This Aiwa Cassette player is in excellent condition, with only minor marks and signs of cosmetic wear as shown in the photos. All buttons are present and function as they should. The battery compartment is clean, and the volume adjusts smoothly without any crackling. It is fully operational and works as intended.
Product Description & Further Details:
This unit sounds great and has very little wow and flutter (more information below). While there are a few marks on the outer case, this is to be expected for an item of this age. Overall, it is in brilliant visual and working condition.
Work Completed on This Unit:
- All internal dirt and dust have been removed and cleaned.
- New belts have been fitted.
- New idlers have been installed where needed.
- New pinch rollers have been fitted or cleaned where necessary.
- Capstan has been cleaned and checked.
- Operational parts have been re-oiled or greased as required.
- Any dry solder joints have been re-soldered.
- Capacitors have been replaced where needed.
- Contact cleaner has been applied to all switches, contacts, and potentiometers.
- The play head has been re-aligned where required (azimuth).
- The playback head and tape path have been demagnetised.
- Speed has been set using a lab reference tape and oscilloscope.
- Full external sanitise and cleaning completed.
- Any other necessary bespoke servicing or repairs have been performed.
- All functions have been checked where possible.
Please Note:
The unit is fully operational and functions as intended. Everything shown in the pictures is included, and I have made every effort to describe the item's condition accurately.
Wow and Flutter:
Wow and flutter refer to the wavering of a reproduced tone or group of tones caused by irregularities in the tape drive speed during recording, duplication, or playback. This can be due to changes in the capstan's angular velocity or the dragging of the tape within the audio cassette shell. Wow and flutter are often mentioned together, with "flutter" describing the higher-rate version of "wow." All tape players exhibit some level of wow and flutter; most manufacturers indicate the measured tolerance for their specific players when new, so be cautious of claims stating no wow and flutter in these units when purchasing.
Several factors can increase wow and flutter, typically due to age and use. These include dirty or dry moving parts of the unit, such as a dirty capstan, polished capstan, capstan bearings, dirty pinch rollers, a dirty head, and a dirty motor wheel after a belt change. Additionally, worn belts, variations in belt size and quality, and pinch roller issues are primary contributors to wow and flutter. All these potential causes are thoroughly checked during my refurbishments. Deformations in the cassette compartment can also contribute, but this depends on the quality of the cassette used. I always recommend a full rewind and fast forward of an older tape before playing, as this can help improve playback quality.
