Newly obtained Sanyo m-x960k!!!

[BoomboxLover48]

Try cleaning the record bar switch with Deoxit fader F5 clean and lube. Actually all switches must be cleaned.

 

[Jboulukos]

That looks pretty worn out!
When you look from the side of the head at a glancing angle, you will see concave depression/s showing the wear pattern.
If you see that kind of depression it is worn out.

The existing wires on the deck is color coded, take pics and connect like that on the new head. You might have to align the head turning the screw back and forth on the spring loaded side of my deck mounting screw. Don't use magnetized screw drivers when you are aligning it. It is advisable to demagnetize the head also.
Contact time with the soldering iron must ne just enough to connect the lead wires, prevent overheating of the leads.

Excellent information! I’m very thankful.
can you give me a few examples of a decent aftermarket head that would work with this unit that would easily be shipped in a timely manner? I’ve attached a pic below. I imagine these wires would need to be soldered to the wires of the new head?

 

[BoomboxLover48]

That is correct! Those 4 wires. For some other boxes I was lucky to get a replacement head that was fitting well. I never purchased one new and installed it. It was always from a donor. I am not sure where to get one but other members should be able to help with this.
~Royce

 

[BoomboxLover48]

It should be a record and playback head that fits there, same height of the old head. I would look for one on Ebay.
Our members here might be able to find one for you.

 

[Jboulukos]

If the radio is also quiet, have you tried moving the record bar a few times? That would be the easiest solution.

Thank you! The radio is loud, working correctly as far as volume goes. It only needs the 2 antennas for best channel reception.

 

[Jboulukos]

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If the radio is also quiet, have you tried moving the record bar a few times? That would be the easiest solution.

I sprayed it in all areas and moved it manually back and forth. No change in tape volume output though.

 

[Jboulukos]

Try cleaning the record bar switch with Deoxit fader F5 clean and lube. Actually all switches must be cleaned.

Thank you! I sprayed the record bar and moved it back and forth. No change in cassette volume output though. The whole circuit board is pretty grimy and dusty. Could it be all that dirt on the circuit board? I used the cleaner in the pick below.

 

[Jboulukos]

I used a q-tip and dry toothbrush to gently dust off the caked on dirt on top the circuit board. I was able to easily adjust speed of the cassette using a standard screw driver though the little hole on the back of the motor. Still though, cassette volume is poor. I have the dial turned up to the maximum and it sounds as very faint.

 

[Jboulukos]

I’ve noticed sometimes the left speaker cuts out during radio and tape play. This is in addition to the radio putting out normal volume and the cassette significantly faint volume while turned up. The speaker wires connect here (photo)and seem to change when manually moved as far as making the left speaker work. Not sure if this is related to the poor cassette volume output. Any way to fix it so both channels work consistently? Any other ideas of what can be done about the cassette volume output? It can only be heard with the ear to the speaker.

 

[Tinman]

I found some pics of my M-X824 cassette player I worked on last year.
I believe it's close or even identical to the 960.
Your cut blue & white wires might go to a switch mounted above the motor, I believe there are three switches in all.
They each get depressed when play, ff, Rew or rec are chosen.

Here's a good shot of the workings below the capstan flywheel.

 

[dubout]

Thank you! The radio is loud, working correctly as far as volume goes. It only needs the 2 antennas for best channel reception.

I myself often enough tried many laborious things only to find out moving the record bar a few times was the solution. Sorry it didn't work here.

The cleaner looks ok to me as it says it cleans and protects. The ones that say they 'remove oxidation' are the ones to be careful with as the can damage delicate surfaces and parts such as potis etc.

The cutting in and out of the left speaker could be a broken solder point on the back of the plug in the picture. Look on the other side of the pcb to see if one leg has become loose.

I still can't give you a solid lead to fixing the low volume on cassette playback though. Maybe check the plugs that go from the cassette deck into the pcb – or better all plugs –, pull them off and spray them with the contact cleaner. Also look for broken solder joints on the backside of the plugs. But honestly I don't believe that's the solution as both channels are quiet and it is unlikely they both fail from a oxidation. Still worth a try.

 

[Jboulukos]

I found some pics of my M-X824 cassette player I worked on last year.
I believe it's close or even identical to the 960.
Your cut blue & white wires might go to a switch mounted above the motor, I believe there are three switches in all.
They each get depressed when play, ff, Rew or rec are chosen.
View attachment 54066
Here's a good shot of the workings below the capstan flywheel.
View attachment 54067

Looks about the same. Very helpful to have these pics! Thank you.

 

[Jboulukos]

I myself often enough tried many laborious things only to find out moving the record bar a few times was the solution. Sorry it didn't work here.

The cleaner looks ok to me as it says it cleans and protects. The ones that say they 'remove oxidation' are the ones to be careful with as the can damage delicate surfaces and parts such as potis etc.

The cutting in and out of the left speaker could be a broken solder point on the back of the plug in the picture. Look on the other side of the pcb to see if one leg has become loose.

