I've got a BX 125 that I think is a damn good deck. Had a CR 3a that I thought was good also, but returned it for the CR 5a.
A bit overpriced but you know you want it! Here it is! 1980 Nakamichi 1000ZXL Cassette Deck Good Condition Free International Shipping | eBay
So, have we picked one? A few? Narrowed the field at all? Is it possible to turn this thread into a poll with a top 5? Or, is that just silly at this point?
I'll give you my personal picks for the top 5: Nak 1000 ZXL. Nak ZX9 Nak CR7A Tandberg 3014A Revox B710 But this is not an easy choice as there are several other models which are completely worthy of inclusion in this list.
Nak ZXL1000 Nak ZXL700 Technics RSM 85 Technics RSM 95 JVC KD A8 JVC KD A77 Pioneer CTF1250 Pioneer CTF1000 Sorry, I can't help myself but 5 is not enough and those are all good decks, the only one I've never played with was the Technics RSM95.
I loved the 3014A- I worked for a Tandberg dealer back in the day. They sounded fantastic when they worked. If they worked. They were always in the shop.
In college I think by that point, occasionally haunting the Hi-Fi shops and looking at gear I (mostly) couldn't afford.
The Tandberg 3014A was/is truly magnificent machine. Unfortunately these were not build as robustly as were some others.
You and me both. I was frequently hanging out at the local stereo shop back then drooling over all of the gear that I couldn't afford.
I've had 4 TOTL Sony Compact Cassette Recorders. I sold all but one, a TC-K950ES, which seems to qualify as a best quality product. I'm still happy with it, using it record playlists for enjoyment from my 2000 Camaro SS factory cassette player. I now use Maxell type 1 cassettes which seem to deliver the same sort of sound as do Maxell UDXL-2 cassettes, which I can no longer find.
Forget the rest. I had the Nakamichi Dragon, ZX-9, CR7, ZXL-1000. Now I have the Tandberg TCD 910 and I really don't need the rest anymore. They all became winding decks after Tandberg came here many years ago. I could show you photos but how do I upload own photos?? Here's a photo from the web:
And the build quality and the reliability of the Tandberg decks is, by far, better than both Nakamichi and Revox. However, a lot of hopeless unskilled DIY guys have ruined many a Tandberg deck, in particular in the US.
The Dragon! Another one was Akai ( I can't recall the model), this refers to the high-end Akai of the past; not the "boom-box" all-in-one systems that came out later on. I remember the recordings from LP, a friend made from the Akai; using a TDK cassette, The quality was EXCELLENT!
I have a beauty of a Tandberg tape deck. Looks like it was never used. Dead as a doornail, sadly. I'll find a pic..
Found the pic. Such a beauty. Came with the matching FM tuner, amplifier and preamp. The amp and preamp work at least. All NOS from like 1980.
This may be a separate thread, but where are people buying blank tapes these days? The secondary market is full of OLD tapes.
