Vintage Audio Equipment Repair!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Folks,

Well, I finally got around to pulling the cover off of my ancient Technics SL-P8 Single Cd audio player that I got back in '81 in JAPAN in the Navy Exchange.....are you ready, for $400.00!
The drawer would open and shut, but the CD would not drop down and engage the spindle or spin!

Found a little square rubber belt that drives the mechanism for this process, and it was stretched and worn.....imagine that, and after only 23 years!!! I hated to throw the player away, and waste all of that $400.00 I had invested in it !

Luckily, I had some experience in finding these old drive belts for these types of machines. I had an old Teac 1000R R2R that I had to get replacement belts for a short while back. The web site:
Vintage Electronics is where I found "Bob". Emailed him with a description of my machine, the belt size/dimensions, received reply in 1 day. Got the belt in about 3-4 days after ordering it, and it's playing great again.

Just wanted to plug his site and service, for any of you folks with aged turntables, tape players, and the like that need new belts, he's the place to get them at!!! Especially since Radio Shack quit supplying them over 4 years ago!!
T.C.

[macnut xj]

Thanks TC! I've got a lot of old tape decks and such, and I've been wondering where to get belts and stuff like this. I'll keep that one bookmarked!

[tommystinson]

Uhhh...?

I believe that the CD format was released in 1983. A Sony/Phillips joint venture. Sony actually released the first player (CDP-101?) With Phillips following a short time later. The resulting engineering standard is referred to as the "Red Book", which needs to be followed in order to use the little "Compact Disc" logo, on players or media. Some of the new copy protected "CD"s caused lawsuits due to the copy protection, which is not in the Red Book standard. Many of these discs wouldn't play in all players. If you're feeling nerdy: the "digital out" on CD players (coaxial or Toslink) is S/PDIF, or Sony Phillips Digital Interface Format. I think I'll shut up now...

[TopCatGr58]

Okay, Tommy,

I got to Japan in Spring of 81, and as you may know, they have electronics available over there sooner than in the US! However, I probably picked it up in late 82 thru the Navy Exchange system. Just checked the "NET", found that model was available US in 83-84 for MSRP of $800.00, so I saved $400.00 buying it thru Exchange.

I think the first CD I bought for it was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, then Wish You Were Here!

My memory for years is not very good, unless something really bad happened to me!
T.C.

[tfm3]

Topcat-
I share your appreciation for the vintage gear; hell we all do if we ride XS's: I actually am a vintage audiophile and repair tech. The SLP-8 had a better transport mechanism than any modern CD player could hope for. Only problem is that it has an 8 bit D/A chip in it. Current standard is 16 bit and that's still years behind current mastering studio standards-not to mention home recording studio and Digital Audio Workstation standards. Just curious; can you burn a cd and play it on the old Technics?First album I ever bought was Switched On Bach by Wendy [Walter] Carlos. Second was DSOTM. I was twelve. Still have them.
P.S. Been burning vinyl to CD for years- happy to help if anyone still cares.

[John]

DSOTM

I've left a lot of brain cells there I think... and I'm always 'Wishin' I Was There'

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there TFM3,

The ole Technics is strictly a player unit, has a remote!!
Well, according to the info on this website:
Vintage Technics
It shows it has 16bit decoding system/oversampling rate!? I think I lost my manual years ago, so I don't have the spec sheets for it, but the 16bit sounds right, vs. 8 bit!?

It's just part of my little audio rack in my computer room, along with my Kenwood 100watt/channel AV Receiver playing thru my Pioneer HPM-900's, and my Technics SL-D2 Direct Drive turntable that works great.....no belts!!!

I record my Vinyl from it into my computer, and then use my DVD/CDRW burner to make my home made CD's! I'm just a bit behind in my transfers, too many albums, too many projects and not enough time....I need to be retired, but that won't happen for another 20+ years!

I use my DVD/CDRW drive to rip any Cd's into Wavs with EAC, has error correction and such!

I also have a patch cable going from my computer into my stereo, for when I want my games to really sound GOOD!

Oh, contrare John, DSOTM helps you to GROW brain cells thru all of that wonderful stereophonic stimulation!!

[tfm3]

I love this! Audiophiles and XS'ers on the same page!
Try this on for size; Magnapan Tympani I's on the mains- Macintosh powered. Sony 1271 CRT SuperData PJ for video.

Rock on, TC., When I was a little kid I used to dress up in the the best thrift store duds I could afford with my paper route money and nudge my way into the highest end stereo stores in NYC and Boston; spent many an hour blasting Pink Floyd and ELO in quad. Remember quad?

[tfm3]

Great link- Vintage Electronics. I stand corrrected on the 8-bit error.Found my old cd player on that site. SLP1200. Yep, that's right . I used to own a 32lb single disc player.

[tfm3]

Oops! Meant Vintage Technics. Not Electronics.

[macnut xj]

Funny you should mention quad! I still have a Sanyo quad car 8-track deck laying around. I still have a few tapes for it too. I also happen to have a quad decoder for a home system. Never used it tho. But I do remember listening to DSOTM in quad. Especially the opening of "Money" with the slot machine sounds bouncing around among all four speakers. Man that was sooo cool!
I guess I'm really dating myself now......
Oh, and somewhere I still have one of those Craig hump-mounted tape decks with the different colored lights that lit up more of them the higher you cranked it up.

[Hepcat]

Huh?

Wait a second here...are you guys saying that CDs haven't always existed? Whoa, that boggles the mind, why would anyone want to listen to music in a format that you couldn't skip songs at the push of a button? And lug around pieces of vinyl bigger than a dinnerplate...or cassettes that you had to, God forbid, rewind!

Sorry guys, I couldn't resist poking a little fun at my elders. I was born in Dec of 81. For as long as I can remember we've had computers in our homes and man had already walked on the moon.

Just putting it into the perspective of one of your younger members.

[tfm3]

Thanks for the perspective, Hepcat. Thanks a LOT. No, really. I mean it. Back in the day...When I was your age....blah blah blah.
After 30 it don't make no difference anyway. Rock on fellow geezers!

[chevy45412001]

8-trac

Man that brings back memories.Still have my pioneer 8-trac underdash,in my first ride a 1972 plymouth duster. Crankin dsotm,destroyer detriot rock city,diamounds and rust...lol Just got a home computer 3-4 years ago still don't know how to use it. I did get an dvd burner,still don't no how to use it either.

[tommystinson]

For the geeks: The original Philips players had 14 bit chips and probably even less actual resolution. I run a Sonic Frontiers two chassis preamp. 60 lbs, 8 tubes, sounds pretty good. -3Db at 350 KHz, for any "good specifications mean good sound" people. LOL! My CD playback setup has tubes in it, NOS Valvo's from 1963. (an outboard Sonic Frontiers DAC, although my old Luxman player had tubes in it as well) Power amp is also tube. Who needs a fireplace in the winter with an all-tube Hi-Fi! But anyway, how about LASERDISC?! I've got 180 or so movies on LD, including three copies of Star Wars, Empire, and Jedi. One is the original release, one is the restored release, and one is the special edition restored and expanded version. I've had Star Wars on disc since 1992. (cue evil laugh) BWA HA HA HA HA! I think I may have as many DVD's, but I'm not sure. When the LD player breaks, I've got a good excuse for another copy of the STAR WARS TRILOGY. BWA HA HA HA! Oh, it's time to take my medication again...