if to use only once,the ZX-9 ,if to use as any other brand deck the BX-2 is without a doubt the best they built, i bought one with my first Dragon in December, 1982 and it works today with only changing the belts but my main deck was a akai gx something after almost enter in depression for having a Dragon under my bed , with the same money i could have bought a BMW645i from 75/76
@@pearlvision7156 a well built ,the 680ZX which is rare in nakamichi some test them but the deck is not to test is to play and record cassettes ,some models are built with the cheapest materials there are
If I wanted a reliable deck, it would be the BX300 because I've had one before, no complaints, and it lasted a long time. I wouldn't consider a CR series unless I could step up to a 5A or a 7A, but then they're more costly, and I personally think their attack lacks the impact of the BX300, just my opinion!
I love that someone else still has a tape deck in their system and uses it. I make mix tapes for my wife all the time. Some are greatest hits, some have themes. She loves them and I love making them. Good choice keeping them both. I would too.
I owned both of those decks and I preferred the BX-300 as well. And then I found a clean CR-4A that blew the doors off both the 3A and the BX-300 entirely and promptly sold them. Lastly, you must use these decks on a regular basis for these old motors not to find a dead spot. I just FF or FR the deck every other month when not used and this method works for me.
Great video. I have a BX-300, but only a CR-2A. Bought the 2A when in just out of College and was too much of a jump to the 3A. You mentioned mix tapes. Having that in hand is way different than sending someone a Spotify play list. Also, you can't beat a roadtrip playing cassettes.
I own both decks. I prefer the BX300. I've had more problems with the CR-3A. I also like the sound of the BX300 more. Having said all of this, both decks are pretty awesome.
no doubt the 300 is better as a deck but with the years if not well mantained they start to give problems, the CR-3A a friend of mine as it and it seems working today ,still(unbelievable)
I still have my Black Nak BX-125 , I bought it brand new back in 1984. it was one of their lower end budget No frills decks, but had the specs of their mid line of decks 20-20k FR 0.06% WF 68db SN (with Dolby C) and built like a tank.. What more do you need 🤷♂️ .. It still sounds and records great , I had it re-calibrated at by a certified Nak service depot in the early 2000s . The technician that serviced it told me all the nominal levels only needed a slight adjustment to get them back to factory spec.. All I can say is Nak makes awesome cassette decks 👍
Well done video. Your videos have an honesty and "down to earth" quality. I eagerly look forward to viewing the next one. Cassettes have that nostalgia factor and the irreplaceable feeling of being able to touch or hold the medium. Sorry for stating the obvious. And I do own hundreds of CDs. However, most of us have moved on from cassette tapes long ago.
Very nice. The CR3A is a Sankyo transport which is a common transport for more than just Nakamichi of this era. Biggest common problem is the back tension belt (I assume you've replaced it) and of course the flakey reel motors. The BX-300 generally hits above its weight class and is generally one of the best price/value decks out there IMO. Common issues with them include the idler tires and also, the bias POT can go south and require replacement. One thing to keep in mind is that a fair apples/apples comparison really demands both decks be serviced to ensure head alignment. Nakamichi heads are perhaps the best ever made and long lasting. They are not available on any deck other than Nakamichi. You can get them serviced by Nak knowledgeable techs around the US: however, the best ones have a very long lead time (6-12 months easy). There is an upgrade for the BX-300 to convert it to a gear reel drive system (maybe a $100 and up upgrade depending on who does it). The rubber tires last long enough where I personally don't see the need to do it but it remains an option. The output voltage of the BX-300 is greater than the CR3A which accounts for the difference in volume you observe. That is just a function of design differences. I think it is more natural to set the recording levels on meters that are oriented in the horizontal. I think you have better resolution in the metering system on the CR3. I think most all 3-head Nakamichi cassette decks are interesting up to CD 1/1.5 and its equivalent in the DR series. I think it makes total sense to keep both. Just as a heads up, I think the CR-7 takes the CR3 concept to a whole different level and accomplishes what I think is the best overall cassette deck design ever made (arguably of course - that's part of the fun right?). There are the three "keys to the kingdom" when it comes to cassette decks: bias cal, level cal, and azimuth. With your two decks you have 1 of the keys with fine bias adjustment. Get them serviced to get the other two keys aligned to spec. Also, I believe all of the CR series decks utilize gear driven reel tables.
Another series that I think takes no back seat to anyone in at least the looks department are the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), TDS-200D transport equipped Sony Decks. A classic here is the TC-KA3ES but there are some others that are very similar with only sleight differences. Some hard to find, copper clad chassis JDM decks include the TC-K555ESJ and TC-K555ESG. Especially when found with intact wood side panels they have high curb appeal. Not CR7 class decks but they do have HXPRO, Bias and Level Calibration and are quartz controlled for very low W&F. Worth checking out I think. @@ForeverAnalog
Years ago I scored a cheap CR-5A, having it repaired by a known tech now so that'll be nice to have working finally. Can't wait to make mixtapes with it! People talk highly of Naks for a reason
Yeh, Nakamichi Tape Decks. Amazing .... I own '7'' Decks. My faves are the LX Series. I have both the 3 & 5. They are just Stunningly Gorgeous .... 2 of the other decks are the ZX-7 and the Brilliant 505 'Auto-Reverse' models ... And yes, they are all 'Working' ... Nice Channel ... I am Sub'd ... ATB
There are bx-300s with a gear idler too. Also, I find it not to be an unconditional advantage. Worn out idler tire is relatively cheap and available to replace, while good luck finding a decent gear replacement if something happens with the original one.
Perfect timing because last night I pulled out my Nak BX-150 to install in my stereo rack today. I bought the deck from a stereo repairman I use for $150. I wanted the BX-300 but in reality I only need a 2-head deck. Other than the idler tire issue the Nak BX-300 & 150 are good workhorse decks. Thanks for your video and I too hang onto gear like you.👍👍
those that were racing worses but now are old and sold to farms or gypsies that if not good to carry things they ended up making a party and eat the horse
I remember people in the 90s talking about how legendary Nakamichi decks were. Unfortunatley, Sony was all that was in my budget, but my old Sony still works. If I had more cassettes I would definitely love to have a working Nakamichi like these.
