u/LateDitto

(Picture to illustrate a loose belt)

Three years ago in 2023, I purchased belts from FixYourAudio for my wm-ex622 and wm-fx822 cassette walkmen.

The belts served me well until recently last year in 2025 when my wm-fx822 started having issues with playing on the reverse side. I opened the player up and found that the belt had some slack, which meant that it started expanding.

Now in 2026, the belt in my wm-ex622 has probably met the same fate, as playback doesn't work for both sides since the loose belt is unable to transmit the required torque.

So how long do cassette belts typically last? I guess environmental factors also play a part since I live in a tropical climate.