Roland RE-201 Space Echo Repair & Service

Overview

Issues at the beginning were:

• pots didn’t work properly
• inputs were scratchy
• Echo was not heard

Service that I did:

• changed power board power caps
• Power board cleanup

Power caps

In addition to unscrewing the power board, I also had to unscrew the transformer and cut one of the plastic ties to be able to install the new caps.

• C110, C108: 2x 1000uf 25V
• C112, C113: 2x 1000uf 16V
• C111: 220uF 16V
• C109, C106: 10uF 25V
• C107: 1uF 50V
• C105: 1uF 50V
• C201: 100uF 50V (from the Brushless motor circuit)

Old caps

New caps installed

Small old caps were measured, they seemed good:

• 10uF: 11uF
• 10uF: 11uF
• 1uF 1.5uF

• 1uF: 1.3uF

• Power cap change didn’t seem to change anything.

• Issue with the missing echo was that echo tape was put wrong way around.

Measurements

Power board

Transformer measurements:

• between pins 61-62 yellow: 15.5V AC
• between pins 55-56 grey: 11.4V AC
• between pins 58-59 red: 25V AC

Power:

• Pin 39: 9.3V
• Pin 40: 16.1V

Solenoid:

• Between pins 44-45, 3.7V, 0.9VAC
• Between pins 44-46, 13.5V

Brushless motor:

• Over C113 (between pins 45-49): 17V

Bias oscillator (for eraser & recording heads):

• Power pin 54 (ja echo pin XX)
• Measured 65Vrms, “Reference data: bias voltage 50..60Vrms”.
• Frequency: 60kHz

Echo board

Power:

• Pin 16: 16.2v, should be 17V according to service manual?

• at R48 the Vrms should measure 2.45V. Was measured first at 2.47V

Heads

• TODO: Videos coming later

Misc Schema notes

In schematic there are these abbrevations:

• eh: eraser head
• phX: playhead X
• rh: record head

Useful links

Roland RE 101 Space Echo restoration and refurbish- disassembly, cap replacement, tape making etc.