Simple, direct controls, total tape-match flexibility, rock solid transport, clean, open sound. FM dubs sound particularly good. And durable, 13 years so far.

Needs periodic lubing, every 6 years or so. Life's tough, huh?

I bought this deck in 1987, as part of a new system. With a budget that limited purchase overkill, I had to mix and match the best I could afford. I wanted the CR-7A, but couldn't squeeze it in. I bought the BX-300 instead. A lucky, smart buy.

This machine is great. The recording is a clone of the source, unless you want to putz around with the bias fine-tune/tape selection switches, or the Dolby B/C. Make it brighter, make it darker, make it the same. Your choice. I always liked doing it by ear, as opposed to the automatic tone route.

It'll record anything well, but I primarily use it to grab music off the FM. If a recording is especially critical, I'll use my Hi-Fi VCR. Better than minidisc. The BX-300 has a clear, spacious sound, and the match between this machine and the Nak in my car is perfect. It's still going, too.

Yes, it's an old, analog technology, and will ultimately fall by the wayside. However, everything I ever recorded on this machine still sounds good. Mechanically, it's been almost flawless; the transport "dried out" a couple of times during the intervening years. I simply sprayed a good lubricant into the capstan wells, cleaned it off, and let it set for a few days. Perfect.

If you regularly maintain the unit, by keeping the heads clean and, occasionally, the idler wheels, this thing will last forever. The saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" applies to the BX-300.

My review won't cause anyone to rush out and furiously track one down. There are too many newer, easier recording alternatives. This deck is a nod to past excellence, and I still enjoy it.

For those of you saddled with anything less, too bad. I'm keeping it.

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Other Naks

Crystal clear sound quality with rock steady speed control.

Repairs are expensive and generally require lengthy parts waiting periods.

A generally outstanding deck with tons of features. If I were to criticize the deck it would be in the area of cabinet construction and service problems. The front panel is very nice and of high quality, but for a deck that retailed for 700 bucks in the 1980's (when I bought it new), the rest of the cabinet and general construction is economy class rather than luxury. I have had the deck repaired twice: a belt replacement and a speed controller problem. Both times I waited 2 months for the parts. Clearly service and support is not Nakamichi's strong suit. Would I recommend the BX-300 to others? You bet. But if reliability and durability are major factors, buy one of the Sony ES decks.

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I have owned many decks including a Sony ES and other Nakamichi decks. Only the Sony ES compares to this deck.

I have a nakimichi dragon it has a tone box in unit and i enjoy it with my half speed master records on thorens mk III w/mm .very please with my dragon (japan made)

I had this tape deck for over 10 years and it has been flawless. Much better than Pioneer which are junk!! The best electronic investment I made!

I've owned a Nak 480, a Dragon and currently a BX300. Clearly the Dragon was the best recording device I've owned sonically, but was problematic. On several occassions, the transport had problems and required professional service. The BX300, is not as sonically transparent. The speed stability is in the same class as the Dragon, providing " CD like" rock solid freedom from wow and flutter. Additionally the deck has variable pitch which is great for musicians. This model represents a great value and is a good model to target for purchase in the used market.

I purchased this unit new twelve years ago and although its recording/playback are superior to any other tape decks(other than their infamous dragon)I've ever heard, it does require periodic servicing. After waiting over 4 months for a back-order motor/repair kit from Nakamichi(with no definitive indication when they will ship!)I have decided to sell mine for a more dependable product/manufacturer. I thought Nakamichi was the best, maybe in sound, but not in service. 5 star sound, 1 star service

I've owned a BX-300 since 1987. I purchased it since my older Technics desk recorded at the wrong speed (2 ips as it turned out). Having a speed control was a necessity for me. At first, it didn't sound so great. Then I had Myer-Emco (a local stereo store) take a look and realign the heads. What a difference! It was like getting a new deck. That was in 1988. Since then, it has performed flawlessly. It seems to like Nak's own metal tapes the best (good luck locating those). The bass response is amazing. Flutter is undetectable. The sound is impeccable. The controls are minimal (boy, do I miss AMS!).

If you're not getting surperb sound from this machine, have the head alignment checked. It has to be properly set since there's no manual controls to adjust.

I was surprised this 3-head variable pitch nice deck doesn't generally show up on the "preferred" list of used tape equipment. It should.

I purchased a second-hand Nakamichi BX-300 about four months ago. I got it for $150 and that is a really low price for such a fine machine. I could also buy the Dragon but it was much more expensive. (about $900) I listened to both machines and for me the choise was simple. O.k. the Dragon is better, but the BX-300 was cheaper and almost as good as the Dragon. I think the BX-300 is a fine machine, easy to use and performes a high quality music reproduction.

i own a sony 615s cassette tape deck and after treating the capstain with an anti slip fluid from radio shack the deck has performed perfectly. it doesnt have the resolution or transperency of a good cd player but it gives very good sound quality neverthe less. id like to see more advice, info, etc on cassette decks as many of us still use them while mini disk tries to prove itself