Nakamichi 680zx Is it worth the hype?

[MadcapLaughs]

Hey all, first of all I am restricted from posting on tapeheads until I get through their top security clearance background check or whatever. (Strange cats over there at tapeheads lol). Anyways let me start by stating the obvious: Cassettes kick ass and I love the pre recorded ones too. Don’t hate! First of all, some of the cheap commercial tapes I’ve bought are pretty nice sounding (krafwork autobon, Stanley clark “if this bass could talk” etc. but aside from that some of them are obviously not that great. But even so, listening to a lou reed “rock n roll animal” in all of its lo-fi glory just sounds RIGHT on cassette. Love rock and metal on cassette! The nakamichi sound is the only other source that can pry my hands off my modded Lenco L75 turntable for a while.

ok anyways I’m selling my nakamichi bx 300 to finance an acquisition of a slightly more expensive but nice condition Nak 680zx. Did I make a dumb move? A lateral move at best? Or did I just enter the next level of tape nirvana? Should I hold out for a zx 7 or a CR series deck? Someone help, I am fully committed.

I know the specs are slightly better in some ways on the bx 300, direct drive and all, but what about this magical intangible quality of the 680zx that I hear about?

 

[oldvinyldude]

I would think the difference between your current deck and the 680ZX would be hard to justify in my mind, given the cost involved.

I have 3 working cassette decks, and I use them somewhat interchangeably, although I only record on my Aiwa ADF 810, as the Dolby HX make a big difference.

There is such variability in pre recorded tapes, which is my primary use, that the deck differences pale in comparison.

Just my 2 cents. I do not own any Naks.

 

[zedex]

All the hype is in your head. Dont get me wrong the 680zx is an awesome "old" deck when its fully serviced. The display is the absolute best in the nak lineup other than the ZXL. And it records great with the auto record azimuth. It suffers from orange cap disease. But. The bx300 is no slouch either. For what it is, it is an excellent sounding and recording deck. The bx sliders are cheezy as all hell. I Hate cheap sliders. All controls on the zx are sublime. Thats the classic nak transport which is phenomenal. If it were me. i would hold out for the ZX7.
.

 

[MadcapLaughs]

Good to know zedex, ended up getting decent coin from my bx-300 sale but the 680zx i had my eyes on just sold, for what most others are asking online, the one i was going to pull the trigger on was a good deal but now gone. All I can say is I will hold out until I find the next step up from a bx-300, be it a zx-7 or another deck.

Basically I'm willing to wait and wait for the right deal on a higher-end nak deck or revox. Any other clear steps up anyone can suggest (aside from a dragon)? I know the bx-300 is a highly respected deck.

 

[damacman]

Why not an RX-303 or 505?

 

[MadcapLaughs]

Just following up on this thread. I did end up getting a working nakamichi 680 a while ago, and honestly the improvement in sound quality was way waaay better than my BX 300. Since than I have heard an LX 3, a revox a77 reel to reel, and a jvc KD85, and this nakamichi 680 destroys all of these decks and it’s immediately noticeable. Playback on prerecorded cassettes through this thing sounds better than LP on restored my Lenco l75 turntable. Overall it’s the best source that I possibly have ever owned. Warm, crystal clear, dynamic as hell, and other superlative statements. It’s also not clinical or analytical sounding in any way, but has astounding frequency resolution. That’s my hyperbolic take on it, but it’s so obvious to my ears. Now I know why the prices on these things are so jacked up. On most other decks, playing a pre recorded cassette can sometimes sound great, but it’s a crapshoot....not so on the 680, it simply will transform your old cassettes into top notch Hifi sound

 

[twiiii]

680's were very good but technology marches on. The 682 series was better and of course the last of the 1000 series and the Dragon set the standards for all cassette machines.

 

[Numone]

I suspect your A77 isn’t working too well if your 680 destroys it!

