Buying a Cassette Deck

No exactly. Most of the tape decks had very good (rugged) mechanisms. But yes, they were not Hi-Fi grade. Except their 4040SM model. I had the opportunity to use one and I found the sound quality exceptional. This particular model (4040SM) was having recording facility and had higher specs compared to the other tape decks which were mono and play-only.

I don't know if they are available today. But if you get the opportunity then please listen to a 4040sm model. My gut feeling is that if they are paired with a good speaker set then you will get good output.

regards,
Jawed

I did audition 4040-SM and it's not bad (for 8K). Ahuja had two stereo cassette recorders. One was dedicated cassette recorder CTR-100 (IIRC) and 4040-SM with in-built amplifier (seems TO-3 based transistors. Probably 2N3055..just guessing here).

IIRC, they used Elin FLD mechanisms which are quite good and one of the best diy tape mechanisms available till few years ago. I still have some. Elin mech came with normal Philips head (ms).
 
Do you have one to sell :D. I traced a Nak BX 150. Sounds pretty good, but it sports a touch mechanism (I think all Naks do). To play the tape, I have to stand on the 'touch' switch to start play.

Please stay away from these BX models of the NAK. I had a BX-125 and I encountered a lot of problems with it even after getting it serviced like twice, from, Mr.Umesh Chandran. I disposed it, for, peanuts, in the end. The only nice thing is the red peak level indicators! The mechanism is just crap. BX-300 is slightly better considering it's the high end in the series, but, like I said, I wouldn't consider buying it!

As far as I know/have heard, the NAK DR series is pretty good & is quite reliable when maintained well.
 
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Can anyone post ownership reviews of Technics RS M 206 tapedeck.
Is it easily serviceable.... ?
Sound quality etc.
These are manual tape decks nothing great but so so quality and changing of belts and heads is not a easy task as only the old technicians who have an idea can do it
 
Actually, its very simple. One can broadly classify cassette decks into 3 categories:

1) The super top end - decks like the NAK 1000 series, Nak Dragon, some of the Tandbergs, TASCAMs, high end AKAIs, etc. These are really hard to find as enthusiasts who have pristine versions almost never sell them. If you find them too, they are likely to be from personal collections and will require significant investments. Also you are not likely to get nice versions of these in India.

2) The great decks - Almost all the NAKs, some of the top end models from Japanese manufacturers, some great European ones like the Grundig CF5500-2, etc. Some are 3-head versions, some are 2-head (never judge the quality of a cassette deck by the number of heads :) ). Again these come up every now and then for sale but can be expensive. If found in good condition, they can provide the user with great satisfaction. A lot of these do reside with enthusiasts who are not likely to part with them, but if you find one in good condition, then this is where one can get the biggest bang for the buck.

3) The commoner - the lower end of the spectrum, mass market gear for audio racks or for use as components on regular rigs. Folk familiar with the middle east market especially in the 1980 would call these the Rs.2500 decks (basically had a box, a mechanism, basic electronics and a transformer. As things got more modern with combo ICs, you'd find a small PCB and a power supply, that's it). These were quite prestigious to own in those times, with their flashy faceplates and lights (VUs in the older times and LED bars as we passed through the 80s), prestigious as you'd find it hard to get something like these in India in those times. These are not bad but are not great either. They will faithfully play your stuff and if handled carefully, can last for a long time too. If you can find these in good condition, they are not bad buying actually (but ensure that you make only small investments). Edit - double cassette decks are considered crap, but some of these models can be good, if they have completely discrete mechanisms (that is dedicated mechanisms for each of the decks). Some of the double cassette deck mechanisms share motors, etc and as a result perform badly or unreliably. It is better to avoid these.

Note: Many forget this aspect but the decision on what cassette deck to buy also depends on the type of tapes one owns or has access to. For example, buying a Rs.1.5L Nak Dragon to play Bollywood tapes from T-series, Venus, etc or Western music Tapes from Magnasound, is a complete waste of money. On the other side of the spectrum, buying a Rs.1500 Technics or Sony deck to play those treasured high end recordings on metal tape, is again like tying up a tarpaulin in your front yard, for parking your Mercedes :)
 
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Can anyone post ownership reviews of Technics RS M 206 tapedeck.
Is it easily serviceable.... ?
Sound quality etc.

