Sony TC 500A - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Alan Stepney · 23rd Oct 2011, 8:19 pm

I just picked up (using the term loosely-it is darn heavy) one of these.

It appears to be 7.5 / 3.75 ips, 7.25" spool, 4 track stereo, with a valve amplifier.

Does anyone have any data or information about them?

Or any comments?

bobbyball · 23rd Oct 2011, 11:43 pm

I have one of these and somewhere have the circuit diagram.

"Heavy" isn't even close!!

Robert

mark pirate · 23rd Oct 2011, 11:55 pm

Nice machine, I used to have one many years ago, it dates from 1964, when Sony really did have a reputation for quality. I do remember it was one heavy beast!

Mark

TIMTAPE · 24th Oct 2011, 2:08 am

Ditto. Quite possibly the idler wheel rubbers have gone hard and will be noisy and slip.

tri-comp · 24th Oct 2011, 6:43 am

Alan,

The service-manual is here: http://www.sportsbil.com/sony/TC/TC-500A.pdf

rgds,

/tri-comp

Alan Stepney · 24th Oct 2011, 2:55 pm

Thanks for the comments and particularly, the link to the service manual.

It appears to have a reasonably high spec, certainly in the semi-professional end of the market rather than the usual domestic models.

This one looks to be in good condition, and the head doesnt look worn. All that remains is to see how (if) it works.

ms660 · 24th Oct 2011, 3:28 pm

Hello Alan, they were a good machine, I serviced many of them when I worked for Sony many years ago, most of the Sony reel to reels were good, almost all the customers that brought them in wanted them serviced despite the costs involved when a full head replacement etc was needed, the TC366 (I think) was a very popular one I used to do all the drive and tape path and head replacement on the standard overhaul, I always had excellent feedback from the customers regarding bringing their machine back up to full spec. and most would not part with them which is a testiment in itself.

Lawrence.

ms660 · 24th Oct 2011, 5:28 pm

Correction to post # 7 it was the TC630 that was the most popular one that came in for servicing, the TC366 was popular to but not as.
The latter being a later release.

Lawrence.

harleyman75 · 25th Nov 2011, 8:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyball

I have one of these and somewhere have the circuit diagram.

"Heavy" isn't even close!!

Robert

Hi Robert, I have the same machine. Could you shed some light on the type and size of tapes you use?

Thanks,
Greg.

bobbyball · 25th Nov 2011, 10:21 pm

Hi Greg, I tend to have mainly 7" tapes recorded at either 3 3/4 or 7 1/2 inches per second.
The recordings are generally 4 track stereo and tend to be of pop music from the 70's onwards, I used to religiously record the "Top 40" on a Sunday evening for example.

My Sony 500 is a relatively recent acquistion. A lot of my earlier recordings were done on a 4 track stereo "Wollensak/3M" machine that originally came from the States and was run on an autotransformer as it was a 120v machine. The recordings play "fast" on a machine running at the correct speed as it had induction motors designed to work at 50Hz - atttempts to make it run faster were abandoned in the end as we couldn't come up with a satisfactory solution!!

Robert

harleyman75 · 1st Dec 2011, 6:08 pm

Thanks Robert, please bear with me----the recorder has 2 posts for the reels to fit on; is this the same setup on your machine. Do any 7" reels fit onto machine or should I look for something exact to fit ? Thanks again---Greg

brenellic2000 · 2nd Dec 2011, 9:12 am

All standard 'cine' or DIN (3-winged)-centre tape spools fit standard spool turntables - the only spools you may have problems with are the alloy Ferrograph Hub-lock type with a sprung pawl which engages in a rebate on Ferrgraph spindles, but which can jam on others' decks.

If you stick to plastic spools the tape will be at the right height and centre on the spools. Alloy spools may need to be shimmed with thin card to stop the tape rubbing on the spool flanges.

Barry

bobbyball · 3rd Dec 2011, 5:51 pm

Hello, as my fellow Forum member says above, your best bet are the "standard" size plastic spools, plenty of used examples around!

Cheers

Robert

tafflawton · 26th Jun 2012, 12:37 am

Hey, Folks, i just acquired a TC 500A in very good shape. I have been told that it needs to be lubricated every 50 hrs or so. Can anybody tellbe what lubes are necessary, and where to get same? Also,any other maintenance that may need to be done?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Taff Lawton.

