Stereo Help Please!

[arod87]

Hello All,

On my older model Panasonic RS-253S Radio/Cassette Player:
Audio is bareley comming out (staticky) of left channel when playing cassette's but both work while playing radio?

This unit has external speakers. It is not the speaker itself. If I plug in the right speaker into the left speaker input I have the same problem.
The same issue happens if I plug computer speakers into the headphone jack in front (the left side audio is bad)

I just cleaned all heads and stuff, but havent tried contact spray... would that help what exactly is it.. compressed air?
Does anyone know what the issue could be?

Thanks!

 

[floyd]

you could try pressing record and stop a few times as the record switch gets dirty on these old radio's .

also the tape head azimuth or tape head to tape alignment might need adjusting . this is the screws that hold the playback head in place and are used to adjust the head alignment .

also prolly needs all the controls cleaned with electronics spray lube cleaner.

 

[baddboybill]

I would for sure try cleaning with deoxit contact cleaner the function switch and all others as well....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[arod87]

Thanks a lot guys! Pressing Stop and Record a few times brought the left channel back to life.
Im new to this and cassette players were starting to fade out when I was growing up so please excuse my ignorance..

What exactly do I spray with the contact cleaner.. you said the function switch/controls...?
Do you have any pics or could you explain?

The sound of the unit overall is not quite as good as my other cassette players even with new speakers..

 

[floyd]

Thanks a lot guys! Pressing Stop and Record a few times brought the left channel back to life.
Im new to this and cassette players were starting to fade out when I was growing up so please excuse my ignorance..

What exactly do I spray with the contact cleaner.. you said the function switch/controls...?
Do you have any pics or could you explain?

The sound of the unit overall is not quite as good as my other cassette players even with new speakers..

you have to spray into the controls using the straw that comes with the can of electronics cleaner /lube spray making sure you don't spray too much . test the spray can in the air to see how much comes out when you spray . usually only takes a drop or so to do the job .

insert the tube into the switches/sliders and such . you most likely will have to remove the back cover to access the back of the controls that turn or have knobs because the lube will not penetrate from the shaft on top you have to get into the back of the control and shoot some lube into any opening or holes the oil can get through.to get inside the part . wipe off any excess spray from the surrounding areas .

then work the controls to work the lube into the parts evenly . do this with the power off and the cord unplugged .


once complete double check everything and power it up and stand back .

 

[TW5]

Theres an odd problem too
with the cable-wires from the tape head
to the circuit board
it might have a broken wire in it
usually at the point where it bends the most
when it moves into play near the tape head.

 

[LordRussell]

Once again, I may be late in commenting on this problem, but my two cents worth... And an old man from the proper time line & from actually having worked in radio...

Have you tried Demagnetizing the heads of your tape deck? I'm not even sure that you can get a hold of such things that easily these days, but if you can you should most certainly try that before wiggling delicate wires under the playback/record heads quite yet.

The problem you spoke of does rear it's ugly head on occasion when such a thing as magnetism happens. Give it a shot if I'm not to late or just became redundant...