Audio Asylum Thread Printer

Get a view of an entire thread on one page

Tape Trail

Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks

216.113.203.76

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Thread: Display Email Next ] [ Tape Trail ]

Being the Nak CR-7A is known as Nakamichi's best deck and it was made starting 1986, it missed later additions in tape technology like Dolby HX-Pro and Dolby S.
As per usual people talk about Naks being the best sounding decks there are. Even with this older technology in them. Yet there have been newer tape decks to incorporate the newer tech and built to be Nak buster decks. Examples of this are Aiwa XK-S9000 and Pioneer CT-93. Maybe even my old Sony TCK-K909ES might be in there. Older decks could be the Luxman K-05 deck. Im sure there could be a few others, but the above were mentioned to be the companies best decks said to rival the Naks.
So based on this how do these newer decks sound compared to the older Naks? Do they really rival the Naks as they say they do, or does Nak still hold their own?

Follow Ups:

Re: Nak overload performance in all processes usually exceeds that of all other decks - Timbo in Oz 21:23:40 04/20/07 (0)
bias, record, amps, Eq, the record heads, and then again on replay.
Few other decks have such fine record gaps or as effective bias.
Yes, on occasion, Aiwa/Sony, and Pioneer got close, and B&O and Revox.
And, as others note, 'serviceability' for the twin capstan 3-head Naks is often better.
I have been using a PRO/Slave updated B300 Plus a generator AND lab. reference alignment /replay cassettes for a longish time.
my car head unit is a NAK as well!
BSEGrin!

Warmest
Timbo in Oz
The Skyptical Mensurer and Audio Scrounger
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach - Chaucer. ;-)!
'Still not saluting.'
Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - rotovator 16:44:20 03/24/07 (1)
It's a question I'd really like to have responses for.
I've been growing up my collection during a year and a half, and I've changing my mind several times between "going for the nak line" or "going for the XK-S9000, CT-95, V-8030S (the recent monsters)" (in addition I've always wanted to go for "REVOX+TANDBERG".
Thankfully, I know have quite machines to do a first "Nakamichi" vs "Recent monsters" test. Though I haven't done that test well done. My early appreciations tell me that "It would be extremely strange for the CR-7 to lose against them".
I'm waiting for a XK-S9000 to arrive. Then I will make a comparation with the following decks
Teac V-8030S, AIWA XK-S9000, NAKAMICHI CR-7, NAKAMICHI ZX-7, TECHNICS RS-A7Z.
I have other good modern decks: SONY TC-KA6ES, PIONEER CT-S900, but I'm lazy to bring them to my home to perform the test
- Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - shpickering@yahoo.ca 17:51:42 03/24/07 (0)
  Please post your results when you get an opinion on them. Im especially interested in knowing how the 9000 Aiwa will fare.
Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - macster 11:14:51 03/23/07 (8)
One way to tell is to look at the respective resale value of the decks under discussion. This may not be the best way, but it is "an" indicator what people think.
FWIWM2C
m~
- Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - shpickering@yahoo.ca 20:36:02 03/23/07 (7)
  Im not if people can go by the selling price. It depends on how rare the deck is for one. The CR-7 Nak sold last week on Ebay for $350. My Aiwa XK-S9000 I bought for $1300. Yet Naks are still the most regarded decks. I got a reply from another poster saying:
  "There is a great risk in using specs to rate cassette decks. In theory newer decks with HX (good) and S (so-so) ought to spec better, and they do, but only within what is measured. When you just hook a deck up and listen to it, the results often counter theory. Classic Nakamichis from the 682ZX to the ZX-7 or 9, to the 1000ZXL all sound .... well, let's just say, better. You almost have to try one and experience it. Think of dolby as add-ons. The cassette has to be fundamentally right for the add-ons to produce any benefit. The classic Naks addressed bias and level alignments, azimuth errors, Maximum output level, and EQ (1000ZXL only) with a level of performance that rendered even dolby B unnecessary. HX is a nice circuit if your head saturates at high levels. Nakamichi heads did not, so they eschewed HX.
  Newer nakamichis, the CR- DR- , cassette deck- and the cheaper line BX1 (not BX 300) all were designed to perform well, but not in the same class as the classic decks.
  
  You may notice I omitted mention of the Dragon. This deck is regarded as the best PLAYBACK deck made, but the classic machines I list at the outset are prized by those who record.
  When listening to Sonys, Akais, Teacs, or whatever, listen for a naturalness in the sound, especially the highs (try and hear that ferrite sound) and listen for deep bass. These are the easy clues that lead to the differences you are asking about."
  - Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - macster 15:16:15 03/24/07 (2)
    RE"The CR-7 Nak sold last week on Ebay for $350"
    Sorry but that one was for "parts" only. I've been watching Ebay every day for Nakamichi CR7A's since I retired this past Dec. The cheapest functional one sold for $600.00. (I bought it) I missed one that sold for $650.00 the same day. One recently sold for $800.00. Again the amount of $$ that people are willing to pay for an item is a pretty good measure of it's intrinsic value. BTW, I own the following; 2 Revox B-215, 1 680zx, 2 CR7A'S, 1 CR3A, and 1 BX150. I also have a 3014A that I am too lazy to go pickup. Now having said all of that, I wouldn't own anything but a Nak. Nothing else does it for "me" in "my" system.
    Sorry that I couldn't help.
    m~
    - Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - Ampheat 15:27:17 03/25/07 (1)
      One must also consider how easy is it to acquire parts and find qualified service technincians when requiring repair (which may be more often than one would hope given the age of this equipment:( I have found that Nakamichi decks are more serviceable on both sides of the Atlantic since the market niche is much greater than other tape deck.I don't know about revox or tandberg, high-end pioneer or aiwa etc ,but perhaps you could do some research regarding servicing before coming to a decision.
      - Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - shpickering@yahoo.ca 17:33:46 03/25/07 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks posted by Ampheat on March 25, 2007 at 15:27:17:
        
        Aiwa and Sony still have parts out there. My Aiwa I can still get new heads for it, as also Sony. And these decks are 12-15 years old. New belts no problem.
  - Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - kingseiko 20:58:17 03/23/07 (3)
    Also play a piece of piano music and the sound seems right to you then you have got the right deck.
    - If it's not 3.75 IPS, it's not the right deck - akai m8 16:02:51 03/28/07 (1)
      n/m
      - I don't think you've ever own a ZX-9 !! - kingseiko 22:09:29 04/03/07 (0)
        
        In Reply to: If it's not 3.75 IPS, it's not the right deck posted by akai m8 on March 28, 2007 at 16:02:51:
        
        n/t
    - Re: Nak CR-7A vs Newer Dolby S decks - macster 15:19:37 03/24/07 (0)
      YUP!
      That was the one of the tests that I used to select a cassette deck to purchase. The other test was to play a recording with a female vocalist on the deck.
      m~

Post a Followup:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Thread: Display Email Next ] [ Tape Trail ]

[ Comment ] [ Delete ] [ Copyright Warning! Click for Details ]