Sony TC 854-4

[sonygirl]

Hello was just browsing for info on my reel to reel and came apon this site and browsed a bit then joined. I have a sony TC 854-4 that I recently picked up at a local music shop that sells all old stuff, The guy who sold it to me is good friends with Dick Wagner from the old band the frost from saginaw(thats where I am at now) Dick also wrote with Kiss and Alice Cooper and just recently left saginaw to go write with Cooper again he sold all of his studio equipment to Bill the guy whom I got the sony from. It is in great cosmetic shape and plays great, but I do not know how to hook it up to record from the radio or tape player. can anyone tell me how to do this? And I need a sevice manual and owners book for this model where can I find one of them? Thanks Kim

 

[JonUrban]

Welcome!

Well, a reel to reel is basically a tape recorder just as a cassette player is. Yours, however, being quad, has two extra channels.

To use it for stereo, you would just connect it as you would a cassette player, or if you do not intend to record anything one it (use it for playback only), you would connect it as you would a CD player. Generally, for stereo, you would use the FRONTS, or Tracks 1 & 3.

Reel to Reels should be connected to any receiver input except the PHONO. Just use RCA cables. If your receiver has no spare Tape-1 or Tape-2 input, you could always use a video , aux video or TV input (the audio portion only - do not connect to the YELLOW inputs!! ), then set your receiver to Video-2 or TV or whatever. Of course, you would only be switching the audio, but it gets the job done.

If you give us more info, we might be able to help a bit more.

PS - That's a nice reel to reel you got there!

 

[mtgc]

Hello,

Go to this address for the service manual:

http://www.treasurechestcorp.com/(krpwsb55nqjg3firfltzke55)/results.aspx?type=SM&brand=160&model=TC%20854-4

If you cannot click on the above link, just copy it and paste it into a vacant browser window. The main window for the above site is:

http://www.treasurechestcorp.com/(krpwsb55nqjg3firfltzke55)/default.aspx

Again, if you can't click on this link, just copy it and paste it into a vacant browser window.

Hope this helps.

MTGC (Michael)

 

[sonygirl]

OK thanks guys also I have a channel out, because three of the vu meters move and one does not on the left side. The center solenoid was a little sticky but I got that to work It rewinds fine and plays fine but if I want to fast forward the solenoid doesn't work. It works in every other position. So what could cause the meter to stop working? And the fast forward doesnt work? any help would be great.

 

[jberger]

I just picked up one of these at a garage sale for $50, but I need to find a replacement reel table for it. All three of the metal tabs that nest into the reel are sheared off, so it doesn't have any direct control over the takup reel, and the reel spins loosely. I suppose I could swap this to the left-side reel, and just use play and FF, but it'd be nice to get it right.

I'm assuming that this part is similar across multiple Sony reel decks, but from the photos I searched, most of them are black while this one is aluminum. Does anyone here have a service manual and could look up the part number of the reel table, so I can continue my search for the part?

The rest of the deck is pretty nice; lots of torque, good brakes, very dirty heads and pinch rollers that cleaned up well, and a cabinet that has seen better days.

 

[jberger]

Followup on my own post: Sony's part number for the reel table is 3-140-951' the folder is 3-140-597, the spring is 3-140-599, and the shaft reel holder is 3-140-952. It looks like the reel tables from the following decks may fit:
TC-854-4
TC-850
TC-758
TC-651
TC-756
TC-765
TC-640

I thought I found a lead on one, but it fell through.

 

[Quad4Me]

Hi I have a Sony TC 854-4 on the way, and badly need an Owners and Service Manual. Could anyone point me in the right direction? Cheers

 

[Quad4Me]

UPDATE

Found a Service Manual (thanks Biro), still after an Owners Manual if possible, would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

UPDATE

Found a Service Manual (thanks Biro), still after an Owners Manual if possible, would be greatly appreciated.

If you have a manual scanned (or would like to) in any form, please send it to us at: oldquadguy @ yahoo.com <--no spaces, for the www.quadraphonic.info site. Thanks.

 

[Quad4Me]

If you have a manual scanned (or would like to) in any form, please send it to us at: oldquadguy @ yahoo.com <--no spaces, for the www.quadraphonic.info site. Thanks.

Email sent....still after an Owners Manual if anyone could help.... Cheers

 

[jean140265]

hello i recently bought a sony tc 854 4...unfortunately, i cannot get a lot of information on this quadraphonic machine...can some of you owners or connaisseurs of this machine give info as how good this machine is, maintenance..etc..would appreciate learning from you guys..regards..jean

 

[surroundophile]

I've had one since the early 70's when I bought it new. I had it serviced once in the 80's (problem was with one of the belts dry-rotting). Only other problem has been noisy pots. It is a great semi-pro machine, although I only used it to play back pre-recorded quad tapes.

 

[cupboy]

Do the pre-recorded tapes sound a bit dull in the high frequencies? I used to have a Sony (different model) and it would boost highs during recording, and decrease the highs during playback. Worked fine with tapes recorded on the machine (only). Got rid of it.