@ForeverAnalog So far I've only had to replace the belts, but it isn't as nice as these. I would love to have a better tape deck, but I only have a few dozen tapes left so it's hard to justify an upgrade.
I came back to cassette in 2012. Getting my hands on the top of line 3 head Dolby S decks cause I’m a big fan… When COVID hit I got my first Nakamichi RX-505 in 2021. I was really blown away that the Naks sounded really good! So got the Nak bug in me and 3 years later I now have 12 Nakamichi not including 20 or so TOTL Dolby S decks. The BX-300 & MR-1 which are the same deck with xlr in MR-1B I have. Both can easily hold their own against the other big boy Naks. I know cause I have the Dragon,ZX-9,CR-4A,CR-7A, 682ZX to name a few of the Naks I owned. All were all rebuilt by famed tech Willy Hermann in northern CA. Enjoy your decks and don’t sell either one or you’ll regret it later…
I own a BX-300 and a CR-7A both sourced on Craigslist so you should set up an automated search and see what turns up. I got the BX-300 a few months before you got yours and the CR-7A last fall. Both play intermittently and I need to invest time into them. Can you please, please, PLEASE make a video of how you repaired both of your decks or at least provide the links to the reference that you used. You're knowledgeable but not overly technical so I'm sure a ton of people would find your video in a search and use it. I would also love to see a video on how you make MixTapes. I just bought a 10 pack of Maxell XL-IIS and the even rarer Sony Metal-ES and I'm itching to mix. Thanks for the great content!!!
Good ideas - what kind of info would you like to see in a video about making mixtapes? I've thought about making one before, but wasn't sure what folks would be interested in learning. Thanks!
@@ForeverAnalog Simply, I would love to see your entire 'workflow'. What sources do you use? What if a source doesn't have the track you want? Do you set up a playlist and time it to the tape and record in one go or record song by song. How do you calibrate the tape? What type tape do you use? How do you use if if you can create a playlist in a streaming app? Any JCard art? By the way you inspired me and I decided to replace the belts on my BX-300. Unfortunately, the back tension belt was melted so I had to clean that up but now the deck autostops after 3 seconds on Play, FF, RW so I must have broken a connection but can't find it
I had the CR 3 and it has a wonderful sound when using dolby C with very good chrome tape. I have had a BX 300 but that was years ago. There are a couple techs on ebay that can work on Nakamichi.
I have a DR-10 which I bought at one of vintage tape deck sore in South jakarta, honestly that was very less hiss noise and that sound so natural, and also the cassette tape itself must be clean and not dirty if you want get a better quality for listening
If you do the very simple A.N.T. Ground mod (look it up) on the CR-3 it will have the same sound coloration (aka better) that the BX-300 has. Works for CR-4 as well.
I got to play with a BX-100 a while back which is a stripped-down version of the 300 you have. I was pretty impressed with it... but the extra features on yours are rad. Call me silly but I like that red digital tape counter.
I had a Harman Kardon CD-291 cassette deck that had a frequency response of 20-21k and a low noise level. With Dolby C the tapes sounded like CDs as well.When it died I was heartbroken. I do miss the days of making mix tapes. It was a fun relaxing process for me. For years the local Hi Fi store had a Nakamichi Dragon in demo mode flipping the tape over and over and it never died. What a rugged unit that must have been.
@@MostlyBuicks unlucky you they were better sounding than any nakamichi that wasn´t a higher end model ,when philips bought the brand they were even better, the CR line was a very good one they improved a lot their sound in this series ,i still have the CR-7a working perfect but the CR-3 was already very good
The CR-4 is considered the poor mans CR-7. If the CR-7 is out of reach for you, I'd definitely get the CR-4 if you can get one your hands on one. I have the MR1, which is the professional version of the BX300. If you do get your hands on a CR-4, sell the CR-3. And yes, the BX300 can be your daily driver for audio playback. Thanks, for making these videos and continuing the "analog for life."
I live about 12 miles from the old Maxell plant in Conyers, GA. It has been closed down for years...I think since the 90's. Sorry I know nothing about these decks.
nice video, well when it comes to tape decks they need full restoration and im not talking about servicing but proper restoration, this is around 40yo gear with mechanisc, electrolytics and orange caps, they all need to be replaces, gease in mechanism is more like glue not grease anymore, switches inside are heavily oxidated and they need to be desoldered, open, clean and lubricate in proper contact grease. hell yeah, loooots of work but after all you get properly working for very long gear. im doing it as hobby and some im selling, ive got around 100 decks many brand and all as mid and high end. after all this processes the deck is like new and so pleasure to use them. if you could be in UK i could help you but i gess you are in US.
I'm curious 🤔 is there anybody making new releases of cassettes? I've got a Harman Kardon cassette player at a consignment shop for sale, maybe I should rethink that.
@@ForeverAnalog There will never be a Taylor Swift recording in my collection in any recording format. Come on don't tell me your a Swifty 🤣 I couldn't resist 😉
Awesome review!!!! I’m really considering a bx-300 even tho I own 2 Otari reel to reel machines in our studio! I really think tape adds a certain vibe to our recordings that digital just hasn’t solved yet! By the way, what tube preamp are you running the signal thru? Thanks for your honest review!
My CR1-A works but does not sound great... needs recap. The 582z is on tech´s bench for complete restoration. Unfortunattely I have to wait mine from workshop or believe in other´s opinion...
I have the CR-3A, original owner. Great condition. But not sure where to market this for sale. Is there a better option than eBay? Note: I’m not looking for a buyer. Just a listing recommendation if someone is kind enough to share one. My brother had the Nak that flipped the tape over. I always looked down my nose at that gimmick. But I was jealous.
