Good cassette player?

I'm listening to a tape (Sony Super Metal Master)made 2 decades ago, Bill Evans Waltz for Debby, on my Tandberg 3014A. It still amazes me how good a lowly cassette tape can sound. I'm a Tandberg enthusiast so I'm a bit biased, but the imaging and soundstaging of Tandberg is superior to other decks I've owned in the past.

My less expensive Nakamichi decks (250/350/550/600) did not always sound right with tapes recorded on other decks (Aiwa, Akai to name a few).

The exception was my 700ZXE, but it retailed for around $2.5K in the early 80's.

This is why I suggested trying the deck that they were recorded on, though a T/F service would probably make more sense (unless the OP is going to get back into cassette tape on a regular basis).

DeKay

Thanks eveyone

I'm looking into a Nakamichi.. I've restored some music gear from that era and pretty familiar with the internals.. I recapped some yamaha gear with Audio Note and other stuff. The boards are really easy to work on. I think I should try that with a Nakamichi and see what they can really do :) 

Seems I want one with their discreet heads, but simple internals. Simple audio path. Some have tons of aged cable harnesses and whatnot...too many "features". Hm

Seems I want one with their discreet heads, but simple internals.

The ones with three heads have a way of the record head failing. The head is rare and expensive (+$300). So if you are looking at such a machine, make sure it records on both channels prior to purchase! 

None of them I've seen have 'simple' internals, whatever that means.