23rd Oct 2011, 8:19 pm	#1
Alan Stepney Rest in Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dorset, UK. Posts: 947	Sony TC 500A I just picked up (using the term loosely-it is darn heavy) one of these. It appears to be 7.5 / 3.75 ips, 7.25" spool, 4 track stereo, with a valve amplifier. Does anyone have any data or information about them? Or any comments?

23rd Oct 2011, 11:43 pm	#2
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Sony TC 500A I have one of these and somewhere have the circuit diagram. "Heavy" isn't even close!! Robert

23rd Oct 2011, 11:55 pm	#3
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Sony TC 500A Nice machine, I used to have one many years ago, it dates from 1964, when Sony really did have a reputation for quality. I do remember it was one heavy beast! Mark

24th Oct 2011, 2:08 am	#4
TIMTAPE Octode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,969	Re: Sony TC 500A Ditto. Quite possibly the idler wheel rubbers have gone hard and will be noisy and slip.

24th Oct 2011, 6:43 am	#5
tri-comp Heptode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Aalborg, Denmark Posts: 903	Re: Sony TC 500A Alan, The service-manual is here: http://www.sportsbil.com/sony/TC/TC-500A.pdf rgds, /tri-comp

24th Oct 2011, 2:55 pm	#6
Alan Stepney Rest in Peace Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dorset, UK. Posts: 947	Re: Sony TC 500A Thanks for the comments and particularly, the link to the service manual. It appears to have a reasonably high spec, certainly in the semi-professional end of the market rather than the usual domestic models. This one looks to be in good condition, and the head doesnt look worn. All that remains is to see how (if) it works.

24th Oct 2011, 3:28 pm	#7
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Sony TC 500A Hello Alan, they were a good machine, I serviced many of them when I worked for Sony many years ago, most of the Sony reel to reels were good, almost all the customers that brought them in wanted them serviced despite the costs involved when a full head replacement etc was needed, the TC366 (I think) was a very popular one I used to do all the drive and tape path and head replacement on the standard overhaul, I always had excellent feedback from the customers regarding bringing their machine back up to full spec. and most would not part with them which is a testiment in itself. Lawrence.

24th Oct 2011, 5:28 pm	#8
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Sony TC 500A Correction to post # 7 it was the TC630 that was the most popular one that came in for servicing, the TC366 was popular to but not as. The latter being a later release. Lawrence.

25th Nov 2011, 10:21 pm	#10
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Sony TC 500A Hi Greg, I tend to have mainly 7" tapes recorded at either 3 3/4 or 7 1/2 inches per second. The recordings are generally 4 track stereo and tend to be of pop music from the 70's onwards, I used to religiously record the "Top 40" on a Sunday evening for example. My Sony 500 is a relatively recent acquistion. A lot of my earlier recordings were done on a 4 track stereo "Wollensak/3M" machine that originally came from the States and was run on an autotransformer as it was a 120v machine. The recordings play "fast" on a machine running at the correct speed as it had induction motors designed to work at 50Hz - atttempts to make it run faster were abandoned in the end as we couldn't come up with a satisfactory solution!! Robert

1st Dec 2011, 6:08 pm	#11
harleyman75 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Howell, New Jersey, USA. Posts: 5	Re: Sony TC 500A Thanks Robert, please bear with me----the recorder has 2 posts for the reels to fit on; is this the same setup on your machine. Do any 7" reels fit onto machine or should I look for something exact to fit ? Thanks again---Greg

2nd Dec 2011, 9:12 am	#12
brenellic2000 Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 1,647	Re: Sony TC 500A All standard 'cine' or DIN (3-winged)-centre tape spools fit standard spool turntables - the only spools you may have problems with are the alloy Ferrograph Hub-lock type with a sprung pawl which engages in a rebate on Ferrgraph spindles, but which can jam on others' decks. If you stick to plastic spools the tape will be at the right height and centre on the spools. Alloy spools may need to be shimmed with thin card to stop the tape rubbing on the spool flanges. Barry

3rd Dec 2011, 5:51 pm	#13
bobbyball Octode Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester Posts: 1,214	Re: Sony TC 500A Hello, as my fellow Forum member says above, your best bet are the "standard" size plastic spools, plenty of used examples around! Cheers Robert

26th Jun 2012, 12:37 am	#14
tafflawton Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Orange VA USA Posts: 1	Re: Sony TC 500A Hey, Folks, i just acquired a TC 500A in very good shape. I have been told that it needs to be lubricated every 50 hrs or so. Can anybody tellbe what lubes are necessary, and where to get same? Also,any other maintenance that may need to be done? Any advice would be appreciated. Taff Lawton.