The enclosures of the R&L channel speaker were partially damaged at the rear due to water absorption, as they were made of MDF board. To replace them, I built two new enclosures using plywood. Additionally, since a 2-inch paper cone mid-range speaker was unavailable, I opted for a normal 2-inch, 10W speaker. I also upgraded the piezo tweeter to a dome tweeter. Checkout another project about speaker restoration. Check out another project about speaker restoration.
To achieve an original look, I fabricated the front side of the enclosure by using material from a plastic office file/folder after applying two coats of black matte spray paint.
Restoring the Sony MHC-2500 HiFi system has been a rewarding experience. The new enclosures now closely match the original design while offering improved durability. With upgraded components and a bit of creative fabrication, the speaker system retains its classic look while delivering enhanced performance. It’s exciting to see this vintage system come back to life with a blend of originality and thoughtful upgrades!
Find Sony MHC-2500 Service Manual here
Ripley
Hello! I am trying to restore the same system, but I’ve run into a problem with the cassette player. I replaced the belts, but for some reason now the eject buttons are stuck (the doors will not open) and when I finally got a cassette in, the machine plays for a bit and then pulls the tape out of it and auto-stops. Any tips for where I went wrong?
crishcreative
Hi, I had the same issue — the mechanism pulls the tape out and then auto-stops. After many observations, I found that the problem was related to belt routing. Initially, I routed the belt around the two pulleys, but the issue persisted. Later, when I routed it as shown in the image, it started working perfectly.
As for the cassette ejection problem, it’s likely that something is getting stuck or misaligned—particularly in the eject linkage — due to pressure or a tight fit. I think you’ll need to carefully observe where it’s getting stuck after detaching the mechanism from the housing. Check around the eject lever and its locking mechanism on the left side of the drive mechanism. That’s where I suspect the misalignment or obstruction might be happening.