Alpage AL-300 only plays 1 channel.

[Aplagealpaca]

Hi, I need some help! I have no idea where to start so any help is really valued

I bought this beauty and it didn't work at all, and it was really dirty. Anyway I cleaned it and opened it to find out the belt had melted. Through trial and error and watching youtube videos I manage to replace the belt. And it works now! but only in the left channel. Rec button also does nothing.

Now I have no idea if it's something I did or is it something else.


Attached two pictures of the beauty.

[G6ONEDave]

Have you cleaned the record/playback changeover switch on the pcb (assuming that it has one)? Also check the wires to the record/playback head, possibly a broken solder joint.

Dave

[DMcMahon]

Hei and welcome to the Forum.

A very nice looking and complex deck.

I also immediately thought of the Playback/Record switch cleaning but a quick look at the schematic possibly looks like it has electronic signal switching.

David

[G6ONEDave]

Further to my last, it could be a missing earth/ground connection to the right channel record and play sections of the tape head. I could be wrong but the circuit suggests a shared connection either in the wiring or pcb attached to the head. Since the head appears to have seperate rec and play sections, I think it unlikely for the head to have failed, although that can't be ruled out however it is simple enough to check.

After that it looks like voltage and waveform checks through the right channels. Not checked but there might be a shared supply or earth track to the record and play stages in the right channel.

Dave

[vidjoman]

The photos appear to show the knobs are at different settings. I think the knob on the line in should be on the master volume position. It also looks like the others are not correctly fitted. I assume that these are dual splined knobs.

[Graham G3ZVT]

As for the record button doing nothing, check that the anti-erasure tabs on the back of your cassette are intact!

[Aplagealpaca]

Originally Posted by vidjoman

The photos appear to show the knobs are at different settings. I think the knob on the line in should be on the master volume position. It also looks like the others are not correctly fitted. I assume that these are dual splined knobs.

You're right I messed with the buttons. Funny If you check the old promo photos from https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_li...e/al-300.shtml
the big button can be in output level or in REC level.

[Aplagealpaca]

Originally Posted by G6ONEDave

Since the head appears to have seperate rec and play sections, I think it unlikely for the head to have failed, although that can't be ruled out however it is simple enough to check.

Dave

Thank you for the reply. How do I check if the head has failed?

[Aplagealpaca]

Originally Posted by G6ONEDave

Have you cleaned the record/playback changeover switch on the pcb (assuming that it has one)? Also check the wires to the record/playback head, possibly a broken solder joint.

Dave

This was it. Thank you so much for the help everyone.