Realistic TR-169 Stereo 8 Track Tape Deck Player
NEAR MINT Condition/Fully Functional
Includes 45 Day Warranty
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Realistic TR-169 8 Track Stereo Tape Deck, for sale on eBay, August 9, 2021
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A Quick Word About Me…
I’ve serviced and sold nearly 1000
8 track tape decks here on eBay since 2007.
I receive the highest seller rating eBay offers and I encourage you to read my feedback history and see what past customers have said about me and the tape decks I sell.
I service every deck I sell and back each one up with my own 45-day money back warranty!
Please
don’t throw away your money on a Square Trade Warranty for a
used/refurbished tape deck recommended by other sellers .  If you read
the fine print the warranty does not cover any problem in the first 45
days as it is considered an “existing condition” and “not covered.”
Why don’t they offer a real warranty?  Could it be they don’t have confidence in their work?
Without the benefit of “bricks
and mortar” to see and touch the deck you’re interested in,
I include a high
definition, stereo video demo of each and every deck I list
.
The video demo and the 12 pictures eBay
allows me to include in my listing, provide you with a clear visual and aural
buying experience.
If you think
that’s important I encourage you to read on.
Tech Service and Repair
Little known fact…Realistic was just a “ghost” brand used by Radio Shack.
Well respected Japanese companies like Toshiba and Shure actually made a lot of their gear and just slapped on the Realistic nameplate.
The motor in this unit was made by Panasonic
and is the same motor Panasonic put into many of its 8 track tape decks and portable players.
If you didn’t read it above, let me repeat myself.  “This is thee best deal on eBay in vintage electronics!”
The proof is in the video demo.
This little deck carries itself very well thank you when compared to the most expensive decks ever made.  It doesn’t look like a Pioneer H-R100 or an Akai GXR-82D.  But if you were wearing a blindfold and heard this deck playing, the last model you’d expect it to be is a bare bones Realistic player only model.  Guaranteed!
When I acquired this unit it had two common issues;
you could hear two songs at once (crosstalk) across the programs and the program change mechanism wasn’t working properly.  I’m happy to tell you today that this tape deck is 100% functional.
In addition to those fixes e
ach mechanical and electronic function was tested to
ensure it worked the way it was designed to.
Any worn out parts not meeting specs were replaced with better than original quality parts.
Any broken and/or
worn out mechanical parts were replaced with parts from my parts stock.
Solder joints were inspected and redone
wherever necessary.
Moving parts were disassembled and cleaned of decades worth of dirt, debris and partially solidified lube.  These parts were then relubed with professional
products.
I use
Deoxit to improve performance and reliability.  The insides are clean as a whistle and ready to provide you years of trouble free play.
One of the reasons for the excellent fidelity during playback is the condition of the play head.
You can see it in picture #10.  It’s in excellent condition and clean as a whistle.  Any spots you see on the front of the head are actually reflections of the metal floor underneath the head.  A head so clean and like new that it doubles as a mirror!  Note/Buying Tip:  Please don’t even consider another tape deck before the seller shows you what kind of condition the head is in.
I replaced the original drive belt with correctly sized new stock, so playback speed is right on!
Each
potentiometer and switch was cleaned of dust and dirt to ensure proper
functioning.
Azimuth and head
height settings are now recalibrated to factory standards to prevent crosstalk
(hearing two songs or channels at one time) on properly maintained tapes.
The tape path is freshly demagnetized
for optimal sound quality.
This deck has been extensively
play tested to ensure any inherent problem has been eliminated and to verify
that the deck is now functioning at 100% whenever a properly maintained or
reconditioned tape is played
.
A tape deck is a stereo “component.”  You’ll need a receiver or an amplifier to process the signal from the deck and a pair of speakers to hear the music.  This is
not
an all in one unit.
So What is a Properly Maintained or Reconditioned tape?
To
enjoy your 8 track listening
experience to the fullest extent, please make sure your tapes are properly
reconditioned
before
you play them in
this deck!
If you don’t properly
recondition your tapes as described below your enjoyment will be less than it
should be.
