Top 10 holy grail cassette decks?

[Ultralyd]

"HOLY GRAIL DECKS" What are those?
Ask Millions of past Cassette Deck Owners and you'll get at least 1/2 that many different answers/Models/Brands for the most part!
Many of us have never owned any that would be considered TOTL so how would we know and really how many have even owned any that could be in that category?It's really a matter of personal opinions just like all of the Audio Pieces/Systems are and Yes there are Lists of what maybe TOTL but to many who will never or have never owned one of them,who cares as long as you are happy with the ones you have owned that's all that counts:yes:

I believe most of the personal opinion disappears when you in fact get to own one of the 10 best "Holy Grail" decks in perfect working condition.

 

[Ultralyd]

Ok, I do not belive there is a Holy Grail here. And to score the Top Ten will be nearly impossible as well. It will come down to what each of us think is the best and of course an opinion based Top Ten could be made on that basis:

Here is my top ten pick not in any 1 to 10, but what my feeling says belongs there

Nakamichi 1000ZXL (have 3)
Nakamichi Dragon (2)
Nakamichi CR-7
Nakamichi ZX-9
Tandberg TCD 910
Tandberg TCD 3014A
Tandberg TCD 3014 (2)
Tandberg TCD 3004
Bang&Olufsen Beocord 9000 (2)
Revox 215S (2)


Many runner ups: NAD 6300, Revox 215, 710 MKll, Pioneer CT-95, Nakamichi 680 ZX and certainly some of the best Teac decks. (hope to get a Z 7000 only have the V 7010, which is good, but not quite up there)

I have one or more of each of these decks and approx 70 more.

I like the Tandberg TCD 910 and 3004 best of the Tandberg´s and the CR-7 and Dragon best of the Nakamichi´s

(excuse if there are some faults to my writing, my native language is Norwegian)

If you had the TCD 910 and the TCD 911 you wouldn't really need the other 69 decks.
:thmbsp:

 

[birgerg]

Well I do not have the TCD 911, but all the others on my list is in my house and connected to my pre amps.

And I do not think need is what have made me invest in this kind of Hifi equipment :zoom:

By the way, my first cassette deck was the Nakamichi 600 in 1978. The next Tandberg TCD 3014A bought used in 1990 and then I "sold" the 600 and got my first Dragon, also in 1990. It remained with the 3014A and Dragon for more than 20 years, but when they both needed service I ended with much more of top (and not so top) cassette decks.
I also collect much of the other Tandberg Hifi equipment, also R2R.
Tandberg and Nakamichi are the two main cassette deck producers in my collection.

And I am very happy that of the 10 that I consider to be the best, Nakamichi and Tandberg both are well represented.

 

[perryinva]

Superb cross section of top decks in your collection! Being in that part of Europe you have far better access to Tandberg Products than we have here in the US. What do you think are the primary differences between your Tandbergs and top Naks both in sound and performance?

 

[Ultralyd]

Superb cross section of top decks in your collection! Being in that part of Europe you have far better access to Tandberg Products than we have here in the US. What do you think are the primary differences between your Tandbergs and top Naks both in sound and performance?

To me, it's like all other decks, compared to the Tandberg TCD 910, are sounding like they continiously use a misalligned dolby system.

 

[fortycoats]

YAM fans just know and they stay out of others' bickerings.

 

[Falstaff]

I have about 500 cassettes currently and am still looking. Through a good system, a good cassette deck can sound as good as a cd. There are still a ton of NOS unopened pre-recorded cassettes around. I picked up Pat Mathenys entire discography the other day, unopened, at a thrift for .25 a pop. Booyah!

 

[jdurbin1]

or, they... don't.

John

YAM fans just know and they stay out of others' bickerings.

 

[fortycoats]

Let's bicker!

 

[jdurbin1]

Can't we just cut right to gratuitous insults? I'll go first:

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries... and Yamahas!


John

 

[fortycoats]

Can't we just cut right to gratuitous insults? I'll go first:

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries... and Yamahas!


John

Fetchez la vache!

