The Legendary Cassette Decks In Comparison
Short description
This is an attempt to list the legendary cassette decks of all time. E.g. Nakamichi DRAGON and Pioneer CT-95.
Limitation
- Please no more than a maximum of four top cassette decks per manufacturer and under 0.025% synchronicity variation.
- Elcaset cassette decks are allowed.
Definition
As high-end devices, also "state of the art" - cassette decks are listed at Hifi-Wiki, which have synchronization fluctuations of 0.025% and less. The recording and playback of such devices have the claim to reproduce music at the original of the artist and the sound master.
Data
Smoothness in WRMS
Professional cassette decks in the 80's were able to achieve synchronization fluctuations around 0.02%, which was called no longer audible.
Simple cassette decks reached values around 0.08% WRMS, which is still audible in some situations.
Real high-end cassette decks managed to get closer to the magic 0.02% mark and some, like the Dragon, even slightly below.
Soundheads
Head types:
- F&F = ferrite & ferrites (Sony).
- GF = nearly wearless glass ferrite sound heads (Akai)
- S&F = Sendust & Ferrite (harman/kardon, Revox, Sony)
- SD = Sendust (Sony, Onkyo, Yamaha)
- LA = Laser Amorphous (Sony)
- AC = Amorphous Cobalt - consisting of 14 layers (TEAC)
- F = Ferrite head - double gap (Onkyo, Yamaha)
- HP = Hard Permalloy head (Yamaha)
Notes
Weblinks
individual credits
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| Specifications | Sound heads | Distortion factor | Frequency response in Hz (± 3 dB) | Signal to Noise Ratio (without Dolby) | Dolby NR | Bias | Auto- | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Year | No. | Erase | Record/Playback | Motors | Dual Capstan | Synchronization in WRMS | Metal | Chrome | Normal | Metal | Chrome | Normal | Metal | Chrome | Normal | (B/C/S/HXPro) | Calibration | reverse | ||||
| Aiwa XK-009 | 1988 | 0.018 %| | 20 - 22,000 | 20 - 21,000 | B/C/HX-Pro, dbx | manual | No | ||||||||||||||||
| Aiwa XK-S 9000 | 1992 | 3 | 4 | Yes | 0.018 % | 0.002% | 13 - 24,000 | 13 - 22,000 | 65 dB| | manual | No | ||||||||||||
| Akai GX-F 90 | 1980 | 3 | GF | 2 | 0.03 % | 25 - 21,000 | 25 - 17,000 | 25 - 15,000 | B | ||||||||||||||
| Akai GX-95 | 1990 | 3 | GF | Yes | 0.025 % | <0.6% | 20 - 21,000 | 20 - 21,000 | 59 dB | B/C/HX-Pro | manual | No | |||||||||||
| Arcam Delta 100 | 1992 | Yes | 0.04 % | 20 - 20,000 | 66 dB | B/C/S | manual | No | |||||||||||||||
| Harman/kardon CD 491 | 1983 | 3 | S&F/S&F | 3 | Yes | 0.025 % | 0.9% | 20 - 26,000 | 20 - 24,000 | B/C/HX-Pro | manual | No | |||||||||||
| Luxman 5K-50 Laboratory Reference Series | 1978 | 3 | F | SD | 3 | Yes | < 0.03% | < 1.2 % | 20 - 22,000 | 20 - 18,000 | 20 - 16,000 | 58 dB | B | manual | |||||||||
| Nakamichi DRAGON | 1983 | 3 | PA-1L | R-8L/E-8L | 5 | Yes | 0.019% | <0.8% | <0.8% | <0.8% | 20 - 22,000 | - | - | - | B/C | manual | Yes | ||||||
| Onkyo TA-2070 | 1981 | F | SD&F | 3 | Yes | 0.021 % | 20 - 21,000 | 20 - 19,000 | 20 - 17,000 | B/C | Automatic | No | |||||||||||
| Onkyo TA-2090 | 1983 | 3 | F | SD&F | 3 | Yes | 0.020 % | 20 - 22,000 | 20 - 20,000 | 20 - 18,000 | 60 dB | B/C/HX-Pro/ dbx | Automatic | No | |||||||||
| Pioneer CT-95 | 1993 | 3 | - | LA/LA | 3 | Yes | 0.022% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 10 - 30,000 | 10 - 21,000 | 64 dB | - | - | B/C/S/HX-Pro | Automatic | No | ||||||
| Revox B 710 MK II | 1980 | 3 | S&F/S&F | 4 | Yes | 0.1% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 30 - 20,000 | 30 - 20,000 | 30 - 18,000 | No | |||||||||||
| Revox B 215 | 1985 | 3 | - | S&F/S&F | 4 | Yes | 0.04% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 0.8% | 30 - 20,000 | 30 - 20,000 | - | - | B/C/HX-Pro | Automatic | No | ||||||
| Sony TC-K 909 ES | 1993 | 3 | S&F | LA/LA | 3 | Yes | 0.022% | 1.3% | - | 0.4% | 15 - 22,000 | 15 - 20,000 | 15 - 17,000 | 61 dB | 59 dB | 57 dB | B/C/S | Manual | No | ||||
| Sony TC-KA 3 ES | 1995 | 3 | S&F | LA/LA | 3 | Yes | 0.022% | 1.3% | - | 0.4% | 15 - 22,000 | 15 -20,000 | 15 - 17,000 | 61 dB | 59 dB | 57 dB | B/C/S | manual | No | ||||
| Tandberg TCD 3014 | 1984 | 3 | 4 | Yes | 18 - 23.000 | 18 - 20.000 | B, C, Dyneq, Actilin.Rec. | manual | No | ||||||||||||||
| Teac V-8000 S | 1991 | 3 | - | AC/AC | 4 | Yes | 0.022% | - | - | - | 15 - 21,000 | 15 - 20,000 | 60 dB | - | - | B/C/S/HXPro | manual | No | |||||
| Teac V-8030 S | 1995 | 3 | - | AC/AC | 4 | Yes | 0.022% | - | - | - | 15 - 21,000 | 15 - 20,000 | 15 - 18,000 | 60 dB | - | - | B/C/S/HXPro | manual | No | ||||
| Teac Z-7000 | 1983 | 3 | - | AC/AC | 4 | Yes | 0.019% | 2% | - | - | 20 - 22.000 | 20 - 21.000 | 20 - 20.000 | 60 dB | - | - | B/C/dbx | Automatic | No | ||||
| Yamaha K-2000 | 1983 | 3 | SD | 2 | Yes | 0.02% | <0,9% | 20 - 20.000 | >59 dB | B, dbx | </0,9% | No<0,9% | 20 - 20.000 | > | |||||||||