I still can't give you a solid lead to fixing the low volume on cassette playback though. Maybe check the plugs that go from the cassette deck into the pcb – or better all plugs –, pull them off and spray them with the contact cleaner. Also look for broken solder joints on the backside of the plugs. But honestly I don't believe that's the solution as both channels are quiet and it is unlikely they both fail from a oxidation. Still worth a try.

Yeah, the record bar… Prior to cleaning, it was a bit stuck. I sprayed in all the holes and at both ends and moved it back and forth manually about 100 times. Then I repeated this process 2 other times. The bar moves well now. Although I have not tried to record anything yet.
thank you for the info! I checked the circuit board for the loose solder joints but they seem intact. Maybe the wires leading into the plug part are loose?
I have soldered things on Boombox boards before, but I’m no expert. I can’t say that I even know what “plugs” are or where they are located. Are you referring to the groupings of wires that connect to the circuit boards with a plastic plug? I certainly will clean them if you direct me on it. Can you explain more on the pulling of the plugs and the cleaning process? Do I pull off the plastic things that have the wires and spray directly into them? I’ve included a pic of the wires the cassette deck so you can show me where to spray.
Is it possible that the head is so worn that it can only produce a faint sound on full volume?
at

 

[dubout]

The connectors, like the one you circled yellow in one picture. Or in the last picture the one with the black and white cable. Sorry for confusing you, I am not a native speaker, haha.

These are really low level repair tips I give you but it is best to try these out before you start changing capacitors etc.

I don't know what could cause low volume on cassette playback, I just try to eliminate simple causes.

Other more experienced forum members need to jump into this thread.

 

[Jboulukos]

The connectors, like the one you circled yellow in one picture. Or in the last picture the one with the black and white cable. Sorry for confusing you, I am not a native speaker, haha.

These are really low level repair tips I give you but it is best to try these out before you start changing capacitors etc.

I don't know what could cause low volume on cassette playback, I just try to eliminate simple causes.

Other more experienced forum members need to jump into this thread.

No worries. I like cleaning and the process of eliminating potential issues to narrow down the causes. I cleaned as many plugs as I could. No changes in the cassette volume output.

I then adjusted the left screw of the head. It resulted in eliminating the sound completely. I did this because the head mounting brackets were belt when I got the unit and I imagine the head was pretty messed with. Normally I would not go adjusting things randomly but in this case it was worth a try to see if it changed anything.
I’ve also tried using other cassettes and still get the same faint volume output.

I’ve noticed a gray wire that come off of its soldering point at the cassette deck. See pic below. It leads to a point labeled “E”, the other wire (pink) at the area where the gray one is off is intact and leads to a point labeled “AMS.” I haven’t soldered the gray wire yet but held it to the point where it was detached. This did not make any difference in the sound or volume.

 

[Jboulukos]

How can i get the speaker plug to have a consistent connection? The left channel and sometimes both channels go out when the wires are moved or in general randomly when it wants. I looked underneath at the circuit board and the four solder points seem connected well. It seems the wires are loose inside the plug and may be the issue since moving them either helps correct it or makes both channel die out. I know how to solder points on a circuit board. My question is how I can fix the plug so it connects consistently. Thank you!

 

[Tinman]

Undo the wires from the plug so you can bend the part that contacts the male part of the plug better.
They usually have a small tab in the open part of the plug that you press on with a very small screwdriver, toothpick, etc. then the wire pulls out from the plug.
After bending the contact point, bend the small tab back up slightly ( I usually use a razor blade) and push it back into the plug to lock it in.
Do all four the same way.

 

[Tinman]

Did you ever get the blue and white wires connected to something?
It looks like there are blue and white wires connected to the "speed control" + & - on the board.
I know you were having a problem with adjusting the motor speed, maybe those wires have something to do with it.
My m-x824 didn't have an adjustable motor (I believe it was original), probably the only box I've worked on that didn't and when I got it back together, the motor speed was dead on.

 

[Jboulukos]

Did you ever get the blue and white wires connected to something?
It looks like there are blue and white wires connected to the "speed control" + & - on the board.
I know you were having a problem with adjusting the motor speed, maybe those wires have something to do with it.
My m-x824 didn't have an adjustable motor (I believe it was original), probably the only box I've worked on that didn't and when I got it back together, the motor speed was dead on.

Thank you for asking. I didn’t need to do anything with the original blue and white wires since my aftermarket motor has a speed adjustment in the hole of the motor cover. It worked great with a small standard screwdriver. Besides the speakers cutting out due to the plug (I will do exactly as you said for the fix), the only thing left for this machine is the low volume during cassette playback. I turn up the volume completely and here a faint level of volume for the cassette. Volume works fine with radio and line-in/phono functions.

 

[caution]

Like I said, those two wires went to speed control terminals on the old motor. That's above and beyond the adjustment on the back of the motor.
Until you get a four-terminal motor, the pitch control knob on the front of the box is unusable.