Topic: Help With Buying Home DAT Player

[flphish]

I am in the process of buying a DAT player to use in my home. I have been recording with a Sony M-1 for many years now and would like to get something to listen to my old DAT's with. I was hoping to get some opinions on the various decks out there. I have someone local who has a Sony DTC-75ES they are looking to sell at a decent price. He seems to be a reputable dealer and says he knows the guy who had the DAT. He had a bunch of money, bought a lot of stuff and never really used it. It is still in the box he bought it in apparently. My other option is getting a TASCAM DA20 or Fostex D-5 from ebay. I am not looking to spend more than $75 and that does not seem to be an issue. If anyone can offer any opinions, especially about the Sony DTC-75ES (local pick up makes it much more appealing) I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Gordon]

what's wrong with the M1?  why not use it?

I have no experience with the sony you mention but I've had a tascam da20 for 10 years and it's been a tank!  still use it to transfer.

[flphish]

The M-1 works fine, I just would like to get a home unit to play/transfer my older DAT's so I don't put any more usage on the m-1 then I need to. That is the device I use primarilly for recording.

[JasonSobel]

I would get in touch with Paul at Pro Digital:
http://www.prodigitalinc.com/

He sells refurbished decks at reasonable prices.  adn if you buy from him, then you'll know that the heads are cleaned, aligned, and in good shape.  at the end of last summer, I bought a Tascam DA-20mkII from Paul, and it's been great.

[BC]

Fostex D5 is a tank.

[flphish]

Any opinion on the Sony DTC-75ES? Person is telling me its in the original box, barley used, pretty much like new. Seems like a good deal, less than $100.

[sparkey]

Have you posted to yard sale or dat-heads?  There's gotta be some nice decks collecting dust.

[flphish]

I have not. I have someone local who says they have a Sony DTS -75ES like new in original box. Wants less than $100 for it. Looking for opinions on that particular deck. I like the fact that I can go in personb with a couple of my tapes and test it...

[Colin Liston]

Look on ebay.  There are some really cheap DATs on there ocassionally.

[dave w]

For that price, I'd say a 75ES is just fine.  Not a workhorse like a more expensive sony like the R500, but workable, especially if you can confirm low hours.  Do note I've never owned a 75es, but have had other sony decks, and know people that have had various sony es decks.
    The one big downside in days of old was that it had SCMS (I'm pretty sure it had scms), which is not an issue at all for a deck you plan to use for transfers.  It was only a problem when making DAT clones.  The other issue I would check is the operation of the door.  The sony es decks that I'm familiar with had problems with the door function before problems with the heads.  I'd open and close it several time, both with a tape in it and empty, and make sure it opened and closed smoothly, with no strange sounds.  Since it is not a flat tray like the tascam, panasonic and other decks I think it is more susceptible to problems.   
    Also, I can't remember what digital outs the 75 has.  I think it has both optical and coax, but as I recall some of the sony consumer decks had just optical, some coax, and some both, so make sure whatever it has is compatible with whatever you are using for transfers.
--Dave

[flphish]

Thanks for the info Dave. I have read about the issues with the door on the 75ES which is why I am glad it is local and I can look first. I am picking it up for $85, I figure that is a damn good price especially if its still in the box and hardly used...

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Sorry, I posted in your other thread...

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,117709.msg1573675.html#new

Thanks,

Terry