Best of the 2-Head Decks

[Scorpion8]

Okay, we all swoon over 3 head cassette decks, we all drool over hi-end Naks, and we argue endlessly over NR, Dolby B/C/S or dbx. But most of us cut our teeth early on a common 2-head deck and these still dominate what we find at thrifts, yard sales, etc. The fact is, there are some exceptional 2-head units out there, and they can make some really nice recordings.

For example, Nak480. Pretty common, pretty pedestrian. Benefits from the Nak transport dual-capstan mechanism, pressure pad lifter, and less complicated controls. Mine will play tapes that are missing the pressure pads and you'll never even notice. Makes great recordings too.

Another of my favorites was my Sony TC-K65. This whole line of Sony's (I have a TC-K71 inbound as we speak) benefitted from the Sendust & Ferrite heads, had bias/eq for all 4 tape types, and mine made superb recordings. A little more noise than a 3 head deck as you had the compromise REC/PB head, but still made sweet tapes. I also have a TC-K44 that I use at work right now. Yea, those whole series was keepers.

And one I've just gotten in recently is an Harman Kardon TD192. The PB on this deck is very quiet without any NR. Recordings are quite distinguished also, with v.good bass capture. I just rebelted this one and she plays like new.

So, post your best 2-head decks. Enjoy the music!

[Des-Lab]

1. Yamaha KX-300U (Pictures later tonight. Awesome little deck)
2. Denon DRM-500 (my first new deck and I would love to find a good one)

[Marc Hugo]

Good question!!

Of mine, my favourites are the Nakamichi 480Z (exquisite clarity and stability), Alpage Al-50 (demon 2-header which flatters any tape and is phenomenol with metal) followed by my Yamaha KX-493 (extraordinary, vice-free, indeed, completely expected competence from an affordable modern machine).

I wouldn't mind an LX-3 alluded to earlier though...

MH

[Naknut]

The Kyocera D-801 is one of my favorites. I love the styling and features and it sounds a lot like a Nakamichi on playback.

[Deon]

My first deck ever, Dual C-820. Probably use it more than latter a dozen three-head recorder combine.

Regards, Davorin

[Scorpion8]

Of mine, my favourites are the Nakamichi 480Z (exquisite clarity and stability), ...

I think the Nak 480s are well regarded. The only difference that I'm aware of between a 480 and 480Z are the VU meters.

As Matt alluded to the MOTL Denon's produced some super decks also. I have two DRM-540's which are two head decks, and except for their reliance on electronics to set Tape type (I hate that!) they are really simple, easily maintained and calibrated decks. I've had one in my main living room hifi system for 10+ years now. A lot of plastic, and weighs about as much as a pack of gum, but they soldier on.

[faustus]

My best 2-head decks are both BOTL Naks. I've got a CR-2A and a pair of CR-1A decks. Originally purchased from ebay as low-cost playback-only units, I'm amazed at the quality recordings that can be made with these decks. They are single capstan, no pad lifter, and the CR-1A doesn't even have adjustable bias. On the positive side, they're very easy to use and maintain and the heads are stout. Perhaps the best thing I can say is that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as a first deck or upgrade deck or playback deck.

[Dimitar Georgiev]

Akay GXC730D. This was the deck Dad brought home circa 1977 when I was 7 years old . I remember that I was absolutely in awe with that machine which was novelty those days in Bulgaria. Loved the autoreverse thingie and was so proud I had autoreverse deck believing that the other companies simply could not make autoreverse deck LOL Still have the deck back in Sofia but probably will need belt repacement.

Cheers,
Dimitar

[gamve]

The Tandberg TCD310 MkII is a very nice sounding 2 head deck. Very minimal features, built like the proverbial.... easy to use and makes great recordings. I would recommend one of these oldies to anyone. The sound quality beats the shit out of entry level Yamaha's and the like IMHO.

[close652]

Akay GXC730D. This was the deck Dad brought home circa 1977 when I was 7 years old . I remember that I was absolutely in awe with that machine which was novelty those days in Bulgaria.

That was a big thing back in those days in the Eastern block, same here in Hungary - btw. in 1977 I was also 7 years old...

[Acoustic]

I have to go with the Nak CR-2A also because of it's price vs value now. Since everyone wants a 3 head you can pick up one of these gems for $30- 50 easily on our fav auction site shipped this past month. Here's some examples w/price and shipping to Kansas. $27.48 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nakamichi-CR-2A-Cassette-Deck-1-Cent-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ330293673526QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCa ssette_Decks?hash=item330293673526&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A13|39%3A1|240%3A1318) $33.62 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nakamichi-CR-2A-Cassette-Deck-1-Penney-Starts-No-ReSV_W0QQitemZ330293673184QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCasse tte_Decks?hash=item330293673184&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A13|39%3A1|240%3A1318)

Here's mine:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2794502677_da5a56532e.jpg

[Mr. Lin]

I have to mention the deck I use, which is a Nak BX-1. Bottom of the line for Nakamichi, amazing performance regardless.

[Scorpion8]

I have to mention the deck I use, which is a Nak BX-1. Bottom of the line for Nakamichi, amazing performance regardless.

I have heard that from other sources. Good news for searchers.

[Marc Hugo]

I think the Nak 480s are well regarded. The only difference that I'm aware of between a 480 and 480Z are the VU meters.

As Matt alluded to the MOTL Denon's produced some super decks also. I have two DRM-540's which are two head decks, and except for their reliance on electronics to set Tape type (I hate that!) they are really simple, easily maintained and calibrated decks. I've had one in my main living room hifi system for 10+ years now. A lot of plastic, and weighs about as much as a pack of gum, but they soldier on.

Hi Scorps, I'd love to have a Denon - I really like the lloks and build quality on all their gear...

The 480 and 480Z - sure it's the meters....and...Dolby C!!.. A Russian connection of mine once referred to the Z models as having "piggy mods" because Nak actually adapted (piggy-backed) the original bias traps and NR circuitry of the non-Z with the additional encode/decode set-up for Dolby C. When it's good, it's brilliant - but that's not often because over the years, all the glue they used to seal their additional electronics hardens. and becomes...brace yourself now.... conductive!! Oh yes, you have to pick this stuff off to stop the crackling.

Cheers - MH

[JaeTee]

I have owned an Onkyo TA-2058 3-head since I found it in a pawn shop for $20 about seven years ago. Within the last year I picked up a Nak RX-303 2-head on eBay. It would not play/record properly so I had it fully reconditioned. I've always wanted one of these self-tape-fliping decks!

Prior to the two decks I have now I have owned a Pioneer CT-7R, Nak BX-125 and one of the Technics 2-head DBX models. Those are long gone, but I still have many tapes recorded on those units.

I always thought the Onkyo made fabulous recordings and was very satisfied with it, but I was drawn to the unidirection autoreverse of the RX-303 and took the plunge. Much to my surprise, I have to admit that the recordings from the RX-303 are noticeably better than what comes out of the very good Onkyo. Even the tapes recorded on the Onkyo sound better from the Nak. For that matter, all my tapes sound better on the Nak and the Onkyo has been relegated to FF and REW duties (kinda sad). I noticed that the Nak deck is about twice as heavy as the Onkyo..., I guess all that heft has purpose?!

On a side note, the technician who worked on the Nak for me has 30+ years of experience working on these decks. He told me that he used to regularly talk to Nakamichi techs & reps and that thier designers back in the 70's were focused mainly on two-head designs and that they initially felt that 3-head decks were more of a marketing fad when they first hit the market. According to him, they kind of went kicking and screaming into 3-head tape deck development because the market was heading that way... The point of his story was that Nak overengineered their 2-head decks so much that many Nak 2-head decks will outperform competitor 3-head units.

I think I have to agree with him on that last point for sure.

I compared RX-303 specs to RX-505 specs. These two decks are identical except for # of heads and the "monitor" button which is present on the RX-505. The specs read virtually identical across the board except for S/N ratio. If I remember correctly, the 3-head RX-505 is rated at only 1 db better.

[Dimitar Georgiev]

I compared RX-303 specs to RX-505 specs. These two decks are identical except for # of heads and the "monitor" button which is present on the RX-505. The specs read virtually identical across the board except for S/N ratio. If I remember correctly, the 3-head RX-505 is rated at only 1 db better.

RX-303 is indeed one of the best two-headers coming from Nakamichi. I have RX-505 though and can say something about it - RX-505 makes excellent records, I use it frequently and I am very happy with it. RX-505 has classical Nak transport , very well built deck, everything on it is made to last. I remember that I took apart the RX-505 6 or 7 times until I figure out all the adjustment pots and tuning tricks and for more than an year and half works without a single problem. Very impressed with the mechanics inside - as I said it is built to last. The record is undistinguishable from the source to my ears as it is with the rest of my Naks.

BTW, if you compare the schematics of RX-505/RX-303 with that of Dragon you will find out that many modules on the singal path such as the playback and recording amplifiers, dolby circuits etc are identical to those of Dragon.

D.

[Scorpion8]

Why Nak did certain things is a mystery to all of us. I also have a Nak 581, which is a 3-head deck masquerading in a 2-head machine. It has the "discrete" PB/REC heads of a 3 head machine design, but no off-tape monitor. In other words, it may act like a 3 head machine but plays back as if it were a 2 head machine. Huge machine also, longer and bulkier than many receivers of the day.

[JXBJXB]

My dual-capstan black Nak 480 is the best sounding of all of the decks I own. You would think the MR-1 I own (BX300 pro derivative) would best it, and maybe it does in terms of being 100% accurate to what is fed into it, but the 480 has a warm, smooth, silky sound that is addictive.

It's the second one I've had. The first died from orange cap disease, so I bought a replacement off eBay for around $40. The reel motor and a few of the indicator lights from my original 480 went into the replacement, and I also put in the very-excellent "D2" capstan belt from Marrs Communications. Oh - every other belt except the idler tire was replaced, too. Then I calibrated with Luis Peromarta's cal tapes.

I've been recording on used, second generation (the glittery gold ones) XLII-S with Dolby B in the 480 recently, and the sound is just magnificent. I play most of the tapes back in my stock Audi A4 headunit on the road, and they really sound nice.

Since you can get a 480 for not much more than the bottom of the line single-capstan Naks, I'd go the 480 route - but realize that they are older decks that may need a bit more TLC and refurbishing due to age.

[Fast Forward]

Well I joined this forum late,,but my vote for a great 2 Head Deck has got to be the Nakamichi 600 series,,,great looks ,,tons of features great performance,,did I mention great looks ? Iv,e had mine since new,,seen the shop once

[Mr. Lin]

I certainly agree with you about the looks of those models.

[Des-Lab]

Seeing as believing as a few folks above have shown. As far as two head simpletons go, this Yamaha KX-300U is the champ in my book. It's a stunningly simple deck. It has all the basics and none of the frills. Not ubless you count the very handy Play Trim feature as fluff. It's a sturdy yet lightweight deck and is pretty handsome to boot, being a specimen from the high water mark of the cassette era (late 1980's). And it makes some might sweet sounding tapes on top of all that.

[Marc Hugo]

That's a delightful little machine Matt - no I definitely wouldn't call play trim anything but very handy. So far as I recall, because it works in advance of the bias trap and NR, inreasing trim has an effect much like reducing bias at the recording stage - but in retrospect...

I have a little Technics RS-B105 from the same era - I got it new/old stock and it just gets a great job done with the minimum of bother.

Cheers - Marc

[NAD613]

Whoa, play trim AND bias adjustment. My NAD has both & they are very handy features. The bias adjustment can make some very good recordings on type I tapes (Akai SX, Fuji DR-I) & the play trim can bring tapes back to life!

[iamhifi]

I have heard plenty of 2 heads like Nak CR, Dr, Yamaha, Onkyo, Sony, and I think no, I know the winner has to be a Nak 480, for simplicity and sound, warm and pleasent sound.
Angel
I think the Nak 480s are well regarded. The only difference that I'm aware of between a 480 and 480Z are the VU meters.

As Matt alluded to the MOTL Denon's produced some super decks also. I have two DRM-540's which are two head decks, and except for their reliance on electronics to set Tape type (I hate that!) they are really simple, easily maintained and calibrated decks. I've had one in my main living room hifi system for 10+ years now. A lot of plastic, and weighs about as much as a pack of gum, but they soldier on.

[speakerman1]

Well I got all the bugs worked out of my LX3. I can't believe the sound. The only thing I have to compare to is my R2R. It sounds almost as good. I am happy I came to this site and found out about the Naks.

[niklasthedolphin]

I vote for the Tandberg TCD 310 mkII or the TCD 420A.

"dolph"

[390FE]

Of the 2 head decks I own. Well I am going to say that the Proton 740 is the best & a awesom deck that is factory aligned for Maxell XLI-S, XLII-S & MX tapes. Has Dolby B & C and dbx NR. The sound on this deck is excellent both play & record, smooth detailed open airy, highs as good as my Nak 581 & 582 & good bass. When I playback tapes on my Nak 581 or 582 that I made with my Proton 740 I can't tell the difference between ones made on the Nak 581 or 582. And the Nak's reveal how recording decks lack on high frequency extension/responce & I get none of that when recording with the Proton 740.
Now my next fave 2 head decks are the Optimus SCT-57 (aka Pioneer CT-W604RS) & Pioneer CT-703RS (I like the looks of the Optimus over the Pioneer better because the Optimus' floressent display is blue & red where as the Pioneer is amber/orange & red) tapes made on these decks are great but not at as good as the Proton 740 or the Nak 581 & 582. Even with the Super Auto BLE giving computerized/perfect bias & rec level alignment on any tape. They have Dolby B, C, S & HX Pro. Still when I recorded on them & playback them on the Proton or Nak's the highs arn't quite there but very close due to the computerized tape matching/alignment.
BUT there is one feature on the Optimus (the CSES function) & Pioneer (the Flex function) that restores/enhances playback of recorded tapes that either are worn or not recorded on the best decks and don't have or have lost their high frequency. These systems are the same & automatically compensates tapes with poor sound quality at high frequency levels of 1khz & over. And can boost the 10khz range up to 12db. So what I have done is use one of these decks to playback old or poor tapes to restore their high frequencies & patch it into a good deck like the Proton or Nak's to record the "improved" sound.

[stuartypoorty]

Hello 390FE,

I'm only familiar with the Proton marque through an integrated music system, the AI-3000 which, unusually for non separates had very good press from the hi-fi journals back in the late 80's here in the UK.

Had no idea they produced stand alone decks and can't recall if these were sold here.

Thanks for bringing this to the forum.

Here's some images with apologies for picture size; Bizarrely an article showing some vintage Proton products has appeared in this months Hi-Fi News, a pre and power combo so I'm now thinking that their full range was distributed here.

[rotovator]

I have or have had many of the tapes here cited, include the strange proton 740

I would like to add the Tandberg 3034, which its physical resemblance with the TANDBERG 3014 justifies most of the attraction I feel. It has a very good playback sound quality. It records well, but playback is fantastic. From what I've seen it has the same playback head than the 3014 (this deck has the record head separated from the playback head, which is full sized)

The proton 740 is a good deck. It has more features than the average 3 head deck (even dbx). It's a special and different deck that has a strange appeal. The sound quality is good. For sure, not the best 2 deck, but can compete against some three head decks.

[Scorpion8]

I have or have had many of the tapes here cited, include the strange proton 740.

That's a sweet list in your signature. You fit right in here!

[rotovator]

There are some more decks to cite.

You can fetch them from this famous list:

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/
(see at the end)

These are the 2 head decks that also deserve a mention.

Kenwood KX-880
Technics RS-M85 (and 45)
and some Aurex (toshiba)

[JXBJXB]

There are some more decks to cite.

Technics RS-M85 (and 45)



I've got an RS-M45 in excellent shape and I'm impressed by its performance and build. But out of curiosity why do you think it needs a mention?

[rotovator]

I've got an RS-M45 in excellent shape and I'm impressed by its performance and build. But out of curiosity why do you think it needs a mention?

The RS-M45 may be a successor of the M85/88. Maybe with a very little downgrade in some of its components and without fine bias tuning, but basically the same updated deck with metal capabilities (M85 is not).

They are direct drive quartz locked motor decks. Quite unusual for a 2 head decks. The rest of the deck is supposed to match this feature with good construction and specwise is very above the average for 2 head decks (20-20Khz frec response on metal).

[iamhifi]

Super nice site,
I like the Teac C-1, the Luxman K-05, Nakamichi all, nice ZX-5, Aiwa. Did you see the speakers, they look like JBL and Altec. Some Amps and Pre Amps look like Mcintosh. Wow , lots of copies!
Angel

[Dimitar Georgiev]

There are some more decks to cite.

You can fetch them from this famous list:

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/
(see at the end)

These are the 2 head decks that also deserve a mention.

Kenwood KX-880
Technics RS-M85 (and 45)
and some Aurex (toshiba)

BTW, never seen on Ebay this deck Marantz SD-930 - somebody heard about it , seen it ? As far as I know this is the only other deck besides Dragon with auto azimuth calibration - the so called MAAC system.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://k-nisi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/sd-930.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://k-nisi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/sd-930.html%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

D.

[Mignun67]

Wow. Never seen that Marantz before!

One of my favourites is the Technics M85/88 as mentioned below. Very cool slim techy look to it. When the M85 came out in the 70's I remember it looking so sleek compared to most of the competition. I wanted one SO bad! A Technics was my first deck, an RSM-228X. Then along came my first taste of Nakamichi.... I still secretly hanker after an M85/88 to partner my Technics ST-9030 tuner...

The pic below is from this site: http://www.audioinnovationen.de/html/technics_m-88.html

They have some great pics - check out the big Phase Linear!

[Whippy]

best two head deck, eh? i vote for this, one of the hardest PIONEERs to beat:


CT-W910R (1989)


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DSCF1561.jpg

[Web Police]

That is the second glowing recommendation of the Pioneer CT-W910R Deck I have heard. I am going to have to keep an eye open for one of them. *thumbsup*

I wonder if it can hold a candle to an old school JVC VCR though? *scratchchin*

[reeltorock]

I vote for the Tandberg TCD 310 mkII or the TCD 420A.

"dolph"

+1 for the TCD 420A. I had one and playback was delightful. Recorded very decently too. Very well built and a nice looker. I wish I hadn't sold it.

[Flyquail56]

best two head deck, eh? i vote for this, one of the hardest PIONEERs to beat:


CT-W910R (1989)


Hey Whippy,

Welcome! That picture looks awfully familiar *grin*

http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=580&highlight=pioneer

Mike

[speakerman1]

I just bought a BX1 for my tube gear. I can't record so I will be using it as a playback machine. Will see if it sounds as good as my LX3.

[Mr_rye89]

I like the JVC KD-D30, its not a terribly good looker but it makes great recordings and plays back great too! not bad for 20 bucks has dolby B and C and plays/records CrO2, metal, SA etc. much better than the old Soundesign peice of poo i had before. no to mention it integrates wonderfully with my home made all vacuum tube stereo

[speakerman1]

The BX1 sounds good like a Nak should.

[qubeular]

here is my marantz/superscope

i use it when im too lazy to bias the tape, or when the tape is a high bias/120 in this case:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/qubeular/tapedeck.jpg

this is a freshly recorded copy of swidden by blackbird raum.

oh yeah, excuse the filth and the phone is in there for refrence.

yeah its key lime green.

[Naknut]

Now thats what I'd call a retro look.

[speakerman1]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=320342726536
I got this yesterday. Will see if it works.

[Scorpion8]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=320342726536
I got this yesterday. Will see if it works.


Heckuva price! Good luck.

[JaeTee]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=320342726536
I got this yesterday. Will see if it works.

Awesome deal! The BX-125 was my main deck for about 15 years! It's a very capable machine and gave me many, many good recordings which I still listen to today!!!

Good luck! I'm the eternal optimist, so I'm rooting for you to have made a good score here! But, unfortunately, it's my experience that when a seller says they "can't test" that the item doesn't work... Either way, for that price it will be worth it for you to replace belts and idler yourself.

I think I still have my owners manual for that one filed away somewhere...

Again, good luck!! And let us know how it turns out!

[Mignun67]

The BX-125 is a heck of a nice deck, certainly one of the best 2-headers. This was Nakamichi's peak and I feel the later junior members of the CR and DR series took a small step backwards from here.

Judging by the close-up inside the tape-well, you should give it the mother of all cleans before you use it. The head looks really grubby and I'm really hoping the capstan just has muck on it rather than rust. The rubber looks ok though and cross fingers that belts and idler are still OK. If not, don't despair, it's well worth getting new belts and idler done anyway.

[speakerman1]

Is there a Dr. in the house? Well it doesn't play , ff, or rew. The heads go up. The meter doesn't turn. I need the Dr. Doc you have a PM.

[MASTERTAPE]

There are some more decks to cite.

You can fetch them from this famous list:

http://www.niji.or.jp/home/k-nisi/
(see at the end)

These are the 2 head decks that also deserve a mention.

Kenwood KX-880
Technics RS-M85 (and 45)
and some Aurex (toshiba)
I really wish to have at least the Ｔｅｃｈｎｉｃｓ　ＲＳ-Ｍ８５ but just looking it makes me happy, man so many good ones at this place.thanks for sharing this site *flame*

[Time_Stand_Still]

Who says that a two head deck can't make outstanding recordings? A few days ago I picked up at a thrift shop a Harman Kardon CD-191 two head but high quality deck. It retailed for about $400 back in the early 80's.

I have three very nice three head decks a JVC DD-VR9, JVC KD-V6 and a JVC TD-V541. The DD-VR9 is the best sounding of the three but each is a pretty capable deck. I was interested in seeing how this good but generally basic featured H/K unit would stack up in sound. Well after a good cleaning and putting in a Maxel XL-II tape it was time to record. For this it was just a good Collective Soul CD. I tweaked the fine bias to give the XL-II just a slight boost (one notch on the dial). I made a test recording with both Dolby B and Dolby C. Once done I played back the tape and Holy cow it sounded great. It truly rivaled the overall sound I can expect from my three head decks. Lots of body, good texture and nice high frequencies. There was no noticeable wow and flutter even though it is a single capstan drive. Tape hiss was low even with Dolby B and it is an easy to use deck. Yes, tweaking fine bias is more difficult than with a three head deck but all in all a smooth operating deck.

No, it has no music scan or record mute. It only has a mechanical tape counter but it has a nice set of all be it small green and red LED meters with enough range and defined points to safely set record levels.

I tried other tapes that were normal bias, Fuji DR and an RCA type one tape. Both needed much more fine bias boost. I had to peg the boost for the Fuji DR and go half way up the dial for the RCA but once done both made nice tapes. This deck made with either of the tapes I noted here the best sounding tapes I have personally heard from what few two head decks I have either owned or heard from other friends systems in my past.

All in all I expected good results but was blown away with how good this quality two head deck performed. If you like lots of features then a deck like this will not do but if you want a good two head deck and often can find those second hand for low $$$ then by all means look into these types of H/K decks.*reelspin**reelspin*

[Audiomayvin]

Hi guys!
I believe I've mentioned this previously. Many of the 2 head machines that have been on my bench for service whose head had to be replaced, I've put in Teac's Cobalt-Amorphous head. This head definitely improves performance-lower distortion and improved high frequency saturation.
I've often replaced Ferrite heads with C-A heads for a very interesting reason. Type II tapes(chrome or equivalent(SA or XLII)) require higher levels of bias and very often, the Ferrite head will saturate the bias signal. The result is that as bias is increased the distortion is supposed to decrease. But with this saturation problem the distortion doesn't drop as it should. So distortion at Dolby level is much higher than it should be for TDK SA(for example).
With the C-A head this problem just doesn't exist.
I have 12 Cobalt-Amorphous heads left.
So.... if you're interested, I'm here.
All the best,
Leon(The Audiomayvin, Montreal(514)739-5403)

[Scorpion8]

With the C-A head this problem just doesn't exist.
I have 12 Cobalt-Amorphous heads left.
So.... if you're interested, I'm here.
All the best,
Leon(The Audiomayvin, Montreal(514)739-5403)

Is this head still available from Teac?

[Marc Hugo]

Hi Leon,

That sounds very tempting - pity I'm so far away. I guess this would be easy to fit to a TASCAM. Is this a similar material as those CA heads on the TEAC V-6030S/8030S?

I echo Scorpion's question....

Cheers - Marc

[Audiomayvin]

Hi Guys!
I don't know if the C-A heads are still available, but it was understood when I acquired these heads from Teac Canada that I am getting the last of the remaining stock.
Any Teac machine that has a C-A head is a C-A head(does that make sense?)
Just to clarify, I do not sell these heads; rather I use them for servicing a machine that requires a new head.
Over the years I've seen tons and tons of Tascam 112's and there are alot of them floating around with C-A heads.
All the best,
Leon(The Audiomayvin, Montreal(514)739-5403)

[Scorpion8]

Just picked up and cleaned my 3rd Denon DRM-540 2-head deck last weekend. These things weigh about the same as a pack of Chicklets, but they sure do have nice transports and make good tapes. Hard to go wrong with one of these....

[Web Police]

J These things weigh about the same as a pack of Chicklets

Is that one of them decks that slides back in the rack when you try to push the play button? *grin*

[Scorpion8]

Is that one of them decks that slides back in the rack when you try to push the play button? *grin*

Yup! Sneeze and she goes off the backside of the shelf....*Hi5*

[Web Police]

Yup! Sneeze and she goes off the backside of the shelf....*Hi5*

I had a few decks like that and I opened up the cases and put some marble from the base of some old bowling trophies inside. It worked wonders. *devil*

[jazzgene]

I had a Nak BX100. I remember this deck to be quite a deck for the price back then. Tapes recorded on it sounds great on my Dragon even now.

[Njord Noatun]

For those you that have an interest in somewhat uncommon and esoteric decks, here is my Concept ELC-II, built for Pacific Stereo (possibly by Toshiba -- I forgot; $500 MSRP) around 1980 to match the Concept "D" series of receivers. The ELC-II was the successor to - surprise! - the ELC (approx. 1977).

I enjoy it - here it is.

[stuwee]

For those you that have an interest in somewhat uncommon and esoteric decks, here is my Concept ELC-II, built for Pacific Stereo (possibly by Toshiba -- I forgot) around 1980 to match the Concept "D" series of receivers. The ELC-II was the successor to - surprise! - the ELC (approx. 1977).

I enjoy it - here it is.

Very nice! I always liked that extruded cassette well look! It's interesting how Pacific Stereo did the Concept line using other manufacters yet still had an identifying look to its product.

[Njord Noatun]

It's interesting how Pacific Stereo did the Concept line using other manufacters yet still had an identifying look to its product. Yes, PS never did the "buy OEM, slap your own sticker on it" thing - every little detail was meticulously specked in-house, the various components "streamlined" design-wise and then custom built by the whatever electronics manufacturer could provide the best overall product. With relatively low production runs (when did you last see an ELC deck?!) compared to the global manufacturers (Pioneer, etc.) it is hard to imagine how PS could provide a product that was both profitable and price competitive. I guess we know part of the answers as PS' private brand strategy only lasted for half-a-dozen years, or so.

However, during their stint they delivered a string of products that were not only interesting but also of remarkable quality by any standard.

A few more of mine attached.

[westgate]

Well I joined this forum late,,but my vote for a great 2 Head Deck has got to be the Nakamichi 600 series,,,great looks ,,tons of features great performance,,did I mention great looks ? Iv,e had mine since new,,seen the shop once

(above quote is ~14 months old) yep. same here, including the shop. 600's a great deck! had it since '76.

[Naknut]

Love the look of the Concept cassette deck and turntable especially. I have never seen these before, was this line up strickly a west coast product?

[Njord Noatun]

I have never seen these before, was this line up strickly a west coast product? The Concept line (as well as several other brands to complete their line-up) was offered exclusively at the Pacific Stereo chain of stores. The chain's first store was in Berkeley, Calif., spread to San Francisco, and gradually to all over California and beyond. At the peak, the chain had somewhere around 150 stores, and I believe it was the largest such chain in the world at the time. Although the chain had branches in many other western and southern states in its heyday, the lion's share of their branches was still located in California: To this day, when Concept products come up for sale, they can usually be found on the West Coast, and typically in California. Pacific Stereo, which became a subsidiary of CBS some time in the mid-70s, was shuttered at or around 1985.

I have spoken extensively with the Sr. VP of Marketing and Product Development for Pacific Stereo and posted excerpts from these discussions on my web page linked to below. I also have a literature database for Concept gear there for those that want more info.

[Socal Sam]

All right! Concept!! I haven't played my 16.5 in over a year. It might be time to heave it around for a listen.

My vote for best two head deck is the Nakamichi CR-2A...only because I have one that I bought for a fiver!

[Njord Noatun]

All right! Concept!! I haven't played my 16.5 in over a year. I gather you played your 16.5 on September 27th (http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=5812) with Chris, which is barely four months ago...

*devil*
*Hi5*

[perry]

I went through this whole list and was surprised that no one mentioned the Yamaha K-960! A near TOTL deck back in 1980, with wired remote and a flywheel that makes most others look like hampster wheels. Dolby B and dbx, it came out right before dolby C was on the market, and when you heard dbx compared to dolby B back then...whoa nelly, it was impressive. Still got mine I bought brand spanking new from Sounds Incredible, in Danbury, Ct. A real fine workhorse. Also just picked up an RX-202 to play around with. The 303 is a better 2 header for sure, but try to find one for a bargain!

[jdurbin1]

I have to give a shout out to possibly the finest 2-head deck I have ever used: the Advent 201A. Primitive, yet brilliantly simple. Made some of the best tapes in my collection on that deck, using the Advent Chrome C90 tape.

It may not have the bells and whistles of later 2-head decks but it is right there with the best of them for making great recordings and doing it effortlessly. That single VU meter design was a master stroke!

John

[Kent T]

Best 2 head deck ever, the Advent 201. Also, the only all American deck in this lineup. Still a good performer today in nice shape. Has the Wollensak Audio/Visual cassette transport (the most rugged and reliable ever made) and Advent designed electronics and custom heads.

[Sanyomichi]

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/6f37a6404e.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

Works fine,belt was replaced after 20 years.Built like a tank and the motor
could be used as a starter on a Skoda.*stirpot*

[eclectiktronik]

Pioneer CT-F9191 (http://classicaudio.com/gallery/audio/pioCTF9191.html). The biggest heaviest boat anchor you'll ever see, but some first class engineering, amazing clear VU meters with peak LEDs (best of both worlds IMHO) and great sound. Heads last forever too.

[Elite-ist]

Pioneer CT-F9191 (http://classicaudio.com/gallery/audio/pioCTF9191.html). The biggest heaviest boat anchor you'll ever see, but some first class engineering, amazing clear VU meters with peak LEDs (best of both worlds IMHO) and great sound. Heads last forever too.

Hi eclectiktronik,

I, wholeheartedly, agree with you there. I managed to, even, find a few maintenance parts, still available, directly from Pioneer Electronics, last year.

Nando.

[mixtape]

The best two-head deck I ever used (soundwise) was a Tandberg TCD3034, marketed as 'The SoundFreezer'. It was cheap
and produced in Asia somewhere to keep costs down, and had some quality issues, but the sound was phenomenal.

The circuitry was very complex, and after nine years of use (before a service) I tested it with a Maxell UD-II at -15db and
it was flat between +0, -3db from 11Hz to 25.5Khz.

Today I use a Nakamichi 480Z (the next on my list), and an ION Audio Tape2PC (3rd) :)


BTW spinoffs from the old Tandberg comany still exists today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJxY1-NZ2U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm3UCMiaVFM

This and tape data storage solutions.

[nestbox]

SKODA!!! ? Surely the man means Rolls royce?!

[JaeTee]

I went through this whole list and was surprised that no one mentioned the Yamaha K-960! A near TOTL deck back in 1980, with wired remote and a flywheel that makes most others look like hampster wheels. Dolby B and dbx, it came out right before dolby C was on the market, and when you heard dbx compared to dolby B back then...whoa nelly, it was impressive. Still got mine I bought brand spanking new from Sounds Incredible, in Danbury, Ct. A real fine workhorse. Also just picked up an RX-202 to play around with. The 303 is a better 2 header for sure, but try to find one for a bargain!


I hear you... I've had an RX-303 for a while and absolutely love it. It is surely a top-tier 2-head.

But, having just recently picked up an RX-202 I can verify that it is no slouch. IMHO, it's one of the Nak bargains out there. You get UDAR and Nak sound in a unit that typically sells around $80 in "working" condition.

So, while I do like the Nak RX-303 better, the RX-202 gets my vote as the most underrated, but good 2-head unit.

[Rick Hunter]

It's kind of funny -- Scorp and I were just talking about what a nice piece the Onkyo TA-2056 is, and as much as I like that 3-head deck, I find it a must to have a good 2-head on the shelf. My choice is the 1983 Yamaha K-500, finished in silver. My Onkyo deck is great when you've got a great tape in it, but it is sharp enough to reveal limitations in cassettes with more hours on them. The Yamaha, by contrast, will hide imperfections without an appreciable loss of sound quality or fidelity. And I love the paddle controller for stop, play, fast forward, and rewind functions.

http://www.vintagecassette.com/srv/images/56712

[2ndRick]

one I've just gotten in recently is an Harman Kardon TD192.

I picked up at a thrift shop a Harman Kardon CD-191 two head but high quality deck.

I just scored a Harman/Kardon hk300xm 2 head deck. I have seen Nakdoc speak highly of this model in another thread, so that was enough of an endorsement for me to pull the trigger.

[Big Tuna]

Some very nice decks, fellas!
Here is my Pioneer CT-F8282. It's the next one down from the 9191. I had been looking for a 9191, but found a pristine example 8282 and just couldn't pass that up. Call me crazy but the sound from the 8282 is better than the CT-F950 that I had a few years back.

[darkstar078]

My favourite 2-header is a TEAC-360 from the 70's I had.
A simple gorgeous machine with Dolby.

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac157/darkstar078/Cassettedecks/TEACA-360.jpg

Okay, beside the problems with the motor, when solved this machine was pretty easy and boy the recordings sounded very good.

darkstar078

[Scorpion8]

My favourite 2-header is a TEAC-360 from the 70's I had....

That is a gorgeous vintage deck.

[macster]

That is a gorgeous vintage deck.

+1

I had a 450 or something, and it was my first high end deck. One of these days I'm gonna snag me one for old times sake.

M~

[Audiomayvin]

Hi Darkstar078!
Concerning the 360, it came out with 2 versions of heads. One, with permalloy and one(the later one?-please help me here Sam!) with a ferrite head. I would strongly advise you-with either head, to replace it with a Cobalt Amorphous head.
Interestingly, the 450 electronics are identical to the 360 and if I'm not mistaken, the transport is also identical-even though the 2 machines don't look alike!
All the best,
Leon(The Audiomayvin, Montreal(514)739-5403)

[Paolo Cipollone]

2 head decks:
95% of the times irregular and limited bandwidth, thick or thin sound, noisy, difficult to calibrate properly, unsteady transport if single capstan, giving often dreadful sound and no soundstage.
But... all is not lost :-) For example, the two head Naks are obviously in another league. Here is a (very) short and possibly not complete list of 2 heads decks in my opinion worth having, sound-wise:

Grundig CN-830 (not the 930 and NOT the 1000),
Pioneer CTF-650 (forget the rest of the series, especially the 850, 3 head),
Telefunken CT-450 (High-Com makes the difference).

I would also add the Teac A450 and the Luxman K-115 (I wish I hadn't sold these); two other fine decks were the Kyocera D-601 and 801.

[HyperDuel]

I'm going to have to put down the Nak CR-2A or any of the two head Naks in there because I just pick up this CR-2A and it is giving my Pioneer CT-F900 a run for its money.

[Cobra2]

I had the Naka LX-3 back in '83, it got me hooked...
Dual capstan, superb mechanics, and s.q. that killed most (affordable) 3-head decs!

Arne K

[Squank]

I'm going to have to put down the Nak CR-2A or any of the two head Naks in there because I just pick up this CR-2A and it is giving my Pioneer CT-F900 a run for its money.

I'll double that,hands down!!!
Definitely the best 2head deck I've ever owned or heard!
I regret selling it...

[franknstuff]

Ditto to everyone re: Nakamichi CR-2A. I'm the original owner of a CR-1A I bought in 1990 because it was on sale for $199 - hardly used it all for 20 years as I was stuck in the digital world for most of that time. I'm using it a lot more now along with a Pioneer PL-112D turntable (which I just bought in NM condition for $25) and a Shure M97xE. Been recording some of my most precious vinyl and I honestly can't tell any difference at all between the vinyl and the recording. The CR-1A is the same as a CR-2A, but without the remote and fine-bias tuning. As far as I can tell these Naks have only 1 belt in them (capstan) and use a gear-driven idler - simple, reliable, 20 - 20k, low wow and flutter.

Hifi Engine has PDFs of both the owner and service manual available for free download...

[speakerman1]

I just got the voltage converter for the Yamaha KX-580SE. I am blown away. I have it hooked up to my tubes so I haven't recorded yet. It has auto-adjustment for the bias. It also has manual bias. The play trim is neat. For just a lowly 2 head it does sound good. I never had a deck with Dolby S. Still don't like NR. It is a HX-PRO deck. I like it a lot. I wish I had my LX-3 here to go against it.

Larry

[Dimitar Georgiev]

My choice of two head deck would be Tandberg TCD420A.

D.

[Lance Lawson]

I'm not convinced that 3 head decks are head and shoulders above good 2 head decks. Perhaps the biggest asset 3 heads affords is the ability to monitor and tailor the sound as it's being put to tape. In any event 5 of my 6 cassette decks are 2 head and 3 of the 5 are single capstan decks. My recently found Harmon Kardon CD 291 is the only cassette deck I have that approaches the reel to reel sound quality of my Teac. But approaching a standard doesn't qualify as meeting a standard and the HK is still a cassette deck and rightly can't be judged against a reel to reel machine. Nevertheless the HK sounds great with suburb detail, undetectable wow & flutter and the most transparent sounding highs of all of my cassette decks. So until something better comes along I'll go with the CD 291 as being one of the great sounding 2 head single capstan decks.

[nakaforme]

Hi there, for some reason I was thinking about the marantz sd930, did a google search and got a hit here and thought Id share my views on it before anyone raced out and got themelves a bargain!

I bought one of these back in the 80s new as it promised everything.

Unfortunately the tapes that were made in the sd930 were next to useless when played in anything else that didnt have auto alignment....

The problem with the Marantz was that it would record everything with the azimuth varying all over the place, this could be verified by playing it back in the machine with the auto function turned off, the meter would show it all over the place.

Tapes recorded in other machines and played back in the marantz didnt display the same problems, there was something screwy about how the marantz alignment behaved during recording.

While this wasnt a problem if the auto alignment was turned on, they sounded great, it meant that the tapes recorded for use in other machines(like for my car player at the time) had high frequencies that would drift in and out and generally sound dull.

I sent the machine back to Marantz, they claimed there was no fault, but conceded they were all like that! After a struggle i got my money back.

Replaced it with a naka bx125, which was far more basic, but no surprises and in my testing actually performed better in the high frequency repsonse than the marantz. Perhaps at the time the quality of tapes perhaps demanded something with autoequalisation, yet after basically just using sa tdk in the naka, there was never any need for it.

I have still have my naka, alas its not working atm, the dreaded idler wheel problem(its had three new ones), what a crock of a design that was, they should have taken them all back in and modified them to something decent for nothing

[rmmarvell37s]

i'm not a cassette deck owner (yet) but i've read this thread from the beginning to this last post trying to get some education and direction. it's impressive this discussion has gone on for 3 years.
i'm a R2R guy but my wife has lots of cassettes with nothing decent to play them on. one other specific reason i was reading this is i just today saw a 'buy it now' eBay item ( AKAI CS-M40R) and wanted to see if anyone mentioned anything close to this, which no one did. for 14.95 (it may be worth less?) i wondered if anyone has any opinions pro and con for this deck. richard

[Robroy]

Well I joined this forum late,,but my vote for a great 2 Head Deck has got to be the Nakamichi 600 series,,,great looks ,,tons of features great performance,,did I mention great looks ? Iv,e had mine since new,,seen the shop once

I bought a Nak 500 from Magnolia hi-fi brand new. It sucked. They ended up giving me a new one. It sucked. they let me step up to a 600 giving me full price from my 500 toward the 600.

That was more like it. ;)

[rosh1]

Tandberg TCD-420A. Super fast 3 motor system with auto tape slack take up. Silky sound. Great headroom .Best 2 head I ve ever used so far. Period.

[CottonSwab]

My best 2-head decks are both BOTL Naks. I've got a CR-2A and a pair of CR-1A decks. Originally purchased from ebay as low-cost playback-only units, I'm amazed at the quality recordings that can be made with these decks. They are single capstan, no pad lifter, and the CR-1A doesn't even have adjustable bias. On the positive side, they're very easy to use and maintain and the heads are stout. Perhaps the best thing I can say is that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as a first deck or upgrade deck or playback deck.

I have to agree on the CR-1a mine is devoted and definitely a proud performer. BOTL well maybe but they got it right the tapes sound right on. I like that. I had a 2a for awhile but actually preferred the 1a for it's simplicity and measure. Nice decks as all NAK's seem to be.
Ron

[Scorpion8]

Alright, haven't played with it for very long, but my new-to-me HK TD-4600 is very impressive. The sound is deep and full, yet still bright on old tapes. I like the features which include all-three Dolby flavors, B, C and S w/HX Pro. The meter flourescents are bright and easily ready and very nice. Well styled, and so far has been a killer joy. Not bad for a FREE Freecycle pickup.

[m00nr4k3r]

Hi.

I didn't wanted to start whole new thread for just one quick question. I have a shot at Luxman K-110 autoreverse deck for.. 8$. Did anybody have any experienece with similar unit? It's in working condition. Should i grab it?

[oskimo]

If you have the spare money, go ahead.

At the very least you will have a deck that can be subjected to all kinds of experiments, with no fear of a big lost investment.

[bestbets1]

I have a Yamaha KX-W232! Probably a BOTL deck, but boy, was it a leap from an old TEAC mini hi-fi (had to hold the pause to get that thing going! It jammed up inside in the end:(

Mine is an 89 model, and hadn't been used for some time. Sounded better than everything before it, it is practically for those who can't be stuffed setting bias, speed etc. Even supports a wireless remote! Never found it though, and quite honestly couldn't care less. Holding the eject button allows you to put the machine into play for head cleaning (manually). I had to adjust the speed between the decks, and Deck B's capstan motor squeals on occaision... But still, runs like a champ and supports all tapes except the elusive Type 3.

I'll post some pictures when this silly thing works

[goldear]

The best two head deck ever made IMO was the Kyocera D-811. It had essentially the same 50% direct-drive closed-loop sankyo transport that some of the better Naks used, as well as the same Sendust heads that post 1980 two-head Naks used. In additon it featured full controls for bias, record-sensitivity, including calibration test tones, and HX-Pro. These features gave it an edge over even the best two-head Nak, and actually placed its performance in the realm of some of the better three-head decks.

[jaybomb76]

If I was searching a two header out, I'd keep my eye open for a Nakamichi DR-8. I have one of these units and for playback they're virtually indistiguishable (sound quality wise, even without the pad lifter) from the sadly crippled BX300 or perfectly operating MR-1 units that I also own. I have not done any recording with it.

They were also the last of the line production wise (1999-2002) so they're the youngest.

[BigM.]

This summer, I have been using a Denon DRM-510 which I bought new back around '91. I do not have much to compare it to, but it has never needed service, though I assume it could have issues that I am unaware of after reading posts about alignment etc. It is a most simple deck with a bias control, I tend to never use the Dolby anymore. It deserves a look if one runs across one, cheap, as it seems to be so reliable. I am not representing the machine as an ideal as I need to hear more decks, there are so many out there. This could serve as some sort of backup.

[mikelee33]

I don't know, but I've been listening to some tapes recorded and played on my mid-90s Sony TC-WE605S (with Dolby S), and it has me wavering from my earlier contention that this thread could be summed up with a few mid-80s Nakamichi models (which I've owned). While it would be easy for me to dismiss a "Sony", they did master the technology, and embraced it in a few of their "high-end" models. The clarity of a properly calibrated Dolby S recording is quite impressive, just as Dolby Labs intended.

[Ultralyd]

Best two head deck, without any doubt, is the Tandberg TCD 911.

After purchasing a perfect TCD 910 recently, I am pleased to announce it completely left my Nakamichi CR7-E and the Dragon unused since.

[allthingsanalogue]

If I was searching a two header out, I'd keep my eye open for a Nakamichi DR-8. I have one of these units and for playback they're virtually indistiguishable (sound quality wise, even without the pad lifter) from the sadly crippled BX300 or perfectly operating MR-1 units that I also own. I have not done any recording with it.

They were also the last of the line production wise (1999-2002) so they're the youngest.

I realize it's not you looking but there is one here.

'It's not me selling'.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nakamichi-DR-8-Casette-Deck-perfect-working-order-/290601227632?pt=UK_CE_Cassette_RL&hash=item43a92ed570#ht_5057wt_903

[Lapis]

Aiwa AD-S750 - A 2 head deck that has Dolby B, C, S and HX-Pro.
Other decks I like (I will update this quite regularly if I can as I have got a whole list of them).


Dual C-828: Watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTEU-jX-Ikk

Nakamichi: 2 head (CR series) decks like CR-1 and CR-2.

[mrfoxboy]

I have a bit of a weakness for my Kenwood KX-3010. Dolby B, C, and HX-PRO. It's build quality seems to be very good. It even has automatic bias with dual-tones! It's got a really nice soundstage, but it's best quality, is that is so natural with most any decent tape, it sounds so clean.
Bright accurate meters, and very good visibility as well.
Time_Stand_Still can attest to this (He has the exact same model)

Mine has seen many hours of cassettetape. Here is a video of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-otOb-UMLg

[Eminence1963]

BIC T2 hands down due to it increased tape speed*beer*
Ok so it does not do Metal tapes, but metal tapes are expensive and I dont see the point in using metal tapes that are expensive when I can resever my metals for a lesser deck
And least not forget that it is a tape hungry machine at high speed.
Add DBX to it and it sounds absolutly stunning*bigthumbup*

[Paspie]

Yamaha KX580
Aiwa AD-S750

[83glt]

I'm going to give another vote to the LX-3. I just had mine fully serviced, cleaned, aligned and calibrated, and man does it sound amazing! It truly is a performer and I think overlooked by most. Sure, it doesn't have the bells and whistles, but for a truly excellent sounding 2-head deck capable of high end performance, I think it's hard to beat.

BTW, who cares how it looks? What counts is the sound!

[dragonhead00]

Currently, I'm really enjoying my Teac V-5RX 3-motor, full logic control deck with chrome and metal capability. It has Dolby-B and DBX Type II noise reduction. I suppose it was MOTL back in its day ($410, 1982). After listening to it playback some vinyl-sourced recordings, I was floored by how close, sonically, to the original source it was. The pb did emit greater bass response, however. I'm so enamored by its performance that I have to force myself to play my other decks just to keep them from failing due to non-use. It's a great deck to own!*bigthumbup*

[classichifi.info]

The best 2 head deck I have ever used is the Pioneer CT-F9191 - superb machine!

[Elite-ist]

The best 2 head deck I have ever used is the Pioneer CT-F9191 - superb machine!

Gordon: I found the same with my Pioneer CT-F9191, even over my later model Pioneer CT-F650.

Nando.