jws@hpfclg.UUCP (02/22/84)
I'm in the market for a medium price cassette deck. I'm
primarily interested in excellent construction and
durability, since I sometimes would use it for theatre
work, and a certain amount of physical abuse is unavoidable.
(I know, a r-r is preferred for serious sound work, but
this is also for my home and my budget is limited.)
I've had recommendations from local shops for the
Nakamichi BX-1 and the Sony 505R. Any suggestions on these
or other machines in the same price/performance range?
John Schmidt
ihnp4!hpfcla!jwsshauns@vice.UUCP (02/26/84)
Buy the Nakamichi. It's built like a tank and has the headroom you need for
live recording. I would suggest the BX-2 instead of the BX-1 simply because
it has Dolby C, which gives higher S/N and headroom than Dolby B. In fact,
an external dbx NR unit might be a good idea
if you are recording some really dynamic stuff.
In general, Sony decks (and others) never have the raw performance, quality
construction, consistency and stability that the
lowest priced Nak decks have, offering instead a bunch of useless bells
and whistles.
the wandering squash,
--
Shaun Simpkins
uucp: {ucbvax,decvax,chico,pur-ee,cbosg,ihnss}!teklabs!tekcad!vice!shauns
CSnet: shauns@tek
ARPAnet:shauns.tek@rand-relayjab@nwuxd.UUCP (jab) (02/27/84)
I just saw a comment on Sony cassette decks go by, and I don't think it was strong enough. Don't by Sony stereo equiptment, ever. I have at one time or another had a Sony receiver and a Sony cassette deck (the high end one) and couldn't believe the hiss on the tape deck and the bad amplification from the receiver. "Soundesign" is better. Even Pioneer is better! Jeff Bowles Lisle, IL
pmr@drufl.UUCP (Rastocny) (02/27/84)
I would also recommend the Nak BX-2. Since Nak introduced the 100 and 150, most stores in Denver are clearing out the BX-2 for about $350. Make sure you pick a tape and have the deck biased for that tape. Yours for higher fidelity, Phil Rastocny ..!drufl!pmr
tu@yale-com.UUCP (Chen Tu) (02/28/84)
Don't buy Sony. I bought an expensive Sony casette deck last September and only able to listen to it since Janurary (exchanged once and two service). Even now, it won't accept some tapes of well-known brand. I think Sony is no longer stand on their name (both product and service.) If I am going to buy a new deck, it will be Nakamishi BX-2. H. Tu
rctracy@uokvax.UUCP (03/04/84)
#R:vice:-130600:uokvax:1000004:000:1614 uokvax!rctracy Feb 29 18:18:00 1984 (...just had to put in my two cents worth on Sony equipment...) I own a Sony TC-152SD which some of you might remember as one of the earliest decks to combine stereo, Dolby, and portability. I have only two complaints about the deck: (1) When it is operated as a portable, i.e., on batteries, it consumes the best alkalines money can buy at a truly voracious rate! Forget about Ni-Cads unless you enjoy seeing a great recording opportunity disappear in the fading glow of your illuminated VU meters. (I can live with this problem...) (2) Sony REALLY screwed up with the ferrite & ferrite head! Supposedly, this was Sony's answer to the various "sandpaper" cassettes that are still being passed off as bargain tapes. Admittedly, the ferrite & ferrite head is extremely durable, but head magnetization is so severe that the head has to be demagnetized after every 90 minutes of recording time to avoid "popcorn" cymbals and other attrocious-sounding distorted highs. ALSO, on playback, a head in dire need of demagnetizing can be discerned by the effect that it has on the speed regulation. The forward travel of my Maxells has actually halted due to this "feature" (no, there weren't any mechanical problems with the cassettes and/or the deck itself). (I'm living with this problem, but not liking it!) Any serious suggestions on what to do about problem 2 (short of ditching the deck) will be appreciated. Gee, that felt good! --Bob Tracy AT&T Technologies, Inc. - OKC Works ...!ctvax!uokvax!rctracy
prophet@umcp-cs.UUCP (03/07/84)
To the person who in interested in Harmon-Kardon and Nakamichi Cassette Decks:
I do not have first-hand experience with Harmon-Kardon decks, but from what I
have heard, they are pretty good. There was a review of an HK deck in this
month's issue of Audio, although I believe the deck they reviewed is out of
your price range. (I believe the one reviewed in Audio goes for about $750).
