Sony TC-158SD eBay Cost

The TC-158SD is usually for sale on eBay, and they come in varying states and condition. I always wanted to acquire one for examination purposes, but could never afford it, as I do not have the big bucks. I managed to get this one because it was listed for spares and repairs and it was in an awful condition with almost everything broken. The photographs you see in this multi-page article are after it was cleaned and restored, because, honestly, you do not want to see the "before" pictures as they are scary.

One of the nicer features of this unit is the ferrite head, which usually remains in good condition even when the cosmetic condition appears bad. After demagnetising and cleaning the head, the frequency response signature was greatly improved; hence, I am glad I bought it.

This unit has three drive belts, which required changing, and luckily, I was able to find cheap generic ones on eBay that worked well.

There was a huge amount of cleaning involved, and the transport mechanism including the deck required dipping in a cleaning bath because there was a layer of dust and grease mix that was jamming the mechanism.

This unit also had an electronic fault at transistor Q512 that performs the voltage regulator function in conjunction with transistor Q513. It establishes a 6 V rail and powers the speaker amplifier. The fault usually manifests as a drop in audio level, and measuring this voltage rail indicates abnormally low levels.

Unless you are a highly competent electronic engineer, I would not recommend buying a broken one because the Japanese designed electronics will prove difficult for you to understand. I often get things that the "highly qualified" had a look at first, and often it is a case of repairing the damage they caused first, before finding the original fault. In addition, it will be difficult to find replacement parts such as the motor, and transformer. However if it is a simple case of polishing the case with your oily rag and installing a couple of drive belts, then go for it. There are many knob-head specialists doing that in the UK.

If you have a nice unit in mint condition with the original manuals, accessories, and the box, then it could fetch a tidy sum on a good auction day. I have seen good ones such as that go for over 100 pounds and more. However if it is scratched, broken, and completely dead, then you could make approximately five to ten pounds for it.

This Article Continues...