Off topic: Back in the 70s many many times I would record a lp and Using Dolby would copy to another Cassette (both of high quality) and every time the copy was dull. I even borrowed a cassette deck which gad a Dolby calibration as welll as bias. I had the same result. Many people have said this this is near impossible. Not so as I gave experienced dozens of times.
I bought a BX 300 new, and used it until it quit working, NOT 👎 for a 3 hd deck, and I have no complaints, reliability is what I look for FIRST in a deck and it gave me NO problems. From what I understand, the CR series were better, but not until you reached the CR5, then they got ridiculously expensive! The 300 is a workhorse, reliable as HELL!
@ForeverAnalog NOT a problem at all, and probably much like yourself, I'm a cassettaholic TOO! I've had my share of Naks, they can be 💰 pits, and after spending a small fortune on them, I've settled for 2, one I already have, and the other, I want. LX 3 and RX 303, I have the LX 3, with a hotrodded power supply, and years ago, had an RX303 with a small issue, but dumped because I didn't want to spend the money and had several at that time. I've concluded that since parts are ridiculous and repair people are slobbering with knives and forks to FEED on you, I'm keeping my Naks SIMPLE, I don't want the bells and whistles, I want PERFORMANCE and RELIABILITY!
Hi , have both those decks , you are right , BX-300 better deck , CR -3 is solid good+ , but bx-300 superior sounding , BX -300 can compete with both CR-7 & Dragon , Yeees !
having the most expensive nakamichi decks working still with perfection since 1974 till 2000 year ,those you showed are maybe the best decks they built, because i used to buy more cheaper models the high-ends were all bought by my father, all others work perfect but only when new with luck will work for a period of 6 monthes but if in a hot europen country wouldn´t survive a summer , if played two cassettes all system inside would be out of shape and no longer a usable deck, the engeniering is well thought after but they built them decks with the cheapest materials they could find ,mainly the problem with all components nakamichi ever released, the 74 1000 maybe the only exception
Ah, man, you have not heard of a good Nakamichi.... try ZX-9, Dragon or CR-7... Even DR-1/DR-10 are good enough. And there is no replacement for the 6xx/700/1000 series.
BX-300 is honestly your best bang for your buck! Uses the same transport as the CR-7a and just has a very solid circuit design. It may not have been the most attractive deck in the scene but it was a lot better sounding than most consumer decks of it's time. BX-300 was a sleeper ! The audio output thing by the way from the Cr-3a.... alot of folks tend to forget that these Decks were all part of a matching component system. Chances are the Pre-amp or amplifier used in the matching set would work out all of these things in question.
I can say from personal experience (2 Nakamichi's, 1 Luxman, 1 Pioneer Dual Deck) that getting a high end tape deck is "useful" in 2-3 situations. 1) If you're coming from a crap tape deck or a Dual deck, something like a BX-300 is a massive upgrade in sound. 2) If you have record an external source onto the tape (tape quality matters as well) 3) you want to show off 4) you want to record the radio If you get a decent tape deck and it's not dual deck (only professional dual deck's are worth the money for it's purpose), there isn't much you can get out of your experience. Your focus should just be on your speakers and receiver. I have plenty of Hip-Hop and Jazz tapes where I also have a Vinyl, CD, MP3, FLAC and DSD version (obviously there's no DSD Hip-Hop albums) and from having those different mediums to listen to the same album, I would say a well kept commercially released tape, solid receiver, very good speakers, can give you a CD-like sound easily. Depending on how well mastered the tape/album was, you could easily either get Vinyl or CD quality out of your tape deck. Anyone who says you can't probably spent the 90s using a budget friendly Tape Deck or is currently using one that needs the caps/RCA terminals/belt replaced. Sidenote, it shocked me that in some scenarios (excluding the Dragon series), a Luxman can run circles around a Nakamichi deck. I'm still a diehard Nakamichi fan considering that Lexus (I'm a Toyota fan) brought Nakamichi into my life (The LS400 came with a Nakamichi system option).
Finding a Type II or Type IV tape for a reasonable price these days is almost impossible. 1 such type might cost you the price of 10 pack good quality CD-Rs. However, you can find some very reasonable deals for normal bias tapes. I usually record my tapes on my Nakamichhi ZX-9 and play them back on my Pioneer CT-W606DR, not that the ZX-9 doesn't sound amazing, but it's just that the 606DR virtually removes tape hiss, and other than weak low frequencies, it's almost like listening to a good streaming service! I would love to retest Chrome or Metal tapes (the last time I tried either was back in the mid 90s'); however, the scalping on these is out of control!
Funny. Years ago, a client gave me a BX-100 and shortly thereafter I found a CR-1A in a resale shop. These are the smaller, 2-head brothers of your Naks. I did a comparo as you did, except I tried recording LP's. I've also kept both and both are in my rack today. Even these bottom-of-the-ladder Naks are formidable decks.
I have only compared a Nakamichi CR-1A to a BX-300 and of course like the BX-300 better. By far compared to my Denon DR-24 HX, Tascam 103 and Marantz PMD-430, all three-head decks, the Nakamichi is better by a large margin. Of course the Nakamichi is the only Discrete Three Head. Like the Nak, the Denon is dual capstan, however the Tascam isn't and the Marantz is a portable unit.
absolutely agree. bx-300 is the best deck compared to decks much more expensive models. no, it is not as good as my zx-7, or cr-7 and does not beat the dragon, however, it costs considerably less than all those. in fact i use my 2 bx-300 decks more than the other two. it is the cheapest pro quality deck and you will find many repair guys like me use them. many of the calibration tapes are made with bx-300. frankly, most people would not be able to hear the difference between these decks in a double blind test. i have conducted many such tests at my studio. that said, there are areas where the higher decks can do things the 300 just can't. pro quality, normal record and playback are, however, easily accomplished by this great deck.
i really like this channel but avoid having any nakamichi, those two if working at a 100% are both good but i would prefer the CR-3A. The pitch control when young i would ask myself ,why is it there on a cassette deck with the years i think that all decks should have pitch, but having seen both being used ,the cr-3a seems to work good for a aceptable number of years ,maybe because he started to use minisdisc when released, he still as it today
Sometimes it's specified in the manual, but not always. Many brands had at least some models with Sendust Alloy heads, including Pioneer, Sony, Harman/Kardon, Luxman... JVC probably had the most, not surprising since I think they invented it.
