This made me smile and laugh at myself a little. I’m such a Nak fanboy that I have four hooked up in my main system via two deck selector switch boxes. By timeline … 682 ZX, ZX-9, Dragon, CR-7a. All in working order. Then I ran out of inputs, so I have my DR-1 in a second system. 🤘🤣🤘Shout out to all the Cassette Hero’s out there! 🍻
Excelente video, tuve la Teac Z-7000 y otros componentes Nakamichi pero siempre he querido una Dragon, es ingenieria, tecnologia pura y extraordinaria. Saludos desde Guayaquil, Ecuador.
What a machine the Dragon was, as indeed were all Nakamichi products. I just couldn't stretch to them but still got superb results a little down the price spectrum with the Aiwa AD1600, especially when using the superb TDK Super Avlyn tapes of the mid 1970s which I found could get very close to the sound quality of my Akai 4000DB open reel deck.
Flagship models of Cassette stereo were amazing pieces of engineering! The Dragon, and the TD-1200 were deservedly at the summit of analog recording and playback to be sure. I had a couple of honorable mentions from Revox, Tandberg, Hitachi, Bang & Olufsen, and Toshiba’s premium brand Aurex. All incredible machines during those hedonistic times!🌹*
I still own a lowly CR-2A, while it is an entry level Nak, after over 35 years, it still performs as good as it did in 1990 when it was new. I have done nothing but keep the tape path clean and demagnetized. Belts are original. Pinch roller original. I use it to make tapes though not as much as I did 25 years ago, but even with el cheapo modern type I TDK and Maxells available on Amazon today, it makes a tape that SINGS. Nakamichi basically went downhill as the cassette tape format fell out of favor for MD, CD, MP3, etc. Now that all the hipsters are digging cassettes, maybe they'll rise again. Imagine a 2024 Dragon. Probably would cost 5 grand but you know what, I'd buy one!
A few years ago I bought a record collection from a friend, and much to my surprise he threw in his Nakamichi Dragon (not new, but still in its original packaging)!
I got a Nakamichi tape deck during the mid-80s IIRC, but it was an intro unit of theirs and cost something like $400-450 at the time- still, it was a mighty fine sounding tape deck at the time. Recorded plenty of albums but also plenty of Dead bootlegs! It's in my basement and still works, but other than briefly sampling it a couple years ago, I haven't regularly used it in about 20 years.
What a blast from the past. I certainly remember this beast, although never splurged for one. I do have a BX-300 I bought new sitting about 3’ away from me right now in my secondary system. Its more a decorative item TBH, don’t think it’s had a cart in it for 30+ years. even bought a Nakamichi deck for my new Porsche, they were THE name back then and phenomenally built. But my car deck was very different from the TD1200, its buttons were the slanted type similar to the Dragon. 🤷♂️ What was the model that rotated the cartridge? That always struck me as a bit lazy and something else that rhymes with lazy! Thanks for reminding me of my caveman days!
David, I don't know how this stuff happens but it does. This is like the third or fourth time I've seen one of your videos that relates specifically to what I'm going to be doing in the following day or so. I just got off the phone with a friend last night and we are going to Metzger's tomorrow. I didn't even realize this was the same place you had mentioned before but I knew I'd heard the name at some point. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to seeing what he has tomorrow and getting out there since I've never been to his shop. And even though I've never had the tape deck in the video, I definitely have heard of them and I know a lot of people that have used them through the years. I always wanted one myself 🙂 Brian in Fort Worth 🎶
The metal bias tapes are better than CD, one of the main reasons is tape is "Analogue" and it goes far beyond 44.1k 16 bit (Redbook limitations)! 😊 Not just my opinion, but a scientific fact!😊
The Advent 201 was not the first cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction. That distinction belongs to its predecessor, the Advent 200. However, prior to even that, the first consumer tape deck to utilize Dolby B nose reduction was a reel-to-reel machine, the KLH Forty-One. Ironically, Nakamichi had was involved in both Advent 200 and KLH Forty-One, manufacturing the transport for the former and the electronics for the latter. Advent would switch to a 3M transport for the model 201. While I aspired to a Dragon, the ZX-7 hit my sweet spot on the performance to cost ratio. I still have it, along with my decade older Advent 201.
