Whats playing on your system today?

Bkeske.
As far as nak decks go.
Maybe consider a 480.
Yes it's only 2 head but unless you are doing a lot of home recording it's not really a big deal.
The 480 uses the older better transport and controls and is affordable IMHO.
Think $150 to $200.
In fact I am planning on buying one as a back up and to share the playback load.

@uberwaltz

I’ve been looking. I have also seen the the 480’s, but not sure if it would be a step-up from my CR-1A, which I am fairly pleased with, albeit it needs belts replaced, at minimum. But really, the CR-1A sounds pretty darn good, and I do keep things clean and demagnetized. The CR-1A also has the Dolby B/C option which the 480 does not seem to. Granted, I almost always play back on Dolby B, as that is what most all retail tapes that had Dolby processing used (I believe Dolby ‘pro’ was Dolby B). I have only used Dolby C, In most cases, if I recorded a tape with that option, but that’s more rare than years ago.

I kinda agree that 3 head decks are more geared to recording though, something I don’t do much of, as I’m actually starting to purchase old retail cassettes instead of recording a lot as I once did back in the 80’s and 90’s. That just isn’t that important to me now.

The DR-10 looks interesting, but they look to be running about $600-700. There is also a ZX-5 on ebay being sold by a dealer at $666, free shipping.

I’m inclined to stick with my CR-1A unless I make a substantial leap forward.

10-4!
If you can change the belts or have a local dealer do it for a fair price you could well be right.
Not much point making a sideways step.

The Lounge Lizards - Live in Tokyo/Big Heart. Island 1986

Cassette

Very cool album I have not played in a long while. Kinda like punk jazz ;-)

If you can change the belts or have a local dealer do it for a fair price you could well be right.

@uberwaltz

I have the service manual. It doesn’t look too tough. The biggest thing, as I understand, is getting high quality or OEM belts. There is a company I’ve bookmarked that has the ‘real deal’ for sale. Not cheap, but in my opinion, the only way to go.

At my age, I’m getting to the point of letting other more experienced folks do stuff like this, even at a cost. Plus, they may be able to look at other settings or alignments that need taken care of, and which I have no clue, while ‘under the hood’. There was a time I would tackle almost anything, but if it’s only $50 or so so let an expert do it, why not? Heck, that’s how I stay in business vs folks who think they can do it themselves ;-) I always tell them, ‘well, good luck’.