I have a collection of 30 decks and my DR-3 is definitely one of the best 2 head decks. Buy yourself a Yamaha K-950 or K-960 (same deck but K-960 has DBX).They are just incredible.
None of them! Both have that problematic Sankyo-transport (dead spots on a motor), not the robust classic Nakamichi transport. And; The CR-3A and its brothers have a stupid confusing arrangement of the power and eject-buttons, with the eject on top and the power button below. The CR-3A also doesn't have a Master-Fader which is a very handy feature. The BX-300 on the other hand has that ugly vertical sliders which are prone to dust and malfunction.
Which one would you suggest ? I would like to buy a nakamichi deck but i dont't know what is the proper for me. If i had enogh money i must buy a rx-505. I am thinking of buy a bx 303. What is your opinion?
I dunno how this got recommended to me..... But "Which Nakamichi Cassette Deck Is Best For You?" This is hilariuos. The answer is NONE. Compact Cassette format is just crap. No amount of wonder Japanese engineering from the 80s can fix that. Wanna be a audiophile? Get youlrself a ReVoX B77 or earlier A77. A 15 fps reel-to-reel machine. But then, what you gonna do? Dub CDs to it? What's the point? Just get CDs then.
I have a BX-300 and a CR-2. The BX-300 is Sankyo transport and dual capstan drive. More precise and analytical sounding than my CR-2. The major problem with my BX-300 it's the tension of the dual capstan drive system. The tape skids ( especially Maxell type one) but the sound quality beats the source with pleasant colorations on the bottom end and the trebble. The CR-2 sound LIKE the source, the BX-300, BETTER than the source. Many expensive repairs where nessessary to acheive it's full potential... And it's still not working properly. Bad idler tire ( put a new one but it's from China) bad pinch rollers ( tape skid or tangled) and, of course, bad motors ( unavailable). I don't know if i'm gonna keep the BX-300 even if this was the ultimate sound quality i have ever heard on cassettes tapes. Some called it "the baby Dragon". I put an new Athan pinch roller on my CR-2 and the results are impressive. The CR-2 is my workhorse now side by side with my Denon DRM-700 (3 head but with single capstan drive to avoid problems). Of course the W/F are higher than the BX-300 but it's working perfectly and the sound is bassy and punchy. Last week, i bought a Harman Kardon TD4400 for 20$... The sound quality is damn good! I think it's a nakamichi inside the hood.
Try this experiment with your BX-300 if you can: SACD's on tape with Dolby b or c recorded without MPX filter. You will notice the ultrasonic noise of the SACD will make Dolby recordings sound like... ;-)
Which Nakamichi cassette deck would you suggest?
if to use only once,the ZX-9 ,if to use as any other brand deck the BX-2 is without a doubt the best they built, i bought one with my first Dragon in December, 1982 and it works today with only changing the belts but my main deck was a akai gx something after almost enter in depression for having a Dragon under my bed , with the same money i could have bought a BMW645i from 75/76
680
@@pearlvision7156 a well built ,the 680ZX which is rare in nakamichi some test them but the deck is not to test is to play and record cassettes ,some models are built with the cheapest materials there are
If I wanted a reliable deck, it would be the BX300 because I've had one before, no complaints, and it lasted a long time. I wouldn't consider a CR series unless I could step up to a 5A or a 7A, but then they're more costly, and I personally think their attack lacks the impact of the BX300, just my opinion!
@@RUfromthe40s
Jeez!
This is after your comments have been edited!
I love that someone else still has a tape deck in their system and uses it. I make mix tapes for my wife all the time. Some are greatest hits, some have themes. She loves them and I love making them. Good choice keeping them both. I would too.
We recently found a box of mixtapes I made my wife when we first started dating in college. They can be a fun time capsule!
I owned both of those decks and I preferred the BX-300 as well. And then I found a clean CR-4A that blew the doors off both the 3A and the BX-300 entirely and promptly sold them. Lastly, you must use these decks on a regular basis for these old motors not to find a dead spot. I just FF or FR the deck every other month when not used and this method works for me.
Congrats on the CR-4A. My eyes are peeled for one as well!
Good to know. I got a CR-2A, and the thing won't play now. I will "exercise" the motor of the next deck I buy.
Love my CR-3E & CR-7E which i have had since the late 80's and are still going strong.
Awesome! My BX-300 just started acting up this week. So it goes with these decks lol. Thanks for watching!
I have the BX-150. Great entry unit, sounds amazing!
It really is!
Highly under-rated unit. There's a frequent contributor on tapeheads that claims it sounds as good as his Nakamichi Dragon.
Great video. I have a BX-300, but only a CR-2A. Bought the 2A when in just out of College and was too much of a jump to the 3A. You mentioned mix tapes. Having that in hand is way different than sending someone a Spotify play list. Also, you can't beat a roadtrip playing cassettes.
Agreed. Thank you for watching and sharing!
I own both decks. I prefer the BX300. I've had more problems with the CR-3A. I also like the sound of the BX300 more. Having said all of this, both decks are pretty awesome.
