Which is rarer? Winning lottery ticket or working tape deck?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by subzro, Mar 27, 2015.

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  1. subzro

    subzro Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tx
    Hey guys, I wanted some input on a dilemma...

    A few years back, I took on the task of digitizing 350 cassettes of a legendary 1990s Dallas radio show for a friend. Fast forward to today, and I've gone through FOURTEEN cassette decks and have a total of 7 completed tapes. Reason being, I don't think it's possible to find a working unit, as several of those I've tried were extremely well taken care of. Too many moving parts and rubber pieces that just haven't held up. They either don't work at all, or they play a tape or two and then just quit.

    Frustrating, as what I have amounts to a historical gold mine for the people involved in this scene back in the day. The radio host himself is dying for copies of this and it's been nothing but bad news.
    Suggestions?
     
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  2. Apesbrain

    Apesbrain Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Coast, USA
    If you've gone through 14 cassette decks in order to play 7 tapes something is really wrong. Where are you getting these decks? Suggest you buy a current model on Amazon. For $300 you can get a Teac unit that will record direct to CD-R. If that's too much, then look on eBay for a late model Sony or other major brand. Stay away from "dual-deck" units as you don't need this and they tend to be more cheaply made. "Auto-reverse" is nice but adds complexity that you also don't need.

    Old cassettes tend to get "tight", that is the tape spools no longer turn freely. This can put stress on any deck whether new or used. You can loosen cassettes up by slapping them face down on a hard surface a few times on each side. You can also use one of your old "broken" decks to fast forward the cassette then rewind it before putting it in your "good" deck for transfer. This will allow the tape to move more freely.
     
  3. bluesky

    bluesky Senior Member

    Location:
    south florida, usa
    A working cassette deck.
    ---
    Seriously: too many moving parts.

    And it's a nightmare. It's just not cost effective.

    I gave up with it.
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2015
    The Pinhead likes this.
  4. hogdaddy

    hogdaddy Active Member

    Location:
    alabama
    I recently put new belts and a new idler rubber on my Nakamichi LX-5 and it works flawlessly.
    It don't sound bad either.
     
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  5. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    Mine works. I've yet to win the lottery.
     
  6. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL


    Right; but it's a Nakamichi. Hardly the average tape deck the average person would get for his mid-fi rig. When the playback head wore out on my japanese Technics decks (can't recall the model, but was early 80's and the last to incorporate needle VU meters) only available head was a generic Amir that had little treble. At the time there were no import restrictions here.

    And when the motor gave up the ghost, again no original, but a generic one; you could hear the brushes at work through the speakers. Same with the capstan, belts, etc. I'm not complaining and I did not get a lemon. I wore the kerrap out of it since I was broke and it had been my only source for like 5 years.
     
  7. hogdaddy

    hogdaddy Active Member

    Location:
    alabama
    I paid $10 for it at the thrift store a while back. :) I think the belts coat more than that.
     
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  8. CraigC

    CraigC Live It Up

    Location:
    LI, NY
    I used to work nights around 25 years ago and have tons of cassettes of the Howard Stern Show which I recorded on cassette while I slept. I rarely listen to them, but I was thinking of digtizing some so I can toss the tapes. Anway, I have a cheap Sony Walkman I bought new from Amazon and was looking at the BEHRINGER U-PHONO UFO202 audio interface which works for transfers to a computer. A set up like that should do the trick...good luck. BTW, what's this legendary Dallas radio show?
     
  9. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Simple reason, the majority of pain in the rear rubber parts in cassette machines. Belts, rubber tires, and pinch rollers which wear. And the fact that they are a PITA to change on most such machines. DD best for tape decks and no more belt than the one which drives the tape counter. Technics, ReVox, and Studer the main makers of reliable machines designed this way.
     
  10. cjc

    cjc Senior Member

    My Denon still works great..though I rarely use it. When the day comes that it causes any problems, I will retire it.
     
  11. Suggest you look at a midpriced Nakamichi. Got a Nak 202 from a seller on another forum and works flawlessly. Parts are still available and there are several repair people on Tapeheads forum that are well regarded for their work. Paid several hundred for mine and just love it although even the least expensive CR1 is a bargain at around 150 or so
     
    Shak Cohen likes this.
  12. Jeffczar

    Jeffczar Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Try finding a properly functioning open reel machine. Tape decks are something I do not miss.
     
