• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

cassette deck recomendations

Marty Manich

New Member
I'm looking for a cassette deck to go with my au/tu 717, any recomendations on which one would be a good match fro this system.

au/tu 717
koss cm1020

thanks marty
 
Register to hide this ad
cassette decks

mine came with a sc 3110, nice match and you should find one under $100 with the rack handles I would think.:thmbsp:
Casey
 
You won't like my suggestion, but here goes anyway...

Don't waste your money on a cassette deck. Tape is dead other than as a curiosity.

You can borrow one of your friends tape decks probably for free, just long enough to turn all your "treasured" tapes into .wav's on your computer's hard drive using a program such as "Total Recorder" (the best I've come across for recording vinyl, tape, or off the Internet).

Then clean them up with something like "Groove Mechanic", and finally, turn them into high quality OGG's (I recommend quality "6" which is better than a store bought CD).

Then your music is forever kept perfect and archived for your great, great, grandchildren.

For replay, there are lot's of great options including the Slimdevices "Squeezebox" which even receives hundreds of radio stations off the Internet.

It's fun using the vintage equipment, but the options today allow you to use your vintage equipment in ways not even dreamed of when they were new.
 
cassette decks

Sorry but I have to disagree with my friend MarkMeyer, tapes don't offer the best sound, never did, but a decent deck and your tapes can provide hours of your favorite tunes very inexpensively, and the quality is very listenable.
Furthermore, as they {cassettes} have gone out of favor with the general public you can get them for as low as a dime each.
Tapedecks are also inexpensive, if you don't need to match that Sansui stack you can get vintage Akai decks with the forever glass heads for under $50.
It's all vintage stuff, but admitting I am somewhat technically challenged is OK for me, I have no means of playing an mp3 and don't own an ipod, so I cannot really talk about comparisons of sound quality. My vintage ears can't tell the differance anyway.
My old deck playing Allman Brothers looks neater than the stepkids ipod playing whatever she listens to as well. Lights, VU meters, reels slowly turning, all part of it for my experience.:thmbsp:
Casey
 
Go for the classic Sansui look and a black SC-3110 especially if you have the rack handles. And forget all that stuff about .wav's and .mp3...... there's nothing more musical than a well made cassette on a good quality deck. There are lots of great decks out there for cheap these days. Be advised you may need to learn how to change belts and pinch rollers. But the analog sound lives forever.
 
You can see lots of pics of Sansui cassette decks here:
http://www.sansui.us/TapeDecks.htm

I'd second the recommendation of the 3110 but as you will see, there are several other models that make good visual (and sonic) matches, as well. [Even better than the 3110 is the 5330, but it is hard to find and usually very expensive if you do find one.] I'm currently pairing a 1330 (same year as 3110, roughly similar specs but less expensive model, with LED meters instead of needle meters) with my AU-717, and it makes a pretty decent match, too, visually and sonically.

Obviously, if you want the best possible sound, go for something like a high-end Nakamichi or a studio-grade deck from Tandberg or Teac, or a high-end Akai - but they won't match as well visually [or/except for that 5330 if you can find one] . The old black-faced Sansuis like the 3110 still sound very good, and are a better visual match. Another "sleeper" in the cassette world is a two-speed Marantz cassette (several models were made): at the higher tape speed, it sounds very nice - bit again, not a good visual match.
 
Go for the classic Sansui look and a black SC-3110 especially if you have the rack handles. And forget all that stuff about .wav's and .mp3...... there's nothing more musical than a well made cassette on a good quality deck. There are lots of great decks out there for cheap these days. Be advised you may need to learn how to change belts and pinch rollers. But the analog sound lives forever.

Wow. What a bunch of old fogey's. :sigh:

Us young'ns like me (pushing into the late 50's) are going to have to do some hand holding and explain all this new fangled stuff for you kids. :D

Seriously, I understand the vintage part and enjoy it all. I'm just saying that for the specific purpose of managing old, great music, there are a lot of ways you can go that make things easier and even sound better in many cases.

Immediate examples I can think of is that both my Duncan Browne "Give Me Take You" album and my Left Banke "Walk Away Rene" album were so painful to listen to that I quit trying.
However, after recording them into .wav's and then some minimal sound repair, they are now back into my vintage collection for listening.

If someone needs a cassette deck, though, I do have an Ultrx RD C21 (made my Sanyo) that I ended up with as a package deal with an AU-505.
I thinks it's supposed to be a pretty good deck but I admit that I know little about it, don't need it, nor have I even plugged it in. But if someone just needs a deck and know something about this model, it's ready to go to a good home.

