Topic: Vintage tape deck!

[jbell]

Looking to pick up a vintage tape deck and thought some folks at TS might be able to steer me in the right direction.  I have found a few marantz decks on ebay, but not sure if I should be looking at other brands.  Thanks

[notlance]

What format: DAT? RtR? cassette? Elcaset? (Now that dates me.)  How much do you want to spend?

[jbell]

I want a cassette deck and I would like to keep it under $200

What format: DAT? RtR? cassette? Elcaset? (Now that dates me.)  How much do you want to spend?

[DigiGal]

I want a cassette deck and I would like to keep it under $200

What format: DAT? RtR? cassette? Elcaset? (Now that dates me.)  How much do you want to spend?

You could probably find a good eBay deal on a Nakamichi 3 head deck something like a BX300.

[jbell]

Thanks

I want a cassette deck and I would like to keep it under $200

What format: DAT? RtR? cassette? Elcaset? (Now that dates me.)  How much do you want to spend?

You could probably find a good eBay deal on a Nakamichi 3 head deck something like a BX300.

[jethro bo deen]

If you are seeking a cassette deck to use to make recordings,  than it is my opinion that you should find a deck that has dbx noise reduction!      The   MARANTZ   PMD-430     in my opinion  was the best portable deck  and still a great overall deck.   See this link about PMD-430   http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/analog-sources/marantz-pmd430.html   

Other regular , home, cassette decks that were  equipped with  dbx,  --Technics made a good number of them from about 1980 thru 1985.         I still own  and use  several of them that I purchased back in 1982 and 1985.         Teac made one excellent deck that had dbx that I'm familiar with and remember the exact model.
TECHNICS dbx equipped  cassette decks,  the few that I recall  (there's  plenty more):

Technics   RS-M227X      dbx   /  dolbyB  / Left & Right 1/4 mic inputs/VU meters(needles)/manual select Norm-CrO2-Metal   (circa'81)
                 RS-M228X     
RS-M234X
RS-M240X     circa '81    has led meters instead of VU needles
RS-B78R
RS-B48R
RS-B50      circa '84-'85  has led meters  dolby b , dolby c  and  dbx   ,   automatic bias selection,  provision for timer


TEAC  made an excellent dbx equipped deck  Circa 1982     ,   It was   TEAC V-5RX


All of those decks listed above have two 1/4 mic inputs and are Metal tape capable  and have dbx  and dolby b,  some also have dolby c

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If you are simply looking for a useable tape deck to transfer various cassettes taped on various machines,  or even generational copies from traders, etc,     then   I'd  recommend a deck with a PITCH control (speed adjust)   so that   you can get that as it should be.
From the early to mid 1990's    JVC  produced several double decks  that had dolby B, Dolby C  , with HX Pro    in which a PITCH CONTROL (round speed adj knob) on DECK  A.           The    JVC   TD-W709    is   one such deck,  (I bought one in '94).     The W-709 can simultaneously record with both Deck A and Deck B  at the same time.     Pitch control on Deck A.     Of course no twin mic inputs.    There is a crappy single mic/mix knob for Deck B,  basically worthless feature.
Besides the TD-W709  ,  other JVC models that I recall with pitch control:
JVC-W354
JVC-W707
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All of these cassette decks,  with the lone exception of the Marantz PMD-430,  which is still sought after,   can be found on sites like ebay for $10  to  $30  tops.
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Believe it or not,   I still record with my   B50,  M227X , and M240X  technics machines.   The JVC only to transfer generational , 1st,2nd,3rd gen   concert cassettes, acquired from about '74 to about '90.         
I still use my Akai X-200D   r2r deck,  purchased back in 1971.       
I still use my old MD machines too.    I still like the old Sharp MD-MT821  even though its now 11 years old.

[jethro bo deen]

Those old Technics  dbx equipped cassette decks have a S/N ratio of greater than 90,  around 92  when recording using dbx.
Teac models too.
Though both Technics and Teac made many run of the mill, very basic, entry level low cost , lower end cassette decks,  These dbx equipped decks were top of the line offerings from them in that era and were not entry level or low end!
My opinion is the sound of recordings made on these decks using the dbx ,   is  second to none  as far as tape recordings from any cassette deck. 
True,  these were never widely popular  because dbx on decks, was generally rare, since really no ghettoblasters, boomboxes, oem indash car stereos,  aftermkt in dash car stereos, seemed to ever have dbx.      You needed dbx equipped deck or player to play back, and from a basic functional standpoint, it wasn't useful or popular with the mass public due to this.     

My opinion is the sound quality of cassette tape made with one of these decks in good shape using dbx,  cannot be beat.

Recap:   several dbx equipped decks  by make & model:
TECHNICS :
RS-M227X
RS-M228X
RS-M229X
RS-M233X
RS-M234X
RS-M235X
RS-M240X
RS-M245X
RS-M253X
RS-M255X
RS-M265X
RS-M270X
RS-M270X
RS-B50
RS-B48R
RS-B49R

TEAC   dbx  models:
V-5RX
V-550X
V-4RX
V-530X
V-850X
V-900X
V-455X
R-606X
............thats just some of them........