Thank you kindly! I got the lights from some Sony TC-K models which I had for parts. Many Kenwood KX models are using the same light(some in different color). The WX-929(WX-828) is designed to house this light, but they never installed them. DIY is also possible with a piece of Plexiglas and lot of patience and cutting/shaping. I got the power directly from the +12V rail (Pin5 on the display ribbon cable) with appropriate current limiting and fusing. GND is from the motor board. M- terminal if memory serves me correctly. Good luck/sok szerencsét, Gyula
Class job with the refurbishments, I have watched a few of your vids, excellent work. I got back into tapes 3 years ago and I'm having great results recording, now that I have a few decent decks. Is it possible to add a back light to a Technics RS-BX808, and if so is it a difficult job? Cheers.
Thank you kindly! It is possible indeed, I've done it few years ago on my BX828. Same as yours, but remote controllable. Here is an old picture of my stack: i.imgur.com/0veRFiu.jpg (For highest res, click from PC) The 828 is the 4th from the bottom on the left. I used the lightpipe+bulb from a Luxman KX-101 because I loved the colour. I don't think green or orange would suit a 808/828. If you think otherwise, a Sony TC-K470 would be a good donor. (from TC-K470 to KA7ES its the same light). This Aiwa also got the lights from Sony units. If you want to go orange, some Pio or Yamaha would be a good donor. These are all LEDs so it will be easy to get few mA from a nearby rail to power it. If you want to go full DIY, cut and shape a plexiglass, frost it with sandpaper and use a LED of your choice. Mind the thickness, there is not too much room behind. My mod is normal bulb. I couldn't find a rail which could handle the inrush current on startup, so I have a separate DC power supply near the main transformer. I also replaced the 2 pole main PWR SW to a 3 pole one, so my backlight is fully separate from the decks electronics. There is no hole pre-cut for this so it needs that too. Alternatively, you could go like the RS-AZ7 (light from the door) or just an LED on top shining down in between the cassette and the beauty plate. While at it, you might as well consider OPamp upgrade to NJM5532S and upgrade the 4066 cmos switches to MAX4066A or even better, 2x mechanical relays (V23079D2003B301) for even less noise in the signal path. There are many mods available for these. Hope it helps. Cheers
@@Juliuswwss Many thanks for the info bud, it is very helpful, I appreciate it. Yes, I was wanting to go for a light that matches the display screen and good to know it can be done, and I'm liking the idea of using plexiglass although I will probably take it my local electronics tech as changing belts and pinch rollers is as much as I can do with these machines. How would you rate the Sony TC-K670 against the TC-K711, cool looking decks, especially the 670. There's been a few times I was tempted to buy one or the other but I have to cut back on spending these days as I have too much gear as it is.
@@thejoyoftaping8205 Happy to help! 670 and 711 basically the same machine. Same freq response, same PB opamp, Rec EQ amp and so on. Mechanism is basically the same as well. Obviously looks different + Dolby S, but for me it doesn't count as I never use any Dolby at all. Along these models, 690 is better. Slightly better headbase (runs on steel balls instead sliding on plastic as 670,711 and many more). Otherwise it's more less the same. I have one 690 in my collection, modded of course :D. Got a Direct Drive bottom end from an old 750ES :) Cheers
@@Juliuswwss Thanks again bud for the info. I would be interested in hearing how dolby s sounds, I didn't use dolby when I got back into taping, but recently I have been using headphones to monitor between source and tape and when I tried dolby c I noticed it does something to the stereo separation, makes it sound slightly more open, which I preferred, so I use it on all my recordings now. My first experience of dolby was on my first deck, Sony T-ck 215, bought in 1995, and even though the dolby did a great job of reducing tape hiss, it also took away a lot of reverb which made the recordings very dry sounding, thankfully the Technics doesn't do that.
@@thejoyoftaping8205 You are most welcome! Can't say too much about Dolby, I don't like it. I have a deck with Dolby S (CT-93), but don't even use B on it. In a perfect world, Dolby S should sound the same as no Dolby, just less hiss. Same applies to B, C, A, SR, DBX. What you experience and like with Dolby, its probably some defect. It is however a good thing you like it, just make sure it sounds good on other machines too. Recording with Dolby is tricky business. You should keep your levels around the Dolby mark when recording and the playback (and recording) machine must be properly calibrated to have it properly decoded as intended.
Nice deck:) & beautiful cd player.
У меня такая же 929!👍
aiwa is aiwa
Super!
