Cassette deck with dbx decoding built in

Fongolio

I'm looking for a good working cassette deck with dbx noise reduction built in. Prefer 3 head but 2 will do. Must be in good working condition and must have dbx. Will pay for shipping to Canada for the right unit and fair price. Let me know what you have. Thanks

Kelvin

TNHNDYMAN

Kelvin- I've got several cassette decks avail but after reviewing them, it appears they are all Dolby B and C noise reduction. Not trying to highjack your thread, just looking for some info as to did the dbx come out later and/or why do you favor it and what does it do better than the other decks with NR from Dolby?

Fongolio

No problem TNHNDMAN. DBX was only around for about 5 years in consumer tape decks. I've already got a Nakamichi CR-7 which some consider one of the best sounding ever made (even compared to other Nak's including the much praised Dragon) but it does not have dbx noise reduction. I've recently acquired a bunch of dbx expander/contractor type gear and love what it does for dynamic range. I'm wanting a dbx tape deck to record tapes with what is considered by many to be the best noise suppression system made. It's just mainly to satisfy my curiosity as to how dramatically it reduces tape noise but still leaves very large dynamic range. dbx pro gear can be found everywhere in live music, recording studios and film sound recording and can still be bought new. Consumer level products died out in the late 80's.

TNHNDYMAN

^ hate spammers...

Cool info Kelvin. I think I have a stand alone sansui piece that has the dbx NR feature with a tape loop in/out similar to using an eq. If you already have a NaK then my little pile of technics, jvc, sony, teac, ect won't do you any good. I've been thinking of puttin them on CL local but still don't think they are worth more than 25-40 each to the right buyer. I'm holding on to at least one dbl cass rcrding deck just to be on the safe side though.

Fongolio

What's the model number of the Sansui unit? I may be interested.

[Deleted User]

Hello,
Since the DBX system is a "compander" system with a 2:1 ratio it would double any errors in frequency response. If you were down by -3dB at 18kHz the DBX would make it down -6dB. For this reason it was most successful with open reel machines that had a very flat frequency response to begin with, but it was harder to get that kind of ideal response in a cassette deck. Most cassette decks that used it had the upper frequency range limited to 16kHz for just that reason. If everything was carefully setup a DBX deck could have 120dB of dynamic range. Pretty impressive!
The cassette deck to try and find would be the Teac V900X.
Regards, Ken

pitdogg2

Some Mid 80's Pioneer decks had that along with Dolby C. But they were at best mediocre. I had one it went the way of the dodo as soon as i could talk down salesman to buy Yamaha KX deck.

Fongolio

Thanks for the info Ken. Very valuable.

kevhed72

I have a Pioneer CT-3131A Tape Deck I am looking to unload for cheap - not sure if it fits the bill of what your looking for, but PM me if your interested.....Kevin

[Deleted User]

No problem...!

TNHNDYMAN

Kelvin-

It's not a Sansui nor dbx lol... I was going from memory. Which obviously isn't what is once was.

It does look pretty cool though. What I have is a Sanyo Plus Series N55 Tape Noise Reduction Adaptor in original box w/ foam inserts. Some type of MPX and Dynamic Range Extender device. Mint shape. I'll get some pics of it up later tonight, just pulled it out of the closet for a look. After dinner and family in bed I'll take some pics and upload. May not be what you were looking for and it might be something even better, I know nothing about it. Was acquired from my uncle who had a pretty nice system back in the day...

mhardy6647

1) Too bad you weren't looking for one roughly a year ago - a couple of dbx-equipped Technics (Technicses?!) passed through here; I think I ended up giving both away (i.e., we're not talking highly-desirable pieces here).



2) Are you, Fongolio, still interested in a recorded R2R tape? If so, I am still game to make one and try to ship it to Canuckistan :-) -- drop me a PM if ye be interested still.

mhardy6647

heh - and just for posterity... t'other one...

TNHNDYMAN

MrH- do you know anything about the above Sanyo unit I've got? Not sure if it was a gimmick or worked well and appears to be from early to mid eightys timewise.

mhardy6647

Nope, sorry, I don't.

cnh

mhardy6647 wrote: »

heh - and just for posterity... t'other one...

Interesting, somewhere around here I have the double cassette brother of (I believe) these units. Nothing special but a very solidly built mainstream Technics. I do use it occasionally, but I've "never" tried the dbx recording on it, so Ken's info above is interesting. I knew dbx was a big deal but not a lot about it technically!

cnh

pitdogg2

cnh wrote: »

I knew dbx was a big deal but not a lot about it technically!cnh

well the problem with DBX was once encoded onto the cassette you needed another player with DBX to play or it was WAY OUT WONKY. Most cassette's at the time were used in automobiles at best you had Dolby C most had Dolby B noise reduction. When you used any of the Dolby NR it would play in all other machines with no problem not so with DBX.
At least that was my experience...

mhardy6647

That second one whose glamour shot I posted :-) was actually a pretty nice deck. It has the ability (for better or for worse!) to decode dbx records as well! :-) There was, briefly, a commercial dbx standard for LP records - I've never knowingly seen nor heard a dbx-encoded licorice pizza, though...

gudnoyez

Here is a technics with DBX from one of my vintage rigs, and yes recordings sounded great on the source player any other deck not so good.Seems Technics made a lot with DBX

gudnoyez

For s#!ts and giggles (its cold outside and off till next week and I'm bored). I got out all my tapes that were recorded with DBX clean vinyl as source. They sound great on this deck using DBX, and sound not so good on two of my other decks, a Denon and Marantz. I'am not sure what Kenneth means by properly set up but the only DBX choices are tape and disc. It sounds great when the tape source button is used not sure if these were properly recorded or not. but the ones that were recorded using DBX sound better, than the ones that were recorded using dolby C or B on this deck only. Could someone please go further in depth on DBX functions, how would I know what db of dynamic range was achived using this process?