Who has Decks and What Kind

[MarkWComer]

Thanks for the videos. Cool decks, Mark. Do you still look for more of those vintage tape decks? I do have a Sony EL-7, which I am using to create an upcoming mix tape for a member, here.

Click on image to play video:

Nando.

Too bad about Elcaset, but they were competing with the Philips cassette which was a firmly established format. They were much better- especially in terms of transport. Your EL-7 is a beauty- I'm sure it sounds much better than what your video recorder's microphone can pick up.

Those two RCA units were gathering dust, so decided to off them through ebay. I was rabid about them for a while and even had a stereo "console" unit that was horribly trashed, it needed a comprehensive rework as well as a new head. I'm primarily a vinyl addict anyway. I had a portable 5" and a military 7" recorder, auctioned all four at the same time.

The RCA units failed miserably in the consumer market despite being a great idea but found application in the educational market for a short time from another manufacturer (Califone? Bell? Don't remember...). Blank tapes had a max equal to a C-60 (two track stereo at 3 3/4ips), so home recorders could almost get a full album on one tape side.

 

[Elite-ist]

Thanks, Mark. The quality of the recordings with the EL-7 is excellent. I received a tip for a local source for NOS Elcaset tape. I'm crossing my fingers I can secure a deal, as I had my Sony parked until I could find more tapes.

It's surprising a deck as old as the 50's would still work. I imagine if you had to source out parts to repair one, it's not easy.

Nando.

 

[Cafe944]

Thanks for the videos. Cool decks, Mark. Do you still look for more of those vintage tape decks? I do have a Sony EL-7, which I am using to create an upcoming mix tape for a member, here.

Click on image to play video:

Nando.

Awesome Deck, Never Seen This Model. Great To See This Great Gear In Action.

 

[Elite-ist]

Thank you, Jose. After seeing the lists of decks owned by John and Steven, there are a few enthusiasts who like their decks. I do have a large collection of Pioneer cassette decks that I have used in the past for recording mix tapes. But like anything else, if it's something not used regularly, something is bound to crop up from lack of use.

Nando.

 

[MarkWComer]

Awesome Deck, Never Seen This Model. Great To See This Great Gear In Action.

It's kind of like the Elcaset that failed before the Elcaset failed. They pop up on ebay from time to time, along with prerecorded and blank tapes. Like the Elcaset, the tape is 1/4" and runs at 3 3/4 ips (or 1 7/8 if'n ya wanna...).

Thanks, Mark. The quality of the recordings with the EL-7 is excellent. I received a tip for a local source for NOS Elcaset tape.

It's surprising a deck as old as the 50's would still work. I imagine if you had to source out parts to repair one, it's not easy.

Nando.

From what I've heard of it (and not in person) the Elcaset is marvelous. I remember when they first came out, never saw one, but I already had a box full of the Philips cassettes. NOS and used tapes fetch a premium on ebay, mazel tov on getting a deal on the blanks.

I did see a NOS Nortronics R/P head for the RCA machine as well as a pinch roller. There were three tubes inside that wouldn't be too hard to find. They do have their own niche following, got a fair price for them. I had a metal frame with tape guides to use it with 3" reels- and that was the selling point for one of the machines. They're unusual for sure.

Curiosity: If I still had one of them I'd like to load one of the carts with FeCr tape to see what would happen- the only thing available at that time was brown rust- Fe! The magazines were screwed together and had a plastic slip sheet. One of the people who I was in contact with recorded with an open reel recorder (stereo) and loaded his own carts.

 

[Cafe944]

Thank you, Jose. After seeing the lists of decks owned by John and Steven, there are a few enthusiasts who like their decks. I do have a large collection of Pioneer cassette decks that I have used in the past for recording mix tapes. But like anything else, if it's something not used regularly, something is bound to crop up from lack of use.

Nando.

Nando, Your Welcome. From What Source You Record The Most? From LP To Tape?

 

[BubbaH]

Nando uses a "mastering" process on MD before committing anything to tape. Generally. Im sure he'll enlighten you more on his exact process.

 

[Elite-ist]

Mark: Thanks for introducing me to those old Philips machines. Much more compact than an open-reel deck and if it's a collectible off the beaten path, I like it even more.

Jose: Ben is correct - I have been recording to MiniDisc Masters for all my music compilations before I commit to dubbing from MD to cassette, Elcaset, or even open-reel. I have been doing this for about three years. Back in the old days it was a gruelling chore to duplicate a themed mix tape if I wanted to record more than one copy of the same tracks. It was rare for me to have the patience to do more than three cassette mixes from the same music material. Some members still do it that way and I give them full credit for persevering with that method. I record to MD Master from just about any source I presently have, excluding digital files from my computer. That includes: vinyl, CD, pre-recorded cassette, open-reel tape, 8-track, or even DAT. I'm just not willing at this time to do all my editing or processing through my computer. But, that will happen in due course as I become more familiar with all the tools to accomplish a new method of Mastering through my laptop computer. I want to try a novel method that combines MD recording through my open-reel deck's circuitry that's supposed to upscale my recording quality, first.