Hi,nice job. Can you tell me how did you make the backlight? Where did you soldered? I'd like to make to myself also...
Thank you kindly! I got the lights from some Sony TC-K models which I had for parts. Many Kenwood KX models are using the same light(some in different color). The WX-929(WX-828) is designed to house this light, but they never installed them. DIY is also possible with a piece of Plexiglas and lot of patience and cutting/shaping. I got the power directly from the +12V rail (Pin5 on the display ribbon cable) with appropriate current limiting and fusing. GND is from the motor board. M- terminal if memory serves me correctly. Good luck/sok szerencsét, Gyula
Class job with the refurbishments, I have watched a few of your vids, excellent work. I got back into tapes 3 years ago and I'm having great results recording, now that I have a few decent decks. Is it possible to add a back light to a Technics RS-BX808, and if so is it a difficult job? Cheers.
Thank you kindly! It is possible indeed, I've done it few years ago on my BX828. Same as yours, but remote controllable.
Here is an old picture of my stack: i.imgur.com/0veRFiu.jpg
(For highest res, click from PC)
The 828 is the 4th from the bottom on the left. I used the lightpipe+bulb from a Luxman KX-101 because I loved the colour.
I don't think green or orange would suit a 808/828. If you think otherwise, a Sony TC-K470 would be a good donor.
(from TC-K470 to KA7ES its the same light).
This Aiwa also got the lights from Sony units.
If you want to go orange, some Pio or Yamaha would be a good donor. These are all LEDs so it will be easy to get few mA from a
nearby rail to power it.
If you want to go full DIY, cut and shape a plexiglass,
frost it with sandpaper and use a LED of your choice. Mind the thickness, there is not too much room behind.
My mod is normal bulb. I couldn't find a rail which could handle the inrush current on startup, so I have a separate DC power supply
near the main transformer. I also replaced the 2 pole main PWR SW to a 3 pole one, so my backlight is fully separate from the decks electronics.
There is no hole pre-cut for this so it needs that too.
Alternatively, you could go like the RS-AZ7 (light from the door) or just an LED on top shining down in between the cassette and the beauty plate.
While at it, you might as well consider OPamp upgrade to NJM5532S and upgrade the 4066 cmos switches to MAX4066A or even better, 2x mechanical relays (V23079D2003B301)
for even less noise in the signal path. There are many mods available for these. Hope it helps. Cheers
@@Juliuswwss Many thanks for the info bud, it is very helpful, I appreciate it. Yes, I was wanting to go for a light that matches the display screen and good to know it can be done, and I'm liking the idea of using plexiglass although I will probably take it my local electronics tech as changing belts and pinch rollers is as much as I can do with these machines. How would you rate the Sony TC-K670 against the TC-K711, cool looking decks, especially the 670. There's been a few times I was tempted to buy one or the other but I have to cut back on spending these days as I have too much gear as it is.
@@thejoyoftaping8205 Happy to help! 670 and 711 basically the same machine. Same freq response, same PB opamp, Rec EQ amp and so on. Mechanism is basically the same as well. Obviously looks different + Dolby S, but for me it doesn't count as I never use any Dolby at all. Along these models, 690 is better. Slightly better headbase (runs on steel balls instead sliding on plastic as 670,711 and many more). Otherwise it's more less the same.
I have one 690 in my collection, modded of course :D. Got a Direct Drive bottom end from an old 750ES :) Cheers
@@Juliuswwss Thanks again bud for the info. I would be interested in hearing how dolby s sounds, I didn't use dolby when I got back into taping, but recently I have been using headphones to monitor between source and tape and when I tried dolby c I noticed it does something to the stereo separation, makes it sound slightly more open, which I preferred, so I use it on all my recordings now. My first experience of dolby was on my first deck, Sony T-ck 215, bought in 1995, and even though the dolby did a great job of reducing tape hiss, it also took away a lot of reverb which made the recordings very dry sounding, thankfully the Technics doesn't do that.
@@thejoyoftaping8205 You are most welcome! Can't say too much about Dolby, I don't like it. I have a deck with Dolby S (CT-93), but don't even use B on it. In a perfect world, Dolby S should sound the same as no Dolby, just less hiss. Same applies to B, C, A, SR, DBX.
What you experience and like with Dolby, its probably some defect. It is however a good thing you like it, just make sure it sounds good on other machines too.
Recording with Dolby is tricky business. You should keep your levels around the Dolby mark when recording and the playback (and recording) machine must be properly calibrated to have it properly decoded as intended.