I've just been trying to fix up some old sony walkmen (wm-10, wm-f10, wm-f15) and ran into a similar problem for all of them.  They seem to be playing the tape too fast.

So, I adjusted the screw on the back that seems to controls the motor speed and that seems to have fixed the problem, but what I'd like to know is if this is the correct way of fixing this issue?

Have I simply put a bandaid on the real problem which is a lot more serious?

Is that screw not meant to be tampered with, or is this the way to fix this...

Just seems strange that they all played the tape too fast, and I know the tape wasn't the problem because it played fine on multiple stereos from multiple brands.

Recorded on a old sony deck.

been my experience to speed them up this way - Not having to slow them down...

um... that's interesting.

Well, I just hope nothing serious is wrong with any of the components, like a bad resistor, since the actual player itself (WM-F15) is in mint condition.  I mean, they're all having the same problem but I'm most concerned about the F15 since the other 2 were in pretty bad shape when I first got them.

So, you're saying it's ok to turn that screw though, without affecting any other function of the walkman?

certaintly adjust that area to suit the pitch to what you think is the correct speed for the sound that you are trying to replicate - here listen to this that i adjusted on a boombox - tis only one minute -

same principle only on a smaller scale

hah, that's cool... weird that the adjustment screw is actually on the motor

Thanks for posting the video

You could get a test tone recorded on a deck you know has correct speed (or is quartz locked) and play it back on the walkman and get the tones matched up.

(For most of my walkmans that do need a speed adjustment (most of these are lower-end models), I just tune by ear)