  13. jjh1959

    jjh1959 Senior Member

    Location:
    St. Charles, MO
    A reel to reel isn't going to help him with his cassette tapes.
     
  14. OcdMan

    OcdMan Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Paid a few bucks for a Teac V-970X about 5 years ago. Still working great.
     
  15. showtaper

    showtaper Concert Hoarding Bastard

  16. Wally Swift

    Wally Swift Yo-Yoing where I will...

    Location:
    Brooklyn New York
    Last year I got the nostalgia itch for the Onkyo TA-2026 that I owned back in the 80's. Waited patiently and found one on eBay. I've had no problems whatsoever with it. It plays and records nicely.
     
  17. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Pretty understandably if you're buying cheap, old, poorly maintained decks. I have 6 decks in the 20 year old range and all are working fine. Most have had belts done.
     
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  18. 56GoldTop

    56GoldTop Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nowhere, Ok
    Microwave technology combined with disposable tech has eaten the mind of the average consumer. Take care of $h!+ and it will last. Properly service $h!+ and it will last even longer. Forgo those two for sitting around pissing and moaning and anything worth a d@m# will vanish into dust. It's really that simple.

    The first Japanese bottom of the ES line cassette deck I purchased in '97 was a TC-KA1ESa (I own a total of 3, two bought used). They all still work. Two of them are in my main system as I type. Oh, yeah, but I have serviced them periodically.

    The other thing to keep in mind is that no earthly thing lasts forever. On anything, motors, bearing, electrolytics, etc. etc. will wear out. Plan accordingly. Nevertheless, almost 20 years on "mid-fi" cassette decks and almost 40 year old turntables (Technics SL-####MK2 series) is pretty good. See italicized, above.

    Why does this just smack to me of what so many do these days: buy "vintage gear" and actually believing the lure, "Mint condition!" One may get lucky; but, much wiser to figure in the cost of anything from simple service to a full overhaul/rebuild.

    Now, FOURTEEN, cassette decks. The only way (and I could be wrong) I can see anyone going through that many cassette decks is by buying used and cheap, then pressing the deck(s) into hardcore service without proper servicing. And, if that's the case, seriously, what exactly was the expected outcome??? Boggles the mind. :sigh:
     
  19. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Fourteen tape decks? Hope that included servicing but by the sound of it, maybe not.
     
  20. GuildX700

    GuildX700 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    14 ten dollar decks. Great thread. I bought 14 $50 cars and they did not run well, I guess cars are no good.
     
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  21. JBryan

    JBryan Forum Resident

    Location:
    St Louis
    I'm a sucker for $10 tape decks at thrift shops and yard sales and I've picked up my fair share. I mostly stick to Nak cassette and TEAC R2R decks and as long as the heads look good and the deck was cared for (no scratches, dings, etc.), I'm not too concerned if the deck isn't functioning at the store. In fact, of the 15 or so decks I've brought home, only a handful were actually working and all were relatively easy fixes - mostly belts and simple lubrication with the worse being a resistor or bad connection in the power supply. Its a rare occasion when I come across a perfectly functioning deck in its box along with the manual so I figure most folks will hold on and find space for their $500 or $1000+ machine as long as its working properly but if there's a problem, they will be more likely to send it off to Goodwill and let someone else deal with it.

    Its not unheard of, but its more often a fools mission to bring home a 25+ year old piece of electronic gear with moving parts, plug it in and expect it to function perfectly. On the bright side, most of these decks were very well cared for during their useful lives so its usually a easy task to get them up and running again. Hang in there, your odds for success must get better.
     
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  22. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

  23. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    Willy Herman=working tape deck.
     
  24. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    Pinknik likes this.
  25. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    I was very lucky with a Nakamichi Dragon that I recently purchased. I bought it from a dealer on Audiogon for less than what they were going for on eBay. While I was awaiting it's delivery I ordered a set of replacement belts.

    When it arrived it would not play. The dealer said, no problem our tech is an ex-Nakamichi employee and he would get it working. Since I already had the belts, they offered to have him change all of the belts.

    A few weeks later I had a perfectly working deck that records and plays with amazing SQ.

    Of course, it was not a $10 thrift store purchase so...
     
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