Found this old tape recorder, is it any good?

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

So I’ve been searching for a cassette tape recorder / player for sometime and found this at an Eco Thrift, similar to Goodwill, for $7. It’s an old Sony M2000 transcriber from 1989. It powers up and I’ve tested the EAR (headphone jack) but I can’t record anything because I don’t have tapes yet. I was under the assumption that the 1/8 mic input would let me plug an instrument in and record to tape, but upon further inspection I am not so sure. It is labeled “mic plug in power”

Anybody know if this will work with an instrument cable to record to a cassette or did I just waste $7?

@tnussb You know a great deal about electrical engineering if I remember correctly, any thoughts on this? Is this safe? Thanks .

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#2

The jack skt may well be stereo and have +ve DC on either the tip or the ring with the other connection (ring or tip) carrying the audio. OR…it’s plain mono and has +ve on the tip and will need isolating with a capacitor.

I’d get a stereo jack and plug it in and measure with a voltmeter.

As it’s a MIC connection the gain will be high and not very suitable for a line level (1V) instrument.

It may well have a crude AGC/compression circuit to stop the mic volume from being too great, with a line level this will kick in very early and compress the crap out of everything.

You will have to turn down any instrument a lot!

I’d try and find some more info…

Are there no other I/P sockets?

Str.

did a search for the M2000, checked the mic spec, yep its a stereo jack…

and…its and ‘Amplified’ mic with 300mV so you’ll be fine to plug a line level in there, just TURN IT DOWN!!

You’ll be fine bud…

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#3

The jack is for condenser mics (Models: ECM-F01, ECM-K7).

Actually I’m in a hurry, but you can find the manual here:

https://nothickmanuals.info/de/manual/77135/Sony-M2000.html

(english manual)

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#4

You can use an attenuator to bring down the level also, quite simple to make a 4.7k - 100k pot (anywhere in that range will be ok) jack tip on input to 1 of the outer legs of pot, centre of pot to output jack tip, other outer leg of pot to ground, sleeves of both input and output jack to ground.

Then connect it all up and set pot so that you are not over driving the mic input.

For “plug in power” type inputs like this you will be better off using TRS jacks and leave the ring unconnected, generally when connecting non plug-in power mics or line.

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#5

Nice. Lots of good info. Reminds me that I should make a passive attenuator for these sorts of jobs. Maybe incorporate some 1/8" - 1/4" format juggling as well. Something to do with all the various jacks and pots leftover from my eurorack DIY days.

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#6

Thanks for the info. I’ll just make sure anything that’s plugged in gets turned way down. What happens if I don’t turn the volume down on the source audio? Does it just distort and compress the audio? I don’t want to damage anything.

#7

You can’t damage anything with audio input levels.

Str.

1 Like
#8

There are headphone extension cables with built in volume controls that might be helpful here. They’re stereo and usually super cheap.

#9

I’ll fully test the unit when the tapes arrive and let you guys now how it is. Just plan on using it for experimental, cassette type stuff. I’ll keep you posted.

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#10

Can’t go wrong with that one, it has speed control woooohooooow! Please insert endless loop tape :smiley:

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