Awesome, thanks for watching and sharing! Good luck with the CR-3A!
no doubt the 300 is better as a deck but with the years if not well mantained they start to give problems, the CR-3A a friend of mine as it and it seems working today ,still(unbelievable)
I still have my Black Nak BX-125 , I bought it brand new back in 1984. it was one of their lower end budget No frills decks, but had the specs of their mid line of decks 20-20k FR 0.06% WF 68db SN (with Dolby C) and built like a tank.. What more do you need 🤷♂️ .. It still sounds and records great , I had it re-calibrated at by a certified Nak service depot in the early 2000s . The technician that serviced it told me all the nominal levels only needed a slight adjustment to get them back to factory spec.. All I can say is Nak makes awesome cassette decks 👍
Well done video. Your videos have an honesty and "down to earth" quality. I eagerly look forward to viewing the next one. Cassettes have that nostalgia factor and the irreplaceable feeling of being able to touch or hold the medium. Sorry for stating the obvious. And I do own hundreds of CDs. However, most of us have moved on from cassette tapes long ago.
Thank for the kind words and for watching!
Amazin collection
Nice video! I have a ZX-9, LX-3, and CR-3A. Love the Nak's. I had a BX-125, BX-100 and BX-300 in the past, all great units as well.
Thank you! honestly I haven’t found a Nak I haven’t liked lol
Very nice. The CR3A is a Sankyo transport which is a common transport for more than just Nakamichi of this era. Biggest common problem is the back tension belt (I assume you've replaced it) and of course the flakey reel motors. The BX-300 generally hits above its weight class and is generally one of the best price/value decks out there IMO. Common issues with them include the idler tires and also, the bias POT can go south and require replacement. One thing to keep in mind is that a fair apples/apples comparison really demands both decks be serviced to ensure head alignment. Nakamichi heads are perhaps the best ever made and long lasting. They are not available on any deck other than Nakamichi. You can get them serviced by Nak knowledgeable techs around the US: however, the best ones have a very long lead time (6-12 months easy). There is an upgrade for the BX-300 to convert it to a gear reel drive system (maybe a $100 and up upgrade depending on who does it). The rubber tires last long enough where I personally don't see the need to do it but it remains an option. The output voltage of the BX-300 is greater than the CR3A which accounts for the difference in volume you observe. That is just a function of design differences. I think it is more natural to set the recording levels on meters that are oriented in the horizontal. I think you have better resolution in the metering system on the CR3. I think most all 3-head Nakamichi cassette decks are interesting up to CD 1/1.5 and its equivalent in the DR series. I think it makes total sense to keep both. Just as a heads up, I think the CR-7 takes the CR3 concept to a whole different level and accomplishes what I think is the best overall cassette deck design ever made (arguably of course - that's part of the fun right?). There are the three "keys to the kingdom" when it comes to cassette decks: bias cal, level cal, and azimuth. With your two decks you have 1 of the keys with fine bias adjustment. Get them serviced to get the other two keys aligned to spec. Also, I believe all of the CR series decks utilize gear driven reel tables.
Great advice, thank you for sharing. I dream of a CR-7 lol - maybe one day my dreams will come true!
Another series that I think takes no back seat to anyone in at least the looks department are the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), TDS-200D transport equipped Sony Decks. A classic here is the TC-KA3ES but there are some others that are very similar with only sleight differences. Some hard to find, copper clad chassis JDM decks include the TC-K555ESJ and TC-K555ESG. Especially when found with intact wood side panels they have high curb appeal. Not CR7 class decks but they do have HXPRO, Bias and Level Calibration and are quartz controlled for very low W&F. Worth checking out I think. @@ForeverAnalog
Years ago I scored a cheap CR-5A, having it repaired by a known tech now so that'll be nice to have working finally. Can't wait to make mixtapes with it! People talk highly of Naks for a reason
My BX-300 is getting refurbed as well and I can’t wait to get it back! Thanks for watching!
Yeh, Nakamichi Tape Decks. Amazing .... I own '7'' Decks. My faves are the LX Series. I have both the 3 & 5. They are just Stunningly Gorgeous .... 2 of the other decks are the ZX-7 and the Brilliant 505 'Auto-Reverse' models ... And yes, they are all 'Working' ... Nice Channel ... I am Sub'd ... ATB
Awesome, your deck collection sounds amazing! Thanks for the sub!
There are bx-300s with a gear idler too. Also, I find it not to be an unconditional advantage. Worn out idler tire is relatively cheap and available to replace, while good luck finding a decent gear replacement if something happens with the original one.
Perfect timing because last night I pulled out my Nak BX-150 to install in my stereo rack today. I bought the deck from a stereo repairman I use for $150. I wanted the BX-300 but in reality I only need a 2-head deck. Other than the idler tire issue the Nak BX-300 & 150 are good workhorse decks. Thanks for your video and I too hang onto gear like you.👍👍
I love the BX-150! Thanks for watching and sharing.
those that were racing worses but now are old and sold to farms or gypsies that if not good to carry things they ended up making a party and eat the horse
I remember people in the 90s talking about how legendary Nakamichi decks were. Unfortunatley, Sony was all that was in my budget, but my old Sony still works. If I had more cassettes I would definitely love to have a working Nakamichi like these.
Love that your Sony is still working!
@ForeverAnalog So far I've only had to replace the belts, but it isn't as nice as these. I would love to have a better tape deck, but I only have a few dozen tapes left so it's hard to justify an upgrade.
I came back to cassette in 2012. Getting my hands on the top of line 3 head Dolby S decks cause I’m a big fan… When COVID hit I got my first Nakamichi RX-505 in 2021. I was really blown away that the Naks sounded really good! So got the Nak bug in me and 3 years later I now have 12 Nakamichi not including 20 or so TOTL Dolby S decks. The BX-300 & MR-1 which are the same deck with xlr in MR-1B I have. Both can easily hold their own against the other big boy Naks. I know cause I have the Dragon,ZX-9,CR-4A,CR-7A, 682ZX to name a few of the Naks I owned. All were all rebuilt by famed tech Willy Hermann in northern CA. Enjoy your decks and don’t sell either one or you’ll regret it later…
Awesome! Your deck collection is incredible. Thank you for sharing and watching!
