Very reliable. Stable tape travel. 20-21khz response is just about perfect considering it is cassette.

The only thing i would point out is the fine bias could have a more course adjustment. It is too fine and I have had trouble getting a flat high frequency response with, say a Maxell XL-II then going to a TDK SA-X

I have used many cassette decks and find that this one pretty much gets it all on tape. Nakamichi got smart and put the gear drive idler on these decks. Yes it is a little noisier during fast wind but the advantage of not changing the old rubber idler makes up for it! I have used this deck for making car tapes and recording some of my vinyl. The manual azimuth is great for tapes made on other machines. I love this machine but would like to get a Nak with adjustable bias and record level calibration with test tones.

Similar Products Used:

Nakamichi 480z, 481, BX-100, BX-1. Denon DRM-800.

Reliability, Azimuth adjustment, Excellent recordings

only thing I don't like about it is the amber'ish colored display.. But that is a personanly opinion.. In no-way effects the recording quality.

I have had this deck for 9 years.. and it is still going strong.. reliability is awesome. Not 1 problem. Nakamichi is, in my opinion, the best tape deck manufacturer out there... If it's only 1 thing they know.. It is definately tape decks. The recordings I can make with this deck is unbelievable. Very clear with an excellent soundstage. Almost identicle to the source you're recording.. If you have a tape collection .. especially if they were recorded on a different tape deck.. then this deck is for you.. With its azimuth (playback head alignment) adjustment almost any tape will playback to it's full potential.. only limited to the tape itself.. this feature is a definate PLUS. To sum up this deck in 1 word..... AWESOME!!!!

Similar Products Used:

Akai, Sansui, Sony "ES" model- which I still own..as a 2nd deck to make tape-to-tape recordings. Or to clean up older tapes.

Excellent sound, treats cassettes with repect, if tape is loose, the Nak shuts off & doesn't try to eat the tape like other makes do.

None!!!

I purchased this tape deck back in September of 1996. At that time, these decks were really hard-to-find because Nakamichi was planning on discontinuing their tape decks at this time. It has been a solid performer! Excellent sounding recordings from both turntable and CD player. I had the CR-1A since 1990, which has also been super reliable tape deck, but the sound of the DR-1 really sets these my 2 Nakamichi tape decks apart. The DR-1 has a nice open & airy soundstage to it, and delivers clean bass, midrange & smooth treble. It's a solid performer, and really reliable.

Similar Products Used:

Nakamichi CR-1A, Pioneer CTS-600, Pioneer CTF-500

QUALITY !

Almost no improvements from the older models.

If you're talking a TAPE DECK, nakamichi is the one!
Tried several other brands but none could match nakamichi.
I bought it new at huge discount. I found out that stereo store closed months after I purchased this unit.

I've tried 'em all...Denon, Yamaha, Tascam, Technics, and Harmon/Kardon; all great cassette decks in their own right! Only one problem comes to mind thatall these decks seemed to exhibit...excessive wow and flutter! No matter how
many times I cleaned the pinch rollers, every live recording I made of pipe
organs made them sound like Hammond B-3's with their Lesley's cranked up full
speed! Enter Nakamichi.

The Nakamichi Dragon was my first experience into cassette deck reference
standard! Talking about sweet, natural, and musically accurate! Tapes made on
this deck still sound as good as the day they were recorded!

Now I own Nakamichi's DR-1 (and DR-2 for dubbing purposes), and this is by far
the best in analog tape recording technology! Nakamichi perfected the discrete
3-head system, and when you monitor a live recording you're making, you hear
the "live" performance in your headphones! And with it's azimuth fine-tune
control, you can bet your boots that live recording you just made will continue
to sound "live" years after you recorded it! Best of all, with its' asymmetrical
dual-capstan mechanism, wow and flutter are nearly inaudible, which means the
pipe organ recordings I made are ruler-flat...hence, no vibrato!

Bravo, Nakamichi, for continuing to provide supurb performance that sets the
standard for all others to be judged!