I Just Joined the Nakamichi Club!!!!

[MacGyver]

hey, all!! we all went to kennewick, wash. today to pick up the next volume of the anime "Shuffle!" that we have been enraptured with lately, and on the way out of town, we happened to stop at the local value village. not a whole lot, but i did find the remote for that PIONEER GR-777 EQ that the stuwster has for me. $1.99, and it cleaned up nicely. a spare, at least. but then, when we were thinking about leaving, i went back towards the electrical, and noticed that they had just put out a few new items. among them, was this...




http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1069.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1066.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1067.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1068.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1063.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1065.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1064.jpg


a Nakamichi BX-100 for $14.99. i noticed immediately that it was virtually identical to the BX-300 that craig got off his local CL for $75. i took it to an electrical outlet with a tape, and checked it out. fully functional!! so i wen't ahead and bit the bullet. it is a two-head, three motor design. i A/Bed it with the PIONEER CT-W910R with the MA-XG that i made on the latter deck, and, i must admit, while this nak is very, very good, the PIONEER actually sounds "clearer" nevertheless, this nak is quite solidly built for a mid-range model, and i think i'll be keeping it for the time being. later tonight, i will be making my first recording with it, a few songs from the anime "The Vision of Escaflowne". i will be getting back to you all with my impressions on the results. i will always be primarily enraptured by those two PIONEERs, but i am still excited to have the chance to sample for myself the fabled sound of the much-lauded Nakamichi cassette deck...o-o:-)

[MacGyver]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig3002.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4001.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4002.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4003.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4004.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4005.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/Craig4006.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/NAK1.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/NAK1001.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/NAK1002.jpg

[Acoustic]

Excellent! Keep in mind the BX-100 was really an 'entry level' model. Clean the tape path, demag the heads (examine them for wear), practice getting the recording levels proper.... then with a decent type II tape record a favorite song off of CD... then perhaps judge what this deck can do. If then you determine it's close to your your Pioneers (again keeping in mind this is an entry level 21-24 year old machine with an unknown past).... hmmm... wonder what kind of cake you'll be trying next?? Variety is the spice of life.:-)<-

[MacGyver]

huh. Nakamichi's "entry level" is pretty damned good!!!!o-o:-)

[braxus]

Cool John. I guess when I finally receive my Nak, I'll too have joined the club. Its pretty cool to see an entry level deck have two capstans for a two head deck. Or is it auto reverse? Look forward to reading your review.

[Mr. Lin]

huh. Nakamichi's "entry level" is pretty damned good!!!!o-o:-)

Yep, I have a BX-1, even lower than this one, and it produces excellent tapes. You might have found it to have a little less resolution than your Pioneer because the heads probably need to be cleaned and demagged.

[macster]

Excellent! Keep in mind the BX-100 was really an 'entry level' model. Clean the tape path, demag the heads (examine them for wear), practice getting the recording levels proper.... then with a decent type II tape record a favorite song off of CD... then perhaps judge what this deck can do. If then you determine it's close to your your Pioneers (again keeping in mind this is an entry level 21-24 year old machine with an unknown past).... hmmm... wonder what kind of cake you'll be trying next?? Variety is the spice of life.:-)<-

+

What he said, FYI contact Fred (marrscommunications@marrscommunications.com) for your belts.

M~

[MacGyver]

oh, i cleaned the head first thing. used a wet-type ALLSOP cleaner, the one made since the early 80's with those removable felt pads. just finished the recording. did an A/B on a MAXELL XL-IIS with the opening song of that anime i previously mentioned. first, with the nak, then with the PIONEER. very telling results, indeed. while the PIONEER is quite transparent, with virtually all the detail of the original, the nak is possessed of a distinct high-end "murkiness" still a very good sound, just plainly inferior to the PIONEER, is all. naturally, we must bear in mind that while the nak is very good entry-level, the PIONEER is a TOTL with just about every feature ever conceived short of a Laser-Amorphous head. if nothing else, this little venture reaffirmed to me just how DAMNED GOOD the CT-W910R is. S'all good...o-o:-)

[MacGyver]

oh, and FYI i have no demagging gear at all...

[Acoustic]

If you haven't yet... it's a good time to read the NakTalk (http://www.naks.com/) archives about your Nak. Many of the posts there are from techs... a wealth of knowledge for TapeHeads with Naks and taping in general.

[Acoustic]

oh, and FYI i have no demagging gear at all...

Time to start investing in the fundamentals of a serious TapeHead!!

[Scorpion8]

Sweet find! It's a Nak, and the discussion usually ends right there. Even the "entry level" ones can sound good. Good score.

