My RC 555 tape deck had exactly the same problem recently! All the usual things like cleaning the heads and switches, especially the rec/play switch and resoldering didn‘t solve the problem. I also noticed random crackling and popping noise only on the right channel while the VU meter was jumping around. The audio was still getting through and clear during playback. In the end I replaced the Dolby IC (IC 311) with a new NE646N and that finally took care of the problem!
If you can't hear anything in the sound output of the cassette deck: try and hook the right sound output up to a DC Voltmeter. Maybe that shows some DC in the output. A lot of cassette decks are turning of their audio during rewind and fast forward, so it wouldn't be part of the problem that the problem diappears during rewind.
That's really a nice cassette deck! I'm looking for one like that since a long time. Really bad it doesn't work! Unforunately I couldn't notice any problems with the sound, does it sound muffled, or are the high frequencies fading in and out? A really good cleaning of the heads, the capstan and the pinch roler will fix that I hope. The malfunction of the VU meter: can you hear any sounds the VU meter makes in the sound output of the deck? Does the malfunktion disappears in rewind?
My RC 555 tape deck had exactly the same problem recently! All the usual things like cleaning the heads and switches, especially the rec/play switch and resoldering didn‘t solve the problem. I also noticed random crackling and popping noise only on the right channel while the VU meter was jumping around. The audio was still getting through and clear during playback.
In the end I replaced the Dolby IC (IC 311) with a new NE646N and that finally took care of the problem!
If you can't hear anything in the sound output of the cassette deck: try and hook the right sound output up to a DC Voltmeter. Maybe that shows some DC in the output.
A lot of cassette decks are turning of their audio during rewind and fast forward, so it wouldn't be part of the problem that the problem diappears during rewind.
That's really a nice cassette deck! I'm looking for one like that since a long time.
Really bad it doesn't work! Unforunately I couldn't notice any problems with the sound, does it sound muffled, or are the high frequencies fading in and out?
A really good cleaning of the heads, the capstan and the pinch roler will fix that I hope.
The malfunction of the VU meter: can you hear any sounds the VU meter makes in the sound output of the deck? Does the malfunktion disappears in rewind?
Hey, did you give up this problem?
I have the same problem on the same tape deck!
Some switch cleaner on the internal contact switches/sliders would have cured this.....