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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: Əkoostikal on December 17, 2008, 04:06:51 PM
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I am planning on transferring some old tapes I have laying around and was looking for some good recommendations on a good cassette deck. I seem to see a lot of folks using the Nak decks but I do not see many of them available anywhere. I am not looking for a top of the line unit since these tapes will just be used for my personal collection. I just want to get them on the PC. I was looking to spend about $100. If anyone has any ideas of what the best deck in that price range would be please feel free to suggest. I am open to all the help I can get. I don't really know anything about cassette decks. I found a Denon DN790R on ebay for $50.00 right now. http://cgi.ebay.com/Denon-DN-790R-Professional-3-head-Cassette-Deck_W0QQitemZ230313662831QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCassette_Decks?hash=item230313662831&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Can anyone tell me if that would even be worth it or just a waist. ANY help would be much appreciated.
Thanks! - Kiel
EDIT: sorry, I just realized this probably should have went in the "playbacK section" feel free to move if needed.
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The most important consideration for a cassette deck used for archiving master cassettes (Don't know if that is what you are doing) is the ability to control the head alignment, or azimuth. The Nakamichi CR-7 and Dragon are the best cassette decks one can use for this purpose, unless you have access to the original deck the tapes were recorded on. Azimuth adjustment allows you to perfectly match the playback tape head with the recorded portion on the tape. Slightly off, and it will not be as clear as it could be.
I know there were other machines made that had azimuth adjustments, although some required using a small screw driver to turn the head adjustment screw, and you need an alignment tape to return the playback head to it's correct alignment with the recording head, in the case of 3 head machines. I think that Harmon Kardon made one with this adjustment also, back in the late '80s.
Good Luck! I have about 2500 cassettes, more than half being masters, and I abandoned the notion of trying this because I cannot even get momentum behind the project of transfering my 1000+ DATs.
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Thanks for the information...... would the NAK ZX-7 be similar to the CR-7 that you mentioned. There is one of those on ebay right now for cheap that the record head is broken but playback is fine. I would only need playback. It mentions being able to be adjusted for each individual tape which I would assume is the azimuth adjustment that you mentioned.
This is the deck I was looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190274452634&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
I noticed there is a NAK Dragon on ebay but it is like $500 and transferring these tapes are not THAT impottant..... LOL
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How about the pristine Nakamichi Cassette Deck One I have sitting in my parents closet?? $150 shipped :-)
Josh
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How about the pristine Nakamichi Cassette Deck One I have sitting in my parents closet?? $150 shipped :-)
Josh
what model is it?
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Cassette Deck One...super low hours, I bought it right before I got my first DA-20 (which, coincidentally, was stolen a few weeks ago. Fuckers.) so I really never used it that much. It has azimuth control.
How about the pristine Nakamichi Cassette Deck One I have sitting in my parents closet?? $150 shipped :-)
Josh
what model is it?
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I believe it had this problem, which was fixed, after which I never used it again:
http://www.fixya.com/support/t286028-nakamichi_cassette_deck_1_not_playing
Here are the specs:
http://www.naks.com/cgi-bin/modelspage.pl?series=cassette+deck
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I personally think one of the latest and best decks that they produced was the DR-1 (Pitch and azimuth adjustable).
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I personally think one of the latest and best decks that they produced was the DR-1 (Pitch and azimuth adjustable).
Yea, I seem to see a lot of those in lineage's for master transfers and I noticed 1 of them on ebay right now also for $80.00 right now..... I may look into that further.
and thanks to Sparkey for the Nak site. That place rules! All the comparison information was very helpful.
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I personally think one of the latest and best decks that they produced was the DR-1 (Pitch and azimuth adjustable).
This is what I have and I really like the manual azimuth control. Anything with "automatic" doesn't do the job for my ears.
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I have a nak bx-300 It has pitch adjustment along with azimuth adjustment with a screwdriver. GREAT deck!!
Here are some features.
Discrete Head Cassette Deck
Head(s): '3'
Head type(s): 'P2H-3L, R-3L, E-4F'
Noise reduction: 'B, C'
Tape monitor
Meters: 'Led9 segments'
Tape: 'EX, SX, ZX'
Counter: 'Digital'
Motors: '3'
Direct drive
Double capstan
Pressure pad lifter
Output level adjust
Bias fine tune
Pitch control
Headphones
Master fader
Filter(s): 'Mpx'
Record mute
Remote control: 'RM-200'
Color: 'Black'
Usage: 'Home'
Dolby IC: 'tea0652'
Thanks,
Mako
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How about the pristine Nakamichi Cassette Deck One I have sitting in my parents closet?? $150 shipped :-)
Josh
@ thread starter
You should definately consider this. The CD-1 has easily accessible azimuth adjustment on the front of the deck and is overall a great sounding deck. I have one of these along with Dragon, CR-7, ZX-9 etc. BTW it is virtually identical to the DR-1 technical-wise, just different looks.
The azimuth adjustment on other decks can be done with the screwdriver method - but trust me, it is a pain, especially if you have tapes made on several different decks, so you have to re-adjust from tape to tape. Then just pick up a decent soundcard (f.e. used M-Audio Audiophile for $50 in the yard sale) and your tapes will sound better than you've ever heard them.
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Thanks for the information...... would the NAK ZX-7 be similar to the CR-7 that you mentioned. There is one of those on ebay right now for cheap that the record head is broken but playback is fine. I would only need playback. It mentions being able to be adjusted for each individual tape which I would assume is the azimuth adjustment that you mentioned.
This is the deck I was looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190274452634&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
Don't buy this.
1. It's got azimuth adjustment on the front, but for the RECORD head only! The playback head can be adjusted also, but only with a screwdriver after removing the cassette door.
2. From description this will need a lot of work to get it up to specs and Naks are VERY pricey to have serviced.
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Adjusting azimuth on ANY deck is easy...pop the door cover off - look at the head. There are probably two screws and access holes on the front of the door. Seems I usually pick the screw on the right - (following tape motion) - turn the screw, the difference will be OBVIOUS. Use the treble as your guide...you can easily hear the highs come into focus when you get right on. Yeah - you can get a little nutty/compulsive about this method. But its not hard and does the job.
Luxman made some kick-ass decks back in the day...if your looking used.
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I manually adjusted azimuth frequently when I'd dub a cassette made by someone else, simply by taking off the cassette bay door and using a small screwdriver. It could make a *HUGE* difference in playback, most especially if the cassette was encoded w/ Dolby. I had (still have) a Nak300 and an Onkyo deck.
/Ken