EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
Im really attracted to the top loading decks. Wondering what were some of the better top loading decks?
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Best Top Loading Consumer Cassette Decks
- Thread starter EscapeVelo
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Soren Hammer
B&O-infected
The B&O Beocord 6000/6002//8000/8002/8004/9000-series. The Beocord 9000 is a three head deck with computer controlled calibration, the very first deck with HX pro and among the first with Dolby C. Real time counter in minutes and seconds with tape end sensing system which can precisely jugde how much time is left on the tape to record in.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
Best top load machine, Tandberg TCD 330A. Their best transport ever from a reliability and ruggedness point of view. Next best top loader, the Advent 201 A. Mechanically the best rugged cassette transport ever made in many opinions. Soundwise still better than average. And made in America to boot. Bang & Olufsen third.
Bogframe
Super Member
I have the Tandberg TCD 330 and it's a rock. I also had a Kenwood KX-710 that was also very solid and reliable.
EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
How about the Sony TC-177SD?
That Tandberg TCD-330 looks right up my alley!
That Tandberg TCD-330 looks right up my alley!
jdurbin1
Tandberg enthusiast
I own the 330 (it's the period and cosmetically-correct match for my 2075 MkII receiver), but would question why the 440A isn't its master in pretty much all respects. Has the same full-logic transport, better heads, adjustable bias, Dyneq and Actilinear circuits, no difference in reliability that I can see.
Even the short-lived 340A would have most of those advantages...
Unless you have to have the blue meters, why would the 330 get top nod for Tandberg top-loader?
Having said that, I hereby disqualify all of my various 300/400 series decks from this because I always use them vertically, so they're front-loaders! :thmbsp:
John
Even the short-lived 340A would have most of those advantages...
Unless you have to have the blue meters, why would the 330 get top nod for Tandberg top-loader?
Having said that, I hereby disqualify all of my various 300/400 series decks from this because I always use them vertically, so they're front-loaders! :thmbsp:
John
EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
To be honest, at this point, aesthetics trumps absolute preformance. And Id like to get one of those great looking vintage Tangberg receeivers at some point.
jan_stevns
Super Member
You're not alone ! sad thing is they're really pricey , and mot to mention rare.
Last TR2080 i saw was sold at $995+
jdurbin1
Tandberg enthusiast
They're more approachable in the US though, figure 40-50% less than that for a really nice one with fixers occasionally showing up for a lot less. Saw a 2080 in NJ on CL with a $250 asking price, couldn't believe it stayed listed as long as it did.
Maybe I should get off my a$$ and finish restoring at least one of the 330's that's languishing in my "to-do" pile, bound to be able to salvage at least one even if most of them have the dreaded bad logic issue. :thmbsp:
John
Maybe I should get off my a$$ and finish restoring at least one of the 330's that's languishing in my "to-do" pile, bound to be able to salvage at least one even if most of them have the dreaded bad logic issue. :thmbsp:
John
EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
Me wants a TR-2075. Drools.
EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
That is sweet. Ive never seen or heard about the Pioneer T-3500 before. Just the 4141 and 5151.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
The Tandbergs I remember were mostly 'convertibles'. Fine decks, though.
In terms of "pure play"
top-loaders, one of the most successful (and, to my ears, very respectable) was the Nakamichi 500. Besides its Nakamichi guise, there were numerous OEM versions of this unprepossessing two-head top-load deck. Sonab comes to mind, for example... and (at this late date) I am wondering whether the hk 2000 (quite a nice, and elegant looking, top-load deck) was a Nakamichi 500 down inside. I think there was an early Yamaha top-load (not the Mario Bellini-designed "wedge" deck) that was an OEM Nakamichi 500 as well.
a bad scan of a not-particularly great photo of an hk 2000 in silver (component "Z") - they were also available in black (much rarer, IME).
das Ding an sich from hifiengine http://www.hifiengine.com/images/model/nakamichi_500.jpg
In terms of "pure play"
top-loaders, one of the most successful (and, to my ears, very respectable) was the Nakamichi 500. Besides its Nakamichi guise, there were numerous OEM versions of this unprepossessing two-head top-load deck. Sonab comes to mind, for example... and (at this late date) I am wondering whether the hk 2000 (quite a nice, and elegant looking, top-load deck) was a Nakamichi 500 down inside. I think there was an early Yamaha top-load (not the Mario Bellini-designed "wedge" deck) that was an OEM Nakamichi 500 as well.a bad scan of a not-particularly great photo of an hk 2000 in silver (component "Z") - they were also available in black (much rarer, IME).
das Ding an sich from hifiengine http://www.hifiengine.com/images/model/nakamichi_500.jpg
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dshoaf
That high voltage buzz
Without a doubt, one of the most popular top loaders was the Teac A-450. These things sold like hotcakes, sounded great, and were very reliable. Once the front-loaders took over, however, the top-loading machines could be had for pennies on the dollar. The big issue was the space that top-loaders took up in order to operate them.
To add one more, however, the Advent cassette deck that pretty much helped the Dolby noise reduction system get off the ground is another iconic top-loader to add to any list of collectibles. It was built out on a Wollensak transport and used Advent-designed electronics. Heathkit also marketed a very similar machine about the same time also built on the same Wollensak transport mechanism.
Cheers,
David
To add one more, however, the Advent cassette deck that pretty much helped the Dolby noise reduction system get off the ground is another iconic top-loader to add to any list of collectibles. It was built out on a Wollensak transport and used Advent-designed electronics. Heathkit also marketed a very similar machine about the same time also built on the same Wollensak transport mechanism.
Cheers,
David
M0t0wn
Well-Known Member
EscapeVelo
Charleston, SC
How about the Akai GXC-65D or 46D?
goldear
Certifiable Audio Junkie
I was suprised by that as well. The 440A was clearly Tandbergs best top-loader and was also their best machine prior to the introduction of the 3004. It shares the same heads as the 3014A, only really lacks Dolby C and the front-pannel sensitivity adjustments of its successor. This is a very underated machine.
Second place for me would be the B&O 9000 for the reasons stated earlier, in addition to being one of the first machines to include an Auto-calibration circuit.
That said, I'm not very fond of top-loaders in general simply because they don't stack well, and because they take-up top-shelf space if you want to run them.
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jdurbin1
Tandberg enthusiast
I should add a vote here for the Advent 201A, a venerable but top-performing top-loader. I have a 200 as well, but have yet to put that one through its paces whereas I owned a 201A for years and made many fine recordings with it. The 200 is more of a conventional design, but my guess is the 201 and 201A own it for sonics.
I really need to get some pics of these two - when was the last time you saw two Advent decks like this looking NOS in their original boxes?
John
I really need to get some pics of these two - when was the last time you saw two Advent decks like this looking NOS in their original boxes?
John
bshorey
Super Member
Aside from the form factor issues, I thought one problem with top loaders was that the tape would wind and gravity would help it settle against the bottom side of the reel. This could lead to either mechanical interference and channel cross talk.
bs