 

[Bill Ashton]

...so, how does a DR-1 and DR-2 compare with the above. I have had a pair given to me, and frankly, I cannot tell the difference
between an LP and the tape made from them...absolutely fantastic. Definately not your Radio Schaak cassette decks

 

[MadcapLaughs]

Well I understand the sentiments that the 680 may not be the superlative deck, but from what I’ve gathered, many serious nak fans absolutely regard the 680 series, and specifically the original non ZX 680 as being one of the best cassette decks ever built and on par with the dragon. Some say the 680 extends into a higher frequency range due to some of the subtle design changes in the later 680 series models. I haven’t heard the ZX or 682 though so I can’t verify that. That’s a controversial statement I know, but honestly I’m telling you that the playback heads in this thing are unreal. The A77 works absolutely fine, there’s just this punchy quality to the nak 680, an incredible midrange with zero ear fatigue that I have yet to find in my Hifi journey so far.

 

[MadcapLaughs]

...so, how does a DR-1 and DR-2 compare with the above. I have had a pair given to me, and frankly, I cannot tell the difference
between an LP and the tape made from them...absolutely fantastic. Definately not your Radio Schaak cassette decks

I can tell you that the recording quality is amazing on the 680, but honestly is in the same ballpark as other nakamichi decks I’ve used before (bx 300, LX 3, MR-1), I am strongly convinced that playback of pre recorded tapes is really what sets this 680 apart from the others in the pack. Unlike many here, I specifically collect pre recorded cassettes and record on mine less frequently

 

[Echolane]

I just spotted this thread and read with interest the enthusiasm for the. Nakamichi 680ZX. I bought this deck new in 1979 for an extremely pricey amount for me of $1500. That comes to about $6387.24 adjusted for inflation in 2023. Yeah, no wonder I thought it was expensive! Anyway, I bought it for its half speed capability. I was going to the opera regularly and I’d buy the LPs and record them to tape for homework purposes prior to attending the opera. These were the days before subtitles at opera houses. It stopped working within five years of purchase and I took it in to be repaired. A few days later I was told it was unrepairable! All these years later, the experience still rankles. Firstly, because it was so expensive and to have it fail so soon after purchase was a huge disappointment at the time, and obviously still rankles. But, secondly, what made it unrepairable.?? I still don’t get that. The repair fellow just said it was like junk inside.
. Not worth repairing. I was the only one to use it. It was never ever abused, instead treated delicately like the expensive treasure it actually was.

I eventually replaced it with the DR-1. It worked up until this year. Suddenly it doesn’t play tapes anymore. I wonder if it is repairable!

 

[perryinva]

That repairman was an idiot, plain & simple. He obviously knew ZERO about the 680zx (and probably Nakamichi overall and didn't want to get involved. Did he offer to dispose of it for you? I have restored at least 20 680zx (and its siblings 660zx, 670zx, 680, 681/682zx) and there is literally NOTHING that can't be repaired besides the actual meter display if the tube is broken (very rare unless dropped), or if the heads themselves are bad, but they can be easily replaced (not cheap today, but it was back then). I have never had a working one sent to me. All my own were bought non-working. Yes, it is an intertwined combination of electromechanical design made during the period when ICs were new technology, and parts cost more than labor. It takes some experience and the correct tools & knowledge to make them sing better than when they were new, today. They are Dolby B only, which is fine for PRTs. And I have to agree with the OP: the 660/670/680 series REALLY do shine with play back of pre recorded tapes. They have a lush sound, with a pleasantly boosted bass and superb highs. And since they were pre-Prague 1981 eq based, it automatically compensates for the dullness often found on many PRTs. Had you held on to it, with those low hours, and in great cosmetic shape, restored it would be worth around $800 at least. I wouldn't part with mine for that much. How much other gear from 1980 can you say that about? Every single variant of them was returned to their owners to glowing praise about their performance. All the pitfalls are known today, (sticky grease, orange caps, 4066, weak eject linkage, certain electrolytic caps, all relatively easily taken care of) and a well serviced one can go for 10 years at least, with no service besides tape path cleaning. They are heavy, well built decks. And yes, the DR-1 is definitely repairable, and worth it. Though I still would take a 680zx any day over the DR-1 as long as you don't need Dolby C.