@@t-mar9275 thanks for the clarification, don’t think the Advent 200 was around very long as I don’t even recall it hitting the audio store where I got my 201 :) appreciate the insights
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion The Advent 200 was only available for one year. before it was replaced by the 201 with its superior 3M transport. My recollection is that the rave reviews for the 201 resulted in a surge of shops becoming Advent dealerships. Consequently, the 201 became the first Advent cassette deck carried by many Advent dealers.
i have worked on this deck for my friend a while ago, transport was exceptional (w&f was 0.022%). i have only "conventional" decks for years, and always have a small screwdriver for azimuth (even with my walkmans). now i prefere tube electronics for cassette playback (got some examples on my channel), with a small screwdriver of course. :)
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion "Anton Kolbaskin" I've also made a tube dolby B decoder (still in prototype version), you can search yotube with "Dire Straits Love Over Gold Vertigo cassette 7150100" to find a playback recording from that setup
I have a Nak, but must say, the Pioneer CT-95 with Dolby B,C,S and HX Pro, plus Super Auto Bias, Level, EQ w/manual bias adjustment override if needed is a WAY better deck. Specs of 10HZ to 30KHZ on a metal tape don't lie. Better bass, and Treble response to levels only your dog can hear.
:: had?! 🙂 :: i thought my cousin had a dragon yet he said it flipped the tape around so it was probably an RX instead :: i guess there are other nak decks people prefer but i hope to get a dragon some day…. & a stack of tdk sa90s 😉👌
Aside from marketing specs this is why the Dragon in my informed opinion is not the best let alone a reliable good deck: - Azimuth ctl'er relies on a $5 belt - Head adjustments utilize cheap acrylic gears with metal spring tensioners - It's not a neutral sounding deck, as is the case with most other NAK decks. It's rec'ing and playpack preamps have inexpensive eq's to enhance higher freq's. Tape repro is not entirely same as the source - The reel winders rely on an idler tire as opposed to direct drive motors - After recapping/ restoring a Dragon, it's virtually impossible to calibrate it per mfg spec unless the tech has original NAK instruments required Auto reverse is a convenience option which for audiophiles, is not necessary. Any audiophile that own a Dragon is serious about analog tape repro, but also uninformed and a consumer sucker. Cassette decks are 1-7/8 ips - that is logger speed with 1/4" tape recorders. An informed analog tape audiophile uses 1/4" tape @ 7.5 or 15ips or excellent magnetic tape reproduction. In fact my Revox A77 2 trk from 1970 at 7.5 ips produces a far superior tape repro compared to the Dragon or any NAK model, or any cassette deck for that matter.
La nakamichi e' senza dubbio una delle migliori marche a livello mondiale,e non ha mai fatto registratori non buoni,pero' nel tempo sono stati fatti altri registratori che hanno superato le doti tecniche del dragon.il dragon e' uno dei migliori,non il migliore in assoluto..
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion sono d'accordo,ma dopo il dragon sono nati altri modelli che hanno uguali prestazioni e altri di piu'.il dragon e' UNO dei migliori
This made me smile and laugh at myself a little. I’m such a Nak fanboy that I have four hooked up in my main system via two deck selector switch boxes. By timeline … 682 ZX, ZX-9, Dragon, CR-7a. All in working order. Then I ran out of inputs, so I have my DR-1 in a second system. 🤘🤣🤘Shout out to all the Cassette Hero’s out there! 🍻
Great episode! I am a "tape head" myself and probably own 8 cassette decks and probably as many reel to reels. Haha!
Excelente video, tuve la Teac Z-7000 y otros componentes Nakamichi pero siempre he querido una Dragon, es ingenieria, tecnologia pura y extraordinaria. Saludos desde Guayaquil, Ecuador.
@@gcuesta si!
A/D/S made a great sounding deck. The lower cost CR5 was a much more realistic and attainable deck than the dragon. $2,200 was a ton of money in 1988.
