Bose AW-1 Acoustic Wave System - Tape and Tuner Both Dead
I've wanted one of these since they came out in the 80s, so I bought the cheapest and most broken one I could find. Only the line-in works on this thing. Am I going to be able to do anything with it, or is it better as a parts unit?
These units were, in my opinion, among the first boomboxes to ever take sound quality seriously. The first AW-1 units rolled off the line in 1984 and were quickly superceded by models that featured CD players and even Minidiscs for the Japanese market.
Belts required:
Capstan: 248mm IC (79mm dia) x 4mm
Take-up: 140mm IC x 1mm
Supply: 178mm IC x 1mm
Pinch roller: 13x8x2.5mm
Playback idler: 13mm OD x 9mm ID (estimated) x 2mm thick
A square profile AS568 #109 o-ring MAY work for an idler if you can find one, but may need to be shaved down in height to fit. Mine isn't bad so it's not getting replaced.
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0:00:00 - Intro
0:06:00 - Checking operation
0:10:07 - Getting inside the unit
0:12:57 - Diagnosing the dead tuner
0:31:31 - Begin cassette transport service
0:34:00 - Checking and measuring belts
0:40:10 - Servicing the belt side of the transport
0:52:26 - Examining the reel drive assembly and cleaning the playback idler
1:06:03 - Measuring the playback idler
1:12:56 - Measuring the pinch roller
1:22:29 - Proper orientation of the pause leaf switch
1:25:41 - Capstan motor problems, pinch roller beyond help
1:29:38 - Diagnosing the B+ power supply issue
Пікірлер: 9
If i am right fella, that is one of the few bose systems with a tape deck
@Oklawolf
2 ай бұрын
As far as I'm aware, other than this one, only the CS-2010 and the Japanese AWM have cassette decks with the latter being the only one that also has a CD player.
The volume control sounds really good.
I wouldn't record over tapes with valuable recordings like these, I've done it once or twice and regret it right after. There's just something special about listening to an old low-fi recording from the original piece of media. If you want to have the same mixtapes in better quality I would suggest finding the same tapes (probably not a very easy thing with that Vivox) or just find a some tape in a similar shell and clone the stickers and j-cards, that way you'll have both the originals and the remasters. And the other thing to consider is that there's no guarantee that those old tapes won't be full of dropouts when you try to record over them.
Just to add, although two monts later, an AC of 15 volts, after the transformer, rectified should definately be around 18 volts DC on the smooting capacitor. The problem might be the grid AC voltage and the transformer set for a lower one. For ex the transformer is expecting 110V but is getting 120V.
Valiant efforts.
I would record any air talk from the tapes, and record the music from a hires audio source, such as Tidal. Keep the original tapes as is.
The tuner is completely dead...it occurred the opposite way round over here in my cassette radio CD player...cheaply made Bush LoFi...Tape wheels fell out first..then CD went on one channel..then I tried to fix it..failed and no CD sound..but the digital radio still works..I'd even say perfectly..so it hasn't been thrown in the rubbish as eWaste..not yet
I remember seeing these in the store...I didn't like any Bose stuff...they don't have any tone or base control....I had the radio CD version...I finally got rid of mine....I have Philips....Sony .. Panasonic and now Aiwa.. they all sound fantastic....the only thing is the European style that is all it is about...but sound no good 👇... The other important thing surround sound is not included...👇..so sad becouse it could of been good