Which Nakamichi to choose?

Ok here is my advice on what Nak to get. Get the Dragon or ZX9. another consideration is the 682zx. From what I have read it has a more solid and robust transport than it predecessor the mighty Dragon. You are probably going to have to pay a qualified tech( not just an arrogant overconfident know it all) but one who really  knows the machines. It will cost you. It doesn't make sense to pay $500 to get a lesser Nak up and running to spec when you can find one of the 40,000 Dragon non working been in the closet for 30 years  eBay auctions. But if its just for non critical playback  go for any of the later economy Naks. Maybe all that is needed is a belt.

I heard that Dragon requires more maintenance, and I bet 682ZX records better. ZX-9 is extremely rare and very expensive, great machine, but 682ZX has a classic Nakamichi sound which many prefer. 680ZX is probably the best value overall, though I heard that the bass is not as good as 682ZX's. Can't verify that. ZX-7 is fine too, getting rare as well. I took a look at ebay, prices went up significantly compared even to the last year.

@bstbomber I agree regarding the Nak. ZX-9. Truly a wonderful machine.
I bought a ZX-9 new, back in the 80s and loved everything about it. It made perfect recordings and play back of all of my favorite LPs and gave many years of flawless service.
After a couple of moves, and many years of it in storage (packed safely in it's original box) about a year ago, I dug it out, cleaned it up and serviced the belt and captstins and WOW ! It played and sounded as beautiful as ever.
As I was unable to find my collection of recorded cassettes (nearly all on TDK SAs and SA-Xs) and thinking they must have been in with some other things that had been stolen from my shop - I decided to sell it. A month after selling the Nak, I found (in a box inside of another box of misc. stuff) my collection of cassettes. Now I wish I had it back...Jim

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. 

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.

My problem is that when I use Dolby B or C while recording on a Nak, it does not sound the same on Aiwa HS-PC20 CassetteBoy in my car with Dolby. So I started recording at very high recording levels on my Nak without Dolby and now I do not have any loss of high frequencies and there’s no distortion.  Since the signal-to- noise ratio is so high I don’t hear the hiss. 

Right. With good metal tape you can push Nak, at least better Naks, to 8 or even 9 while recording. I usually do 6 or 7. With Type I and Type II tapes, which I no longer use, it is no more than 5 for me, as recommended by Nakamichi.

I bought a Cassette Deck II of eBay in January for $59.  I’m getting back into all this after 18 years w/out a system and had no real reason for a tape deck other than I’ve always wanted a Naka...

Being from 1990 this isn’t one one of the hard core fan favorites but it blows me away.  The build quality is fantastic and I love how it sounds. :)

This thread brings back treasured memories, but this recent revival and reappreasal of the compact cassette is also something curious. Is it nostalgia, or was it really that good?

In my student days I was a fanatical 'taper'. My small budget for records couldn't keep up with my large appetite for music, so taping was the way to go. At the time I used an LX-3, which was all that I could afford. But coming from a fairly modest Akai model (don't remember which) it was quite a revelation. I retaped everything I had already recorded. It was really that good!

A few years ago I ran into a 700 II, which was one of those machines that had me drooling in front of shop windows (remember those?). Would you believe $150 plus another $150 for service (cleaning, new belts, etc.)? It was a whimsical buy in a frankly nostalgic mood, but I'm actually amazed (again) at the sound quality. It really still is that good! Oh how I wish I had kept all of those tapes, even though I would probably retape them all over again.........

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.

At best it's magical musical and fantastic. U actually pat yourself on the back for a good job. I have re reorded over tapes before, same music. Better quality machine. My Dragon should be here mid next week!!!

I had a CR 7 and a TD 700 for car that gave me a lot of satisfaction; the CR7 sold it years ago because I had not used the cassettes for a long time, it was still new with all the bundle supplied.
I made a buyer happy.

I could choose a tape deck now I would buy Naka again but prices have skyrocketed, an exaggeration.

I still have my (prized) Nakamichi TD-700 mobile unit. It needs service. Can anybody here recommend where I should send it? I hope at some point to install it in a vehicle.

I still have my (prized) Nakamichi TD-700 mobile unit.

I also kept the TD 700 bought over 30 years ago and revised in 2005 to put on sale on ebay, but I did not have the strength to do it and is still with me, I'll have to decide to do it sooner or later.

There is definitely a strong element of nostalgia in playing tapes, though I myself have never stopped playing them.
I used to have LX-3 for about a year. It broke, and instead of having it fixed I decided to get 682ZX and keep it forever. It's been 18 years since.

Long live tapes!!! A funny YouTube video is one where they give some 7-8 year old kids a Sony cassette walkman to operate. They are so lost.

11-1/2 years ago I abandoned digital and returned to LPs. I have a 2002 Cartier Town Car, which--because of its year of manufacture--has an audio system that plays both CDs and cassettes. I always felt that pre-recorded cassettes were junk, too. But to my surprise, I really enjoy the prerecorded cassettes I still have around from the '80s. They have a surprising amount of "soul". I get a satisfying emotional connection to the music that's often lacking on same-era digital sources, which despite their "higher highs and lower lows" don't give me the emotional impact I get from all-analog signal chains from LPs and cassettes.

