Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    I hear the Nakamichi CX1 (250$-300 mail order NY times)
    is a great deck (DBX and Dolby B/C/HX). I think Stereo Review agreed also.
    Personally I have an Akai that has done a good job for 5 years.

    
    I would look at Nakamichi, Harmon/Kardon and NAD and pay as close to
    $400 as I could afford.  
    
    I would definitely buy a three-head machine that allows off-the-tape
    monitoring.  This will save you a lot of time, since you can hear the
    playback as you record, so any nasty problems live hum, bad levels,
    will be immediately apparent.
    
    						Brian

    I second the opinion on 3 heads.  I had a Nachamichi
    for a little while, but I ended up trading up to a
    Denon DRM-700.
    
    I could start going "blah blah blah this deck, blah
    blah blah that deck," but I think it would be better
    to point you to the AUDIO notes conference.
    
    	DSSDEV::AUDIO
    
    Will

    Also, Consumer Reports current issue has a section on medium priced
    audio equipment that includes cassette recorders in about that price
    range.
    
    Carl

I have an Aiwa deck that has dbx, Dolby B & C, that only cost me $280 
mail order (through Citi$hopper, a service of a Citibank Visa). It 
also has high-speed duplication. It's been great for me.

-Dan

    I probably have the same AIWA as Dan Dube.
    
    Not only does it have dolby B,C AND dbx, it also has HX Pro.
    
    It doesn't have off-the-tape monitoring, and that WOULD be nice,
    but I thin that's a feature found only in much more expensive
    decks.
    
    Lechmere's (here in New England) generally puts them on sale every
    couple of weeks, usually for well under $300.
    
    	db

    I own a Nakamichi RX202 with unidirectional auto-reverse, dolby B & C.  
    They are well-built (like tanks) and should less a long time.  I think
    they are a little overpriced though.
    
    Hindsight has taught me that I should've bought the NAD 5100 or 6300
    with HX-Pro.  They make great decks!
    
    Mike

>                               -< Aiwa AD-WX808 >-
>
>    ...
>
>    Not only does it have dolby B,C AND dbx, it also has HX Pro.
    
    Dave,
    
    I just saw a WX808 in a store last night - it was on sale for $175 (a
    demo, I think).  But I didn't see HX-Pro - is it clearly marked on the 
    panel?  Since it didn't have the "AD-" prefix, should I assume your model 
    was an upgrade that simply added HX-Pro?
    
    
    	Dan

    > Since it didn't have teh "AD-" prefix, should I assume your
    > model was an upgrade that simply added HX-Pro?
    
    Dan,
    
    I really don't know any more than you.  Normally I'd presume that it
    DID have HX-Pro but $175 sounds awfully low unless its a close-out
    of some kind.
    
    I'm not sure mine says HX-Pro on it either.  Remember that HX-Pro
    is 1) always on (no defeat switch), and (unlike dbx and dolby) is
    a record only thing - that is, there's no decoding on playback.
    
    Since there's no defeat switch, it seems quite possible that they
    didn't bother putting it on the panel.  In fact, I have a vague
    recollection that the display model had one of those plastic
    celophane-like stickers on it that you take off once you buy it,
    and that THAT sticker is what said HX-Pro.
    
    I'd recommend going back and asking to look at the manual.  If it
    says HX-Pro and it is the same as mine (we are talking about a
    dubbing deck right?  maybe "AD-" means "dubbing"???)  I'd say
    buy it right there - it'd be a great deal.
    
    	db

    	I went back to check.  It is a demo model (they are discontinued)
    and they didn't have a manual.  they told me it didn't have HX-Pro.
    
    	Can you double-check in your manual, Dave?  This would be a great deal
    for me if it turns out to have HX-PRO.
    
    	Dan
    

    	Oh, and it was the ADWX808.  I don't know why I thought the "AD" was
    missing.
    
    	Dan
    

    Mine absolutely has HX-Pro according to the manual

    Thanks, Dave, for looking that up.  How has the deck handled since you
    last wrote such high acclaims for it?
    
    	Dan
    

    I have had absolutely no complaints and no problems with it, even under
    heavy usage (including 3 Commusic tape distributions which probably
    amounts to making about 200 copies total).

I second Dave's recommendation. I've been using the same deck 
regularly to play break tapes for every gig I've been playing for the 
last year or so, and I've never had a problem with it. 

Before I made the upgrade to a full MIDI band, I was using the Aiwa 
deck to do my dbx mastering of taped sequenced music. For sound 
quality, it outperforms my Nakamichi LX-3 I bought back in 1983.

-Dan

    	I went back to look at it last night.  I noticed it has
    auto-reverse.  I always thought that was a feature to stay away from
    since it could cause straying head alignment. 
    
    	Have you guys ever had to have it re-aligned?  Would you be aware
    of the problem if it were present?
    
    	Dan
    

    Like I said, I have had absolutely no problems nor complaints with
    mine.
    
    It just works and works well.
    
    	db