I'd been listening to a Sony SRF-80W (the original FM Walkman) while on the
treadmill. Several weeks ago it developed loud post-volume-control blasting
noises, so I went back to my iRiver.

Two electrolytics were the likely culprits. Yesterday I finally got around to
pulling out the 'scope, to confirm the diagnosis.

Yup. You guessed it.

The blasting was gone. So was the stereo. I adjusted the PLL lock pot (which
I'd done on several samples of this unit, including this one) -- and it
refused to lock. (This is not a critical adjustment. It can easily be done "by
ear".)

Isn't it fun to own classic, high-quality products that stop working -- and
there's no straightforward way to fix them?

Maybe when the weather warms up, it'll start working again. (Nah...)


"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right questions."
-- Edwin Land