I was researching the TC-K65 (two head) that I picked up today at the goodwill and I found your video. These are nice decks. And they are so heavy compared to modern units. The TC-K65 looks similar except for the calibration and 3 head related controls. Regards.
@HamtaroEL Not really... 120 is standard for normal tapes and 70 is used for chrome and metal . WHen a tape is played back the eq is compensated for and it all comes out flat. That assumes, od coarse, that the p[lay back machine is set properly. :) JC
Impressive deck; impressive review. Just a shame that the actual video quality is so low… I would have loved to see (and even more so) hear this deck in its full glory when you were demonstrating the RECORD INPUT/OUTPUT difference, which obviously wasn't possible now… GREAT video for the rest of it; keep up the good work!
@FelixTheHouseFreak AC bias refers to a high frequency signal, way above what you can hear, that is recorded onto the tape along with the audio. No one knows just why but it makes the audio sound better and flattens out the frequency response and lowers the noise floor. DC bias is a cheap way of biasing a tape where the signal is basically just a stable magnetic field. Aaudio quality is inferior with DC bias. How much bias depends on the tape and that's why high end machines can adjust it. :)
Haw Haw Haw Haw, 23 hours 'agaw' BadEditPro says the old story about the clutch assembly being bad and the audio superb! Don't do any good to tell these folks before they buy these machines - DON'T PAY MUCH FOR ANY CASSETTE DECK - especially the late 1970s SONY solenoid types! Funny that he reckons the SCT-3100 is like the TCK-81! Could even be, all I got here in my catalog is the SCT-3000, 'reel to reel performance it says', 30-19,000Hz from Normal, F&F head, 61dB top S/N ratio and $530 USD!
BTW: The TC-K 75 internally has exactly the same technical Equipment like the known TC-K 81! - besides another powerswitch which is a turning-switch instead of a Button. The machine has one electronically regulated BNL Motor driving a DualCapstan System featuring a flat belt coupling the both axles which allows for a very smooth,stable and straight tape transport. The winding mechanism has a separate motor. Tape selection and calibration is very comprehensive including the three-head design.
@berndpfe I don't have this machine anymore... The clutch assembly was bad in this one and there was no way to fix or replace it. Sad because the audio was superb. :( JC
@berndpfe Something is to add concerning the EQ switch. Basically Fe2O3 have 120 microsec and all other tape types use with 70 microsec playback Equalization. Therefore, a 2-position switch would have served enough, but the designers probably intended a "same position like BIAS setting" switch there.
My grandmaand grandpa had a Dodge van chassic motorhome and the polyester plies in the tires would develop a FLAT SPOT IF THEY SAT A WHILE THEY'D GO flop flop flop for a few miles...that's the best anaolgy I could come up with : )
This is an awesome machine but I'm not sure I'd be operating it myself before I went to the bathroom mirror and located myself in the morning though. Hey, I have an all black Onkyo receiver in the bedroom with a lot of buttons. I can't read them OK and use a remote!
@steadfastcoward Thanks! I never did get this machine to work properly. It turned out to be the clutch mechanism and it just can't be replaced these days. :) JC
SONY Decks are really excellent gear today! Use today's tape materials of Type II and all Quality is astonishing. In comparison to former Reference tapes of the 80's, today's tapes are much better in noise and freq. response which allows maxing out the machine's technical capabilities. I own a TC-K81 and I still love it! It provides me music in my car stereo (still a tape&tuner equipment there).
Thanks! I'd say these videos take me back but I'm only 26 so that wouldn't be true:) But I love these 80s cassette decks. That is really cool how it has 3 motors and dual capstan - my 1992 Sony doesn't have that! IMO the best looking cassette deck is the tc-fx1010. I really like 80s stuff that were designed to be futuristic with their square and straight lines and sharp edges.
Yes, this machine has the ferrite heads in it... I don't have the machine anymore, though. It had an issue with the clutch that I could not fix so I sold it for parts. It had fantastic playback. :) JC
Beautiful! It's amazing how current the design looks with this. I work with some brand new Sony DV decks in the studio that look like they would sit right beside one of these as a matching set!
The styling on this machine is timeless... It just looks like a good professional machine. Sony has always had good looking gear, even if I have found them to be frustrating at times. I used to have a bunch of MiniDisc machines and they had this rotary switch that went bad after about a year. The cost to have them replaced was more than the price of the machine! Typical Sony... I love their CD players, though. No one makes any better. :) JC
I find most of them on eBay... There's a lot of junk but if you keep looking you can find some really fine gear on there. Be careful! Many tape decks that are advertised as 'working perfectly' arrive in bad condition. This deck is a good example of that. You win some and you lose some. :) JC
It's a nice looking machine with good features. I think you are right about the brakes getting stuck which can happen after sitting for a long time and not being used. I like the big cassette window which would show off those "reel" cassette very well. I love memory rewind once I figured it out.
