Sony TC-755A : may become my favourite deck

Doubledeck

New Member
I do have a few decks but, I had only one Sony among them. The TC-630 with built-in amplifier.
I got this deck a while ago, mainly for nostalgic reasons. This model was also my first hifi stereo deck in 1969!
It caused my renewed interest in tapedecks and last week I had a chance to add a Sony TC-755A, which plays of course mechanically in a somewhat different ballpark. I had read already quite a few positive reviews of the TC-755 , a.o. on this website. And also about what little problems to expect.

Well it proved a kind of textbook case:
- Yes the pinchroller mechanism was frozen, but although the mechanism looks a bit complicated it is in fact quite easy to take these parts out, clean and lube them, And not unimportantly to reinstall them again.
- And yes the brake linings had mostly turned into black powder. Also these can be quite easily dismounted and refurbished. Yes, the reel tables fit quite tight and need a gentle knock with the handle of a screwdriver to come off. I used thin self adhesive felt as new brake linings and the brakes work marvellous again.
Curiously the sheet of green felt that I used (about 1 mil thick), dates probably also from the seventies, but was still in good condition.

Further I cleaned and lubed the deck where needed and I am now playing some of my old tapes.
In the begiinning I experienced once in a while temporary speed fluctuations (wow) but that little problem seems to correct itself. If not, I will come back to it.

The reason I am writing this, is to give my feedback on all the pieces of useful information I found on this website, but also in support of your and especially Jan Stevens high opinion of the sound quality of this deck. It just sounds very good to me.
I find the deck also quite pleasant to use. Easy controls, very good FF and Rewind speeds, good brakes (now), well controlled engagement and disengagement of the roller mechanism, etc. Only I find the capstan diameter and pinchrollers a bit on the small side, but I am not aware of any resulting problems. Prefer though a bit more robust roller (like Akai and Teac)

With regard to my maintenance experience with this deck so far: Yes there are a lot of wires in all directions in the innerworks of this deck, but well, I believe there are little specific problems with Sony electronics, so hopefully these wires wont be too often in my way.
I found the accessability of the mechanical parts quite a bit better than f.i. with Teac A and X series, where everything is mounted on the backside of the frontpanel.

Alltogether I am quite pleased with this deck!
 
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I do have a few decks but, I had only one Sony among them. The TC-630 with built-in amplifier.
I got this deck a while ago, mainly for nostalgic reasons. This model was also my first hifi stereo deck in 1969!
It caused my renewed interest in tapedecks and last week I had a chance to add a Sony TC-755A, which plays of course mechanically in a somewhat different ballpark. I had read already quite a few positive reviews of the TC-755 , a.o. on this website. And also about what little problems to expect.

Well it proved a kind of textbook case:
- Yes the pinchroller mechanism was frozen, but although the mechanism looks a bit complicated it is in fact quite easy to take these parts out, clean and lube them, And not unimportantly to reinstall them again.
- And yes the brake linings had mostly turned into black powder. Also these can be quite easily dismounted and refurbished. Yes, the reel tables fit quite tight and need a gentle knock with the handle of a screwdriver to come off. I used thin self adhesive felt as new brake linings and the brakes work marvellous again.
Curiously the sheet of green felt that I used (about 1 mil thick), dates probably also from the seventies, but was still in good condition.

Further I cleaned and lubed the deck where needed and I am now playing some of my old tapes.
In the begiinning I experienced once in a while temporary speed fluctuations (wow) but that little problem seems to correct itself. If not, I will come back to it.

The reason I am writing this, is to give my feedback on all the pieces of useful information I found on this website, but also in support of your and especially Jan Stevens high opinion of the sound quality of this deck. It just sounds very good to me.
I find the deck also quite pleasant to use. Easy controls, very good FF and Rewind speeds, good brakes (now), well controlled engagement and disengagement of the roller mechanism, etc. Only I find the capstan diameter and pinchrollers a bit on the small side, but I am not aware of any resulting problems. Prefer though a bit more robust roller (like Akai and Teac)

With regard to my maintenance experience with this deck so far: Yes there are a lot of wires in all directions in the innerworks of this deck, but well, I believe there are little specific problems with Sony electronics, so hopefully these wires wont be too often in my way.
I found the accessability of the mechanical parts quite a bit better than f.i. with Teac A and X series, where everything is mounted on the backside of the frontpanel.

Alltogether I am quite pleased with this deck!
 