 

[fortycoats]

Well, anyway, I'm very happy with my Yamaha KX-690. I guess I'll have to save up big-time to see what a high-end NAK, or any Tandberg sounds like. I intend to...

 

[perryinva]

I picked up Pat Mathenys entire discography the other day, unopened, at a thrift for .25 a pop. Booyah!

Wow! That is a serious score! I have a few, but none were sealed. Been looking for New Chataqua for a while..

 

[hamsterdam]

IF, i haven't posted this already, and ive skimmed thru each page, i want to cast a strong vote for the NAD 6300 Monitor Series. A good friend on the board recommended a 6100 i was looking into, which is one step down from the totl 6300...basically 2 heads vs 3. These have Tandberg EQX boards, a lovely play trim adjustment that offers terrific adjustment capability for playback, and these record STRONG.

He also had the 6100, himself, and is delighted with it. NAD is more known for amps in the US, perhaps they didn't market the cassette line here very aggressively, as it has a strong European following. Mine even came with a working remote. i got it for free, as it arrived non-functioning, unlike advertised, and i was told i could keep it....3 weeks later and a flywheel belt from Germany, i had a free and amazing machine.

If the 6300's 3rd head improves it considerably over the 6100, it has to be in there somewhere. Both my oldest Son and i have very trained ears from voice coaching, and years of playing in local bands....not as in touring, or many gigs...we played what we wanted that way, and that was all we needed, but i digress. We came to the consensus that this deck is superb beyond anything expected.

i am sure a wave of disagreement will follow, but i will stand by it. i haven't owned any from other's "best 10 list", but i have heard most of them at Kief's Gramophone Shop. i would put the 6300 in that list...probably not at the top, but in my listening, it fits in that list.

Cheers, and ducking bottles,

—dave

 

[janusz1]

Technics RS-B965, Pioneer CT-95 and akai gx-95mk2 are also pretty good. The only drawback of CT-95 is that its heads are not as durable as those of the other two decks.

cheers,

 

[Rob41]

My holy grail:

Hitachi D-3300M
Hitachi D-5500M

:tresbon:

I couldn't agree more. I've got a line on a Hitachi D-5500M in absolutely pristine condition for cheap. My fingers are crossed so hard they are turning blue! :yes:

The best decks I've had so far were the Nakamichi 680ZX and Nakamichi Dragon.

 

[vga911s]

Of the decks that I currently own, are any of them members of the so called holy grail club, I have no earthly idea, I just know they sound very good to me and I enjoy them very much : Also before I list them I will state for the record : I don't buy into the golden ears BS. We each hear what we can hear and we each take that and run with it. End of story.
Tandberg 3014a ( Early)
Tandberg 3014a ( late) same sound but better W/F control to my ears
Nakamichi ZX 7
Nakamichi 680ZX

 

[guiller]

Of the decks that I currently own, are any of them members of the so called holy grail club, I have no earthly idea, I just know they sound very good to me and I enjoy them very much : Also before I list them I will state for the record : I don't buy into the golden ears BS. We each hear what we can hear and we each take that and run with it. End of story.
Tandberg 3014a ( Early)
Tandberg 3014a ( late) same sound but better W/F control to my ears
Nakamichi ZX 7
Nakamichi 680ZX

:ntwrthy:

 

[ZebraBlvd]

I couldn't agree more. I've got a line on a Hitachi D-5500M in absolutely pristine condition for cheap. My fingers are crossed so hard they are turning blue! :yes:

The best decks I've had so far were the Nakamichi 680ZX and Nakamichi Dragon.

I'd love to hear your impressions if you get it. I know they are as scarce as hens teeth. I loved the one I had, after NakDoc got through with his magic.

 

[fortycoats]

But if you didn't buy into the "golden ears BS" then, most likely, your top list wouldn't have been the exact same top list as everyone else's. If you seriously mean that "we each take what we can hear and run with it", then how come you list 2 Tandbergs and 2 NAKs, just like almost everyone else? Me, I'm quite happy with a top-end YAM.