I've lots of ways I can listen to music, from the conventional to the less so, like my vintage vinyl jukeboxes.
But I had a problem a few weeks ago. As part of my vintage hi-fi in our front room, Leak 2000 tuner/amplifier, Philips turntable, Goodmans speakers, I had a Sharp cassette deck.
This, was fifty years old when I put this video on YouTube. I bought it from Comet in Stockport in the early seventies.
But lately, there had been some noise from the left-hand channel, when I turned it on. It wasn't the end of the world, as if I played a track, I didn't notice it as much. But I like my stuff to be in perfect working order. Given its age, it wasn't worth repairing.
But I had a stroke of luck, I found this listed on eBay. (Vendor's photo)
Now for me, the "deal breaker," were the connections. It used "din" plugs on the lead like the other, I wouldn't have considered it if it didn't. The vendor said it was working, but hadn't tested it. That always throws up "red flags," but I decided if I bought it and it didn't work, it would be going back.
It's a Sharp RT-2500 Full auto-stop, auto Cr O2 plus Dolby.
What really impressed me was the condition, in the vendor's photos. Not a mark on the cabinet, but although the black plastic had faded with age a bit, the lettering on the "POWER" and "EJECT" buttons were still clearly visible. If the lettering had worn, it would suggest to me a lot of use.
Anyway, I put in a bid and won. It arrived Saturday, extremely well packed. I checked it out and there was a lot of distortion on one channel. But a good clean of the heads with switch cleaner on a cotton bud cleared that problem. Then I gave the rest a good clean and it was good to go.
To swop the decks over, took a bit of "fettling," as it is wider than the old one, but it looks OK.
All the wiring and the ipods below are for my two jukebox wall boxes on a shelf across the other side of this room. The vintage "Realistic" selector enables me to put the sound from my Humax recorder or DVD/CD player under the TV to the left through the tuner amp. But since buying a five speaker sound bar for the TV last year, I rarely bother.
and anyway the cupboard doors are shut when anything is being used.
All the lights work.
A bonus is I've always had for years a poly bag with a set of spare belts for the old one. The mechanisms are likely to be the same. But they aren't needed at the moment.
It's only "mid range" but will do for me.
Well worth the £38 I paid for it.
It probably won't get any more use than the other, but I know it's there, if I want it.
