Onkyo TA-R33 Cassette Deck

[Old HiFi Guy]

In rearranging my living entertainment center to fit in a HTPC I was forced to find a different cassette deck as there wasn't enough room to fit my old Teac top load A-170S that I been using for over 10 years. Down to the bowels of the pit to find another cassette deck with a better fit. The Pioneer, Teac and Sansui front loaders were too big. Had a Sony double front loader but decided it looked too cheap and then I spied a forgotten one, the Onkyo TA-R33. I had bought it at a yard sale 10 or 12 years ago for $10 and had never done much with it because it was mid 80's black face where I was and still am into silver face and wood. It fit the space perfectly and I figure what the heck. Get it all hooked and turn it on, it lights up. I put a tape in of Dark Side of The Moon that was recorded on Maxell tape. Play with all the controls to be sure they work, play-FF-RW. So far so good, so I turn on the old Sansui 9090 DB which drives a pair of 15" newer(well at 25 years old they are still newer than the Sansui) Pioneers and push play. I was just surprised at how well it sounds, a little tape hiss but i think when I clean and demag the heads it will clear up. I then got curious about it so I got on the Internet. It is a 2 head, three motor deck with Dolby B & C with metal and chrome tape capability. The $315.00 list price would make it over $760.00 at today' values. I still love all my other cassette decks but this one is a little sleeper that has ignored by me for years. Might have to bring upstairs my set of 15" Onkyo speakers from the same time frame and give them a test. My 26 year old son came into the living room and he commented how good the sound was and his ears are better than mine at almost 63.

 

[Miracle Mile]

Love to read things like this!

 

[Elite-ist]

I enjoyed reading the story. Perhaps, a few of us, myself included, were quick to prejudge a cassette deck's performance based on the weight of the deck and it's finish. But, I have found there are a few gems out there under the radar, and that includes a few double-bay decks, too.

It's good to hear you pulled the Onkyo out of the pile to give it a whirl. Did you not try it when you initially bought it at the yard sale? I have an Onkyo TA-R200, which is an even newer model than yours and retailed for even less than the TA-R33.

Nando.