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.
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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. |
@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. |
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 |
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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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. |
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! |
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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. |
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 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. |
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 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. :) |
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. |
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. |
@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 |
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. |
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. |
@orpheus10 What are the odds I looked at the pic of your deck, nice looking deck btw, and there is one listed! Looks like a good buy for $550 if I was in the market I might snap it up. https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis93faf-sony-tc-ka3es-tape-decks |
This will provide a good test of the system sensitivity and your hearing. Get two Walker 1/2" resonance control discs, $50 each. Place one very near Nottingham motor without it touching the motor holder, place another one on top of the deck where the transport is located. You should hear a slight improvement in clarity. If you don't - there will be a work to do. Nottingham Spacedeck is a very emotional, dynamic and quite quiet turntable, some people prefer it to much more expensive tables. Also, when recording from it, I can clearly hear differences in pressings when listening to the Nak. I can also compare cables and phono stage power cords this way. |
Once aligned and tuned my deck keeps it for quite some time. I also treat playback head with LAST tape head preservative before playing every cassette, it lasts for two sides. This is not a substitute for cleaning, of course, only a complement. When properly maintained Nakamichi head should be good for at least 10000 hours, I am not sure any head or just better heads. |
@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. |
inna There is more than just losing highs with dolby - sound loses fullness. Tape hiss is inevitable but can be minimized ...There’s always been a lot of confusion and misinformation about Dolby NR. Assuming a quality deck and tape that have been properly aligned with each other, Dolby does not cause a loss of high frequencies when compared to the original. Of course, if you have a Dolby encoded tape but choose to listen to it without Dolby decoding, you will hear more highs than if the tape were properly decoded. That’s by design; Dolby is a companding system. Dolby NR actually ensures better HF response - when properly used - than you can achieve on the same deck and tape without it. To be fair, there were many poorly-made cassette decks during the cassette era, and many were so badly constructed that they couldn’t maintain proper alignment. Dolby was doomed on those machines. Please consider that "proper alignment" includes correct bias, eq, azimuth, and alignment to Dolby level. Different manufacturers used one of several different standards for Dolby level, further contributing to the misunderstandings of Dolby NR’s effectiveness. |
