Which Nakamichi to choose?

lowrider57, don’t remember how to describe it, but Dolby C just never seem to sound exactly right, so never used it.

The CR-7a is an extremely nice deck, however not one of my favorites. It is a later model that used the stamped metal transport. The higher end models using the cast metal transport always seem to be just slightly better. A couple that I lusted after were the ZX-9 and the 682ZX. A certified Nak tech I know thinks the 682ZX was as good as anything they ever made.

"Practical difference between cast and stamped metal has probably evened out over the last 25 years. If they have survived, they have proven reliable enough, I would say."

Both transports were reliable. It’s just that the cast metal transport sounded better and it always will.

Either deck would likely give you good service, but as I previously said, as long as both decks are in the same condition, the better choice is the Cassettedeck 1.

tls49,

I have no experience in comparing those so I stand corrected. However, if someone starts a thread about the theory of that, I am afraid it would turn ugly.

@jond

My CR-7a with belts is marginally better than my CR-7a with gear train. High frequency was not an issue on Dolby B with either deck when stock. I found Dolby C to sound a little "processed", but not degraded to digital levels.

I suggest that you buy the best deck you can find. My father, a shipyard superintendent, with corresponding hearing damage, compared a high class Denon to a DR-1. His comment, "There’s really no comparison, is there?"

I thought about a ZX-9, but the automatic alignment feature on the CR-7a is really useful.

@tls49 

Thanks for the Nak link. I'd forgotten about that site!


@lowrider57 

Sorry, I mis-attributed the question to jond. See above. Yes, pretty close to studio quality, IMO.