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Name That '80s Cassette Deck Challenge?

jeeem

jeeem

Active Member
Well, I've been looking for days (on eBay, HiFiEngine, Vintage Knob, etc.) in search of my favorite cassette deck I owned in the '80s. No luck. So I figured who better to ask about it than you all? It wasn't a fancy deck by any stretch and I can't even remember the make or model -- but it was probably something fairly mainstream like SONY, Technics/Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, JVC, Sharp, Sanyo, AIWA... ???

So, here's everything I can remember about it:

1) It was silver.
2) It had those flat metal buttons next to the cassette drawer -- the ones that just barely click when you touch them.
3) It had fluoroscan-type volume meters (green/red). They may have been vertical, but I'm not sure.
4) It had some kind of automatic music search function (like some of those Technics direct drive linear tracking turntables), where you could touch the search (FF or RW) button once or several times (the number of times would appear on digital LED) and it would skip forward or backward that many tracks.

Please let me know if this rings any bells with you, even if they're only little tiny silver jingle bells. Thanks.
 
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jeeem said:
Well, I've been looking for days (on eBay, HiFiEngine, Vintage Knob, etc.) in search of my favorite cassette deck I owned in the '80s. No luck. So I figured who better to ask about it than you all? It wasn't a fancy deck by any stretch and I can't even remember the make or model -- but it was probably something fairly mainstream like SONY, Technics/Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, JVC, Sharp, Sanyo, AIWA... ???

So, here's everything I can remember about it:

1) It was silver.
2) It had those flat metal buttons next to the cassette drawer -- the ones that just barely click when you touch them.
3) It had fluoroscan-type volume meters (green/red). They may have been vertical, but I'm not sure.
4) It had some kind of automatic music search function (like some of those Technics direct drive linear tracking turntables), where you could touch the search (FF or RW) button once or several times (the number of times would appear on digital LED) and it would skip forward or backward that many tracks.

Please let me know if this rings any bells with you, even if they're only little tiny silver jingle bells. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had one of the early JVC models with the search function and features you describe. The others I owned like that were all black.
 
My parents had a MCS deck much like you describe. After a quick image search I'm pretty sure it was a 3575.

Unfortunately I can't call it a "favorite" as it kept going back for service because it'd stop working periodically... but it was nice when it worked.

They had the matching receiver and TT too up until very recently, I haven't a clue why they didn't give me a heads up when they replaced that stuff, because AFAIK that was all fairly decent stuff even if private labeled for JCP...
 
I'm thinking Akai, this series had a red LED IPLS counter, flouro meters and small travel buttons below the door (illuminated)

tn_akai GX-F37.jpg gxf35.jpg
 
Maybe one of these which I've had in the past? The first is Technics RS B68R or the second M229X both with DBX filter integrated.

technics_rsb68r.jpg


technics_rs-m229x_stereo_cassette_deck.jpg
 
Thank you! That RS B68R is SO close to what I remember, lpsalsaman (but it had the search/skip features of the RS B78R, though in silver). If that and one of the Pioneers/Sonys I've been looking at had a baby, it might be the deck I'm thinking of. Of course, now I'm wondering if I'm mixing up two different decks in my memory. The flat-to-the-face buttons in a vertical grid just to the right of the cassette drawer is the thing I can't quite match to my recollections. I can feel my fingers on those buttons, which I could operate blind, almost like a typewriter/computer keyboard...
 
jeeem said:
Thank you! That RS B68R is SO close to what I remember, lpsalsaman (but it had the search/skip features of the RS B78R, though in silver). If that and one of the Pioneers/Sonys I've been looking at had a baby, it might be the deck I'm thinking of. Of course, now I'm wondering if I'm mixing up two different decks in my memory. The flat-to-the-face buttons in a vertical grid just to the right of the cassette drawer is the thing I can't quite match to my recollections. I can feel my fingers on those buttons, which I could operate blind, almost like a typewriter/computer keyboard...
Click to expand...

Don't know your age..... but we not going to remember/recall most things from childhood as they really appeared. Something to the matter of juvenile perspective.. I think influenced how we processed and retained experiences.

I have found recent pictures of "stuff" I did have or enjoy only to be disappointed it was rather "different"..?

Anyways... my choice would have been a Marantz as they tend to have these elaborate controls with silvery finish and tight fittings.

Just my thoughts!

And by the way... if you really want to take a trip down "hi-fi memory lane".. go to a local hi volume G-Will location... You will undoubtedly see things that were thought to no longer be in existence : )..
 
jeeem said:
Thank you! That RS B68R is SO close to what I remember, lpsalsaman (but it had the search/skip features of the RS B78R, though in silver). If that and one of the Pioneers/Sonys I've been looking at had a baby, it might be the deck I'm thinking of. Of course, now I'm wondering if I'm mixing up two different decks in my memory. The flat-to-the-face buttons in a vertical grid just to the right of the cassette drawer is the thing I can't quite match to my recollections. I can feel my fingers on those buttons, which I could operate blind, almost like a typewriter/computer keyboard...
Click to expand...

Well hope you can find what you are looking for! I have had quite a few decks, but those 2 were some of the first I bought way back in the early 80's. Anyway good luck in your search!
 
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