Just 31 units out of initial batch of 200, available at time of posting..
It would be interesting to see this measured..
It would be interesting to see this measured..
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FiiO CP13 Portable Compact Audio Cassette Player Available for Pre-order (if you're quick)
- Thread starter zeropoint
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The cassette was a terrible format. It's hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that people paid big bucks for Nakamichi machines. Mostly what they did was make copies to play so they could keep the vinyl originals pristine.
I think it was more about portability than anything else. I put an aftermarket radio with cassette player in my first car and had two geeky looking briefcases full of cassettes - probably 50 in total with me and played the hell out of those. Many of my cassettes were from Columbia Record (and tape!) club and many were ones I recorded from FM radio "album rock" stations that would play whole albums on Friday evenings. Some were recordings of friend's albums I didn't own. Good times - sounded ****** by today's standards but allowed me to take a butt load of music with me everywhere I go. To purchase anything that played those today would be insanity.
Later, I owned a repair shop that mainly repaired VCRs, but also a lot of cassette decks - the Nakamichi units were the best made, in my opinion, and could last quite a long time with proper maintenance. I never owned one but always wanted to.
MaxwellsEq
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I worked on Revox B710s and B215s. These could be setup OK and would still be in spec a week later!
DSJR
Major Contributor
A mastering engineer pal who did many live amateur recordings, rated cassettes ok and I must admit his tapes did 'sound' fine (metal type IV mostly and properly calibrated as regards Dolby and so on). I owned several top Nakamichi's in my time and loved them (Dragon, CR7, CR4 and previously, 682ZX, LX5 which had an annoying fault, a 700 original and a 700ZXE) but don't miss them at all now. I do sometimes miss my Revox B77 high speed mk2 machine, but that was appearances really and I had no recording use for it.
Issues with HiFi grade cassette machines were the variances in playback response and general QC as regards Dolby alignment which wasn't helped as even the best tape makers changed formulation regularly.
I have a late Denon three head machine up in the loft. If it's still serviceable as the head-block springs can go off in stop mode which can stretch them, it has a 2dB or so rise at 14khz followed by the usual death plunge. I can adjust level and bias but tapes made for 'flat response' playback in this machine, sound dull on many others. I used to set record bias for a similarly lifted response and all was well if tapes I made were played on other machines.
I was told that tha final Dolby S models used a Nakamichi response curve (Dragon?) as the reference and all machines had to be aligned to this. Sony did a machine that was well reviewed here (can't remember the model now) and it was very good indeed, the smooth take up preventing that 'tearing' sound on oboe and similar reed instruments at the beginning of a tape that all too many transports gave due to excessive 'jittery' take up torque. My Denon if still running will probably have wow if the aforementioned springs have gone off giving uneven pressure on the pinch rollers. I last used it as a headphone amp on 'source monitor' (motor runs when powered up and this had already been replaced once in its life).
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@DSJR I'm glad you liked your Dragon, but the whole concept of high end cassette machines never made sense to me. As noted above, the format really existed for portability. High priced reel to reel tape was another reason. Generally, all magnetic tape machines had a way of breaking down. I had to toss a few of them.
DSJR
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I used metal tapes exclusively in later years. It took a lot to get the signal on and same for self-erasure or hf loss after many playings. The advent of CD and players in the car for which I made CD-R's which I still have and play, sidelined tapes and althouggh I junked a load, I still have a handful again, up in the loft...
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My first car CD player was a $500 option. It skipped when hitting a bump or going over railroad tracks. The switch to using USB drives was a major improvement. CD players have mostly disappeared from new cars and CD's are disappearing as well.
DSJR
Major Contributor
My ancient jalopy has an 'Aux' socket which was only used when I took the car over so sometimes an iffy connection to start with. My android phone has a headphone outlet (again little used) and it's just loud enough to be useful sometimes but it is a bloody faff though... If waiting for my wife, I'll put Radio 4 or 5-Live on instead 
Well the needle would jump in a car or a boat. Carrying a turntable and amp to the gym was also frowned at.
But, most importantly!
My friend who actually owned the LP, would have allowed me to make a copy, but not take the LP with me.
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I recall suitcase sized portable phonograph record players.Well the needle would jump in a car or a boat. Carrying a turntable and amp to the gym was also frowned at.
But, most importantly!
My friend who actually owned the LP, would have allowed me to make a copy, but not take the LP with me.
These are my dad's. I serviced them, got them working just last Oct. while I was visiting him.
I had actually taken the HMV one to Orange County for him some 30 years ago, from UK.
All that I can say is WHY?!
Had my good times with old and nice Akai and Teac cassette decks, I still have a cute Akai CS703D on my legacy system, but while something is worth surviving the time proceeding, cassette is not, in any way.
Had my good times with old and nice Akai and Teac cassette decks, I still have a cute Akai CS703D on my legacy system, but while something is worth surviving the time proceeding, cassette is not, in any way.
I love the bungee cord! was that used as suspension?
Where would granny shove her Perry Como LPs into?
Ha, I'd noticed that too! There's a bit about the player and its records here.I love the bungee cord! was that used as suspension?
Don't be rude!
We used to have one of those Phillips ones, in my dad's Opel (Rekord?) !
I am familiar with it. Indeed, it had a crude suspension system inside. The stylus was held in place with springs, so after a few plays of a record, it would begin to wear out.
Those were the days!
Warped singles in hot cars, glorious distorted mono sounds, beach parties . . . .
I'd never heard about those players - it was a good read. Funniest part about it was that it worked well in luxury cars with good suspension, not so well in the lower end models of cars.
D