I just finished putting fresh pinch rollers on my 755 (no 'A') from Terrys rubber rollers and they are PERFECT. You can order them slightly thicker if YOU want...
I much prefer taking the back off ANY of my 8-10 Teac's as compared to what I have to go thru to access things on the 755 - just me.

I'M SEARCHING FOR THE LITTLE 755 # PLATE FOR THE HEAD COVER if you have one... seems they ALL fall off....

Congrats on a nice 10-1/2 inch deck !!
 
Eddisc;

I TOLD 'YA!. Working those TEACs is a breeze compared to a Sony. I think I spent over two weeks, here and there, lining up the path on one of my 755s. I had tape sliding off the record head, for a while. And I've read posts, in this forum, where entire collections of Sonys were sold off, just for that reason. So, I think you have to like them to keep them.

Here is an idea for that number plate.

My second 755 came from 'The Tapehead', in Appleton, Wi.. I drove up there for it, only about 90 miles.

These guys sell sports stuff, records, a few tapes, and the tech there, fixes up electronics.

There is a shelf to your right , as you walk in, and it's a good 25 feet long and, maybe, 6 shelves high, that is full of equipment to be fixed. One customer walked in, while I was in there, and hopped Craig, the front counter guy, up, to get at his turn table for repair. They do good work but the backlog is substantial.

Kennedy, puts the web page up, 'The Tapehead' and Craig is the person you will deal with. 'The Tapehead.net' will get you there and 755s are a regular, there. They might have parts. I think they are at 1037 Wisconsin Ave, just East of Hy. 41, in Appleton, Wi.. You could look their place up on Google maps, too. I wouldn't guarantee it but they just might have one. Email or call. I'm still in need of an 'F&F' plate for one of mine. I haven't looked them up for one but perhaps I should.

A good thought, here and I hope it will get you the plate you need.

I read the Sony comment, and just had to write.

Lu.
 
Thanks for your reactions.
Interesting to read how experiences with several types of decks can differ, but we do agree on our choice of dog. I got a foxterrier as well !
I think that I was relatively lucky to buy this deck from the first owner (a part time musician) complete with adapters, owners manual and some 26"reels of tape. He seems not to have used the deck very much ( you can hardly see any wear on tape guides) and it is in the original condition. It had been sitting in the attic though for at least twenty years. I can imagine if somebody has been tkinkering with it, it can be a nightmare to re-allign it. I did not adjust anything myself. For me it is don't repair it if it's not broken and I am warned now even more.

The tape(s) run smoothlIy and stable through the tape path. The reel tensions and pinchrollers pressure seem also OK (but not meassured). But I am experiencing some "wows" once in a while, however not continiously. I suspect this can have (at least) two reasons.

- The tape possibly slips. The pinchrollers are not worn or damaged but the rubber had hardened a bit. Cleaned them and put them for 24hrs in a dishwash detergent solution. This helped a bit to soften the rubber but may be not enough.
I have read about this treatment but I am not sure what detergent to use and concentrated or a solution. Does any of you have experience with this and/or do you have any advise for me?
There is an ocean between us, so I am rather refering to generic types than specific brands or stores, although some might be the same in Europe (Holland)

- Something could possibly be wrong with the capstan speed control. Seems less likely to me, but I guess a shaky transistor, capacitor or diode in the servo circuit could be possible
I would expect the speed fluctuations to happen more consistently/permanently in that cas, but I am not sure.

Any comments and advise will be much appreciated!

PS. my machine still has its TC-755A plate but I will watch it carefully.
These machines or spareparts are not offered very often on the dutch 'Marketplace' site
If I have to get spareparts myself from Ebay/USA, unfortunately the shipping cost are often prohibitive in relation to the cost of the parts.
 
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There have been several threads covering methods for removing hardened rubber from the surface of old pinch rollers to help improve their operation. Here is a thread that discusses a different method that apparently provides very good results:

http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=54290&highlight=boiling

If you were in the US I would suggest sending them to Terry Witt (www.terrysrubberrollers.com) to have them rebuilt with new rubber which costs $35 USD per roller plus shipping costs. Another possible alternative is to purchase newly manufactured pinch rollers from this source assuming the TC-755 and TC-755A use the same rollers:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Andruckroll...929714?hash=item25d19408f2:g:iYQAAOxy4eJTKhgF
 
>>>. It had been sitting in the attic though for at least twenty years.<<< presume you replaced the drive belt... IF NOT - that could be your source of WoW...
 
