JVC CX-F3K Service Manual

The CX-F3K was an AM/FM stereo radio cassette player manufactured in 1987 by the JVC Corporation in Hong Kong. It had some useful functions such as Dolby, graphic equalizer, and auto-reverse. The audio power output was 15 mW per channel into 32 Ω impedance. It operated on two AA size dry cell batteries. The dimensions were 83 mm × 122 mm × 35 mm, and mass 295 g without batteries.

Review

This was a wonderful bit of electronic engineering from the JVC Corporation, which used a huge number of integrated circuits (ICs) in the design. The FM front end used the TA7358F, whilst the IF amplifier was TA8108AF, and FM multiplex TA7373. In the cassette player circuitry, the preamplifier and channel switching is performed by TA8105F. For the Dolby noise filter they use the NJM2063A, whilst the graphic equalizer design consists of a pair of LA3610M ICs. The stereo audio power amplifier to drive the headphones is TA8105F, and the motor speed control is achieved with the LA5524M IC powering a DC motor. With a good pair of headphones, the sound quality is excellent.

Price/eBay

The JVC-F3K is a fairly rare unit because I have not seen it very often for sale on eBay. A unit in mint condition together with its original box, headphones, and accessories would be worth in the hundred pound range on a good day. A broken unit on its own that is scratched and damaged would be worth much less of course.

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