Love it the green light makes all the difference
I own a BX-300 and a CR-7A both sourced on Craigslist so you should set up an automated search and see what turns up. I got the BX-300 a few months before you got yours and the CR-7A last fall. Both play intermittently and I need to invest time into them. Can you please, please, PLEASE make a video of how you repaired both of your decks or at least provide the links to the reference that you used. You're knowledgeable but not overly technical so I'm sure a ton of people would find your video in a search and use it. I would also love to see a video on how you make MixTapes. I just bought a 10 pack of Maxell XL-IIS and the even rarer Sony Metal-ES and I'm itching to mix. Thanks for the great content!!!
Good ideas - what kind of info would you like to see in a video about making mixtapes? I've thought about making one before, but wasn't sure what folks would be interested in learning. Thanks!
@@ForeverAnalog Simply, I would love to see your entire 'workflow'. What sources do you use? What if a source doesn't have the track you want? Do you set up a playlist and time it to the tape and record in one go or record song by song. How do you calibrate the tape? What type tape do you use? How do you use if if you can create a playlist in a streaming app? Any JCard art?
By the way you inspired me and I decided to replace the belts on my BX-300. Unfortunately, the back tension belt was melted so I had to clean that up but now the deck autostops after 3 seconds on Play, FF, RW so I must have broken a connection but can't find it
I had the CR 3 and it has a wonderful sound when using dolby C with very good chrome tape. I have had a BX 300 but that was years ago. There are a couple techs on ebay that can work on Nakamichi.
Awesome. Thanks for watching and for sharing!
How do these compare to either of the brand new decks being offered by Tascam now?
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Sorry, but I haven't used one of the new Tascam units.
I had and really like the CR-5A. I also had a Dragon which I loved.
I have a DR-10 which I bought at one of vintage tape deck sore in South jakarta, honestly that was very less hiss noise and that sound so natural, and also the cassette tape itself must be clean and not dirty if you want get a better quality for listening
Awesome thanks for sharing and watching!
If you do the very simple A.N.T. Ground mod (look it up) on the CR-3 it will have the same sound coloration (aka better) that the BX-300 has. Works for CR-4 as well.
Awesome, thank you!
I got to play with a BX-100 a while back which is a stripped-down version of the 300 you have. I was pretty impressed with it... but the extra features on yours are rad. Call me silly but I like that red digital tape counter.
The 100 is a lot of fun!
Great video
Thank you for watching!
Still Rocking my BX-300 since the 90's ! 🎉✌🍾
Awesome!
Back in the 80s I had a CR1. Loved it. Now I have a MR1. It is better than the CR1. I have been on the hunt for a CR3 to try out and have a backup.
Awesome!
i have neither and would like both
I feel that lol - thanks for watching!
I had a Harman Kardon CD-291 cassette deck that had a frequency response of 20-21k and a low noise level. With Dolby C the tapes sounded like CDs as well.When it died I was heartbroken. I do miss the days of making mix tapes. It was a fun relaxing process for me. For years the local Hi Fi store had a Nakamichi Dragon in demo mode flipping the tape over and over and it never died. What a rugged unit that must have been.
I had HK 491 it sounded horrible compared to my Nak CR-5A.
@@MostlyBuicks unlucky you they were better sounding than any nakamichi that wasn´t a higher end model ,when philips bought the brand they were even better, the CR line was a very good one they improved a lot their sound in this series ,i still have the CR-7a working perfect but the CR-3 was already very good
The CR-4 is considered the poor mans CR-7. If the CR-7 is out of reach for you, I'd definitely get the CR-4 if you can get one your hands on one. I have the MR1, which is the professional version of the BX300. If you do get your hands on a CR-4, sell the CR-3. And yes, the BX300 can be your daily driver for audio playback. Thanks, for making these videos and continuing the "analog for life."
Great advice thank you!!!
I live about 12 miles from the old Maxell plant in Conyers, GA. It has been closed down for years...I think since the 90's. Sorry I know nothing about these decks.
nice video, well when it comes to tape decks they need full restoration and im not talking about servicing but proper restoration, this is around 40yo gear with mechanisc, electrolytics and orange caps, they all need to be replaces, gease in mechanism is more like glue not grease anymore, switches inside are heavily oxidated and they need to be desoldered, open, clean and lubricate in proper contact grease. hell yeah, loooots of work but after all you get properly working for very long gear. im doing it as hobby and some im selling, ive got around 100 decks many brand and all as mid and high end. after all this processes the deck is like new and so pleasure to use them. if you could be in UK i could help you but i gess you are in US.
Yeah I'm in the US but would LOVE to get these serviced as you mention. I just haven't found the time to do it myself.
I'm curious 🤔 is there anybody making new releases of cassettes? I've got a Harman Kardon cassette player at a consignment shop for sale, maybe I should rethink that.
Yep, I find a lot of indie artists are, especially on Bandcamp. Even Taylor Swift released her new albums on cassette lol
@@ForeverAnalog There will never be a Taylor Swift recording in my collection in any recording format. Come on don't tell me your a Swifty 🤣 I couldn't resist 😉
Awesome review!!!! I’m really considering a bx-300 even tho I own 2 Otari reel to reel machines in our studio! I really think tape adds a certain vibe to our recordings that digital just hasn’t solved yet! By the way, what tube preamp are you running the signal thru? Thanks for your honest review!
I have a Schiit Saga Plus preamp with a tube option. The tube is more for buffering purposes and less for a “3D tube” sound but I really enjoy it
My CR1-A works but does not sound great... needs recap. The 582z is on tech´s bench for complete restoration. Unfortunattely I have to wait mine from workshop or believe in other´s opinion...
As Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part!
@@ForeverAnalog you know, I have patience...but only when the repair has regular pace. Start, stop, restart, stop again makes me nervous.
The 582z is more than worth the wait. It is an exceptional deck when refurbished.
