makes great recordings on any tape formulations, many useful features, very user-friendly controls, excellent build quality and it was made in Japan

wireless remote-control is kind of clunky but to be expected since it was made in the late 80's, no power eject

I recently bought this Nakamichi deck at an Ebay auction. Not only is the deck in very mint condition, it is a revelation in cassette recording. While my Yamaha deck makes great recordings with 20-20kHz frequency response, it requires metal alloy tapes, which are no longer available (both Maxell and TDK have stopped making these tapes), Nakamichi CR-7A can achieve the same FR with any tape formulations. I taped a number of CD's ranging from J.S. Bach, Handel's Messiah, Mary Chapin Carpenter to Fleetwood Mac with some normal TDK tapes, the recordings are simply fabulous. This deck is built like a tank and the controls are well placed and extremely sure-footed. I thoroughly enjoy using this deck. While I am hoping to buy my first CD recorder over the next few months, I will continue to enjoy this deck. After all, a recordable CD can hold no more than 80 minutes of music while a good quality cassette tape can hold 90 minutes. Direct access to a specific track is rarely important to me since I am mainly into classical music and I already have three high end CD players that allow direct access. While I am not an audio purist and certainly not an analog nut, I strongly feel every high quality sound system should have some good analog sources. I hope this Nakamichi CR-7A and my Revox A700 will give me many years of enjoyment. To summarize, this deck is absolutely first rate and one of the best decks Nakamichi has ever built.

Similar Products Used:

Tandberg TCD 330, Yamaha KX-R730

The perfect deck. It is well built and designed. Perfect sound. 3 head/4 motor with wireless remote.

Original price of $1,750 for a cassette deck? Ouch!

This Nak CR-7A is the ultimate cassette deck. It is a 3 head, 4 motor (!) machine with the most serious intent of giving the best sound capable out of a lowly cassette tape. It does its job perfectly!

With the automatic calibration setting it sets any tape to optimum bias recording levels. The Nak is a no thinker, easy, accurate, precision machine. The tape length indicator is accurate and very helpful. It is a quiet, well built machine. The wireless remote is a nice extra.

And it looks serious too!

The original price of this Nak was $1,750 and the Nak gives you your moneys worth. The darn thing is over 20 pounds and uses 55 watts of power. It must have a massive power supply inside!

This machine has a wonderful playback amimuth control to optimize the playback head to play tapes made from other cassette decks and it works precisely.

The meters are the easiest I have used for setting recording levels.

I test and graph all my cassette decks frequency response with my favorite tapes using pink noise, signal generators and equalizers. This Nak cassette deck is easily the one with the flattest frequency response with the different kinds of tapes. If you have this deck may I recommend you use it with TDK-SA tapes and you will have the truest sound ever made on cassette. The Nak/TDK combination will give ruler flat response!

How does it sound? Cassette tapes made and played back with the CR-7A are very, very close to digital quality. That is quite a recommedation for an old, 1960s, inferior, analog format, the cassette tape and quite a recommendation for the Nak CR-7A.

Tapes made on the CR-7A are great. The treble is smooth and extended without being harsh. Cymbals have the right ringing sound without sounding shrill. The bass playback has the right authoritive, controlled thump to it without sounding heavy. The midrange sound is very intelligable. The sound isn't perfect; that midrange is very, very slightly less that the digital sound but is still 5 stars worth. I have never heard better music recorded from a cassette deck!

What else can I say? I don't have to look for a better cassette deck anymore!

How about some specifications? This is from the CR-7A manual.

Frequency response: 20Hz - 20,000Hz +/- 2dB using normal, hi-bias or metal tape. This decibel rating is better than the recording standards of +/- 3dB. And this frequency response is all recorded on a cheap cassette tape!

Frequency response: 18Hz - 21,000Hz +/- 3dB again using normal, hi-bias or metal tape. This is the normal decibel rating standard. Great response!

Wow & Flutter: less than 0.027% WTD RMS-Great!

Signal to Noise Ratio: Dolby C better than 72 dB, Dolby B better than 66 dB

Total Harmonic Distortion: less than 1.0%

Separation: better than 37dB (30 dB is considered great for a cassette deck)

THIS NAK CR-7A IS A GREAT DECK!

Similar Products Used:

Sony TC-K500S & TC-K611S, Nakamichi CR-1A, Aiwa F 990, JVC, Technics

Crystal clear sound. adjustable Azimuth. many say its better than the Dragon.

NONE

I have put my friends through sound tests with a cassette and a CD and most said the tape sounded crearer than the Cd or they could not tell the difference. Some recordings actually sound better than digital recordings. I bought this cassette a few years back and it continues to work well. I purchased it new for about half of it's full retail value. Pd $900.00 and worth every penny.
"If only nakamichi still made products of this quality level."

Another of the classic decks from Nakamichi! The wonderful Nakbass and extended treble is there along with auto-calibration
and manual azimuth control. Makes beautiful tapes. My previous
Nak was stolen, I have owned this one for a few months. If you
can find one in good shape for $700-1000, buy it! Could be a better
machine than the Dragon.

idiot proof, cd quality sound

gear idler wear

Hey if you want a high end analog recorder that is idiot proof(auto calibration) this is it. If yo can find one with the gear upgrade already done buy it. If you find one ,as I did in completely
original shape with all the original stuff(box, packing, test tape, patch cords,etc....) heck buy that too and find a technician to do the gear upgrade(it'll run you about 60 to 120 bucks, but well worth it)and you will have one hot rig.
I have made a few recordings with it before and after the upgrade and the difference is definately there. To the average listener there is no..I repeat NO way you can tell the difference between a CD and a tape played on this deck.
This deck was manufactured near the end of analog tape's reign (circa 1988-90) so the technology is at it's peak. If you have a vast collection of cassettes, they'll sound better on this deck
If you want to have the best possible sound reproduction in an analog format this deck is an excellent choice. The decks being produced today aren't made like this (even new nak decks)anymore, the focus as you know is on digital.

Similar Products Used:

numerous tape decks

Excellent recorded and played sound, even using Standard Tapes. Years of use without problems. BEST OF THE BEST!!!

NONE AFTER 14 YEARS USING IT.

This deck has everything you need to record an excellent cassette. It won't put more noise that the one present on the source.

Similar Products Used:

Several Sony tape decks.