shamrocks Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 while i admit that is a pretty decent band name, im actually looking to finally get a nice tape player to go with my setup. any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topher Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Go to your local Goodwill/similar store. Try to avoid double cassette decks, although some are okay. Use your best judgement. I got lucky on a mid 90's Sony for literally pocket change. It needed new belts, yours most likely will too. Probably won't be expensive, depending on the brand/model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 snagged a sony double deck on ebay for $7. plays tapes, doesn't record. my literal mixtape plans are doomed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 3 head preferably and anything big name brand that has a high model number in it's range. Nakamichi, Revox, Studer, Pioneer, Aiwa, Akai, Rotel, Technics, Onkyo, JVC etc. down really but the comment about doubles is valid, they tended to be poor quality in comparison to the single decks. Try this website to home in on the specs and model numbers. http://www.vintagecassette.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrom92 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Which tape formats are you looking to use? Cassettes : nakamichi 8 tracks: who gives a shit Elcasset: see above 4 track, rca, etc: see above Home use reels: teac/tascam, pioneer, technics Studio: well, any 15 ips 2 tracker will get you half way there. Otari, studer, technics, tascam Studio multitrack: 3m, ampex, studer, Scully, mci, pick your poison... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamrocks Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 cassettes. id like to have something reasonably pleasing, both aesthetically and sonically. i have a good receiver and good speakers so anything that could help me appreciate this medium would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twbranch Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Cassette: 3-head silverface Pioneer, Teac, Nak, and plenty of others. For more info check these guys out : http://www.tapeheads.net/forums.php they are the be all, end all of tape format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 What's the difference between a three head and a two head? I've got a JVC KD-A11 which has two heads... It's probably old, ~1980, but works. Can I do anything to improve it? Besides cleaning it. http://www.manualscenter.com/manuals/jvc/kda11-service-manual.html#.VQkyHM1yTVM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 the clue is in the question. A 3 head has 3 heads and a 2 head has 2. The heads refer to the thing that magnetises or demagnetises the tape. What this means is that a 3 head deck has a separate tape head for each function, erase, record, play but a 2 head uses the same tape head for record and play and as with anything in audio you want a thing that does one job at a time as anything that tries to do more than one job is a compromise. The good news for those of us that still use tape is that as tape is a bit of a dead format good 3 head decks are pretty easy to get for no money, unless of course they have a Nakamichi or Revox/Studer badge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Thanks once again for your elaborate answer. So, how would a novice like me notice the difference? Is it in the sound? In what way, in that case? Or is it how long it lasts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Simply put yes you would notice it in both recording and playback quality but not always just because the machine is 3 head as for all manufacturers the 3 head machines were their better machines so everything else in there would be better quality than their 2 head machines. Another advantage of a 3 head machine is that you can monitor exactly what you are taping as you tape it, because they have separate heads for record and play on a lot of 3 head machines you can play back the recording whilst still recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 So, that means a play-only, 1 head, player usually is worse than a 3 head, but could be better than a 2 head? if focusing on playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I don't know of a 1 head player as most tape decks are player recorders and so need the erase head as well as the record/playback, but if they do exist I would expect they would be rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Ok Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Anyone in the US looking for a tape deck? I've got a Luxman K-112 3 Head for sale. $50ppd, exactly what I paid for it (thing is heavy, so shipping will be the bulk of it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrom92 Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I kindof recently scored a Nakamichi 2 head for $10. I honestly never use it but I figured it's the only chance I'll ever get to own a Nak without breaking the bank. It's a very barebones deck from the mid-80's, probably bottom of the line. I will say that regardless of being a BOTL two head deck, this Nak does produce the best sound I've ever heard from a cassette deck, even some costing many times more. Not good, mind you, but. Well. Good for cassette. No idea about how well it records. if you were gonna do that, I would either say, get a 3 head Nak if you want best results, but I would also say "who cares", it's a cassette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 A local second hand dealer had a Akai gxc-704d for $8. Is it a good model? At least it's a three head one. It would need some cleaning, and I don't even know if it works. Is it worth the risk for 8 bucks? Anyone know anything about this model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 $8 sounds pretty good but I expect it will need new belts, take a tape and try it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrom92 Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 For 8 bucks worst case scenario is you got a paperweight... That is very vintage and it is very probable that it will need some work. I probably wouldn't invest any more into it if it wasn't operational as-is but that's just me. At the very least just make sure the heads are still good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 So I tried it and bought it - and realised that it's a bit fast... About 10% too fast. Is there anything I can do about that? Or am I out of luck? The model is Akai GXC-704D. It sounds fine, otherwise. Edit: Found the service manual and see that there should be a tape speed adjustment screw on the motor. But there is none. Guess I'm screwed. Edit 2: Found out I didn't need a screw. I think I got it down to about 0.5 % too slow... ok? noticable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 This one, although hifiengine said it was a three head, is a two head. The playback volume is fine, but I can't get the recording level to a reasonable volume, it's too low. Is there an easy fix for this? I've noticed there something on the bottom of the deck, if I turn it upside down, that says "Rec Level Adjust". And four holes, 2 for R and 2 for L. But I have no idea what to do with them?! The service manual says nothing about them. If I put both channels into one of the MIC inputs, the volume is louder, but very weird and distorted, so it can record at loud volumes, at least... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrom92 Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Sounds like a bias issue. The electronics really just need to be gone over and calibrated. Honestly, not really worth bothering with. If you have a scope I guess you're in luck but otherwise it's never going to perform within spec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 That's what I thought. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Some of the decks I've got hasn't got an output volume option, so the volume for the head phones is very loud. Why is that? Are you supposed to only use head phones with a volume manager on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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