TEAC CX-211 Cassette Deck VU Meters?

[BongoBill279]

I just bought a TEAC CX-211 at a local 2nd hand store for $20.00 and, luckily, it works awesome, but one of the VU meters works fine (right) and the other (left) moves very sluggishly. I plan of taking it to my tech tomorrow, thinking maybe it just has some dust in it or needs a drop of lubricant. But, if it needs a replacement, do I have to get the same exact number meter; in this case #91690040? Or, can I use a VU meter from another TEAC deck; say a CX-210.

I’ve a few photos attached.

Thanks, Bongo

 

[Bubbles]

Not an expert here, but if you sourced your replacement vu meter from a unit from the same era and it looks exactly the same then yeah it'll probably work.
Good luck

 

[Tony75]

Haven't seen a CX-211 in the wild, but you are right, a meter, in fact any part apart from the front panel parts and the case will be the same as a CX-210, the 1 on the end of the model number simply refers to it being black.
Usually once a VU fails like that it is very hard to get a fix, they are very fiddly, so swapping is usually the best answer.
Cheers
Tony

 

[BongoBill279]

Thanks for the responses! The tech I took it to doesn’t want to deal with it, which is disappointing. I guess he has better things to do than make his customers happy. Despite this, everything I’ve read from people here and elsewhere, say anywhere from, if it sounds great, just play tapes through it & don’t worry about the meter to just find a replacement on eBay and replace it. So, I’m just going to find another stereo tech, one actually cares about his customers, and see what happens.

This particular video gives me hope for a quick and inexpensive fix…

I’d try this myself, but I’m not comfortable separating the VU meter from the unit, trying “the fix,” and reconnecting the meter.

 

[Tinman]

Well, that is a temporary fix. I have unstuck plenty of tandberg meters.... you also need to turn the pivot screw just a tiny bit counter clockwise to loosen it just a little. I then exercise the meter using a function generator to wag the needles over night.
So far none have come back. It's actually not hard to do.