No new decent cassette decks?

I bought cheapo cassette and turntable at a garage sale about 20-years ago and was surprised they did so well. I think the table was TEAC. There is Pro Tascam - maybe discontinued but still in stock, somewhere.
 
Oh, remember that the spec is usually for record. Playback can be better. So, the 40 to 14k on the $150 Marantz might actually sound OK.
 
I bought cheapo cassette and turntable at a garage sale about 20-years ago and was surprised they did so well. I think the table was TEAC. There is Pro Tascam - maybe discontinued but still in stock, somewhere.

Tascam are expensive and out of stock. I can't believe I can't find atleast one new decent deck. I wish Sony or someone like that had a new one I could buy.
 
You can get plenty of good decks on the bay for a fraction of the original price. Just be prepared to replace rubber.

For example, I own a Tascam 112 rackmount deck. I've had it since new and it has been a faithful, reliable workhorse for years. I just last year replaced all the rubber after 20 some years. I'm sure Ill get another 20 out of it.

Those can be had on ebay for 100 to 200 bucks. Well worth it in my opinion.
 
yeah .... there's got to be zillions of those things used in great shape.
And some might not even need rubber.
I have 5 of them and none of them need anything done to them.

And really, from around 15-20 years ago were some of the best decks they've ever made because it was a mature format that they still imagined had some future.
So they were still trying to make ever better decks.
I have one with Dolby S (which no one seems to have heard of but I have one ) and it's really an excellent deck.

If it were me, I'd go used.
 
There are people who say that one sucks also, but I will read up on it.

Oh, the Marantz does suck. For sure. I listed three used decks in your other thread and you think you are going to do better ? I swung by eBait yesterday and there's stuff under $100 shipped that can play
 
I second the used Tascam route. I got a 130 about five years ago for $40 including shipping ,and it looks and performs like new. Didn't need any work whatsoever.
 
You can get plenty of good decks on the bay for a fraction of the original price. Just be prepared to replace rubber.

For example, I own a Tascam 112 rackmount deck. I've had it since new and it has been a faithful, reliable workhorse for years. I just last year replaced all the rubber after 20 some years. I'm sure Ill get another 20 out of it.

Those can be had on ebay for 100 to 200 bucks. Well worth it in my opinion.

Thanks

---------- Update ----------

I second the used Tascam route. I got a 130 about five years ago for $40 including shipping ,and it looks and performs like new. Didn't need any work whatsoever.

Thanks
 
yeah .... there's got to be zillions of those things used in great shape.
And some might not even need rubber.
I have 5 of them and none of them need anything done to them.

And really, from around 15-20 years ago were some of the best decks they've ever made because it was a mature format that they still imagined had some future.
So they were still trying to make ever better decks.
I have one with Dolby S (which no one seems to have heard of but I have one ) and it's really an excellent deck.

If it were me, I'd go used.



Thank you for telling me about the best quality is from 15 or 20 years ago.
 
It was the peak of cassette technology.
Most new stuff is junk designed to cheaply fill a 'trend market'
 
Oh, the Marantz does suck. For sure. I listed three used decks in your other thread and you think you are going to do better ? I swung by eBait yesterday and there's stuff under $100 shipped that can play

The Marantz does seem to have a little better reviews.

---------- Update ----------

It was the peak of cassette technology.
Most new stuff is junk designed to cheaply fill a 'trend market'

Most don't care about cassettes anymore lol.
 
He just needs to play. That's the easy part. After that, you need to spend money getting the best out of the already recorded cassette. Good NR tracking and stable low W&F. He should know if he needs fine speed adjustment , or, not, by now.

In my own case, there's been six decks and a couple recorders doing cassettes from the late '60s into 2004. and now, I'm using another three decks and a recorder. I've been lucky with the speed thing, But the problem is still there, if I was trying to get good representations of music, etc. off my tapes.

The early '70s tc-126 I have here does have dual flywheels, while the newer Sony is dual capstan - both efforts to get stable speed.
 
The truth is that nobody makes them like they used to. So buy a used one if you want some quality.

Get one recently serviced. Makes sure it isn't dual cassette. Normally if you get one with three heads it'll be better than one with two. Make sure you can adjust the bias. After that.. well it depends on how much quality you want and are willing to spend. Read the reviews.
 
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