[BroonsBane]

I have to find me one of them Nakamichi's...good score! *Hi5*

[MacGyver]

i just looked; the nak is mono-capstan. the PIONEER however, is a dual. i also slid off the door to look at the head. looks to be in good shape to me. have a look yourself...


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1074.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1070.jpg


so, the high-treble murkiness is due to a magnetized head?

[utahusker]

oh, and FYI i have no demagging gear at all...
You'll definitely get an improvement in your highs by demagging.

[MacGyver]

oh yes, this will likely be quite telling as to just how green i actually am, but what's up with nakamichi's idiosyncratic labelling of their tape type selectors as "'EX, SX, ZX"?

[MacGyver]

OK, i just registered the thing and subscribed to naktalk. we'll see what develops tomorrow, i'm hitting the hay...

[macster]

Coupla thingies the following look like they need a good cleaning with some SR-711 or equivlant.


The Erase Head

The Rec/playbkhd

The Capstan

The Pressure roller


M~

[Marc Hugo]

huh. Nakamichi's "entry level" is pretty damned good!!!!o-o:-)


It is indeed good Lady A; this has been my message for many - any Nak is a special machine indeed, even the modestly blessed.

Marc

[Marc Hugo]

Cool John. I guess when I finally receive my Nak, I'll too have joined the club. Its pretty cool to see an entry level deck have two capstans for a two head deck. Or is it auto reverse? Look forward to reading your review.

Actually Braxus, the earlier pics are of a BX-100 (single cap) and the last few of a BX-300 (double cap). The Naks with 2 heads and double capstans are the 480s and the LX-3. I think also the 580M.

Cheers - Marc

[Scorpion8]

....but what's up with nakamichi's idiosyncratic labelling of their tape type selectors as "'EX, SX, ZX"?

Nakamichi's way of guiding you towards their own tape brands, but think of the progress EX -> SX -> ZX as Type I -> Type II -> Type IV.

[Marc Hugo]

i just looked; the nak is mono-capstan. the PIONEER however, is a dual. i also slid off the door to look at the head. looks to be in good shape to me. have a look yourself...

so, the high-treble murkiness is due to a magnetized head?

The Pioneer is also a single capstan transport - the two capstan spindles (and two pinch rollers) visible are for the function of bi-directional auto-reverse.

MH

[Acoustic]

so, the high-treble murkiness is due to a magnetized head?

Also the high end on a tape can be permanently erased by the magnetism in the head.

[MacGyver]

top of the morning all! i decided to re-audition the nak vs. the PIONEER this morning with a freshly rested head (and my mother's ear listening in as well) me and my mother both found my initial impression yesterday of the nak to be in error. all of the the treble is present. it was simply that the nak has a more flat, accurate tonal response than the PIONEER. my mother reaffirmed this with her assertion that the nak is "accurate" and "clearly defines each musical instument" while the PIONEER is "echoey" in sum, she asserted that the Nakamichi is clearer and more accurate, the PIONEER is dynamic and euphiphinic, and she believes that i had just found solid gold. all this of course deeply wounds my pride as the PIONEER Princess, but i am certainly not blind to quality, which this nak has in spades. i may still be a stubborn young PIONEER turk, but i'll concede a little bit. still, you nak-heads have certainly sold my mother on the legendary status of this brand 150%!!!! anyway, now i have an almighty nak, wether i like it or not. o-o:-) I THINK...


:)/:mad: = *headache*



here i have it set up in the place i have reserved for that GR-777 EQ to run through it's tests...

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1079.jpg


and here is where i am permenantly placing the damned *hypnot*ing thing. freeing my pre-arranged place for that EQ...


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1080.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1082.jpg


dammit, craig, get yer crazy texan ass back over here so i can take you out for a Dr. Pepper and whine about my new love/hate situation!!!!;-((

[hakka26]

Nice. One of those has been sitting at a local GW. Don't know if it is still there.

[close652]

Lady Ayeka, congrats to your Nak!

Here the prices of these 2 head Naks start around 100USD *fit*

[gamve]

Lady Ayeka, congrats to your Nak!

Here the prices of these 2 head Naks start around 100USD *fit*

Seems to be about the same sort of dollars to get into all but the most basic Naks in AUS too. Looks like the best (sort of) place to get them is German Epay but might not be practical for members in the states due to postage. I think most of the EU machines are multi voltage selectable. Does anybody know if this voltage issue is correct?

[JXBJXB]

For $15 that's an excellent deal.

Long time lurker, first time poster. The BX-100 is capable of making an excellent recording. It's essentially the exact same deck transport and electronics wise as the BX-1, BX-125, and BX-150. The BX-300 has a quite different transport due not only to the three-head and dual-capstan config, but because it has Nakamichi's lauded "pressure pad lifter."

