cassette deck belts

[caddisgeek]

I've been wanting to poke my toe the world of cassettes, went to the dump and picked up 4 decks (and a sony cdp) for nix! All the decks are 80's vintage and not the best quality, but the price was good:music:. One deck (an Akai is a write off and is going straight back from whence it came, 2 others (a pioneer and a teac) are up and running after some jiggery pokery. The 4th is probably the best of the lot is Marantz sd 330. It appears to be in good order but just needs belts (main big belt is stretched) any one know where to get replacement belts?

[James7506]

Caddis, Google PRB Line and download the PRBXref software to get the belt part no's for your decks. Jim

[James7506]

One more thing. After installing the software, download a program TPPATCH.EXE and put it in the PRB Line dir, in DOS type TPPAtCH PRB.EXE then enter. This fixes a problem running the program. Jim

[perryinva]

Best belt selection for many different decks at turntableneedles.com. Less selection, but better prices at studiosoundelectronics.com

[Fred Longworth]

Most sources of online cassette belts sell belts that are too thick and have excessive mass. This permits a parasitic oscillation (spring & mass oscillator) to emerge which, in the case of capstan belts, and to a lesser degree with intermediate belts, audibly degrades the wow-and-flutter figure.

PRB originally combined their famous catalog from mostly television repair companies. For reasons that have perplexed me for thirty years, TV techs go for heavy tight belts, and so many of the listings in the PRB catalog are too heavy and too tight.

It's relatively easy to find square-cut belts of the same cross-sectional dimensions as the OEM parts, but locating flat belts is a real challenge. I consider a belt of .187" width and .020" thickness with about 3-5% stretch to get onto both flywheel and motor pulley to be optimal. About .025 is about as thick as is tolerable, and even at this thickness you can hear the difference as compared to a .020" belt.

HB Electronics in LA carries a line of belts that are thinner in width (.117") than many and only .023" thick. Though "intuitively," the .117" spec may seem too narrow, in many cases these belts work quite well.

Hope this helps.

Fred