The greatest consumer cassette tape deck ever produced?*

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Cowboy Kim, Feb 3, 2017.

  1. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The TCD 910 and the 3014A probably shared many common parts ...
     
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  2. jusbe

    jusbe Modern Melomaniac

    Location:
    Auckland, NZ.
    ... which are still lovely to this day,

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Rachael Bee

    Rachael Bee Miembra muy loca

    That's the sort of stylin' my decks had. I got the TCD 300 in 1972 new and I bought the 330 lightly used sometime in the latter 70's. The 300 was a little plainer and only had 2 heads but it's dual capstans made it sound rock solid with Type 1 tape which it was biased for, no adjustments....despite having a Chromium tape switch. The 330 sounded best with Metal Tape. I still miss those decks. The tape heads were high performance but soft and needed changing every few years and after Tandberg went bankrupt and then came back, I couldn't get new heads for them.
     
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  4. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I owned a Dragon for years and loved it. I didn't record so the NAAC made it the perfect deck for me. Cheap pre-recorded cassettes are plentiful and the Dragon makes them sound great.
     
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  5. TarnishedEars

    TarnishedEars Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Seattle area
    That's a beauty! I have one of these too, but in silver. I much prefer this model in black.
     
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  6. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Anyone who hears about a new preamp that has tape loops, please post here ...
     
  7. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I don't like the door oriented that way, and the "footers"...
     
  8. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I will take a Tandberg cassette deck over most other decks anytime except my Naks ...
     
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  9. Rachael Bee

    Rachael Bee Miembra muy loca

    The doors work just fine like that. The older models I had did not have those footers. You could use them upright or laying on their back. I wonder if those footers are removable?
     
  10. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    They are. I have them on my TCD 330 ...
     
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  11. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I'm sure it's an exceptional deck. My Denon DRS-810 makes great recordings (when I use it...) Will probably be my last deck, as I don't "do" tape much.
     
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  12. Rachael Bee

    Rachael Bee Miembra muy loca

    I got my 330 used and without the footers. The 300 never had footers unless they were optional and I didn't get them. I remember the 300 better because it ended up lasting longer.
     
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  13. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The footers only add stability to the deck so it does not tip over ...
     
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  14. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    Wyred4Sound may be able to configure it for you. They did two on my STI 1000.

    M~
     
  15. John Buchanan

    John Buchanan I'm just a headphone kind of fellow. Stax Sigma

    Gotta be either the Nakamichi 1000 ZXL or the Studer A721.
     
  16. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    the greatest one ever produced for me was my JVC KD V6...I loved that machine...made a ton of mix tapes on that.
     
  17. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    impossible to pick - would need to at minimum narrow down to a decade

    as posed - too broad

    best working deck for me? Nakamichi MR-1

    Michael
     
  18. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Did Wyred4Sound custom-build a preamp with tape loops for you? :confused:

    I have heard of Wyred4Sound. The outfit built Class-D amps and DAC's.
     
  19. BruceS

    BruceS El Sirviente del Gato

    Location:
    Reading, MA US
    I just won't go through all 57 pages of this, but in case it hasn't been mentioned so far: Pioneer CT-07D. It even had coax in. Mine was getting a bit flaky, and I wound up giving it to my brother. He had it in top-notch shape pronto. Was it the best ever made? I cannot say, but certainly one of the better pieces of gear I have ever owned.
     
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  20. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    On my STI they modified two of the four inputs to the tape monitor function. When I purchase the STI 1000 V2 next year this is the configuration that I request:
    1. Input 1 (balance) will serve as my phono amp input
    2. Input 2 will monitor input 1
    3. Input 3 no change
    4. Input 4 no change
    5. Input 5 will monitor input 4
    This is a link to another manufacturer of integrated amp which has a tape monitor function. My goal would be to get a used or reboxed one though, if I ever get :rolleyes: the desire to get back into tubes.

    M~
     
  21. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    So that STI is a preamp made by Wyred4Sound? I am not familiar with the company. To be sure, I can always go for another vintage preamp and I already own a few with tape loops. New features on most production preamps such as a built-in DAC I can do without since I am better off using an external DAC. I would rather try the new and improved Class D amp for maintenance free enjoyment ...
     
  22. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    An audio buddy of mine has two of these Tandberg TCD 440A and I suppose he will sell one to me if I make him a good offer ... :agree:
     
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  23. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    1. Yes
    2. I like their products which I purchased without listening too. My CJ PV5 was beyond repair according to CJ :rolleyes: which pi** me off. But all is well.
    M~
     
  24. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    My 2 CJ amps are fine and I have owned both for about 15 years ...

    I am sure the Wyred4Sound amps are a bit less expensive.
     
  25. XiaoDe

    XiaoDe Member

    Location:
    Germany
    Dears,

    while searching the web for a nice tape deck I stumbled over this great form. I wasn't actually reading all of the 57 pages, but most of them and the discussions here helped a lot. What I discovered in the discussion - here and in other forums - is that some people are using one deck for recording but prefer others for listening.

    So, may I join this discussion as someone who is not really experienced with tape decks but very much interested in finding a really good player, just for listening... what would be your recommendations for the best sounding "*simple tape deck"? And does it even make sense to buy a deck only for listening pre-recorded tapes that are available on the market?


    *i would prefer a rather simple deck with great sound, as I only need it "to play"; would avoid an overly complex machine that needs more (and more expensive) service
     
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