Best Cassette Recorder? Hidden Gems?

[mhelin]

It's interesting that this topic came in as I recently accepted a job of digitizing 180 cassettes from a 80s and 90s radio show. The show was originally recorded in 1/4 inch tape but the backups were made to cassette.

The DCC machines also have very precise transports and are good with analog tape, and don't need azimuth adjustment as the heads track better. I've got the DCC 730 deck which has got S/PDIF coaxial output (44.1kHz/18 bits), makes digitizing easy. However, for cleaning the heads you need special cassette or alternatively you must remove the top cover to access the heads (not a big deal).

 

[Gold]

If you're so strong into Cassettes then you should buy a Nakamichi Dragon,
that's considered the best cassette deck ever made

I have a friend who does a lot of cassette transfers. He spent a bunch of money having a Dragon restored. After using it for a few years he’s soured on it. He says the auto azimuth correction doesn’t work well. Parts are expensive and it’s a consumer deck so he needs a bump box to interface to a +4dBu system. He’s settled on the old workhorse. A Tascam 122. I’ve always liked them. They are solidly built and its easy to find replacement parts.

 

[emrr]

I have a friend who does a lot of cassette transfers. He spent a bunch of money having a Dragon restored. After using it for a few years he’s soured on it. He says the auto azimuth correction doesn’t work well. Parts are expensive and it’s a consumer deck so he needs a bump box to interface to a +4dBu system. He’s settled on the old workhorse. A Tascam 122. I’ve always liked them. They are solidly built and its easy to find replacement parts.

I had my 122mkIII restored recently, all those Tascam seem to use the same plastic gear mechanism that dries out and breaks, several people make replacements now. I like that you can get to the azimuth adjustment to tweak it based on the cassette in question. I set up a phase meter and there's usually some small adjustments near the beginning of each side, then most tapes stabilize for the duration of the side.

 

[blakeyboy]

Oh God yeah- the Tascams!!
Great build quality and easy to service...haven't seen one in years.....

 

[MidnightArrakis]

Hey guys, hope everyone is doing well.

I want to start my own record label, instead of buying the new 500$-700$ cassettes decks that came out these last years, I want to drop 100 bucks or so, or much less, and just get rolling men. I know about the breakdowns of these old units, the maintenance that has to be done, the risk of not finding replacement parts and all that bag. That is just as important. The replacement parts most of all. And about the love of music that one has to have to start a cassette record label in 2022. All of that is covered. I can get my hands dirty and repair them.

I found these on my local used store. I know close to nothing about cassette deck models. I have studied reparation, maintenance, inner workings of cassette decks and how different types of cassettes work. The different types of cassettes (the tape in itself) and their analogous deck. I'm curious if the first two reel machines are **usable** in a studio setting. I'm not looking for a Studer sound, just some distinct flavor to the sound. As well I don't want to buy something that it's simply not worth it, you know, instant trash. Just a little something will get me a long way. As I'm just starting out on this endeavor.

Here's the list of reel tapes decks, maybe there's a hidden gem in there:

Reel Tapes:

1 - Reel Akai M-x2000sd
2 - TEAC A-2340R 4 Channels

Cassettes Decks:

3 - Sony Stereo Cassette Deck Tc -w3 Ac
4 - Philips Dcc900 Digital Cassette Deck
5 - Sony Cassette Tc-K5 (1978)
6 - Sony Deck El-5
7 - Yazumi1850 Cassette Tuner Am/fm Stereo
8 - Sony Cassette Deck TC-206SD Stereo
9 - Yazumi Cassette Deck Pro System 2580
10 - Yazumi 1850 1800 Cassette Deck and Tuner Am/fm

Any of these will do the trick? What are your considerations on these units?

You might want to check these -- new -- cassette decks out:





And.....I personally have 3 of these "Rack-Mount" cassette decks:


TECHNICS RS-M85

GOOD LUCK!!!

/

 

[ruffrecords]

The guy in the second video clearly is non-technical. He has close to zero understanding of the sepcifications.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MidnightArrakis]

The guy in the second video clearly is non-technical. He has close to zero understanding of the sepcifications.