What a machine the Dragon was, as indeed were all Nakamichi products. I just couldn't stretch to them but still got superb results a little down the price spectrum with the Aiwa AD1600, especially when using the superb TDK Super Avlyn tapes of the mid 1970s which I found could get very close to the sound quality of my Akai 4000DB open reel deck.
Flagship models of Cassette stereo were amazing pieces of engineering! The Dragon, and the TD-1200 were deservedly at the summit of analog recording and playback to be sure. I had a couple of honorable mentions from Revox, Tandberg, Hitachi, Bang & Olufsen, and Toshiba’s premium brand Aurex. All incredible machines during those hedonistic times!🌹*
I still own a lowly CR-2A, while it is an entry level Nak, after over 35 years, it still performs as good as it did in 1990 when it was new. I have done nothing but keep the tape path clean and demagnetized. Belts are original. Pinch roller original. I use it to make tapes though not as much as I did 25 years ago, but even with el cheapo modern type I TDK and Maxells available on Amazon today, it makes a tape that SINGS. Nakamichi basically went downhill as the cassette tape format fell out of favor for MD, CD, MP3, etc. Now that all the hipsters are digging cassettes, maybe they'll rise again. Imagine a 2024 Dragon. Probably would cost 5 grand but you know what, I'd buy one!
A few years ago I bought a record collection from a friend, and much to my surprise he threw in his Nakamichi Dragon (not new, but still in its original packaging)!
Neat video David got to admire the Nakamichi decks. the beltless design is a winner. Otari, did the same thing with reel to reel all direct drive
I got a Nakamichi tape deck during the mid-80s IIRC, but it was an intro unit of theirs and cost something like $400-450 at the time- still, it was a mighty fine sounding tape deck at the time. Recorded plenty of albums but also plenty of Dead bootlegs! It's in my basement and still works, but other than briefly sampling it a couple years ago, I haven't regularly used it in about 20 years.
@@maxhirsch7035 it’s good to run them off and on to keep the mechanisms and lubricants from drying out
This thing, along with its arm bearing turntable brothers, are simply amazing to me.. many thanks David!🤘✌️
What a blast from the past. I certainly remember this beast, although never splurged for one. I do have a BX-300 I bought new sitting about 3’ away from me right now in my secondary system. Its more a decorative item TBH, don’t think it’s had a cart in it for 30+ years. even bought a Nakamichi deck for my new Porsche, they were THE name back then and phenomenally built. But my car deck was very different from the TD1200, its buttons were the slanted type similar to the Dragon. 🤷♂️ What was the model that rotated the cartridge? That always struck me as a bit lazy and something else that rhymes with lazy! Thanks for reminding me of my caveman days!
The Nakamichi RX-202
ruclips.net/video/lf4eR3ZkvoY/видео.html
Yep that was top of the line deck but I couldn't afford that then on Airmens pay. So I went for the Denon DR-M4. I still have it.
I had a teac R-888x just before the exchange got the CR-5.
David, I don't know how this stuff happens but it does. This is like the third or fourth time I've seen one of your videos that relates specifically to what I'm going to be doing in the following day or so. I just got off the phone with a friend last night and we are going to Metzger's tomorrow. I didn't even realize this was the same place you had mentioned before but I knew I'd heard the name at some point. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to seeing what he has tomorrow and getting out there since I've never been to his shop. And even though I've never had the tape deck in the video, I definitely have heard of them and I know a lot of people that have used them through the years. I always wanted one myself 🙂
Brian in Fort Worth 🎶
High maintenance decks. Worth it but Nak techs are very rare nowadays
@@naradaian true that!
I thought the ZX7 without the auto - flip was the flagship model.
I had an LX5 3 head deck - loved it
They touted the Dragon as their top of the line. Either marketing folks they could have said it about both to increase sales!
The metal bias tapes are better than CD, one of the main reasons is tape is "Analogue" and it goes far beyond 44.1k 16 bit (Redbook limitations)! 😊 Not just my opinion, but a scientific fact!😊
Amen!
The Advent 201 was not the first cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction. That distinction belongs to its predecessor, the Advent 200. However, prior to even that, the first consumer tape deck to utilize Dolby B nose reduction was a reel-to-reel machine, the KLH Forty-One. Ironically, Nakamichi had was involved in both Advent 200 and KLH Forty-One, manufacturing the transport for the former and the electronics for the latter. Advent would switch to a 3M transport for the model 201.