I had a Memorex deck with similar meters on it, I think out of all the VU meters these are my personal favorite. I hope you sort out the flutter issues, is the motor running steadily? does it need a bit of lubrication?
I have since unplugged the deck and put it to the side. It is going to require a good going through to figure out what's going on... It started to really get bad after a little while and it starting eating tape. The Realistic developed the same problem and it is in the shop now... I may send the Sony in after the Realistic comes back. I think it's something to do with the dual capstan drive... The problem is not obvious like it would be in a standard single capstab deck. :( JC
I think it has to do with the tire that transfers power to the take up spindle. The rubber may be hardened or it might need some lubrication. Both capstans are driven with the same motor through a single wide belt and a double flywheel. That part if the transport is working fine. :) JC
I was researching the TC-K65 (two head) that I picked up today at the goodwill and I found your video. These are nice decks. And they are so heavy compared to modern units. The TC-K65 looks similar except for the calibration and 3 head related controls. Regards.
margaretsville 7 months ago
@margaretsville I hope the clutch assembly is intact and working properly. Mine was messed up and (I never figured out how to fix it. :) JC
BadEditPro 7 months ago
@BadEditPro: OK then, why does the 120 sounds brighter than the 70? thanks again.
HamtaroEL 7 months ago
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@BadEditPro: BTW I had been told that 70 µs gives a better high end but 120 µs gives a louder high end signal. Is this true? Thanks again.
HamtaroEL 7 months ago
@BadEditPro: Is there a difference in sound quality between 120 µs and 70 µs?
HamtaroEL 7 months ago
@HamtaroEL Not really... 120 is standard for normal tapes and 70 is used for chrome and metal . WHen a tape is played back the eq is compensated for and it all comes out flat. That assumes, od coarse, that the p[lay back machine is set properly. :) JC
BadEditPro 7 months ago
Your deck very nice ! I have also cassette deck from SONY.
Model : SONY TC-KA7ES.
sony9000es1 9 months ago
Impressive deck; impressive review. Just a shame that the actual video quality is so low… I would have loved to see (and even more so) hear this deck in its full glory when you were demonstrating the RECORD INPUT/OUTPUT difference, which obviously wasn't possible now… GREAT video for the rest of it; keep up the good work!
slashtiger1 10 months ago
@slashtiger1 Thanks... Sorry for the crappy quality. The camera isn't that great but it was all I had at the time. :) JC
BadEditPro 10 months ago
@BadEditPro do you have a better camera now (for future videos)? (If so,) I'd love to see more reviews like this!
slashtiger1 9 months ago
@slashtiger1 I have a few of cameras... None of them are great. :) JC
BadEditPro 9 months ago
What exactly is this whole bias thing? i hear it on every cassette video i see....
FelixTheHouseFreak 1 year ago
@FelixTheHouseFreak AC bias refers to a high frequency signal, way above what you can hear, that is recorded onto the tape along with the audio. No one knows just why but it makes the audio sound better and flattens out the frequency response and lowers the noise floor. DC bias is a cheap way of biasing a tape where the signal is basically just a stable magnetic field. Aaudio quality is inferior with DC bias. How much bias depends on the tape and that's why high end machines can adjust it. :)
BadEditPro 1 year ago
@BadEditPro Ah thank you very much for clearing that up!
FelixTheHouseFreak 1 year ago
Haw Haw Haw Haw, 23 hours 'agaw' BadEditPro says the old story about the clutch assembly being bad and the audio superb! Don't do any good to tell these folks before they buy these machines - DON'T PAY MUCH FOR ANY CASSETTE DECK - especially the late 1970s SONY solenoid types! Funny that he reckons the SCT-3100 is like the TCK-81! Could even be, all I got here in my catalog is the SCT-3000, 'reel to reel performance it says', 30-19,000Hz from Normal, F&F head, 61dB top S/N ratio and $530 USD!
keplermission 1 year ago
BTW: The TC-K 75 internally has exactly the same technical Equipment like the known TC-K 81! - besides another powerswitch which is a turning-switch instead of a Button. The machine has one electronically regulated BNL Motor driving a DualCapstan System featuring a flat belt coupling the both axles which allows for a very smooth,stable and straight tape transport. The winding mechanism has a separate motor. Tape selection and calibration is very comprehensive including the three-head design.
berndpfe 1 year ago
@berndpfe I don't have this machine anymore... The clutch assembly was bad in this one and there was no way to fix or replace it. Sad because the audio was superb. :( JC
BadEditPro 1 year ago
@berndpfe Something is to add concerning the EQ switch. Basically Fe2O3 have 120 microsec and all other tape types use with 70 microsec playback Equalization. Therefore, a 2-position switch would have served enough, but the designers probably intended a "same position like BIAS setting" switch there.