Cheers

Ian

I was very, very hesitant to include that video because I thought that the guy was pretty much an outright "Dork"!!! But, I decided to include the video only because he was touting a -- new -- type of cassette deck, that's all. I hope this awful transgression isn't held against me!!!

 

[ruffrecords]

I was very, very hesitant to include that video because I thought that the guy was pretty much an outright "Dork"!!! But, I decided to include the video only because he was touting a -- new -- type of cassette deck, that's all. I hope this awful transgression isn't held against me!!!

No problem. It is hard to find really objective and technically sound videos on Youtube. The S/N ratio is about the same as at GearSlutz.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Goblin]

You might want to check these -- new -- cassette decks out:





And.....I personally have 3 of these "Rack-Mount" cassette decks:

View attachment 95086
TECHNICS RS-M85

GOOD LUCK!!!

/

Hey, thanks!

Will check em' out!

 

[Newmarket]

The S/N ratio is about the same as at GearSlutz.

It's "GearSpace" now ! so still "GS"

 

[ruffrecords]

It's "GearSpace" now ! so still "GS"

I know, but I poke to poke the bear now and again.

GearSpace sounds like a shed at the bottom of someone's garden. They lost the idea of addiction to gear when the changed the name. It should have become GearAddicts.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Tubetec]

'Gear' is an often used term in Ireland and UK to refer to drugs ,usually heroin ,
'Gear Addicts' might lead to confusion and bring in a whole other clientele .
Gear(in)sultz is a nice play on words and fits in with a lot of what goes on over there too .

 

[Newmarket]

It should have become GearAddicts.

I get what you mean but it's too many syllables.
Having said that - that site has other things to worry about !

 

[ruffrecords]

'Gear' is an often used term in Ireland and UK to refer to drugs ,usually heroin ,
'Gear Addicts' might lead to confusion and bring in a whole other clientele .
Gear(in)sultz is a nice play on words and fits in with a lot of what goes on over there too .

Given the plethora of drugs users in the music industry I think GearAddics is right on the money

Cheers

Ian

 

[Newmarket]

Given the plethora of drugs users in the music industry I think GearAddics is right on the money

Cheers

Ian

Well there's always the ambiguity of "Someone has spilled coke down these fader slots"...

 

[Walrus]

Never breathe in when you are laying under the desk to remove the panels under the faders on a Neve VR……

 

[Tubetec]

We had clients at the studio once , they were so addicted to religion they secreted 'Miraculas medals' into gaps in the console frame to save our souls , every module had to be pulled, inspected and cleaned after the session was over just in case , I think we retrieved three silver plated medals in the end .
No doubt about it though , creativity and addiction are co-morbid partners crime , Ive lost a good few friends that way , other pals managed to hold onto their lives but live a half step up from the gutter .
The stairway to heaven is paved with broken bones .

 

[MidnightArrakis]

Hi Ian,
yes I have a nice Han-D-Mag unit for demagnetizing and I also cleaned the tape path in all of them very well before using.
Besides that I replaced the belts in the most troublesome units.

I still have an original AMPEX tape-head demagnetizer that I use on my cassette and reel-to-reel decks. MAN!!! The strength of my AMPEX head demagnetizer is so strong that I cannot leave it on for too long because it could cause a shift of the Earth's magnetic field!!! Whenever I am demagnetizing the tape path of my reel-to-reel deck that is mounted in a 6-foot high 19" rack, I can hear the nails that holds the wood-paneling to their studs in my studio starting to creak loose, which then tells me that I need to hurry up!!! Yeah.....vintage audio equipment -- IS -- the best!!!

 

[Marik]

I am not sure if that was covered in 6 pages, but it seems you need what was called 'cassette duplicator', such as Sony CCP, Telex Copyette, Recordex, etc. Most of those can do 4 cassette simultaneously. Finding those in good shape and restoring is a different matter.

If you want to go real time then nothing can beat Nakamichi. You still can find two head models in good shape fitting your budget.

Best, M

 

[Rob Flinn]

As I said before look for a Denon DRM800, very good sound quality, dual capstan, 3 head. Ceramic stabilisation (whatever that is). I still have mine, they sound great & are much cheaper than a Nakamichi.