Nando.

 

[El Magnifico]

This is what I got!

Cassette Decks On Hand:

Nakamichi 700 ZXE
Nakamichi Dragon (3)
Nakamichi ZX 7
Nakamichi RX 505
Nakamichi 600

Revox B 215S
ADS C4
Aiwa AD F800
Technics RS M65 (like new, in box)

CROWN SX 822 reel to reel

I'm selling the AIWA & the Technics if someone is interested. $100.00 & $150.00

SOLD LAST YEAR:

Teac Z 5000, Z 6000 & Z 7000
Nakamichi ZX 9
NAD 6300 (2)
Nakamichi Dragon

No more "quantity". I'm concentrating on quality now. It's getting hard and costly keeping big collections running properly and people are not paying higher prices for this technology anymore (depending of the model, of course!)

Regards!

 

[Cafe944]

Mark: Thanks for introducing me to those old Philips machines. Much more compact than an open-reel deck and if it's a collectible off the beaten path, I like it even more.

Jose: Ben is correct - I have been recording to MiniDisc Masters for all my music compilations before I commit to dubbing from MD to cassette, Elcaset, or even open-reel. I have been doing this for about three years. Back in the old days it was a gruelling chore to duplicate a themed mix tape if I wanted to record more than one copy of the same tracks. It was rare for me to have the patience to do more than three cassette mixes from the same music material. Some members still do it that way and I give them full credit for persevering with that method. I record to MD Master from just about any source I presently have, excluding digital files from my computer. That includes: vinyl, CD, pre-recorded cassette, open-reel tape, 8-track, or even DAT. I'm just not willing at this time to do all my editing or processing through my computer. But, that will happen in due course as I become more familiar with all the tools to accomplish a new method of Mastering through my laptop computer. I want to try a novel method that combines MD recording through my open-reel deck's circuitry that's supposed to upscale my recording quality, first.

Nando.

Nando, Very Interesting. In Reading Your Recording Method, I Truly Appreciate Your Passion For This Great Hobby. When I Get My Tape Deck Up And Running, I Would Love To Try One Of Your Mixed Tapes.
At The Moment, I Have So Little Time With The Move. Thank You For The Information.

 

[orange]

FYI: Your Christmas CDs this time around were mostly recorded to an Akai HX-2 from my computer files and YOU TUBE, as well as an old RCA Christmas record (Arthur Fiedler, it sounded much nicer than the one on YT), ripped to hard drive via Audacity 2.0.6 and edited and processed from there.

I had to compress the Sussex Carol track...it was all I could do to save it. It still came out well.

In the past I have recorded to cassette with Windows Media Player and the 'equalizer' function for each track and matched them for levels as best as I could.

I liked the HX-2 I got for $2 as an auction leftover so much that I sent the dual Technics Web sold me to my niece and her husband for Christmas instead (it was excellent and they loved it). That Akai is a really neat deck, and it sounds great!

 

[Elite-ist]

Sure, Jose, I would be pleased to record a mix tape for you, once you are ready. I am in the midst of a recording run of mix tapes. I've completed three tapes for members and I have another left to do before I mail them out. Check this thread: http://forums.phxaudiotape.com/showthread.php/5252-The-Synth-Only-Mixtape-Challenge-2014

Here's a deck I don't often talk about. It's a Nakamichi RX-505 and I've had it for more than six years since buying it for $15 at the St. Joseph's thrift store. It has been awaiting a Dolby IC chip. Very nice playback when I first got it, but it had recording issues, as I later found out when the technician found out the problem.

Nando.

 

[fitz43]

It has been awaiting a Dolby IC chip. Nando.

Still?

 

[Elite-ist]

My other Nakamichi cassette decks include a BX-100 and BX-150. The BX-150 is one I use in my downstairs system.

The Onkyo TA-R200 is one I bought from a stereo shop which closed it's doors and was liquidating it's stock. It was one component used in their theatre demo room. It seemed a little out of place, so I offered $35 for it.

Click on image to play video:

Nando.

 

[Elite-ist]

That's right, Doug. My option is to have the tech forward me the part # he needs and I've PMed Perry about seeing if he has it. The Nakamichi Dolby IC has been on back order for that long.

Nando.

 

[fitz43]

That's right, Doug. My option is to have the tech forward me the part # he needs and I've PMed Perry about seeing if he has it. The Nakamichi Dolby IC has been on back order for that long.

Nando.

Nando, your much more patient than I. After this length of time, I would think the tech isn't actively looking anymore. It's an attractive looking deck, with unique tape handling functions, it's a shame it can't be in your deck rotation. Doug

 

[laatsch55]

Sometimes all the tech can do is wait also...

 

[Web Police]

Will the chip from a 202 work? There should be basket case donor 202's out there? I have a 202 that Larry sent to me. It still works though.

 

[Elite-ist]

Doug: I guess the reason I've been dawdling on it for so long is I didn't use it long enough to miss it.

John : Possible, but I would have to research the service manual for both decks to see if the same part # is used for the Dolby IC chip.

Nando.