berndpfe 1 year ago
My grandmaand grandpa had a Dodge van chassic motorhome and the polyester plies in the tires would develop a FLAT SPOT IF THEY SAT A WHILE THEY'D GO flop flop flop for a few miles...that's the best anaolgy I could come up with : )
This is an awesome machine but I'm not sure I'd be operating it myself before I went to the bathroom mirror and located myself in the morning though. Hey, I have an all black Onkyo receiver in the bedroom with a lot of buttons. I can't read them OK and use a remote!
steadfastcoward 1 year ago
@steadfastcoward Thanks! I never did get this machine to work properly. It turned out to be the clutch mechanism and it just can't be replaced these days. :) JC
BadEditPro 1 year ago
SONY Decks are really excellent gear today! Use today's tape materials of Type II and all Quality is astonishing. In comparison to former Reference tapes of the 80's, today's tapes are much better in noise and freq. response which allows maxing out the machine's technical capabilities. I own a TC-K81 and I still love it! It provides me music in my car stereo (still a tape&tuner equipment there).
berndpfe 2 years ago
Wow this Sony is a beauty! Tell me how do these older decks stack up to mre recent ones such as the tc-k777es? In terms of sound of course.
antunkatona 2 years ago
Thanks! I have used the later model Sony decks in radio stations and they seem to be very nice sounding decks. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
Nice choice of song! My favoritest song ever. Interesting machine. Great sound quality too. Beats the crap out of my Technics.
LastHour1 2 years ago
Thanks! :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
Thanks! I'd say these videos take me back but I'm only 26 so that wouldn't be true:) But I love these 80s cassette decks. That is really cool how it has 3 motors and dual capstan - my 1992 Sony doesn't have that! IMO the best looking cassette deck is the tc-fx1010. I really like 80s stuff that were designed to be futuristic with their square and straight lines and sharp edges.
antunkatona 2 years ago
That a very awesome HQ deck with very interesting features!
Vinylrecordsneverdie 2 years ago
I wish I could have gotten this machine to work properly. It is a very interesting deck. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
Yes, this machine has the ferrite heads in it... I don't have the machine anymore, though. It had an issue with the clutch that I could not fix so I sold it for parts. It had fantastic playback. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
i have a TC K55 that is phenominal with playback quality.
does yours have the sendust and feritte heads?
great piece of equipment
danocean111213 2 years ago
I love this deck, I hope you got it fixed!!
AnalogueJosh 2 years ago
Beautiful! It's amazing how current the design looks with this. I work with some brand new Sony DV decks in the studio that look like they would sit right beside one of these as a matching set!
Organgrinder010 2 years ago
The styling on this machine is timeless... It just looks like a good professional machine. Sony has always had good looking gear, even if I have found them to be frustrating at times. I used to have a bunch of MiniDisc machines and they had this rotary switch that went bad after about a year. The cost to have them replaced was more than the price of the machine! Typical Sony... I love their CD players, though. No one makes any better. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
very similar with my Sony TC-K71......
muzica008 2 years ago
Great looking machine! Where do you get all those gadgets?
jimoneal1520 2 years ago
I find most of them on eBay... There's a lot of junk but if you keep looking you can find some really fine gear on there. Be careful! Many tape decks that are advertised as 'working perfectly' arrive in bad condition. This deck is a good example of that. You win some and you lose some. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
That's a really nice machine! The meter is also very nice.
DrCassette 2 years ago
Thanks! I like the meters, too. I'll post an update if and when I get it up and running. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
It's a nice looking machine with good features. I think you are right about the brakes getting stuck which can happen after sitting for a long time and not being used. I like the big cassette window which would show off those "reel" cassette very well. I love memory rewind once I figured it out.
clydesight 2 years ago
Thanks! It's going to need some TLC to get it back in shape. The flutter and drag got worse after a while.... :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
I had a Memorex deck with similar meters on it, I think out of all the VU meters these are my personal favorite. I hope you sort out the flutter issues, is the motor running steadily? does it need a bit of lubrication?
Josh.
JoshSwannack 2 years ago
I have since unplugged the deck and put it to the side. It is going to require a good going through to figure out what's going on... It started to really get bad after a little while and it starting eating tape. The Realistic developed the same problem and it is in the shop now... I may send the Sony in after the Realistic comes back. I think it's something to do with the dual capstan drive... The problem is not obvious like it would be in a standard single capstab deck. :( JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
I wonder what the problem is, maybe one capstan is turning faster than the other one or something? hmm.
JoshSwannack 2 years ago
I think it has to do with the tire that transfers power to the take up spindle. The rubber may be hardened or it might need some lubrication. Both capstans are driven with the same motor through a single wide belt and a double flywheel. That part if the transport is working fine. :) JC
BadEditPro 2 years ago
Nice-would loved to have had that in '79!
sknyrd77 2 years ago