I stopped using cassettes 20 years ago... just after I got a new Nak RX-505. I used it once, showing it off to friends — they all dutifully said "Wow!" when it did its back-flip, then we made a tape from a CD, and a perfect-condition LP of the same music. They all agreed the tape was indistinguishable from the originals – that the LP sounded better than the CD – and that the slight surface noise on the LP was uncannily realistic.
I was almost tempted to start using Tape again, but I haven’t missed it.
The result? I have a shiny new RX-505, with only one hour on it, that I have never used since. Time (and the air in Los Angeles) did its work on the rubber belts, and they need replacing; the old lube hardened, it needs to be cleaned off and renewed. That’s all, at least that I’m aware of.
It’s a shame to have it and not use it. I was thinking of putting in on ebay, as-is, but I need to test it first. Can’t test the transport without belts of course, but at least I can check all the lights, and make sure the motors spin.
Is it safe to switch the Power on after 20 years, without risking caps and chips? Is using a Variac sufficient protection? Any other advice?