A very basic deck, with a single IC tape head preamp, a single IC headphone amp, couple of ICs for the Dolby stage and a few transistors. Very typical of the mass-market decks of those times. Not to be disregarded though, can sound nice but definitely not high end (again, depends on what one would play in it). Serviceability - well, this is something which is actually common factor for all hifi equipment. The logic is, anything can be serviced, repaired or restored if there is access to a knowledgeable mech and if one uses OEM spares. The unfortunate part of it is that both these key elements are not available in abundance. Repairing older equipment requires component-level diagnosis and repairing capabilities, which is unheard off these days, with mechs simply changing PCBs. Having said this, YouTube has made it possible for many to understand these old decks properly and even successfully repair them. Its not always a sad story. If you can find a RS M206 in good running condition and if your tape collection is the usual run-of-the-mill Indian Bollywood collection, then its a decent step, if taken with a lowish investment :)
 
A very basic deck, with a single IC tape head preamp, a single IC headphone amp, couple of ICs for the Dolby stage and a few transistors. Very typical of the mass-market decks of those times. Not to be disregarded though, can sound nice but definitely not high end (again, depends on what one would play in it). Serviceability - well, this is something which is actually common factor for all hifi equipment. The logic is, anything can be serviced, repaired or restored if there is access to a knowledgeable mech and if one uses OEM spares. The unfortunate part of it is that both these key elements are not available in abundance. Repairing older equipment requires component-level diagnosis and repairing capabilities, which is unheard off these days, with mechs simply changing PCBs. Having said this, YouTube has made it possible for many to understand these old decks properly and even successfully repair them. Its not always a sad story. If you can find a RS M206 in good running condition and if your tape collection is the usual run-of-the-mill Indian Bollywood collection, then its a decent step, if taken with a lowish investment :)
Thankyou for your reply:)
 
I did audition 4040-SM and it's not bad (for 8K). Ahuja had two stereo cassette recorders. One was dedicated cassette recorder CTR-100 (IIRC) and 4040-SM with in-built amplifier (seems TO-3 based transistors. Probably 2N3055..just guessing here).

IIRC, they used Elin FLD mechanisms which are quite good and one of the best diy tape mechanisms available till few years ago. I still have some. Elin mech came with normal Philips head (ms).
Hi Did you audition a new one? Are they still manufacturing 4040sm ?
 
Good Evening Friends,

It's been a long time since I visited our forum. Its due to lot of personal reasons.

Now, I would like to know if we could buy a new Audio Cassette Tape Deck with fluorescent level meter in India, if not, which country can I buy from safely.

Please let me know if anybody has bought any decks recently, what is the feedback

Thanks friends in Advance.
 
IMG_9877.jpeg

Looks damn clean even after 15 years of storage….

What TLC can I do except changing the belts ? Any suggestions / advice is welcome.
 
Idler and pinch roller are good candidates. Check if pinch roller is hardened or cracked or if it's shiny or smooth. Check if reel tension is sufficient during play and rewind. If not you need a new idler. Then some contact cleaner spray on the switches.
 
Good Evening Friends,

It's been a long time since I visited our forum. Its due to lot of personal reasons.

Now, I would like to know if we could buy a new Audio Cassette Tape Deck with fluorescent level meter in India, if not, which country can I buy from safely.

Please let me know if anybody has bought any decks recently, what is the feedback

Thanks friends in Advance.
Safe country to buy cassette deck is only JAPAN you get what you see on website
Last December I have buy NAK BX2 perfect condition From Yahoo auctions Untouched from inside Still Look Shiny like in the shop
Plays well and Records well
 
Head looks legit. Rest is hard to judge from pictures
Pinch roller is smooth. The belts are little loose as the deck takes a few seconds to pickup the speed. Will get full set of new three belts but looks like it’s not as easy task to change the belts. The deck is in original untouched condition.
 
Wharfedale Linton Heritage Speakers in Red Mahogany finish at a Special Offer Price. BUY now before the price increase.
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