Best of the 2-Head Decks

[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

Originally Posted by Scorpion8

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]

Originally Posted by rotovator

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]

Originally Posted by rotovator

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]

Originally Posted by JXBJXB

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]

Originally Posted by 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)

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/translat...%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!

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


CT-W910R (1989)

[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.

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

[reeltorock]

Originally Posted by niklasthedolphin

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]

Originally Posted by Whippy

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

http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread....hlight=pioneer

Mike