Hi

Hi just joined up today after lurking for a while.  I've got a d8644 which I've had for probably over 20 years.  Right now it's in the garage and gets used once in a blue moon with an MP3 player in the line in as the tape deck doesn't work.

 this site has given me the inspiration to try and restore it to its former glory!

just wondering if anybody can tell me more about its specs, what opinions are of it and how easy parts are to gets hold of.

to me it sounds awesome and is really load without much loss in quality, although I've not heard much to compare it to...

any info really appreciated cheers 

Hi Steveo and welcome aboard. fistly what a box the 8644 is, sound is incredible from this one it really can thump. huge 3 piecer with detachable wooden speakers and very big if I remember correctly.

most probable cause could be the belts mate but don't quote me as i'm no tech here but there's quite a few peeps who are and you should get the help you need here np.

best of luck

oh I almost forgot, my personal grail is the Philips d8614 pictured below.

it's a midsize box that has it all imo, sound is incredible and the retail price of $410 back in 1982 bears witness to it so without further ado here she is, my all time fave box.

i like it lav loo, hopefully one day mine will look as good... was yours out around the same time the d8644's were?  Got no idea when they were sold.  i actually  got given mine from a mate who owed me a fiver!  guessing that was 89 maybe 1990.  Any idea what the retail was on a d8644?  I managed to find a foreign web page with some specs, it quoted 78 watts rms, does that sound about right?  Listening to it I'm guessing its not far off!

don't know much about this box, but it has the same weak gear as the D8444. it's tape decks are nearly identical. So more likely the gear has gone.... 

sorry I can't find a price for the 8644 but I can tell you year of production was 1986 and yes the wattage sounds about right to me so you got it instead of the fiver eh, good on you that was a great deal hope somebody can help you here with the deck as it's well worth the restoration

Member Boombastic has been working on this box and the tape decks. But haven't seen him for a while online here.

http://REPLACEMENT ERROR/topic...5#322457552782755705

Welcome Steveo...boxes you've had long term are always worth refurbishing to get back to A1, especially if its a thumper

Well unbelievably I've managed to find a service manual for it from www.freeservicemanuals.info brilliant!  Looking at that, and I'm no expert it looks like the tape module can be replaced as one part.  I'm guessing gear in question may be inside that as I can't see any seperate gears in the diagrams unless I'm missing something which is likely!  Got a feeling this could be hard to find!

Member VintageVolts made a replica of the gear. Yup, it's inside the deck and hasn't got a seperate part number. it's a rather cheap  tape deck so they just replace the whole thing  I guess..

http://REPLACEMENT ERROR/topic...1#319220403736302531

Cool, spotted the gears on eBay so might invest.. Next problem - the line in connections are a bit ropey.  You have to wiggle the cables about, kind of squeezing them together or they cut out.  Does that sound an easy fix?  Really appreciate every bodies help and advise!

Sorry about all these questions!  Here's one for anybody who has heard one of these in the flesh and can tell me how the sound quality and loudness compare to one of the so called holy grails  for example an m90. 777 or coinion etc etc.  Is the d8644 a million miles away or does it run them close?

iv'e had the 777 and I would say the d8644 sounds better if memory serves me right.

I would say there's not much between the d8644 and an m90 too imho. you really do have one of the loudest boxes out there and great quality too