Ed and DD;

Yeah, that could very well be true.

In a thread about yours, Ed, I wrote that the linkage on mine was cleaned up and re lubed to clear up a flutter issue I had. With the linkage as it was and the build up of dust on the solenoid cores, I finally got enough tension to the pinch rollers, that way. The tape was being moved past the heads with take up reel tension.

That may be part of it. I know that many say they clean up linkage, right up front, to recondition these decks.

Lu.
 
You would expect indeed the drive belt to be completely dried out or having turned into liquorice, but it still looks and feels pretty good and the tension seems OK. It has also the advantage to be running over wheels with relatively large diameter. I have been checking it as well in operation and it runs quite stable over the capstan and motor reels. I did clean it as well with IPA. No fat or oil
The problem of course is, that I cannot compare it with a new one unless I buy it. As such the buying part is not a problem, but It seems to me that they are not that easy to install.
Do you have to take of the whole head bridge? Are there instructions to be found somewhere for it?

How big would you rate the chance that an electronic fault (e.g. with the capstan servo) is the cause?

Yesterday I played a 7.5" reel at low speed and everything went fine for more than an our. After shutting off the deck and later starting the same tape again, it was wowing quite a bit.

It beats me .

Rgrds, Jan
 
Time for an update: It looks very much like the "wow" problem was caused by the tapespeed switch!.
I noticed that the wow/flutter problem occurred one time exactly after I had switched the deck off and on again. After switching the speed several times, the problem had gone.
Also tonight I am playing some old tapes and although they even leave some residue, the tape transport and speed are very stable.
So in the end it seems there is no problem with the tape transport and also not with the capstan servo board, but probably some dust or oxidation on the tape speed switch, which I guess is connected to the servo board. Using it a couple of times seems already to have cured the situation and if needed I can follow this up with some contact spray or cleaning.

Although this deck might not be the most popular one for everybody, and also pricewise not be top rated in the current market, I do like using it a lot and certainly for a 1974 deck I do also like its looks, particularly of the "A" version. And this in spite of the fact that I am slightly spoiled with some other decks (Teac X1000R, Akai GX-636, Technics RS-1500, etc)

Although it is not urgent, I would still be interested in any experiences / advise regarding the procedure for changing the capstan belt.

Rgrds, Jan
 
Good news! Caig DeOxIT D5 is a contact cleaner that many folks recommend for correcting oxidation problems with these switches. You may want to see if you can obtain some in your area.
 
there ARE a few videos on u tube for 4300/2300 service. I have 4 of EACH and have done belts in as little as 25 minutes.
of the videos you might see on u tube, look thru the COMMENTS for input before watching the whole thing. I feel I've made helpful suggestions on a few.... YMMV

DEOX ALL THE SWITCHES AND POTS (>not< tiny ones on the boards - just user ones on front)

Remember the speed switch also switches the EQ from speed to speed
 
Thanks guys.
I have been using so far a contact spray by the name of Teslanol T6 but I have found now that the Deoxit D5 is also available from a shop here in Holland.
Since all of you are very enthousiastic about it I have decided to buy a can. Its quite expensive but one can should outlast me. It may still be a bit of a challenge to reach some of the switches though. Are you also using it for the input and output vollume controls?
 

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One suggestion I have heard is to join some of the tubes you insert into the can sprayer nozzle together with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing so you can reach components that are difficult to access. You want to direct the spray to the right place and avoid coating components other than the ones that need to be cleaned. Caig also makes a product called DeOxIT FaderLube F5 that is designed specifically for cleaning and lubricating potentiometers (input/output volume controls and/or sliders).
 
Occasional wow & flutter problem revisited.
Time flies when you have fun with tape decks. When I used my TC-755A recently again, I experienced quite some flutter. Although the capstan belt looked good to me and had sufficient tension I checked whether it might slip to easily over the capstan motor pulley and to my surprise it did. Replaced the belt, (as some of you advised me already two years ago !) and the problem is entirely resolved.
In retrospect I can say the old belt looked like new indeed, but the surface had become quite hard and slippery.
Although I feared the replacement beprocedure might be a bit cumbersome, it proved possible to circumvent all of the mechanical part on top-, left- and right side of the head block. Only two of the pinchroller linkages at the bottom had to be moved out of the way to get the belt in place.
 
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