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Technics Cassette Tape Deck Pinch Rollers

D

deburgess

Member
I have an old RS-TR355 Cassette Tape Deck that I have recently started to use. For many tapes, it sounds great. But for certain tapes there is distortion as if the tape is not playing at the correct speed.

I tried cleaning the heads, and I applied Lasermedia RC-5 Pinch Roller Cleaner Rejuvinator to the rubber rollers. Initially this process, helped but did not fix the playback of problem cassettes. Then, several days later the playback of problem cassettes had worse distortion than before I had treated the rollers.

Because of the age of the machine, I am contemplating the replacement of the pinch rollers:
Forward Roller #1UB0087ZB $9.61
Reverse Roller #1UB0088ZB $8.58

So, to replace all four rubber rollers would cost about $50 including shipping. I wonder if I should purchase a new cassette deck instead of trying to repair this old tape deck.

I would appreciate any advice you could give.

thank you,
don burgess
 
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I don't think it's your rollers. Sounds like bad cassettes. Are they pre-recorded tapes? I've seen some pre-recorded cassettes (mostly the tan colored, Columbia/Chrysalis kind) squeal like crazy in some decks. Is the pressure pad still intact in the poor sounding cassettes? Does the tape look like it has any residue on it?
 
In my experience, that series of machines does have problems with the pinch rollers, usually an "out of round" condition that causes tape skewing.

Also, there's a plastic gear used in the takeup reel drive that fails; and, of course, the belts need to be in good shape because it uses cam-assisted cycling.

Fred
 
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