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Help me decide--rank my tape decks

John in MA

John in MA

Respect the gamba tuba
I'm not really into tape as a format but I keep a deck around on general principles, as one does. Of course I've ended up with more decks than I need, so I'm hoping the brain trust here as some opinions on which one or two might be the best long-term bets. Mainly looking at reliability and future serviceability.

Teac V-1RX
Aiwa AD-F810
Nakamichi LX-3
Nakamichi DR-2

The DR-2 works fine but the cosmetics are terrible. The other three look like new but in the last year all the belts have failed. That's within my ability to fix.

That reminds me, are European eBay belts decent or should I be looking at Marrs and their $60 belts?
 
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The LX-3 is one of the best two head decks I've heard. Asymmetrical dual capstan driven and I believe one of the few Naks of the two head variety that push the pressure pad out of the way and let the transport do the work. W&F was .06% rms. Solid player indeed.
 
I've heard people say the V-1RX is an all-time tape deck. 3 motors with no capstan belt like the others.
 
I have Nak 582 582Z 580 580M LX3 ...... oh yes, ZX7 too.

Also, I have V1RX and V3RX. Among your list, the V1RX is to me the top keeper. It is DD, easy to maintain, tune up is easy, and the VU/Peak metres are the easiest to use and very accurate. Sound-wise, it is as good as a 582.

A second keeper: Aiwa ADF850. I only have the ADF910 and a couple of other two header and autoreverse decks from Aiwa. Their mechanisms require very fresh belts to even operate at all, ditto on the 3 head. But, the three head ADF910 decks are sasy to use, good Amorphous PB head/Sendust Rec head.

DO you like the Nakamichi DR-2 at all?

Terence
 
I've usually heard bad things about the Aiwa F810? Not that it's garbage, but people seem to think it was made after they stopped really caring about sound quality.

No opinion on the DR-2 other than it appears to be built well. I just got it and it now turns out the capstan belt is stretched out too. I think people say it's the same under the hood as the Cassette 1.5?
 
John in MA said:
I've usually heard bad things about the Aiwa F810? Not that it's garbage, but people seem to think it was made after they stopped really caring about sound quality.

No opinion on the DR-2 other than it appears to be built well. I just got it and it now turns out the capstan belt is stretched out too. I think people say it's the same under the hood as the Cassette 1.5?
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I have the Aiwa F810 and the LX-3 , playing a tape made on the Aiwa in the Nak now , sounds better . The Aiwa I bough new and is a great deck but the Nak just sounds better although 2 head
 
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