8 track tapes are
very old!
They stopped making them between
1985 and 1990, so even the youngest ones are 30 years old!
There are two parts
you should replace before you play any tape.
The first is the “pressure pad” that holds the tape properly
against the head as it passes by.
The second
is the silver foil strip that holds the two ends of the tape together.
There are two types
of pressure pads.
The best ones have two
thin metal arms with felt pads on each flat end.
The second type  is a rectangular foam
strip topped with tape.  I’ve found the first type holds up better
although sometimes one or both of the felt pads will fall off and need
replacing.
The foam pad has probably
turned into dust by now.  Go ahead and press downward on one and you’ll
see what I mean.  You’ll likely hear crosstalk (two programs at once) if
you play a tape with a foam pad in this condition.
You can replace
either type of pressure pad yourself or you can pay someone to do it.
Search the Internet and you’ll find lots of
folks selling the parts/service you need.
A tape deck has a
sensor built into the tape path.
When
the silver foil strip on your tape passes it, the program change mechanism
switches to the next program.
The glue
on the underside of the foil strip is the only thing holding the two ends of
your 8-track tape together.
Once the old glue
dries up the foil strip will separate leaving you with two ends of tape.
If that happens inside your deck your tape is
likely to be ruined.  You’ll find the silver tape you need to make new foil
splices where you find new pressure pads.
Unplayed tapes
still in their original cellophane wrappers suffer the same fate! 
Remember, they’re not really “new,” they’re 30-50 year old
“unused old stock”. The pressure pad
is in some degree of rot and the glue on the foil
splice is ready to give way!
Cosmetic Condition
As you look through the pictures you’ll notice this tape deck appears to be almost completely free of blemishes.  It is!  It looks even better in person.  I urge you to review the pictures and draw your own conclusions.
Realistic TR-169 features
–
Stereo 8 track playback capability
– Stereo In and Out
jacks for connecting to receiver/amplifier
– Playback volume output control on back panel
– Quality made in Japan and Taiwan
Professionally serviced, August 2021
– Mechanical tape
path components (play head, capstan, program change sensor) cleaned and
demagnetized for optimal sound reproduction
– Chassis, wiring, circuit boards cleaned and reconditioned
– Program change mechanism cleaned of old lube and freshly relubed
– All switches and
potentiometers cleaned and conditioned with Deoxit, a professional grade
cleaner/conditioner for optimal functionality
– Play head height
and azimuth settings recalibrated to prevent crosstalk on properly maintained
tapes
– Flywheel and motor spindle cleaned
– Motor freshly lubed for years of trouble free play
Shipping
I take a lot of
pride in the way I package these vintage tape decks.  I pack ’em exactly
the same way I’d want to receive them…in a brand new, heavy duty shipping box
with plenty of packing materials.
In
the US I always ship via FedEx Ground
. FedEx will
not ship to P.O. Boxes so please make sure a real shipping address is available
at check out.
Use
the eBay shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost.
Your cost is based on the distance between my zip code, 53719, and yours! 
If you live in Canada or elsewhere, I ship via US Postal Service International
Priority Mail.
Since
I receive the highest seller rating offered by eBay, I get a discount on
shipping of nearly 20%.  This discount is automatically passed on to you
at check out.
I do NOT charge
handling fees or packaging fees or any other kind of fees.  Period!
I offer a
45-day
refund on tape decks that don’t arrive to you in the condition I’ve described
them in.  Please read my return policy for more information.
I monitor my
auctions closely.  That’s good news for you.  It means I answer
questions quickly, so don’t hesitate to ask if something’s on your mind.
Please note: 
Any 8 track tapes, LP’s, or other stereo components featured in my pictures or
videos are not included in this listing, only the item described.
If you don’t see
the brand or model you’re looking for in my current offerings, please send me
an email.  Chances are I have it in stock and can offer it to you.
If you’re wondering
if I service tape decks that I do not sell, the answer is yes!  If you
have a tape deck that needs servicing, please contact me through eBay for details.