Top vintage 3 head cassette decks

redcoates7 said:
Kenwood KX-2060 is a beautiful sleeper...quite possibly the only really great cassette deck they made (makes a KX-1030 look really crude by comparison)

...best of all, they are going for practically no money. I've picked up several over the past year, and after a good cleaning and some replacement belts, they're running perfectly!


:thmbsp: :music:

Here is my KX-2060 together with KT-917:

kt917_kx2060_401.jpg


My KA-907 amplifier is being restored right now.
I can't wait to see them together.

If I only could find D-80 handles for the KX-2060...
 
le_petie said:
KX-2030 for sure - a RARE monster.....
but KX-1300 or 1003 is not bad either.... I've got one...:D

kx-1000.JPG


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And Nakamichi DRAGON!!!

nakamichidragon1.jpg



Marantz 1015 or 1025 for it simple analog beauty...

161252526


Marantz SD 7

marantzsd7.jpg
nothing prettier than a silver faced marantz
 
I use a BIC T3 for live organ and church music. The mics are omni condensers phantom powered by separate preamps. This setup makes great sounding tapes.
 
My Nac LX-5 while not totally silver is my deck of choice, followed by my
CT-F900.....But the best looking has to be my Marantz 5220......



:banana: :banana: :banana:
 
Bic T-4m

progger7 said:
I'm looking to round out my vintage system with a classic "silver" 3 head cassette deck. It seems alot of people think the Pioneer CT series decks were some of the best of this era. What are some other decks of this era that one should consider? (Of course, this assumes they are in top shape with some refurb expected.)

So, what are your favorite vintage 3 head decks for sound and build quality?


Well it's not silver faced, but the BIC T-4M was one kick-arse machine, check out this review. 20hz-21khz rez with chrome, 20-24 rez with metal, taken at +/- 3dB

that's better top end than any NAK made

I want one !

352re5f.jpg


4dgxj7p.jpg


2qcngyd.jpg
 
Teac C2-x

The TEAC C2-X also boasts some impressive specs- I don't know if this is at +/- 3dB so it may be stretched a bit- taken from a web link but previously posted on this thread- I checked into it.

The C2-X is rated a high end 27khz- and just about anything from the early C-series hits 20khz or higher.

WOW !

http://www.vintage-audio.com.ua/pict_mod/cat_items/210_pict_big_teac

http://www.vintage-audio.com.ua/pict_mod/cat_items/112_210_tech1_teac

I have managed to snag a BIC T-3 recently on Ebay, and dubbing vinyl to chrome tape, and using the faster 3.75 IPS speed, I'm amazed. Cassette never sounded this good before. So I can vouch for the BIC decks, they perform like the specs suggest. But they seem kind of rare.
 

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Teac

The TEAC V-9000 a very good deck. The HX-pro may be is the main reason.

In some ancient models of TEAC professional deck machines you can select the speed of the tape and obtain very good results in the high frequency area. You can expect a response beyond 23Khz, but in the other hand a loss in the bass area could be heard.
 
jfzea said:
The TEAC V-9000 a very good deck. The HX-pro may be is the main reason.

In some ancient models of TEAC professional deck machines you can select the speed of the tape and obtain very good results in the high frequency area. You can expect a response beyond 23Khz, but in the other hand a loss in the bass area could be heard.



I always thought cassette was crap. I've had a few nice cassette decks, including Yamaha Natural Sound, Pioneer, early 70's Teac, and Technics with adjustable bias knob, etc. They were all 1-7/8 IPS decks and no matter what, they still sounded like cassettes to me.

This 3.75 IPS BIC is something else entirely. Clicking tape/source, there is no difference. At first I thought it was lying to me, so I paused the tape while recording, and clicked to tape just to see what was there, to be sure there wasn't some kind of malfunction.
 
Sony TC-K890ES

Hello everyone,
I still have my Sony TC-K890ES that I purchased new in the early 90's, it has 3 ferrite heads and 2 DC motors, it has a direct input that I use most of the times to copy CD's, and it has Dolby B and C plus HX Pro, variable bias adj and real-time counter. I do not know if it's the best deck, but I can tell you that on my system I cannot tell between before/after (tape monitor) any differences in sound quality and that means a lot in my view...:tresbon: :music: :thmbsp: :banana:
 
I have never seen a "wood case" for the Pioneer CT-F1000 deck. Is there such a critter? I mean original, not an after-market creation. Thanks! I don't have a rack 'cause I'm a guy.
 
I would be interested in a CT-F1000 if they offered it in a OEM wood case.

Racks are for the ladies..... :D
 
Pretty much most of my decks are from the early mid 90s. I have a couple from the 80s. Nothing from the 70s. I remember those old top loader players. Big and clunky. I never heard one that old on a really good system, so I'll never know how good those old decks can sound.

Maurice- that 890ES Sony of yours is the previous model to my 909ES. They share parts and even look very similar.

As per above posting I wouldn't mind owning a BIC T-4M just to see what 3.75 IPS speeds sound like and what it was all about.
 
Harman/Kardon HK400XM. 3 head, brushed flat white/silver faceplate. All sorts of bias and equalization adjustments. Very good tape deck.

HK400XMCassetteDeck.jpg
 
Thanks tracker-x for the information on the B I C, I picked up one in excellent cosmetic shape a while back but it needs belts and I don't have them and I 've never replaced belts in a deck before so it is just setting for now. If it sounds as impressive as it looks, it would be worth fixing it up, even though I'm not much of a cassette guy. The scan is nice, but the picture just doesn't do it justice, it is a really good looking machine.

Kim
 
I have had good luck with a Kenwood KX-1060. Adj. bias using supplied tone generator. Nice big "studio" VU meters. Good looking over all.
 
Hello,
I've had a number of cassette decks. The current one, I've had for almost 10 years, is Pioneer CT-95. It's a very good deck but the quality of rubber parts could be better and heads harder. I had it recently serviced (all rubber replaced - pinch rollers and belt) but the technician altered the azimuth setting and I have a problem of correcting it as my service manual does not say how to remove the front door. Does anyone know how to do it?

As I have dismantled the deck I'll probably send the head set for polishing (or more) so it will be completely rejuvenated. In ten years time I'll replace electros.

Another question? Does anyone here knows TEAC V-7010 and V-1050 decks? How good are these? Are spare parts such as belts, rollers and heads still available?

cheers,
janusz
 
I'm *very* impressed by my Onkyo TA-2058. Overshadowed by the TA-2090 (both of the 2090s I have developed their idiosyncracy of record oscillator howl), great build quality, and velvety quiet. Every bit as good as my
V-900X or DR-M4, and it loves my TDK MAs. For 20 bucks, how can you go wrong?

Scott
 
I was able to repair a Nakamichi 1000ZXL. This is one impressive deck. For fun I measured some frequency extremes. Metal tape used:
3% THD level +11dB. 1% THD +9dB . frequency response: -1dB @ 8Hz.
20KHZ flat at -8dB (that's recording 20kHz at -8 on the meters and getting the same level back!) I am told, but did not verify, that the deck is flat to 33kHz at -20. S/N dolby off unweighted -68dB below 3% THD.
I have another to play with in shop. Any requests for specs?
 
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