His communication and workmanship have been superb.

As an aside, I am now finding that there are new Lithium-Ion batteries.
These come in AA size and can be easily recharged through USB.
So I am curious if those in the community of experts have tried these?
At first trial experience this also seems to be a good way to go.