Aux Input & Record ?

I was wondering if someone could help me troubleshoot my Crown CSC-950F...

First a little background:
The tape deck works and plays cassettes.
The radio works.
The phono input works (I tried the lowest volume on my phone's line out, to not blow up the RIAA curve).

The recording function, and aux input on the other hand don't seem to work:

Record - I bought a new pack of blank tapes, and tried to record while it is in:

• Radio mode, and then the radio sound cuts out as soon as I push down Play & Record, and then nothing was recorded when I rewind and playback.
• Phono mode same thing happens here with the audio cut out and no playback.
• Tape mode by trying the ole "testing 1-2-3" into the boombox microphone (both left and right mics). I will try plugging a microphone into the mic input tonight for a long shot.

Aux Input - Interestingly, there isn't a selection for "Aux" on the audio mode switch. There is Phono, Radio, and Tape. I have read in the following post that in order to use Aux mode you have to press record button?
https://boomboxery.com/forum/index.php/topic/1996-does-crown-csc-950-have-aux-input/

But to be in record mode, you would need a tape in the cassette running the whole time? that seems very strange.

Now, I can't tell if i need to tear it open and start pinning out the board, or if I just don't understand the quirky way to use Aux mode.

Can anyone shed light on this situation?

The cutting out issue when recording is almost certainly associated with the record bar on the main board behind the deck. It's a rarely used switch on many units so will usually need a thorough clean. You'll have to switch this switch back and forth many times to aid in cleaning up the contacts.

With regards to the Aux in, many boxes such as the GF-9191, 9292 etc only have a phone in with no normal RCA line in mode.

Many euro spec boxes have a 5 DIN record mode that will not amplify the signal through the speakers without the record mode activated.

I usually just use an attenuator to utilise the phono inputs.

James.....

Thanks James!

I'll search for the internal record switch and see if that is the culprit.

This would also make sense if the aux ports uses the record channel to function. But requiring the tape player's record button to use aux still seems strange to me. Why not just add a 4th mode on the function select?

Also, this box has aux inputs in mono 3.5 L & R jacks, as well as RCA phono:



The phono input channel is looking more and more like the natural choice if I do an internal bluetooth install. Although I don't like the idea of attenuating the signal and having it re-amplify. I'm worried it will degrade the sound.

If I can't bypass it somehow, does this circuit look okay?
http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/phono.html

I don't have much knowledge with RIAA curve attenuation, so any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks again