PIONEER CT-W910R; It's Here!!!!

[MacGyver]

hey, fellow tapeheads! i just got my W910R this evening!! i must tell you, no pic can do it justice!! the sheer size and heft, the quality!! this is easily the best dual-well cassette deck PIONEER ever made!! let these pics tell the tale...



http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/LA%20SYSTEM/GR-777St.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/DSCF0766.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/DSCF0768.jpg




http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/147784792_o.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/147784803_o.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/147784809_o.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/147784826_o.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/147784809_o.jpg

[MacGyver]

at first, something seemed wrong; it would play just fine, but sometimes it would FF and REW sluggishly. what was worse, it had severe difficulties FF and REWing STUWEE's MA-XG at all sometimes. i was about to give it up for lost when i found that it was a multi-voltage model, and the voltage switch was at 110v instead of the U.S, 120v. so, i correct that, and thank heavens it is back to normal!!!!! to experience the silky smooth precision of the mechanism, the weight and quality, the beautiful cosmetics, the CASTED IRON ENCASED POWER TRANSFORMER!!!! i am one happy camper, i finally have a cassette deck worthy of the TDK MA-XG, and an honest reason to obtain more!!!!

[Web Police]

It looks like a very nice well built deck.

[stuwee]

You got it Nekkid already! I'm Jealous! That's a mean duelie *devil* I Love the cast trannie too! You did great. how's it sound?? I gotta live vicariously through you tonight *fit**headache*

*Hi5*Craig

[MacGyver]

haven't had the chance yet to run it through the Hi-Fi proper, as my family is using the room tonight to play some video games. however, i did give it a listen though the EXCELLENT phones jack with my 1982 REALISTIC NOVA PRO headphones, and i must say, if it sounds THIS good though the PHONES, i just know i am to be literally BLOWN AWAY tomorrow when it is properly set up...o-o:-)

[MacGyver]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-700WR1.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-700WR2.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-700WR3.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-700WR4.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-700WR5.jpg



http://www.audio-heritage.jp/PIONEER-EXCLUSIVE/player/t-700wr.html

[MacGyver]

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/T-7070WR1.jpg

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/PIONEER-EXCLUSIVE/player/t-7070wr.html

[MacGyver]

hey, i just finished replacing the power cable on this deck. haven't had a chance to listen yet, but i'll let you know when i do. still, even if there is no difference, it still matches the deck better, IMO...


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/DSCF0859.jpg


(original cable on top, new on bottom)

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/PIONEER/DSCF0861.jpg

[stuwee]

So, where'd ya get the power cord from? You just have spares of these? What are you doing with the rest of the unit you've canabalized? Do you have boxes of spares?

Did you reaserch all this? What/who recomended the swap and for what reason?

Alot of Q's, but ya might be helping someone out, I know Mr. Lin and Danger Boy like to play with interconnects, and I have dedicated, true ground outlets for two of my systems, including one for the 'Logans, unforunately I couldn't test the sound as I wanted it all done before moving into this house, I can only assume it explains the transparency I hear in the systems plugged into it. The 'Logans have very high quality detachable power cords. I haven't played around with diff. ones. Jeff the tech man at M-L said I wouldn't hear much of a diff. for the $$ folks are asking for upgraded ones (and they sell them) I trust his judgement. Any hoo... I'm very curious to hear what you think after a test. If it's just for looks, I understand that as well.

We should caution folks about messing with power cords on equipment without researching first. As an example: I was told not to put a heavy duty grounded power cord in place of the flimsy 2-prong on the big Yamaha amp by Yamaha collectors, as the design of the amp was not designed to be altered that way, BS? I don't know, I know I don't like fires in the house.

Craig

[MacGyver]

i had three of those cables. all from identical Dish Network boxes that we had from back when we had the service. they were now outdated, so i harvested what i could, and tossed the rest. i upgraded the DENON DCD-1500's flimsy cable with a heavy duty grounded Ex-IEC, and i could swear that in addition to just looking great, it actually slightly improved the already unbelevable sound...



http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF0464.jpg


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DCD1500LadyAyekaCustomVer6.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DCD1500LadyAyekaCustomVer3.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF0465.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1007.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1010.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1015.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1024.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1021.jpg

[Marc Hugo]

Hi Lady Ayeka,

Let us know how that Pioneer twin sounds. How does this fit against the PIONEER CT-W1280R and PIONEER CT-W1380R.

I see you had a CT-W603RS - I heard from a couple of reviews that the 603 and 703 were dogged by tape travel issues - wow and flutter and some unhappiness with the NR. This was on ePinions which I don't know still exists.

Anyhow, give us your rating on this machine, as well as it's recording performance!!

Thanks - Marc

[MacGyver]

that would coincide with my experiences with my 603. at least one of the wells did in fact have a speed problem. damn am i ever glad to be rid of that POS. i can confedently tell you that the CT-W910R is by far the best cassette deck i have ever had to date...

[stuwee]

Weeeelll, Dale was quite grumpy this morning, he did go into several long winded diatrabe's on the benefits of a true grounded power supply in a low voltage output component, ie: source cdp, tape deck, preamp (this was gleaned after much eye glazing from the stuwster *hypnot*) blah, blah, blah. Sooo... I'm gonna say you may be on to something here. Q's:
Did you test the grounded outlet for true ground?
How did you ground the power cord internally? Was it already grounded, just a flimsy cord?

I've learned to never, ever talk to a geeky *nerd* EE first thing in the morning with only one cup of coffee to their five cups :D *headache*

Craig

[MacGyver]

Weeeelll, Dale was quite grumpy this morning, he did go into several long winded diatrabe's on the benefits of a true grounded power supply in a low voltage output component, ie: source cdp, tape deck, preamp (this was gleaned after much eye glazing from the stuwster *hypnot*) blah, blah, blah. Sooo... I'm gonna say you may be on to something here. Q's:
Did you test the grounded outlet for true ground?
How did you ground the power cord internally? Was it already grounded, just a flimsy cord?

I've learned to never, ever talk to a geeky *nerd* EE first thing in the morning with only one cup of coffee to their five cups :D *headache*

Craig

well, the DCD-1500 is the only unit i have done so far with a ground. i had it grounded to the metal baseplate of the trannie, but that induced ground loop hum. i considered ungrounding it altogether, but then i decided to just move it over to earth on a metal cable stay i installed near the back wall on the tip of a vertical plastic post. that does dale have to say about that?

(BTW; it's the green wire running paralell to the rear panel back there)

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1024.jpg

[stuwee]

Well, we're gonna have to wait till he get's off of work, I have no idea myself, 'cept plastic doesn't sound like a good ground to me, IMHO of course, the sound is what matters anyway! I'm interested to know what he thinks on the hum from the tranny, I hate stuff like that, can be a bear to sort out. I had hum on my Grado cartridge way back but, not the usual Grado hum when it got near the TT motor, it was only when my finger got near the headshell?!? It sorted itself when I moved to AZ from NYC, so I have no idea what was up with that, I must me really, truely, electromagnetic *devil**flame*. So, I'm still confused, was the Denon originally a grounded 3-pronger? Did you change the grounding spot?

[MacGyver]

well, of course plastic is non conductive, silly!! that is why the gold plated ring spade crimped on the end of the ground lead there is sandwiched between two steel washers and then screwed into the center of the plastic post. the spade is in contact with nothing but metal. this is my very first time doing anything at all like this, and i am not educated in electrical at all. what little i do know is either self-taught, or learned from a friend/family member. at any rate, let's wait and see what dale thinks about my frankenstein workaround...

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/DENON/DSCF1024.jpg

you can see the green ground lead here running diagonally over to earth on that post, the spade at the end screwed down to contact with that cable stay binding down those ribbon cables that supply power to the main PCB. the cable stay i put in myself. i honestly haven't the foggiest if this is effective at all, at the very least, it gives that stray ground lead a place to go and look like it has a purpose...