I won the auction and she still works Love the unit.  Had this back in 1990 and now I have it again when I am 40.  Mid life crisis 

any photos?

mid 40 all of us

bought what...  

Is this the exact unit (as opposed to just make/model) you owned? Do you have any pics?

I am just guessing, but given the following threads it might be a PX505 he's won.

http://REPLACEMENT ERROR/topic...hs-px505-belt-needed

http://REPLACEMENT ERROR/topic...d-mint-aiwa-hs-px505

speak for yourself Maxim, i'm 38

and I'm Living in the Seventies

I won the Aiwa HS-PX505 the exact player my father bought me when I was 17.  My dad was an audiophile and loved spending money on me.  I will get pics up as soon as I can.  The unit works, nut there is the motor humming sound when playing.  So soon something will need to be replaced.  For now she is the jewel in my collection.

I am so glad I found this site.

Bryan

Good choice. It is one of my favorite Dolby C AIWA.

I have a number of these in various states of repair, with at least two repaired and in regular use.

They can be a bugger to repair depending on the extent of electrolyte contamination on the PCB. Symptoms of contamination are crazy logic operation and noticeable hum on the audio.

The unit was new and the battery was not in the unit, would there still be contamination?  IF not what would cause the hum?  

Thanks again

Bryan, AIWA HS-PX505

If you happen to be extremely lucky (which I doubt with AIWAs of this era), then just maybe the capacitors haven't leaked all over the PCB. However, since you appear to be experiencing motor hum, then in all likelihood the capacitors need replacing, and depending of the type of noise, there is probably electrolyte on the PCB causing a short somewhere or the capacitors have effectively dried out with the noise a result of the lack of any functioning capacitor in that part of the circuit. Either way they will need replacing.

Factors affecting the spread of contamination could include the orientation of the unit during it's storage as well as whether a battery was left plugged in or not. Admittedly having a battery left plugged in under such a scenario would be very bad as all that electrolyte would complete the circuit for some nasty electrolysis with the copper trace on the PCB ultimately losing out.

Unfortunately for us users, AIWA really cheaped out on the electrolytic capacitors for the majority of their walkmans in the early 90s, and the PX505 is no less affected than any other model in that respect. One curious note, is that not many of the units from this period of time require new belts unlike the majority of later ones where the belts turn to goo.

i'm 36 but think like mid 40