Solidly build, good looking, lots of high-end features.

No laseramorphous heads, frequency response could have been a bit better (20hz - 21Khz is not really astonishing), quite expensive.

Well, what should we say about the Sony TC-KA6ES. Without any doubt it is a sensational tape deck: good looking, solid build and lots of so called hig-end features. I own my TC-KA6ES for 14 months now and I am very satisfied with it. I thint this tape deck is the best tape deck on the market at this point. But in recent years there have been better models from Sony, likt the TC-K909ES for example. Those lucky people who are living in Japan still can enjoy the very best Sony tape deck, the TC-KA7ES. It is a shame that this machine, or al least the TC-KA3ES is not being sold in Europe. I mean, the TC-KA6ES had no laseramorphous heads wich is a bit a shame. But still the sound of the TC-KA6ESis really good and warm with great detail, but things just could have been a bit better if the 3ES would have been on the European market, let alone the 5ES of 7ES. But I think the 6ES is the best tape deck without laseramorphous heads, to be positive. Like I said earlier, the sound is good and it is solidly build and the 3-point record calibration is absolutely excellent and so far I know Sony is the only mark who has this high end feature. Although the tape market is weakening day by day, because of the digital era, for a tape-maniac as I am, it is nice to know that ther is still a Sony ES-range deck in the market. For the European market, I thint the Sony TC-KA6ES is absolutely the best tape deck stille being sold these days and if you love tapes you surely have to get one! But ther is one better option: go to Japan and score the TC-KA7ES!! Because that Japanese analogue monster will absolutely hunt everything down!

Similar Products Used:

Sony TC-KB920S and Sony TC-WE825S

This is a really good single tape deck. It has an average frequency-response and the wow and flutter are very low, 0.0022% WRMS!!
The TC-KA6ES is very solid and quite heavy. It has a sophisticated calibration-system, usinga three-step system: record level, bias and record equalisation. This produces a very good result when recording. It also has a cassette-stabilizer, to make sure that the cassette is firmly on it's place.

There are no big weaknesses. The only thing is, that the American version of the TC-KA6ES, the TC-KA3ES, has laser amorphous play and record heads. Because of this the
TC-KA3ES has a better frequency-response and less distorion.
I don't know why the TC-KA3ES is slightly better. Another weakness, from my point of view, is it's price. I find it quite expensive, compared with some tape decks from other marks.

The TC-KA6ES is a very, very good deck. It's just a shame that it's just not as good as the TC-KA3ES and that the
TC-KA3ES is not available in Europe.
But, still I think that the difference in quality is very small.
It's very solid and also very nice to look at too.

Similar Products Used:

Before the TC-KA6ES, I used the Sony TC-WE825S. This is a dual cassette deck, but by far not as good as the TC-KA6ES.

Good looking, strongly build, high-end specifications like Dolby-S, Dual Capstan, 20-21 Khz response, 0,025 WRMS Wow&Flutter.

Quite expensive!

There are four high-end Sony single-tape decks. Those are: TC-KA3ES, TC-KA5ES, TC-KA6ES and the TC-KA7ES.

This review is about the TC-KA6ES, because this is the only of the four models for the European market. I find that a bit disappointing, because the other three models are slightly better. The 7ES is the best (only sold in Japan), the 5ES is second-best (only sold in Japan) and the 3ES is the third-best (only sold in America and Japan.)

I don't know why Sony doesn't sell the three, or at least one of the other models in Europe.

But ok, let's talk about the TC-KA6ES. This is a very good tape-deck. It has no laser amorphous record and play heads, but inspite that it sounds great. It has a lot of high-end features, like Dolby B,C and S. It has Dolby HX-Pro, Super Bias (160 Khz), dual capstan, power loading, a cassette- stabilizer, a three-step calibration mechanism and it has gold-plated inputs and outputs, Three heads and three motors.

Here are the technical specifications:

Signal-to-noise ratio (without dolby):
- Type 1 tape (Normal): 57 dB
- Type 2 tape (High): 59 dB
- Type 4 tape (Metal): 61 dB

Harmonic distortion:
- 0,4% (Type 1 tape)
- 1,5% (Type 4 tape)

Frequency response (without Dolby NR)
- Type 1 tape (Normal): 20-17,000 Hz
- Type 2 tape (High): 20-19,000 Hz
- Type 4 tape (Metal): 20-21,000 Hz

(Frequency response of 3ES (Metal tape) is: 15-22,000 Hz)

Wow and Flutter:
- 0,05% W. Peak (IEC)
- 0,025% W. RMS (NAB)
- 0,07% W. Peak (DIN)

Dimensions w/h/d): 430/135/360 mm

Mass: 7,6 kg (TC-KA7ES is about 12 Kg !!!!!)


Well, I think that I have given the most important information about the TC-KA6ES. If somebody knows the specifications about the TC-KA5ES and/or the TC-KA7ES, please send me a mail then.

Enjoy the TC-KA6ES

Similar Products Used:

Sony TC-WE825S (dual cassette deck)

I have had this tape deck for about 3 months now and I have never regretted buying it. The quality of the recordings is better than any MD recorder I have heard!. Anyone who thinks that tape is dead should really listen to this machine.
I have a Denon cdp and can make perfect copies with this deck. I did some blind listening tests with the cd and tape with some friends and no-one could tell which was which.

The only disappointment was the lack of a remote control (you're ok if you have a Sony amp with remote). I subsequently bought one from Sony for £20.00 but I think when you are paying this amount of money for the deck you should get the remote with it. (I also note in the manual that, if you buy the canadian version you do get a remote).

I have tried most of the tapes in the TDK range and although the Metal MA tape was the best the SAX version (chrome) was not far behind.

One thing I noticed was when you set the calibration (record level, bias and equalisation) to the tape used the recording was very slightly soft (read dull). What I now do is to use the calibration to get reasonably close and then tweak equalisation and bias while listening to a recording and switch between tape and source. When they sound identical I start the recording again. I try to balance it with the maximum amount of bias I can get away with as this gives less distortion in theory. I have to say that I haven't noticed any distortion anyway but I do it as a precaution.

I haven't heard or played with a Nakamichi Dragon and so cannot comment but I haven't heard another tape deck that compares to this one. My cdplayer is quite old (Denon DCD620) but I am replacing it later in the year for a Marantz CD-17KI. This will be a better test of just how good the Sony is.

For fantastic build and sound quality it has to be five stars!

I heard this deck in a listening studio and bought it immediately. Build quality and sound are outstanding. Buy one.

Sound quality, looks.

Not as good as the Japanese models

Originally after upgrading to Minidisc for recordings, I did not plan to get a new tape deck, but then I discovered I still have a large number of Sony Super Metal Master tapes and other great tapes (Maxell Metal Vertex, TDK MA-XG) and instead of them go to waste, decided to have one final tape deck, and went all out on that.

Did some research and decided to get the TC-KA6ES, looks beautiful in gold and fits in well with the rest of the systems.

The sound is warm and glides effortlessly whatever types of recordings I to. I find out that with Dolby-S turned on and with careful calibration, the best metal tapes can really sound better than Minidisc, but then again, the Metal masters cost me about 20 dollars each...

Would love to have the Japanese TC-KA7ES model as it seems to be the pinnacle of Sony Tape decks.