Hello everyone,
I have a very weird thing going on. I have the ETR AM/FM/Cassette/ Graphic Equalizer UT6. When I use my cassette deck, I get very little sound out of the left speakers. If I put the balance all the way to the left, and turn the volume up, you can hear it. At first I thought it was the speakers, so I had them checked. The tech didn't find any problem. I tried my tape again, and got the same issue. Then I realized, they work with FM. The tech was testing FM, not tape. I've tried different tapes, and nothing changes. Also, sometimes I get erratic volume on the volume ****. Any thoughts?

 

All the switches and controls need cleaning with the proper cleaner. Never WD-40.
There is a micro-switch inside that is dirty (oxidized) that is causing your problem.

 

Can you elaborate? Switch inside where? I would never use WD-40 as a cleaner. I tried regular alcohol, and a swab, like we used to back in the day, on the tape deck, but I have no way to engage the head to make contact to clean it.

 

Almost certainly a Tape mechanism problem. I've noticed that this is more common with the non-EQ radio tape mech. Something is wrong with the output circuit on the left side - don't know what the problem is or how it can be fixxed,..... just know that I've experienced this several times in the past and I remember that it happens with the non-EQ radios. ( not to say that the EQ radios can't have this problem - just I've just only found it on the non-EQ decks. ) My Fix = replacing the cassette mechanism.

A 'crackle' or "static' sound made when adjusting the ***** is also not uncommon...... it's possible that electronic circuit spray cleaner might help; you need to spray the post portion of the **** ( pull off the ***** and spray at the end of the posts) in hopes that it will seep inside the **** control and clean up the contacts inside it a little. Sometimes it helps - sometimes it doesn't.

 

When the tape mechanism is engaged, there is a microswitch that switches between audio sources ....... radio or cassette.
When it gets oxidized (dirty), you get a loss of signal in one or both channels (left or right).
That is why you can hear both channels when using the radio, but only one with the cassette.
A switch that does this exists in all cassette/stereos. You will have to go inside yours to find that switch and clean it.
No, I can't tell you exactly where it is located for your particular unit. Your scratchy volume control is also dirty.
Try searching for a youtube video about cleaning a potentiometer.