While I aspired to a Dragon, the ZX-7 hit my sweet spot on the performance to cost ratio. I still have it, along with my decade older Advent 201.
@@t-mar9275 thanks for the clarification, don’t think the Advent 200 was around very long as I don’t even recall it hitting the audio store where I got my 201 :) appreciate the insights
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion The Advent 200 was only available for one year. before it was replaced by the 201 with its superior 3M transport. My recollection is that the rave reviews for the 201 resulted in a surge of shops becoming Advent dealerships. Consequently, the 201 became the first Advent cassette deck carried by many Advent dealers.
i have worked on this deck for my friend a while ago, transport was exceptional (w&f was 0.022%). i have only "conventional" decks for years, and always have a small screwdriver for azimuth (even with my walkmans). now i prefere tube electronics for cassette playback (got some examples on my channel), with a small screwdriver of course. :)
@@intell2OOO what’s your channel name? :)
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion
"Anton Kolbaskin" I've also made a tube dolby B decoder (still in prototype version), you can search yotube with "Dire Straits Love Over Gold Vertigo cassette 7150100" to find a playback recording from that setup
I have a Nak, but must say, the Pioneer CT-95 with Dolby B,C,S and HX Pro, plus Super Auto Bias, Level, EQ w/manual bias adjustment override if needed is a WAY better deck. Specs of 10HZ to 30KHZ on a metal tape don't lie. Better bass, and Treble response to levels only your dog can hear.
Excellent video David. Sadly at 1 7/8 ips, the sound quality will be limited.
@@realleescoggins amazing what they were able to accomplish at that speed on the dragon IMO
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion I will give you that. It does sound pretty good.
:: had?! 🙂
:: i thought my cousin had a dragon yet he said it flipped the tape around so it was probably an RX instead
:: i guess there are other nak decks people prefer but i hope to get a dragon some day…. & a stack of tdk sa90s 😉👌
Nakamichi RX-202
ruclips.net/video/lf4eR3ZkvoY/видео.html
I love the Dragon 🐉. But "the best ever" is a bit subjective.
Aside from marketing specs this is why the Dragon in my informed opinion is not the best let alone a reliable good deck:
- Azimuth ctl'er relies on a $5 belt
- Head adjustments utilize cheap acrylic gears with metal spring tensioners
- It's not a neutral sounding deck, as is the case with most other NAK decks. It's rec'ing and playpack preamps have inexpensive eq's to enhance higher freq's. Tape repro is not entirely same as the source
- The reel winders rely on an idler tire as opposed to direct drive motors
- After recapping/ restoring a Dragon, it's virtually impossible to calibrate it per mfg spec unless the tech has original NAK instruments required
Auto reverse is a convenience option which for audiophiles, is not necessary. Any audiophile that own a Dragon is serious about analog tape repro, but also uninformed and a consumer sucker.
Cassette decks are 1-7/8 ips - that is logger speed with 1/4" tape recorders.
An informed analog tape audiophile uses 1/4" tape @ 7.5 or 15ips or excellent magnetic tape reproduction. In fact my Revox A77 2 trk from 1970 at 7.5 ips produces a far superior tape repro compared to the Dragon or any NAK model, or any cassette deck for that matter.
La nakamichi e' senza dubbio una delle migliori marche a livello mondiale,e non ha mai fatto registratori non buoni,pero' nel tempo sono stati fatti altri registratori che hanno superato le doti tecniche del dragon.il dragon e' uno dei migliori,non il migliore in assoluto..
The best I have ever encountered and some audio magazines gave it that title.
@@SafeAndSoundTXAudioExcursion sono d'accordo,ma dopo il dragon sono nati altri modelli che hanno uguali prestazioni e altri di piu'.il dragon e' UNO dei migliori
Are those serviceable?
@@scottstrang1583 yes the one I showed had just been fully serviced. Finding a qualified tech is the challenge
A very good cassette deck...but still a cassette deck...
True, limitations abound….