 

[Echolane]

That repairman was an idiot, plain & simple. He obviously knew ZERO about the 680zx (and probably Nakamichi overall and didn't want to get involved. Did he offer to dispose of it for you? I have restored at least 20 680zx (and its siblings 660zx, 670zx, 680, 681/682zx) and there is literally NOTHING that can't be repaired besides the actual meter display if the tube is broken (very rare unless dropped), or if the heads themselves are bad, but they can be easily replaced (not cheap today, but it was back then). I have never had a working one sent to me. All my own were bought non-working. Yes, it is an intertwined combination of electromechanical design made during the period when ICs were new technology, and parts cost more than labor. It takes some experience and the correct tools & knowledge to make them sing better than when they were new, today. They are Dolby B only, which is fine for PRTs. And I have to agree with the OP: the 660/670/680 series REALLY do shine with play back of pre recorded tapes. They have a lush sound, with a pleasantly boosted bass and superb highs. And since they were pre-Prague 1981 eq based, it automatically compensates for the dullness often found on many PRTs. Had you held on to it, with those low hours, and in great cosmetic shape, restored it would be worth around $800 at least. I wouldn't part with mine for that much. How much other gear from 1980 can you say that about? Every single variant of them was returned to their owners to glowing praise about their performance. All the pitfalls are known today, (sticky grease, orange caps, 4066, weak eject linkage, certain electrolytic caps, all relatively easily taken care of) and a well serviced one can go for 10 years at least, with no service besides tape path cleaning. They are heavy, well built decks. And yes, the DR-1 is definitely repairable, and worth it. Though I still would take a 680zx any day over the DR-1 as long as you don't need Dolby C.

it is mostly wonderful to see your reply to my note. Mostly, because I didn’t really expect a reply to this old thread after so much time has elapsed, but more importantly, mostly because your informative reply is so painful!

It took me a number of years before I actually had a suspicious thought about the transaction at the repair shop. It did cross my mind that the repairman was incompetent, but I thought it unlikely. What ultimately occurred to me was that the repairman wanted my unit for his own. I did leave the carcass behind. But I discarded that possibility as unlikely also. Simply because it’s hard for me to believe anyone would do that.. I’ve just assumed he must have been right. You’ve raised both those issues again and they are not pleasant to consider. All I can think to say at this point is I wish I had kept the carcass. I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved owning such a well regarded product. I think it’s called pride of ownership. Price was a factor too, because It greatly exceeded in price anything else I owned at the time. I owned a Pioneer SX-1050 I had bought new just a year before and I had some homely home made Bose 901 Speakers because I never covered the MDF with a wood veneer. I’m happy to say I put my Bose speakers in the garage when I bought my Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers. It’s possible my turntable came close to the cost of the Nakamichi because at that time I also owned the Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4004 and it was a pricey object too, though I don’t remember what I paid for it. I just turned to Google to see if I could discover the MSRP on it and instead I discovered that Bang & Olufsen has reintroduced the Beogram 4000 series and a refurbished unit sells for - get this - $11,000!!. What a shocking surprise! I still have my 4004. Maybe I should ask Bang & Olufsen what they would charge to just repair it. Well, I digress, it’ll give me something else to think about.
I will have my DR-1 repaired, regardless of its intrinsic value. Though to be truthful, I’m so into streaming my ripped CDs via Roon that I’m not sure I will ever feel the need to turn to my tape deck very often. What a shame, really.. Because I know how great tape sounds!

 

[nakmandan]

I second Perry's sentiments. That repairman was either grossly incompetent or he just wanted your deck. I have never heard anyone say it was just junk inside about one of the high water marks of Nakamichi. Even as old as they are, and with only Dolby B NR, the 680 series build quality leaves almost everything newer behind. If the heads are good, there are very few machines that can match it. I would also take a functioning 680 over just about any of the newer Sankyo based decks except the CR-7.

 

[Echolane]

I second Perry's sentiments. That repairman was either grossly incompetent or he just wanted your deck. I have never heard anyone say it was just junk inside about one of the high water marks of Nakamichi. Even as old as they are, and with only Dolby B NR, the 680 series build quality leaves almost everything newer behind. If the heads are good, there are very few machines that can match it. I would also take a functioning 680 over just about any of the newer Sankyo based decks except the CR-7.

Ouch, another with a similar opinion! What a shame I left the carcass behind. I once read an old Reader’s Digest lying about somewhere. Inside was an article entitled “the Two Worst Words in the English Language”. They turned out to be “if only”. I’ve never forgotten those two words! This is definitely an “if only” moment for me.