This is probably too much information, but I have kept my nine year old Lexus for the same reason. I still have hundreds of commercially recorded tapes that I find hard to part with. The fact that it has the Mark Levinson sound system is a bonus. We recently bought a new Honda CR-V for my wife and a CD player is no longer even an option. That's right, not even an option!

I now own a Nak 700 II with touch controls. I had it fully serviced. How does this compare with other Nak’s?

I have one of the 700 II's!  The official nickname is tve "TOASTER" its one if the more beautiful Naks along with the ZXL models.Nakdoc in Tenn who works on them among others told me at that point when the 700 II or a little after, playback in the machines had  fully matured. Mine plays back tapes well. 

I retire my Nak BX300 years ago but plan to revive it with new rubber at some point. I used it as a mixdown deck in my little analog studio (the final version of the "porta studio" Teac 8 track with DBX) for years as well as a main component of my hifi rig. Dolby C is amazingly effective in this 3 head deck, and the thing is built like a tank...a beautiful sounding deck.

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.....

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.

I gave a ton of cassettes away when I concluded the medium was antiquated. I'm posting to let anyone who has their deck in mothballs know that they had better drag it out and play it; those decks will quit working if not played.

There is a Dragon near me  and the asking price is $1600. Beautiful, but why?

I love cassettes for nostalgia’s sake but for the kind of money a good machine and the high cost of tapes, I have decided to allocate the cash to more vinyl. NOTHING compares to the sound of good vinyl on a good turntable. Given that it provides a superior listening experience I feel it is worththe investment. Cassettes were hugely fun back in the day. Making mixed tapes was one of my favourite things to do. I would even tape new music off of the college and alternative radio stations that was only available on expensive import vinyl. My pride and joy in my system was my Nak. But it just doesn’t make sense to dive back into another audio medium. I have a hard enough time finding room for my records and CDs. I wish I was less pragmatic and more romantic but alas, it is not to be.

I gave a ton of cassettes away when I concluded the medium was antiquated.

I did the exact same thing when I sold my Naka, also give away many sealed.

But I made a mistake by committing ingenuity, now the cassettes are sold at several dollars on new ebay or used especially if of high quality.

phil9624"It puzzles me that more vinyl folks don't seem to want to make a tape of a favorite LP"

What would be the point of such an excercise it is probable that the tape will wear out before the LP provided each is cared for in similar fashion with respect to the need of the specifix format to be stored properly for reliable archival retrieval.

Its the tapehead that will wear out. Thats what keeps me from playing background music all day with it. Use your tape player judiciously. Sadly it has an expiration date with its heads after being relapped on time. So make its time count. I wonder if ESL labs have any extra dragon heads they would want to sell. I think they will be sitting on them

@mickeyblu79 if CD-1 and DR-2 are the only choices you have then I recommend the CD-1 because CD-1 has manual PB head azimuth adjustment (ala CR-7). Personally I'm not a fan of  Nakamichi decks except for the 1000zxl. I've owned Dragon, ZX-7 and CR-7 and still own the 1000zxl but have not heard the CD-1 so not sure how it sounds. Of the lot  I previously owned ZX-7 is my favorite of the 3 I listed, followed by the Dragon and then the CR-7. The other very underrated Nak deck is the BX-300. It's nicknamed "baby" Dragon. It is that good, again in PB only. I don't have first hand experience on it's recording capabilities.

680ZX comes very close to 1000zxl sound in play back only, in recording 1000zxl is in a league of it's own. I still enjoy recording my vinyl to tape, both cassette and Reel to Reel. You'd be surprised how good a lowly compact cassette can sound if you have the right (read serviced and up to spec) deck. The downside is the cost of maintenance and tapes. 

I just dusted of my Nak 700II cleaned the heads and pinch rollers. I put a Soundgarden tape in I had recorded off tbe record in 2005 and .............. it sounded great! Rich and full. Plus it looks cool playing. Nakdoc in Tenn restored it in 2014 and did a great job. The tape was recorded on my Tandberg. I had played the tape hundreds of times in ny car and in tbe heat. Its a Sony metal select cassette. I like those. 

@blueranger Which Tandberg did you have back then? I’m listening to a recording of Harry James Still Harry... (sheffield labs Direct to Disk vinyl) on a Sony Metal ES tape, sounds fabulous.

Nevermind on the Tandberg model, it's 3014A.

My Dragon is not back yet. Its yanking the tape real hard but only does it sporadically.

@blueranger I could never warm up to Dragon's sound. It just didn't project the soundstage right.  I sold the Dragon but kept the ZX-7 for a long time until I came upon the 1000zxl. 

I have heard most of the pre Dragon Nak’s and prefer the Nak 600 MK II.

Simple "focused field" head design that can not be beat. Response to 20kHz.

The most warm and realistic Nak cassette deck IMO.

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.

This Willy Hermannized ZX-9 sounds better than the non Hermannized DR-2 I have but both sound nice.  The ZX-9, though, is in another realm.   A hard one to find but it's going to go up in price.  The DR-2 I paid 300 for I saw a parts machine for 300.