I'd been listening to a Sony SRF-80W (the original FM Walkman) while on the treadmill. Several weeks ago it developed loud post-volume-control blasting noises, so I went back to my iRiver.
Two electrolytics were the likely culprits. Yesterday I finally got around to pulling out the 'scope, to confirm the diagnosis.
Yup. You guessed it.
The blasting was gone. So was the stereo. I adjusted the PLL lock pot (which I'd done on several samples of this unit, including this one) -- and it refused to lock. (This is not a critical adjustment. It can easily be done "by ear".)
Isn't it fun to own classic, high-quality products that stop working -- and there's no straightforward way to fix them?
Maybe when the weather warms up, it'll start working again. (Nah...)
"We already know the answers -- we just haven't asked the right questions."
-- Edwin Land