I have the CR-3A, original owner. Great condition. But not sure where to market this for sale. Is there a better option than eBay? Note: I’m not looking for a buyer. Just a listing recommendation if someone is kind enough to share one. My brother had the Nak that flipped the tape over. I always looked down my nose at that gimmick. But I was jealous.
Reverb.com is an option for selling. None of the sites are really that great anymore lol.
I have a 300. Very thoughful analysis.
Awesome and thank you!
I’ll take the one you don’t want
Off topic: Back in the 70s many many times I would record a lp and Using Dolby would copy to another Cassette (both of high quality) and every time the copy was dull. I even borrowed a cassette deck which gad a Dolby calibration as welll as bias. I had the same result. Many people have said this this is near impossible. Not so as I gave experienced dozens of times.
I have the CR-1A, no Nak EQ, kicks ass.
Awesome!
I bought a BX 300 new, and used it until it quit working, NOT 👎 for a 3 hd deck, and I have no complaints, reliability is what I look for FIRST in a deck and it gave me NO problems. From what I understand, the CR series were better, but not until you reached the CR5, then they got ridiculously expensive! The 300 is a workhorse, reliable as HELL!
Thanks for sharing!
@ForeverAnalog NOT a problem at all, and probably much like yourself, I'm a cassettaholic TOO! I've had my share of Naks, they can be 💰 pits, and after spending a small fortune on them, I've settled for 2, one I already have, and the other, I want. LX 3 and RX 303, I have the LX 3, with a hotrodded power supply, and years ago, had an RX303 with a small issue, but dumped because I didn't want to spend the money and had several at that time. I've concluded that since parts are ridiculous and repair people are slobbering with knives and forks to FEED on you, I'm keeping my Naks SIMPLE, I don't want the bells and whistles, I want PERFORMANCE and RELIABILITY!
Hi , have both those decks , you are right , BX-300 better deck , CR -3 is solid good+ , but bx-300 superior sounding , BX -300 can compete with both CR-7 & Dragon , Yeees !
having the most expensive nakamichi decks working still with perfection since 1974 till 2000 year ,those you showed are maybe the best decks they built, because i used to buy more cheaper models the high-ends were all bought by my father, all others work perfect but only when new with luck will work for a period of 6 monthes but if in a hot europen country wouldn´t survive a summer , if played two cassettes all system inside would be out of shape and no longer a usable deck, the engeniering is well thought after but they built them decks with the cheapest materials they could find ,mainly the problem with all components nakamichi ever released, the 74 1000 maybe the only exception
Ah, man, you have not heard of a good Nakamichi.... try ZX-9, Dragon or CR-7... Even DR-1/DR-10 are good enough. And there is no replacement for the 6xx/700/1000 series.
Oh I’ve been trying just nothing found in my budget yet lol
BX-300 is honestly your best bang for your buck! Uses the same transport as the CR-7a and just has a very solid circuit design. It may not have been the most attractive deck in the scene but it was a lot better sounding than most consumer decks of it's time.
BX-300 was a sleeper !
The audio output thing by the way from the Cr-3a.... alot of folks tend to forget that these Decks were all part of a matching component system. Chances are the Pre-amp or amplifier used in the matching set would work out all of these things in question.
Great point thank you!
I can say from personal experience (2 Nakamichi's, 1 Luxman, 1 Pioneer Dual Deck) that getting a high end tape deck is "useful" in 2-3 situations. 1) If you're coming from a crap tape deck or a Dual deck, something like a BX-300 is a massive upgrade in sound. 2) If you have record an external source onto the tape (tape quality matters as well) 3) you want to show off 4) you want to record the radio
If you get a decent tape deck and it's not dual deck (only professional dual deck's are worth the money for it's purpose), there isn't much you can get out of your experience. Your focus should just be on your speakers and receiver. I have plenty of Hip-Hop and Jazz tapes where I also have a Vinyl, CD, MP3, FLAC and DSD version (obviously there's no DSD Hip-Hop albums) and from having those different mediums to listen to the same album, I would say a well kept commercially released tape, solid receiver, very good speakers, can give you a CD-like sound easily. Depending on how well mastered the tape/album was, you could easily either get Vinyl or CD quality out of your tape deck. Anyone who says you can't probably spent the 90s using a budget friendly Tape Deck or is currently using one that needs the caps/RCA terminals/belt replaced.
Sidenote, it shocked me that in some scenarios (excluding the Dragon series), a Luxman can run circles around a Nakamichi deck. I'm still a diehard Nakamichi fan considering that Lexus (I'm a Toyota fan) brought Nakamichi into my life (The LS400 came with a Nakamichi system option).
Finding a Type II or Type IV tape for a reasonable price these days is almost impossible. 1 such type might cost you the price of 10 pack good quality CD-Rs. However, you can find some very reasonable deals for normal bias tapes. I usually record my tapes on my Nakamichhi ZX-9 and play them back on my Pioneer CT-W606DR, not that the ZX-9 doesn't sound amazing, but it's just that the 606DR virtually removes tape hiss, and other than weak low frequencies, it's almost like listening to a good streaming service! I would love to retest Chrome or Metal tapes (the last time I tried either was back in the mid 90s'); however, the scalping on these is out of control!
Agreed - thanks for watching!
and all I have a Realistic tape deck. Works for my needs
That’s great!
Funny. Years ago, a client gave me a BX-100 and shortly thereafter I found a CR-1A in a resale shop. These are the smaller, 2-head brothers of your Naks. I did a comparo as you did, except I tried recording LP's. I've also kept both and both are in my rack today. Even these bottom-of-the-ladder Naks are formidable decks.
I like the CR-1A better than most budget models I've heard from Sony, Yamaha, Kenwood, etc. Thanks for watching!
My cr1 still works 😂❤
I’m a big fan of that deck too. Congrats!
