Recapped Sony TC-K890ES Reference Stereo Cassette deck. Video of playback & recording test: https://youtu.be/CtGIG3frv4E Completely recapped aside from the 2 Main Elna Power Capacitors & the one under the display. Those are operating in spec. Everything else was recapped. Total of 78 capacitors, 6 op amps & 1 4066 upgraded The mechanism belts & pinch rollers were changed with factory spec parts. The tape path has been fine tuned for Height & Tilt with an M300. The azimuth for recording and playback has been fine tuned with 2 engineering cassettes from LC Engineering at 10 kHz -10 dB & 16 kHz -20 dB. The mechanism was recapped on the motor controller board (2 Fine Gold Caps), Direct Drive board (2 SMD Caps), & the head amplifier board (2 Fine Gold Caps & 1 Muse). The op amp on that board was upgraded to a Texas Instruments NE5532 The headphone amplifier was recapped (4 Muse) & the op amp upgraded to the NE5532 The entire main circuitboard was recapped (aside from the 2 main Elna caps) with Nichicon Muse & Fine Gold capacitors. All op amps on the board were upgraded to NE5532. The 4066 monitor chip was upgraded to the ANT4066B (Highly Regarded Upgrade) This deck runs as a brand new device. All levels and adjustments made in my shop were done with an Analog HP Oscilloscope 54645D using zoom for precise measurements on all tape types. Meter runs even as a result The deck makes precise recordings and has a lot more power than it did stock. The Nichicon Muse & Fine Gold capacitors enables higher level recording without distortion. I was getting +8 peaking on Type IV metal cassettte with no distortion. Obviously if you go beyond that on metal it distorts like any other high end tape deck would due to over saturation. Type II easily goes to +4 as well as Type I. The meter is snappy and responsive now. The silent passages in music really show on the display now as compared to the bunching prior. The noise floor has been lowered as a result of the recap. As with vintage equipment there is some scratches on this TC-K890ES. But considering it is over 30 years old it still looks great. There is a scratch on the top right side of the faceplate with a small dent and a few on the top cover. There is also a small scratch on the left side panel.

Recapped Sony TC-K890ES Reference Stereo Cassette deck. Video of playback & recording test: https://youtu.be/CtGIG3frv4E Completely recapped aside from the 2 Main Elna Power Capacitors & the one under the display. Those are operating in spec. Everything else was recapped. Total of 78 capacitors, 6 op amps & 1 4066 upgraded The mechanism belts & pinch rollers were changed with factory spec parts. The tape path has been fine tuned for Height & Tilt with an M300. The azimuth for recording and playback has been fine tuned with 2 engineering cassettes from LC Engineering at 10 kHz -10 dB & 16 kHz -20 dB. The mechanism was recapped on the motor controller board (2 Fine Gold Caps), Direct Drive board (2 SMD Caps), & the head amplifier board (2 Fine Gold Caps & 1 Muse). The op amp on that board was upgraded to a Texas Instruments NE5532 The headphone amplifier was recapped (4 Muse) & the op amp upgraded to the NE5532 The entire main circuitboard was recapped (aside from the 2 main Elna caps) with Nichicon Muse & Fine Gold capacitors. All op amps on the board were upgraded to NE5532. The 4066 monitor chip was upgraded to the ANT4066B (Highly Regarded Upgrade) This deck runs as a brand new device. All levels and adjustments made in my shop were done with an Analog HP Oscilloscope 54645D using zoom for precise measurements on all tape types. Meter runs even as a result The deck makes precise recordings and has a lot more power than it did stock. The Nichicon Muse & Fine Gold capacitors enables higher level recording without distortion. I was getting +8 peaking on Type IV metal cassettte with no distortion. Obviously if you go beyond that on metal it distorts like any other high end tape deck would due to over saturation. Type II easily goes to +4 as well as Type I. The meter is snappy and responsive now. The silent passages in music really show on the display now as compared to the bunching prior. The noise floor has been lowered as a result of the recap. As with vintage equipment there is some scratches on this TC-K890ES. But considering it is over 30 years old it still looks great. There is a scratch on the top right side of the faceplate with a small dent and a few on the top cover. There is also a small scratch on the left side panel.