Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is better than I expected for the price. When I first tried to play a tape it was a little slow and I could hear a squeaking noise. I decided to open this player up to see what the quality was like and if the gears could be greased/oiled. Three screws on the side hold the back on. I removed the screws and I then used a feeler gauge to separate the back from the player. On the inside I found a piece of insulating tape was leaning against the motor belt. I cut this tape and reapplied it to the circuit board. I also judiciously oiled the tape mechanism wheels and applied lithium grease to the stop/play,FF/RW gear contact points. I noted the motor was larger than I expected and the drive belt was thicker than I would have guessed. The player is designed to last for many hours of use. Update: I purchased a second one of these players and found after opening it up that the insulation tape on the circuit board has been replaced with shrink tubing on some units. This is obviously preferable. I have attached pictures of the two units; one with the the insulation tape loose and up against the motor/belt, and a picture of the second player with the shrink wrap on the same wiring harness. After this maintenance the tape player functions worked smoothly and quietly and the tape played well at the proper speed. I also found that the tiny hole in the back of the player is for a jewelers flat head screwdriver to adjust the tape speed if needed. For the price I knew I would void the warranty by opening it. I have been working on cassette decks for 40 years and figured it was worth a shot. I am glad I did as this is actually a decent player. Negatives: There is a very minor buzzing sound in the headphones when the tape is playing. It is only noticeable when the volume is all the way down. I did not test the USB audio function as I bought this to be used as a Walkman. The buzzing sound was there when I powered the player by the USB port or with batteries