I have only compared a Nakamichi CR-1A to a BX-300 and of course like the BX-300 better. By far compared to my Denon DR-24 HX, Tascam 103 and Marantz PMD-430, all three-head decks, the Nakamichi is better by a large margin. Of course the Nakamichi is the only Discrete Three Head. Like the Nak, the Denon is dual capstan, however the Tascam isn't and the Marantz is a portable unit.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing and watching!
I have the 300 when it plays and is warm it shop playing., The second one will play and start eating the tape.
i sold a cr3 and got a cr5 and never looked back
I am an original purchaser (1994) of a DR-1.
Awesome!
I had the opportunity 10 years ago to buy a CR4 in mint condition for only $200 and I missed. 😥
We all have the ones that got away lol. Thanks for sharing!
I wish cassettes would return to car audio. So much simpler to use.
I just sold my car with a cassette deck to my nephew!
Ugh! I live in Memphis and I thought there was a great repair shop in Nashville. I have a MAC 1900 I want to be serviced.
yeah, sorry, the one I knew about, HiTech, closed a couple of years ago.
absolutely agree. bx-300 is the best deck compared to decks much more expensive models. no, it is not as good as my zx-7, or cr-7 and does not beat the dragon, however, it costs considerably less than all those. in fact i use my 2 bx-300 decks more than the other two. it is the cheapest pro quality deck and you will find many repair guys like me use them. many of the calibration tapes are made with bx-300. frankly, most people would not be able to hear the difference between these decks in a double blind test. i have conducted many such tests at my studio. that said, there are areas where the higher decks can do things the 300 just can't. pro quality, normal record and playback are, however, easily accomplished by this great deck.
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
i really like this channel but avoid having any nakamichi, those two if working at a 100% are both good but i would prefer the CR-3A. The pitch control when young i would ask myself ,why is it there on a cassette deck with the years i think that all decks should have pitch, but having seen both being used ,the cr-3a seems to work good for a aceptable number of years ,maybe because he started to use minisdisc when released, he still as it today
BX all the way for me.
Awesome!
I would prefer Tandberg, but there is no chance to find any in a working condition. Regarding Nakamichi, take BX-300.
Tandbergs are nice but I never see them in the wild! Thanks for watching!
with pre-recorded cassettes you´ll never hear the quality of the deck
Did any Nakamichi decks use Sendust Alloy heads? If not, get something else. Anything without Sendust Alloy sounds like mud in comparison.
Great question - I'm not 100% sure!
Sometimes it's specified in the manual, but not always. Many brands had at least some models with Sendust Alloy heads, including Pioneer, Sony, Harman/Kardon, Luxman... JVC probably had the most, not surprising since I think they invented it.
I prefer a VCR.
Yes! I use one to record long concerts!
I use s-vhs for mixing tapes, not a Nak toy.
Nothing wrong with that approach! Thanks for watching!
the best one are the DR-1 , Dr-2 and Dr-3 . The DR-3 are 2 heads but probably the best 2 heads never make.
I have a collection of 30 decks and my DR-3 is definitely one of the best 2 head decks. Buy yourself a Yamaha K-950 or K-960 (same deck but K-960 has DBX).They are just incredible.
@@professorvoluck9311 on your DR-3 do you record with NR dolby B or C or no dolby at all
@quebecforce111 I never use Dolby or DBX on any of my decks.
None of them! Both have that problematic Sankyo-transport (dead spots on a motor), not the robust classic Nakamichi transport. And; The CR-3A and its brothers have a stupid confusing arrangement of the power and eject-buttons, with the eject on top and the power button below. The CR-3A also doesn't have a Master-Fader which is a very handy feature. The BX-300 on the other hand has that ugly vertical sliders which are prone to dust and malfunction.
Which one would you suggest ? I would like to buy a nakamichi deck but i dont't know what is the proper for me. If i had enogh money i must buy a rx-505. I am thinking of buy a bx 303. What is your opinion?
I dunno how this got recommended to me..... But "Which Nakamichi Cassette Deck Is Best For You?" This is hilariuos. The answer is NONE.
Compact Cassette format is just crap. No amount of wonder Japanese engineering from the 80s can fix that. Wanna be a audiophile? Get youlrself a ReVoX B77 or earlier A77. A 15 fps reel-to-reel machine. But then, what you gonna do? Dub CDs to it? What's the point? Just get CDs then.
I have a BX-300 and a CR-2. The BX-300 is Sankyo transport and dual capstan drive. More precise and analytical sounding than my CR-2. The major problem with my BX-300 it's the tension of the dual capstan drive system. The tape skids ( especially Maxell type one) but the sound quality beats the source with pleasant colorations on the bottom end and the trebble. The CR-2 sound LIKE the source, the BX-300, BETTER than the source. Many expensive repairs where nessessary to acheive it's full potential... And it's still not working properly. Bad idler tire ( put a new one but it's from China) bad pinch rollers ( tape skid or tangled) and, of course, bad motors ( unavailable). I don't know if i'm gonna keep the BX-300 even if this was the ultimate sound quality i have ever heard on cassettes tapes. Some called it "the baby Dragon". I put an new Athan pinch roller on my CR-2 and the results are impressive. The CR-2 is my workhorse now side by side with my Denon DRM-700 (3 head but with single capstan drive to avoid problems). Of course the W/F are higher than the BX-300 but it's working perfectly and the sound is bassy and punchy. Last week, i bought a Harman Kardon TD4400 for 20$... The sound quality is damn good! I think it's a nakamichi inside the hood.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Try this experiment with your BX-300 if you can: SACD's on tape with Dolby b or c recorded without MPX filter. You will notice the ultrasonic noise of the SACD will make Dolby recordings sound like... ;-)
Neither. Overrated and overpriced. Try the Harman Kardon cd491. It is less expensive and outperforms both of them.
Recording from serious Xmas was a mistake, with its inferior sound quality. Just use either Tidsl or just a real CD.
Hate sliders on any gear… just awful 😒😊