Nonetheless, mine sounds better than just about any other deck I've owned, and I've had a bunch of nice three-head Sony, JVC, Teac, and Pioneer models. The only one I have that bests the BX-100 is an older Nak 480 with the classic dual-capstan transport and pressure-pad lifter.

Two achilles heels of the BX-100: the idler wheel that drives the wheels has a rubber tire that wears out prematurely. Symptoms are that the reels turn slowly, intermittently, or not at all when you play, FF, or REW. The temporary fix is to go on eBay and buy a replacement idler, which will take you about 10 minutes to replace yourself. The permanent fix is to have the deck retrofitted with plastic gearing instead of the rubber idler - but that's kinda overkill for an entry-level Nak.

The second is that the transport motor develops dead spots. Symptoms are that the deck appears to "do everything all at once" when you hit a transport button. The solution in general is to remove the motor, blast it with DeOxit, run it in each direction off a 9-volt battery for 15 minutes (each direction) and then put it back into the transport. Not anywhere near as simple as the rubber idler problem, but can be done successfully by a DIYer.

By the way, it is commonly known that the Nakamichi EX, SX, and ZX tapes were hand-picked TDK D, SA, and MA. You -may- find that those tapes perform better than others in your deck, assuming that it is still factory-calibrated.

Enjoy your deck!

[Marc Hugo]

[QUOTE=Lady Ayeka;11206]top of the morning all! i decided to re-audition the nak vs. the PIONEER this morning with a freshly rested head (and my mother's ear listening in as well) me and my mother both found my initial impression yesterday of the nak to be in error. all of the the treble is present. it was simply that the nak has a more flat, accurate tonal response than the PIONEER. my mother reaffirmed this with her assertion that the nak is "accurate" and "clearly defines each musical instument" while the PIONEER is "echoey" in sum, she asserted that the Nakamichi is clearer and more accurate, the PIONEER is dynamic and euphiphinic, and she believes that i had just found solid gold. all this of course deeply wounds my pride as the PIONEER Princess, but i am certainly not blind to quality, which this nak has in spades. i may still be a stubborn young PIONEER turk, but i'll concede a little bit. still, you nak-heads have certainly sold my mother on the legendary status of this brand 150%!!!! anyway, now i have an almighty nak, wether i like it or not. o-o:-) I THINK...



Hi Lady Ayeka - I didn't say on the other thread - but I like your photo-posts, if it's OK with Matt and it seem it is. OK - so you like the Nak!! That's wonderful - but don't loose your love for the Pioneer family!! Once you have a single well transport unit, then is fairer to compare. The picture of it is excellent. I really enjoyed you getting your mum to assist in the listening test. Naks have a certain sound - Pioneers too actually. A friend of mine said to me that he found their sound (these are not my words) "over -exposed". He said that they had a certain way of presenting their detail that revealed all. It could never be laid back. A bit relentless, like an Audio-Technica moving coil. He might be right - but I really like it. Anyhow - its a huge topic. Enjoy your new family member - I have always lusted after a silver BX - preferably a BX-150....

Take care - Marc

[stuwee]

John, well allrighty!! BBRAaaHAaaHaaaHA *devil*!!
$14.99?!? Did ya give them $15 and say "keep the change"??
Hope your home tomorrow, there's gonna be a box on your doorstep! *hope*

stuwster

[macster]

I have always lusted after a silver BX - preferably a BX-150....

Take care - Marc

If you ever want a black BX-150 let me know.


M~

[MacGyver]

Hi Lady Ayeka like the Nak!! That's wonderful - but don't loose your love for the Pioneer family!!



oh there's no chance of that!!!!

[MacGyver]

John, well allrighty!! BBRAaaHAaaHaaaHA *devil*!!
$14.99?!? Did ya give them $15 and say "keep the change"??
Hope your home tomorrow, there's gonna be a box on your doorstep! *hope*

stuwster



thanks, craig!! it's great to have you back!!!!o-o:-)

[stuwee]

thanks, craig!! it's great to have you back!!!!o-o:-)

Good to be back...and look what you did, you went out and got kNak'd up!:D , who's the father? I can't leave you cubs alone for a minute.

Sorry, that was in extremely poor taste, even for me :)

[Mr. Lin]

John, well allrighty!! BBRAaaHAaaHaaaHA *devil*!!
$14.99?!? Did ya give them $15 and say "keep the change"??
Hope your home tomorrow, there's gonna be a box on your doorstep! *hope*

stuwster

We were starting to worry about you.

[Marc Hugo]

We were starting to worry about you.

Worry is one thing Mr Lin, but full-bloooded panic....

Well, OK - great to have you back Craig!!

Marc