However, I do have experience with Nakamichi Decks. I recently purchased a
Nakamichi LX-5, after seriously considering the BX-2 and the LX-3. I agree
that other competing decks may offer more features (Such as a bias fine-adjust
control like you mentioned). But the Nakamichis are built very solid, with an
emphasis on basic performance instead of bells and whistles. Their transports
and electronics are unparalled in the same price class. Also, Nakamichi seems
to be fanatic about quality control, each deck being aligned and calibrated
before it leaves the factory. Most other manufacturers do not do this. If
Nakamichi had ommitted this stringent system of quality control, they could
have saved money and added more features, but this would have left performance
of the deck up to chance.
I think Nakamichis are more of a premium-quality product, and I am EXTREMELY
happy with mine, and I highly recommend the Nakamichi line. Good Luck, and let
all of us netters know what you finally decide! Happy Listening.
Dennis
--
Call-Me: Dennis Gibbs, Univ. of Md. Comp. Sci. Center.
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!prophet
CSNet: prophet@umcp-cs
ARPA: prophet.umcp-cs@CSNet-Relayrctracy@uokvax.UUCP (03/10/84)
#R:vice:-130600:uokvax:1000006:000:3117 uokvax!rctracy Mar 8 13:26:00 1984 (This reply is directed primarily to hound!rfg, whom I would have replied to via electronic mail if possible, but since this is my only independent way of getting outside the local network... I apologize in advance to readers of this group if discussing Sony cassette decks doesn't appeal to you :-). I received your letter concerning possible problems with the head on my TC-152SD. It sounds like it would definitely be worth checking out, IF I can find a qualified individual in the Norman-Oklahoma City area to do it... Maybe some further details might help track the problem down: The quality of the tape definitely matters. I can play Maxells, TDKs, DAKs "forever" without running into the motor speed regulation problem mentioned in my previous note. On the other hand, after demagnetizing the head, the problem will set in rapidly (approximately 2-3 hours of playing time) when I'm playing commercially pre-recorded tapes. MOST of the time, I can then play a Maxell tape right afterwards without any head maintenance being performed and the problem goes away until the pre-recorded cassette is reinserted. The head alignment was checked out and corrected by a dealer in OKC that is authorized to do warranty work for Sony. Assuming that the deck was checked out thoroughly (BIG assumption, but it seems to hold up since the guy checked out several things I didn't specifically ask him to) nothing was found that the dealer thought he should call to my attention. The alignment job was done correctly, so I have no reason to doubt the man's competence. The battery consumption problem MAY have been exaggerated slightly. I can get more than enough time out of fully charged batteries of any type to make it worth my while to use them. Ni-Cads and I just don't get along well at all, unless they are in a calculator. Sony's battery pack for my deck used to cost $15.95, and it lasted all of two months before one of the cells developed an internal short. After rigging up a Ni-Cad "zapper" similar to that described in a past issue of Popular Electronics (does anyone remember that magazine??? :-), I managed to salvage an additional month out of the battery pack before deciding that heavy load applications and Ni-Cads are less than a perfect marriage. Defective cells? I considered that and rebuilt the battery pack using size C Generous Electric Ni-Cad cells. These lasted about nine months before one of the cells failed in a manner similar to that described above. The price/performance ratio is just too high for me. As little recording as I do that requires batteries, I'm better off biting the bullet and sinking megabucks into a good set of alkalines when I need them. In any event, I haven't started to despair yet! Even with all its problems, my Sony still turns out better quality tapes than decks costing three times as much (SUBJECTIVE OPINION, which has been taking quite a beating in this group as of late, hence this explanation, because I can't afford an asbestos suit :-)! --Bob Tracy AT&T Technologies, Inc. - OKC Works ...!ctvax!uokvax!rctracy
gregs@uo-vax1.UUCP (03/10/84)
I heartily agree: Nak decks are hard to beat. I thrashed my savings
a few years ago to splurge on a 582, and have been infinitely more happy
with it than anything else I've had, or seen since (except for other
Naks!)
------
Greg Stewart
University of Oregon
{tektronix}!uoregon!uo-vax1!gregs