 

[radiokom]

I second Perry's sentiments. That repairman was either grossly incompetent or he just wanted your deck. I have never heard anyone say it was just junk inside about one of the high water marks of Nakamichi. Even as old as they are, and with only Dolby B NR, the 680 series build quality leaves almost everything newer behind. If the heads are good, there are very few machines that can match it. I would also take a functioning 680 over just about any of the newer Sankyo based decks except the CR-7.

+1

 

[perryinva]

Not that it will make you feel any better, but this was not an uncommon ripoff used by unscrupulous repair facilities. Pre-internet it was much harder to find out how bad a place could be.

Interestingly, two of the 680 decks, a zx and a non zx, I restored was for a local customer that actually bought one of my 680zx decks. He has a couple of decks, but the 680zx was always his favorite. He had one bought new (zx) that worked for many years, then, like yours, just quit. Then he had another that he had bought that the eject lever was broken internally and he hoped to swap internals to make a good one. He decided to buy mine because he figured he could sell his other two and have less hassle. He was told some outrageous story that the repair was impossible and if so, the repair cost would be very high. He kept them for years, not believing them. Then when he bought mine, he couldn’t believe how great it sounded and asked if I could look at his other ones. He sent them to me in their original boxes!

Besides orange cap disease and sticking grease, the main reason it didn’t work was the burnt out tape sense and stop bulbs. So no play motion and no sound, thanks to 2 $1 bulbs. He had all 3 restored and planned to sell one or 2, but decided he rather keep them for now. He did sell his 1000zxl, though.

 

[Echolane]

Not that it will make you feel any better, but this was not an uncommon ripoff used by unscrupulous repair facilities. Pre-internet it was much harder to find out how bad a place could be.

Interestingly, two of the 680 decks, a zx and a non zx, I restored was for a local customer that actually bought one of my 680zx decks. He has a couple of decks, but the 680zx was always his favorite. He had one bought new (zx) that worked for many years, then, like yours, just quit. Then he had another that he had bought that the eject lever was broken internally and he hoped to swap internals to make a good one. He decided to buy mine because he figured he could sell his other two and have less hassle. He was told some outrageous story that the repair was impossible and if so, the repair cost would be very high. He kept them for years, not believing them. Then when he bought mine, he couldn’t believe how great it sounded and asked if I could look at his other ones. He sent them to me in their original boxes!

Besides orange cap disease and sticking grease, the main reason it didn’t work was the burnt out tape sense and stop bulbs. So no play motion and no sound, thanks to 2 $1 bulbs. He had all 3 restored and planned to sell one or 2, but decided he rather keep them for now. He did sell his 1000zxl, though.

You are too right - it doesn’t make me feel any better! As I said before, it’s one of those “if only” moments in my life that I wish I could revisit. At least it won’t ever happen to me again! But it truly saddens me to read stories like yours where people get cheated like that! At least he kept his equipment and you were able to fix it for him.

Moving on…..I saw a Nakamichi DR-1 on eBay with a listing price of $1900! Overhauled, new belts, etc. There are several others in the $1000-$2000 price range so it looks like my DR-1 is worth fixing on value alone. I want to fix it anyway, but it’s nice to know it has value. The problem these days is finding someone to do the job. There aren’t many places left. I’ve been using the same fellow for more than forty years now and he is so busy I haven’t so far been able to persuade him to fix it. I’ve got a CD player he sold to me in need of repair which means it has priority, so maybe (maybe!) he will be willing to take my DR-1 in at the same time.

 

[radiokom]

You are too right - it doesn’t make me feel any better! As I said before, it’s one of those “if only” moments in my life that I wish I could revisit. At least it won’t ever happen to me again! But it truly saddens me to read stories like yours where people get cheated like that! At least he kept his equipment and you were able to fix it for him.

Moving on…..I saw a Nakamichi DR-1 on eBay with a listing price of $1900! Overhauled, new belts, etc. There are several others in the $1000-$2000 price range so it looks like my DR-1 is worth fixing on value alone. I want to fix it anyway, but it’s nice to know it has value. The problem these days is finding someone to do the job. There aren’t many places left. I’ve been using the same fellow for more than forty years now and he is so busy I haven’t so far been able to persuade him to fix it. I’ve got a CD player he sold to me in need of repair which means it has priority, so maybe (maybe!) he will be willing to take my DR-1 in at the same time.

Send them to Perry or Nakmandan. Both posted above. You will not be disappointed.