Technics RS-BX828 Stereo Cassette Deck

[anm]

One of my friend's friend is selling a technics cassette deck, along with a collection of cassettes. I have not yet seen the collection or the deck, but this is the model - Vintage Cassette - Technics RS-BX828 Stereo Cassette Deck
Now I am wondering whether it is a good deck to own, and how much money should I offer him, or at what quote should I accept/ reject reject his offer (only for the deck) - I wouldn't be bargaining here due to the relation.
Hope to grab it in my next visit to Lucknow. Any reviews/ opinions of this technics model are welcome.

 

[soulforged]

I own the same model. It's quite old and not used very often so the buttons have gone a bit wonky. Pressing the play button sometimes engages the recording button as well. The plastic/rubber parts tend to go bad over time. You may want to check these aspects as also the stereo balance. It went off for me some years ago and I had to get it fixed.

The sound is still very clean (thanks to its 3 head system). Not sure if you plan to record stuff on it but it has quite a few options to setup your recording and the quality is pretty good.

The noise reduction options do work but they also tend to color the sound. The headphone output is adequate (I use it with my SR60's)

Its built solid and can last a while assuming your friend's maintained it well. IMHO something between 3-4K would be a good offer. (I am assuming its maintained well and functions correctly)

Hope this helps.

 

[anm]

thanks. Any idea what would it have costed him a new piece? Have you compared this with any other player?

regards

 

[soulforged]

Sorry, it was a hand-me-down so don't know the original price. In recent times, I have heard the Onkyo tape deck. Though I can't really compare, the Onkyo had a crisper sound while Technics has a bit more warmer sound. I'd prefer the Technics sound.

 

[anm]

any other inputs??

 

[aks07]

It is a very good deck. I still have but not used it for last several years.

The biggest gremlin is in the logic transport control. In my deck they surfaces quite early in life. If you press the rewind key, it may start playing. And worse 90% of times pressing the Play key would automatically start Record function. I spoiled many a good tapes that way. To avoid that I used to break the protection tab on the tape or first engage Pause and they press Play, checking all the while if the Red record LED was off.

Expect that major glitch its performance was superb. I recall paying about Rs. 12 or 13K (grey market) in early 90s.

If the aforementioned problem is not present, then I would advice to buy it. Rs. 3 to 4K should be a good amount.

 

[anm]

Thanks Aks! Great inputs. I remember breaking that small piece of plastic on some of the cassettes myself when I was a kid, to prevent recording on them accidentally due to human errors (not me but some one else playing with the cassette. And to rerecord on some of those cassette, a tightly rolled paper was stuffed in

Am I getting nostalgic!

I am being asked 7.5k and the condition is being said to be excellent. Is it worth it, I wonder?
Does it hold against similar priced Naks?

regards

 

[mahiruha]

Hello anm,
why do you want to take the cassette route in the first place. I remeber your aere also a budding vinyl enthusiast like me. do you find cassette experience better than vinyl experience in terms of quality or you find it is easier to source them. Just curious?
Thnaks.

 

[anm]

I don't know as yet as to SQ - but I want to listen to good cassette deck too Maybe I can land at Viren's place to listen to your system before it is dispatched.

regards

Hello anm,
why do you want to take the cassette route in the first place. I remeber your aere also a budding vinyl enthusiast like me. do you find cassette experience better than vinyl experience in terms of quality or you find it is easier to source them. Just curious?
Thnaks.

 

[anm]

aks and everyone-
How would this technics compare specifically to nak CR1A and CR2?
Need the answer a little urgent as over the weekend someone may be able to carry it for me.
regards

 

[aks07]

Hi

I have used both Nak and Technics (and a few other) brands.

The playback quality of the Technics in question is very nice and pleasant, though on sheer specs Naks would beat it. And of course Nak had better recording capability due to a host of additional control features. The Technics recording quality too was very HQ, but Nak had a edge. There was almost unheard background hiss on Nak

Go for it. But the asking prices of Rs. 7.5 seem a little high. If you are lucky a Nak could be in that range. But again its a supply/demand issue.

 

[moserw]

If you get a Nak then go for it. They were certainly the best and most sought after.

I'm certainly surprised though at your quest for tapes and tape players. For this kind of cost you can get a PC and get the latest in terms of content.

With the tape you will not have the latest content and neither will the quality stay the same over time. In terms of expense too it will turn out to be a costly affair in the long term.

 

[anm]

thanks Moser. I will definitely put a HDD based system up soon - but not yet decided whether it would be a PC or a specialized device like squeezebox.
I know the tapes get stuck and all those accompanying issues - but still I want to listen to a good deck for some time just for the sake of nostalgia I would say. Spent almost entire childhood listening to "tape recorder" before I went for studies to a hostel - where I did not have anything "personal" to listen to.

I want to assemble a PC for music since ever - even created a couple of threads.
Meanwhile, anyone planning to get rid of high quality recordings on tape is most welcome

 

[mahiruha]

I don't know as yet as to SQ - but I want to listen to good cassette deck too Maybe I can land at Viren's place to listen to your system before it is dispatched.

regards

Well If you get a chance to listen to it before it is despatched I would love to hear about it from you.Howz your pre amp doing. Have you put it in action yet? Just pm me your number I will give you a call.
Thanks.

 

[anm]

pre-amp isn't there in the duty as yet as I couldn't go to Viren's place since the last visit I guess more than a month back. May go on sunday and collect the amp from him - he has done some upgrades on it.
I think the pre is a wonderful device, if it suits me sonically. I am trying to get my feet wet by putting the pre with the HK amp and use my current set of jbl speakers. I will also put a HK dac into it and use pre-amps output stage instead of the SS output stage of the dac. Let us see how works out. It now has a headphone jack too which I am going to use a lot in coming days.

regards

Well If you get a chance to listen to it before it is despatched I would love to hear about it from you.Howz your pre amp doing. Have you put it in action yet? Just pm me your number I will give you a call.
Thanks.

 

[soulforged]

IMHO 7.5K is a bit too steep bro! See if you can get him down to a reasonable price...

 

[anm]

will try. let's see.condition is supposed to be very good.

 

[dinyaar]

Hi ANM,
Price is high even if the unit is in good condition.
Technics made some superb decks earlier and then some crappy ones later. Comparable to nakamichi, well some technics yes.
Since we are talking about the superb Nak recording quality IMO some technics old machines also had superb rec SQ and were more forgiving in playback on other brand machines.
I was a technics fan and owner in the late 80s (couldn't afford a new NAK).
Rgds

 

[anm]

thanks dinyaar. Any inputs on this particular deck? This thread has slightly changed towards comparison between this technics vs NAK CR2/ CR1.

regards

Hi ANM,
Price is high even if the unit is in good condition.
Technics made some superb decks earlier and then some crappy ones later. Comparable to nakamichi, well some technics yes.
Since we are talking about the superb Nak recording quality IMO some technics old machines also had superb rec SQ and were more forgiving in playback on other brand machines.
I was a technics fan and owner in the late 80s (couldn't afford a new NAK).
Rgds