Which Nakamichi to choose?

Right now after some serious a/b testing of my 582 vs bx300 I will have to say the new kid on the block to me (bx300) has slightly edged out the 582.
At least on playback of pre recorded tapes.

However both are very impressive with great frequency response from top to bottom.

Just bought a bx300 serviced and new idler so hopefully should be good to go for a number of years.
This will go into my second system (possibly) after I have compared it to the 582 in my main system and decide which I prefer in the main rig.

Probably paid too much bit whatever.

Eying up a bx300 right now to go along with my 582.
My bx100 and lx3 being 2 head I may just buy another 3 head
Just because I can.....

I would say that people are starting to play them again , have heard  a lot of late of people pulling them out of retirement and being surprised at the sq, and now realizing that even with its faults it was quite a good analog medium on the right player.

Maybe we will see a resurgence similar to vinyl....lol.

Strange world.
Took a trip to my LRS this morning, bought a bunch more tapes, I mean $2 each why not!

Anyways at back of shop they sell odd electronics usually bestbuy fodder but I looked anyway.

Not one but two Nak decks, lx3 and bx100 both in great shape.
Yes just 2 head machines but I walked out with the pair for $200 . did I need them, course not , could I use them, of course.

I have the lx3 set up in my second system right now playing Eurythmics.

Dragons and 682 can still be had in very good working order, fully serviced for not too stupid money right now.
The 1000zxl and 700zxl not so much! Pretty crazy prices on those pair.
The zx9 is also up there on high prices.

The 682 is probably the best buy out there right now imho.

Plenty of the "lesser" 3 head machines around at very fair money, I acquired my 582 very reasonably for example and for what I want ( to just play back pre recorded tapes) it does its job admirably. 

@orpheus10 
Right on, I truly never "compare" the cassette sq as such but it is obvious to my ears when it is especially good or bad compared to itself!

I have some superb tapes, and some really bad ones...lol.

I suppose one of my earlier comments stating it was as good as vinyl was not quite accurate as I truly do not compare the two, what I really meant was that when I played a really good tape, well it just sounded really good.

Having everything in alignment on a cassette deck can be compared to having everything set up correctly on a turntable, if something is off the sq will be off.

I think with the resurgence of vinyl and the old time vinyl addicts , setting up of a turntable is better understood and practiced than the same procedure for a tape deck.

Usually the correct set up of a tape deck is best left to those dying breed of specialists, mine was set up maybe 4 years ago and I have not had reason to question it having drifted or warranting another set up yet.

Because cassettes are relatively light when I moved from Blighty to the USA I shipped all my tapes here but gave away the vinyl and cds.
And our LRS sells loads of cassettes as well as vinyl.
I might even have more tapes than cds right now.
In fact I was playing a Bulgarian issue tape today on the Nak.

Jeez,so much angst!
I nearly passed on this after reading "gilding a turd" how ignorant!

Nakamichi 582 in my main rig .

With the right recordings they do sound as good as my vinyl.
Of course bad recordings suck.
But that is true of vinyl, CD etc too.

Sure the medium has its faults, the bigger decks do require more maintenance than say a CD player but it is far from a dead medium imho.

I dug out a demo tape from my band from 1989 and ran it on the nak, sounded pretty darn good to me! So that’s what near 30 year old tape?