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Sony TC-580 help

dadjmon

dadjmon

Lilli Luxe Pin Up Model
I have a Sony TC-580 with a reverse issue. I know that this is the main problem with this model deck and I'm hoping I can find some answers to correcting it. This is a beautiful unit in mint condition so I would like to find a way to fix it. It was working perfectly then one day it just stopped playing forward. It plays in reverse fine and if I hold the forward button down it will play in forward. As soon as I release the forward button it switches to reverse. FF and Rew work fine. I still use it just have to manually turn the tape at the end. All other functions work perfectly. When you first turn it on, it is in forward but instantly clicks and switches to reverse. The direction light works as should (when holding the forward button the arrow shows forward and then changes as the direction switches). I'm hoping it may be a simple fix as it does still work when holding the button. Anyone come accross this issue before? Thanks, Rick
 
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I have the same issue on this TC-580 I just got. I've searched the forums and haven't found a reply. Seems to be a common issue with these units. I'm surprised no one knows how to fix these. Good luck.
 
Have you tried to see the state of the mini pinch roller that is behind the pinch roller that pulls the tape?
It is responsible for changing the direction of the tape. Over time it gets a little bulged and doesn't fulfill the function of changing the direction of the tape. Hope this helps
 
The mini pinch roller looks normal (not bulged).
My R2R will go forward about 2 seconds before it switches. It will do this each time a push the forward button.
How does the mini roller actually work? Is it something I should be able to see?
 
Also, should the main pinch roller move left or right when it changes direction? Mine does not. I can manually move it but seem to make any difference.
 
Just like Dadjmom said, if I hold the forward button down and don't release it, then it will stay in forward till I release it.
I also see from the repair manual that the pinch roller should move to the left when it goes in reverse. Mine is not moving at all. Does this tell us anything?
 
Thought I would check in to see if anyone has determined what can cause this R2R to automatically go into reverse play direction when the power switch is turned on? It doesnt seem to matter what position the pinch roller is in.
I noticed when I continue to hold the forward play button to force it to play forward direction the tape will run off and on the pinch roller.
I would be interested to know how to make it a forward play machine only if I cant fix the reversing problrm.
Thanks
James
 
Greetings from RojoLand!

Does the deck operate normally with the AUTO REV switch set to "no reverse" (all the way down)?

Take care,
—
J. E. Knox "The Victor Freak"
Current caretaker of a Sony TC-730, which is a TC-580 in a larger cabinet with a stereo power amp and speakers.
 
Rojoknox,
It auto reverses no matter what position that switch is in. In fact, when I first turn the power switch it will automatically switch to reverse mode. That is before I even press a play button. Occasionally it will power up in forward and reverse when I push forward play. This is normally after it has not been powered on for a while (30 minutes).
James
 
Greetings from RojoLand!

You're probably looking at something on the ESP control board. The AUTO REV switch (actually two switches) should be throughly cleaned as well.

This is a fairly complex deck, and I would not be trying to make it into a forward-play-only rig unless you are a glutton for punishment. Consider, too, that certain parts have long been unobtainium except for scrounging from donor decks. For example, my TC-730 had a broken slide switch (there are four of them in this deck), and it took YEARS for me to finally find a donor board. The switch went NLA from Sony back in the early 1980s.

Take care,
—
J. E. Knox "The Victor Freak"
 
rojoknox,
I even took the arm off from the fwd/rev solenoid to the switches. all that did was make the forward light stay on. You would think it would not let the switches go to reverse since default is forward direction.
There is something else making it reverse. This thing is very complicated
James
 

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rojoknox,

I took the boards out that have the fwd/rev switches on them. I deoxed them from every opening. that did not help.
can you tell me which is the ESP board?
Thanks
James
 
The last sentence says you can can control direction by controlling voltage to "a" and "b" in the diagram. Does that mean I can disconnect one of those wires to keep it from reversing, forward only?
James
 
Tennangler said:
Does that mean I can disconnect one of those wires to keep it from reversing, forward only?
Click to expand...
I would need to look at the schematic to see what that does.
Meanwhile, you might want to take a look at this from the SM:
Screenshot 2025-08-12 113056.png
Does this plunger move when you change directions?
Screenshot 2025-08-12 113946.png
Also, look at this:
Screenshot 2025-08-12 113152.png
 
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The plunger does move when I change directions. That seems to be part of the problem. When the unit automatically switches to reverse the plunger activates and closes that switch. Something is sending a signal to the plunger to close the switch. It should not be sending the signal. I'm dont know where the signal is coming from.
James
 
Here is what I think is the circuit path that activates the relay and plunger. Are you capable of troubleshooting the circuit, or not? You will need a DMM and be able to find components on a PC board and some knowledge of that to look for. Can you read a schematic?
  • The red dotted line is the path to the voltage that controls the relay RY601
  • The light blue dotted path is the voltage that activates the reverse plunger
  • Switch S617 controls the auto reverse mode
 

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I have a multimeter and I am fair at finding components on a pcb. The components are not identified on the ESP board so it's a little harder. I can make voltage measurements but not sure what they are telling me.
Since yp601 is operating correctly does it mean the red dotted circuit is good?
James
 
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