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  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2010

    Location: Worcestershire, UK

    Posts: 1,101
    I'm Rob.

    Default Cassette resurgance

    Is it me, or is there a resurgence going on in the cassette player market?

    A year or so ago, it almost seemed that you couldn't giveaway a cassette deck - and there were some very nice decks (e.g. two head Naks) going for less that £50 on ebay, and only the occasional super deck (Nak Dragon for example) getting sold for hundreds of pounds.

    Now, there seem to be quite a few decks for sale over £100. For example, this Aiwa AD-810 deck is 2 to 3 times the price I'd expect to have seen it at a year ago.
    Rob.
    Powered by crossed fingers and clenched buttocks

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    Gawd knows why if that's true. I don't like the things. I seldom want to record anything anyway, but I'd sooner rely on my trusty MiniDisc deck, which sounds far better than any cassette deck I've ever come across.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    Gawd knows why if that's true. I don't like the things. I seldom want to record anything anyway, but I'd sooner rely on my trusty MiniDisc deck, which sounds far better than any cassette deck I've ever come across.
    Yep. I didn't like them even when everyone had one and they were the only form of portable music... They just don't cut it as a decent hi fi source IMO. The best I've heard, and for which I'll make an exception, was the Nak CR7E which is simply in another class to all others IMHO.
    I have a couple of up market Tandbergs (about £600 new in 1980!), a cheaper two head Tandberg and a NEAL 103 which needs a new pinch roller (the British NEAL is actually very good! For a cassette deck).
    It must be 10 years or more since any of them was switched on....
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    I think theres always been a market for the good ones, but yes, the lesser ones have picked up too. Some of the asking prices are optimistic at best. Good ones though can be very good.
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2016

    Location: South Netherlands

    Posts: 80
    I'm John.

    Default

    There is a revival but I don't think it is quite for the reasons some people think.It is that young people find the idea of cassette technology tendy at the moment and as such that has brough others back to the idea of using them as a sound medium

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    Remember the joys of sorting out jammed, tangled and broken tapes?
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  7. #7
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    Aiwa made some nice cassette decks, but reliability was at times patchy. When I first worked in the audio trade back in the late 80s to mid 90s, when tape was still popular, no other brand came back so regularly + it was easy to always get b and c grade stock, basically faulty and fixed Aiwa gear.

    In regards to reliability - as best as I can recall - Akai was good, Yamaha, and Nakamichi's were pretty reliable - Nak CDs, Music Bank in particular not so much. Didn't sell Nad so no idea, sold very few Rotel's so can't remember, Proton, don't recall. Marantz not so many.

    Basically if someone wanted a tape deck for their system it would be Aiwa, Akai and Nak.

    I own two Nak's.
    Regards Neil

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2016

    Location: South Netherlands

    Posts: 80
    I'm John.

    Default

    Proton made a rare gem the 740 excellent in most areas but only a two head

    NADs 6300 has legendary status amoung some ...it's ok but not quite what they say it was

    Pioneer have good decks so do TEAC

    People talk up NAKs but to be honest they can be over rated especially as regards to value for money.

    I have a very impressive Onkyo three head dual capstan.

    Marantz made some pretty looking decks

    There is definatly a revival but it is patchy depending upon where in the world you are.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clifford.T Ward View Post
    There is a revival but I don't think it is quite for the reasons some people think.It is that young people find the idea of cassette technology tendy at the moment and as such that has brough others back to the idea of using them as a sound medium
    Yeah it'll be hipsters thinking it's retro-trendy
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
    ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
    Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
    Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco

  10. #10
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Ive got a Tandberg. Its pretty good imo
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

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