In terms of WOW factor, it is hard to beat the Nakamichi deck that does auto reverse by actually flipping the tape over instead of simply playing in the opposite direction. The flip happens with incredible speed so it is a lot of fun to see the deck in operation. It is also a pretty good sounding deck. The Dragon and ZX-9 are pricey machines that, when fully reconditioned sound very good. I like the looks of all of the top end Nakamichi machines.
A lot of cassette fans think that the Tanberg 3014 is the best sounding machine offered on the consumer market. It has been dubbed the Dragon-slayer, by those who think it is better than the top Nakamichi machines. It does not, in my opinion, look as nice as the Nakamichi machines, but, it certain is a great sounding deck.