JVC TD-W354 Cassette Deck

[tankdonovan]

I saw one of these Dual Cassette decks at a thrift store yesterday. Without it being hooked up to a receiver I tested the functions and everything seemed to work. I did a search on the net and found that they still sell it at a few on line stores. I was wondering if anyone here has this deck or has owned it in the past. It appears to be a decent deck. The heads still looked good. I just want a deck for occasional listening of the 40 or 50 tapes I have. All the info I can get on the web is from JVC or the stores selling it. They may be a little bias.

Here are the specs:
Twin Tape Decks in one unit / Automatic Reverse / High-speed dubbing / Dolby B & Dolby C Noise Reduction

# Twin Auto-reverse system: One transport both records and plays, the other is for playback
# Digifine
# "COMPU-CALIBRATION": computer-controlled Recording calibration system
# Computer-controlled full-logic control
# 6 Motor Transport
# Silent mechanisms driven by exclusive motor actuators
# Reduced acoustic modulation noise: Cassette-shell stabilizers and large insulators
# Pitch control (Deck A)
# MIC Input with level control
# Multi Music Scan
# DDRP (Dynamics Detection Recording Processor)
# Continuous play of two tapes
# High-speed Editing with synchro Dubbing
# Dolby HX Pro (Deck B)
# Dolby B / C noise reduction
# Fluorescent level meters / counters

Photo is not of actual unit. It has a few scratches on top[not to bad] but the face looks about like new.

TankDonovan

 

[BrocLuno]

I have a JVC deck (TD541) and it is quite good. Yous is a dual well which may not be quite the same. In order to keep costs down with two mechanisms, they did have to cut somewhere? But overall, I have been please with my JVC. I just moved it to the shop and it displaced a NAD 613 which is a decent deck in it's own right.

As long as it work well I suggest you play it and be happy. If it gives you any trouble, drop it off for recycling and move up the food chain a notch or two. JVC still OK, but look for a three head dual capstan single well deck. It will handle older balky tapes much better. Since tapes are $.10~$.25 each at the thrifts, it's a great way to build up you music library cheap

 

[bordeno]

Don't do dual well, but I will vouch for the JVC I have, the TD-V621. It is outstanding. Some really nice features and makes very good sounding tapes.

 

[kermit z]

I've got a lower model JVC TD-W106 dual well that has been a rock. Does what it should and has been very reliable for over 10 years now. It has been relegated to the Girlfriends system since I have picked up several other nice decks. But never any problems with the JVC