SZ 5100 screeching like crazy

Sel The Don

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Jun 5, 2015
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As the title says, powered this up and it's just screeching like a madman.

Cleaned all contacts and record bar - same thing.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Cheers
 

Sel The Don

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Jun 5, 2015
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Screeching has stopped although I'm getting a constant buzzing on the right channel and buzzing in the left channel as I turn the volume up. Changing the source only attenuates the buzz, cannot hear any of the sources.
 

Sel The Don

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Jun 5, 2015
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Found a broken solder joint on the volume pot, sorted that but I'm still getting a buzzing from all sources and still can't hear sources.
 

caution

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Mar 25, 2014
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Boomboxery
I've had all-source buzzing come down to bad electrolytics on the main rail and main amp outputs. I'd test those.
 

caution

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Mar 25, 2014
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I know plenty of others have done this to boxes so hopefully someone can chime in with their experience.
Absent that, I can tell you that mics have different amplification and impedance needs, so aren't really a good fit. They usually have their own input circuit.
You could try it, but may not sound good.

Since you have no external input preamp (no jacks!) you could tap into the tape preamp like some cheaper boxes do.
Just poking around, I noticed that the Lasonic TRC-935 does this, you can see the schematic at the end of its owner's manual (on Boomboxery library).
It's a phono input, so the resistor values are wrong, and the schematic is kind of hard to navigate, but you get the idea. Another schematic that uses this method (and has resistors meant for a line-in signal) may be better.
 

Sel The Don

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Jun 5, 2015
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Cheers mate,

İf it had an aux input I'd be laughing but this is causing me some issues and it's supposed to be a present for a friend for Christmas.

I'll dig around with the info you gave, nice one.
 

hopey

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Dec 28, 2014
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Melb AU
You can tap in directly off the tape head connections with a voltage divider to drop the input voltage to match.