One Last Stab At This

[Nickthedentist]

Why do you need to know who made it? It may well be that it was made by some company which you've never heard of, who may or may not have also made stuff for big names.

[thermionic]

I’m sure that I’ve seen a similar mech to this in a 1980’s Ferguson music centre. As DMcMahon has pointed out, it’s probably JVC.

This doesn’t mean they manufactured it though. I seem to recall a Belgium company called Staar SA, who produced many various cassette mechanisms for Japanese brands in the 80’s.


SimonT.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

Why do you need to know who made it? It may well be that it was made by some company which you've never heard of, who may or may not have also made stuff for big names.

He is hoping to find documentation on the cassette desk to help identify the VU lamps rating.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by thermionic

I’m sure that I’ve seen a similar mech to this in a 1980’s Ferguson music centre. As DMcMahon has pointed out, it’s probably JVC.

This doesn’t mean they manufactured it though. I seem to recall a Belgium company called Staar SA, who produced many various cassette mechanisms for Japanese brands in the 80’s.


SimonT.

I did not say probably, I just pointed out that JVC (Japanese of course) did do a small number of cassette decks prefixed with CD.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by technotel

Hi Lawence
Thank you so there is meat on this then. I am not the only poster that thinks the Cassette deck model number is a CD780. The author of that post does however call it a CD780 Dolby. might there be a clue of its manufacture here? Did Dolby ever produce a cassette deck
The CD780 also sourced from Japan, the author of post goes on to say. I am happy its not a Philips and it is a CD780 but who made it??

The ex Dynatron employee in that Post 58 also stated somewhere else that the CD780 was specially made for Dynatron, so that statement makes me wonder if there will be any specific OEM documentation on it.

He also said in Post 58 that the 2 different cassette decks were branded as Dynatron.

I do not think Dolby is likely to be a clue in this case, just means that the deck was configured with Dolby circuitry.

Did you say previously that you had the complete Dynatron service manual but no technical details for the cassette deck within it ?

[Ted Kendall]

Originally Posted by thermionic

I seem to recall a Belgium company called Staar SA, who produced many various cassette mechanisms for Japanese brands in the 80’s.

Staar's main contribution was collecting royalties from everybody who made dual capstan cassette transports, until the patent expired.

[Sideband]

I recognise that deck and agree that it was used in some Dynatron models. However it wasn't MADE by Dynatron....rather it was made FOR them. If I remember from my old Philips days (and it was a long time ago now) these were classed as limited service items. I think only belts, heads and pinch rollers were service items. Anything else and the cassette deck was replaced with a 'Service item' in other words, a factory reconditioned unit. This means that the chances of a full service manual is unlikely although something must have existed at some point. As to who manufactured it....who knows? No doubt it's Chinese in origin and several factories could have been commissioned to make it. It's definitely part of something else rather than a stand-alone unit.

I seem to recall that their performance was so-so. Nothing special and certainly not up to the standard of the Philips decks that Dynatron used to use.

[DMcMahon]

Once again of no real help but I see that the Dynatron SRX26C Service manual is more helpful in regards to the cassette deck, it states it is a Philips N2505/10 Tape Deck Unit, incorporating a Cavalcade/Cassette model HFC38.

Not 100% sure but believe Cavalcade was a Dynatron model name.

The Philips N2505/10 was also referenced in that Post # 58.

The manual lists various lamps/bulbs but not for VU meter. The cassette deck schematic shows the VU meter but does not appear to show any VU meter lamps.

If you are able to see/access your VU meter lamp connection wires then you will be able to measure the voltage to get a good idea of operating voltage.

[DMcMahon]

As far as I can ascertain Dolby did not do their own cassette decks.

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by DMcMahon

Once again of no real help but I see that the Dynatron SRX26C Service manual is more helpful in regards to the cassette deck, it states it is a Philips N2505/10 Tape Deck Unit, incorporating a Cavalcade/Cassette model HFC38.

Not 100% sure but believe Cavalcade was a Dynatron model name.

The Philips N2505/10 was also referenced in that Post # 58.

The manual lists various lamps/bulbs but not for VU meter. The cassette deck schematic shows the VU meter but does not appear to show any VU meter lamps.

If you are able to see/access your VU meter lamp connection wires then you will be able to measure the voltage to get a good idea of operating voltage.

No....it is categorically NOT an N2505 deck!! That particular deck was made by Philips and electrically the same as the N2506 which was a stand-alone deck and fully serviceable.

[DMcMahon]

Yes from the various posts knew that it was not the Philips, was just pointing out that the Service manual for the SRX60C was a lot more helpful than the manual for his SRX20, well actually this is still my assumption, waiting for technotel to doubly confirm that he has the complete manual and it does not include the cassette deck details.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by technotel

Looks like It's drawing blanks then. I can't believe this is being so hard to identify.

If it was easy then you would have got the answer long ago, many people (with loads of knowledge/experience) have been inputting their best in the 2 separate threads.

It may end up as one of those that cannot be adequately answered.

[ben]

This mech was probably made by the likes of Sankyo. They were pretty big in the era when this kit was made.

[Ted Kendall]

Agreed, it could easily be Sankyo - they made all sorts of cassette mechanisms, even some for Nakamichi. If the only issue is meter lamps, then check the voltage across the holder and substitute with a led and suitable resistor.

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by DMcMahon

waiting for technotel to doubly confirm that he has the complete manual and it does not include the cassette deck details.

If he has got the full service manual and my recollection of the deck is correct, then all it will have is a few part numbers for the serviceable parts and then a part number for the complete unit.....

The circuit will probably show the cassette unit as a block = replacement part.

I wonder if there ever was a complete manual for the cassette deck? Someone somewhere designed it, a factory (or factories) built it....there must have been circuits and mechanical diagrams at some point.

[ben]

A probable reason for the lack of info is that these kinds of mechanism were basically fairly low end shoebox-type cassette units, just with better electronics. I doubt it it would have been profitable even then to produce much in the way of support beyond a few part numbers.

[daveobuchanan]

There is a chance it is an OEM Nakamichi, it has the tell tale 3 buttons dual meter and din mic socket, but the transport key order is different so may be not. There are quite a few, I have a Hacker HCD1000 and a Wharfedale one. They are quite good and usually work with a little encouragement. They have the Dolby circuit on a plug in board, and another with screw adjustments for recording bias and level.

[Nickthedentist]

The well-regarded Goodmans SCD100 cassette deck was basically a Nakamichi too: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=31815

[vidjoman]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

The well-regarded Goodmans SCD100 cassette deck was basically a Nakamichi too: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=31815

It was very similar but did have a cheaper motor/drive system fitted. I also think some of the electronics was slightly reduced in complexity and possibly lower cost heads. They did work very well though.

[Nickthedentist]

I didn't know that, thanks.