As for this particular discussion; this is clearly about "vintage" equipment so just like an old Hobbit, I will leave this thread and diminish into the West. :music:
 
Fogeys

Wait a minute, I resemble that remark!!!
I agree that when your old media becomes damaged it's possible to help it with the technology of today, but somehow some of the magic goes away, I am presently having some old scratched up vinyl converted to disc's as I don't have a worthy turntable and may not use one if I did, although I recently heard some vinyl again after a long time and I was quite impressed with what a good setup and decent records can provide...
And the cd's my friend has given me, enhanced, sound better than the scratchy record would.
Casey:yes:
 
Wait a minute, I resemble that remark!!!
I agree that when your old media becomes damaged it's possible to help it with the technology of today, but somehow some of the magic goes away, I am presently having some old scratched up vinyl converted to disc's as I don't have a worthy turntable and may not use one if I did, although I recently heard some vinyl again after a long time and I was quite impressed with what a good setup and decent records can provide...
And the cd's my friend has given me, enhanced, sound better than the scratchy record would.
Casey:yes:

Yes! I sure miss the hiss and the clicks/pops :yes: - all this pristine digital audio will probably cause warts or something.

Get back to hiss'y old analog on tape or vinyl, I say. :drool:

Paul
 
Yes! I sure miss the hiss and the clicks/pops :yes: - all this pristine digital audio will probably cause warts or something.

Get back to hiss'y old analog on tape or vinyl, I say. :drool:

Paul

Now whose being controversial?

Joking aside, Nakamichi used to make great cassette tape machines - always got top ratings in reviews despite high prices.
 
I have collected and repaired quite a few of the Sansui Decks. I give them a play every once in a while but for my day to day use it is the CD. I just like to have matching decks to go with my GX-5s for AU/TU 717 or AU/TU 919 sets.

I also recommend the SC 3110 and if in good shape with new belts will probably meet or exceed your needs for a cassette tape deck. I just picked up one recently off of ebay pretty cheap as advertised as a 220 volts unit and untested. The seller didn't know most of these decks are multi voltage. It was in excellent condition with the clear plastic cover for the tape transport. All it needed was two new belts and it is working like a charm.

Mike
 

Attachments

  • SC 3110.JPG
    SC 3110.JPG
    11.3 KB · Views: 19
I am an old fart and I will admit that I am a bit intimidated by these new technologies. However to see big VU meters encased in beautiful machines is one of my associated audio thrills.
 
I am an old fart and I will admit that I am a bit intimidated by these new technologies. However to see big VU meters encased in beautiful machines is one of my associated audio thrills.

One of my smart-ass teenage neighbors remarked after looking over my vintage Sansui stack that all I need is one of those ***"Frankenstein machines" on top and it would look just right.

If it weren't for the potential interference, I think he might be onto something. :D



***Tesla coil, you ignorant little twit. What DO they teach you in high school?
 
Thanks for all the responses. I'll one day get a sansui tape deck, If for nothing else then having the kids ask "what the @#$% is that"? For a couple of hundred it would be worth it and the cool factor goes way up. Guess it is like hearing why are you spending all that time and money on that old car? They will understand in about 40 years.

thanks

Marty
 
I really like the looks of the SC 3110 but I have a JVC tape deck and used it with my G7000 for a long time and then a friend advised me to try hooking my computer audio out from the sound card of the computer to the AUX input on the G7000. So I did, and what an improvement in sound quality. Mp3s sound great and now that I have a G 9000 talk about being loud and clear, very clear. When my friend first advised me to try using the computer I was very skeptical and thought "Well I'll try this and then I can go back to my tape deck" but when I hooked it up I couldn't believe the improvement in sound quality, it was superb! Now I wouldn't be without the computer, I even bought a high end SoundBlaster FX sound card- It rocks!

Tom
 
Tascam and Fostex make NAB quality decks. I'll bet you could find one for a good price online.

I have a Tascam CD-A500 consumer deck. It has a CD player built in. The CD player stopped working 2 years ago, but the tape transport is bulletproof. It has a pitch control, too. Also has auto reverse and will play or record both sides of a tape.

I would have preferred a real 'Pro' deck, but they were too expensive back then (10 years ago). Also, it's black and would go well with your gear.
 
Last edited:
I love my Pioneer CT-F1000. Heavy vintage unit. There are usually one or two on eBay, and also a guy who specializes in servicing them.
 
Back
Top Bottom