I bought this tape deck almost three years ago when my old Aiwa died. MD and DCC were too new at this time and DAT too expensive, so I decided to have my last analog recorder and wait what digital system will win (seems like MD won the battle). The Sony had all the features I was looking for:- dual capstan (with quartz controlled direct drive)
- three heads
- bias and level adjustment
- Dolby S
The sound was OK too.
After just three weeks the tape deck got mechanical problems - a squeaking noise out of the drive. My dealer changed it and I received a brand new one. This had drop out problems in the left channel after two weeks and was replaced too. The third one had the same problem as the first one after just three hours playing.
I called Sony Europe in Cologne and was informed that they had such a problem "a lot of years ago" when a supplier delivered a bad rubber quality for the capstan roll, but "this was solved".

Well, not for me.

A letter to Sony Japan did not change anything.

I contacted my dealer again and he offered me to take a Pioneer tape deck (CT-S 830 S). Although this was 25% more expensive I did not have to pay the price difference !
The Pioneer sounds great, and works without any problems. See my review.

TANDBERG TCD-3014,A true diamond in the rough of "cheapy" well I'll dump this thing in a couple of years market. It's nice to be able to pcik up a deck for $400.00 used...worth now $4000.00 if you can find it new. Has 4 motors,actilinear cicuitry,dyneq,adjustable azimuth and full calibration facilities,so tape type and quality not really too much of an issue. The sound is full,extended bass,clear highs,mids well fleshed out. Wow and flutter aren't the best,but what do you want for a deck built in 1983. My NAD 6300 floors it there. However,there is something special about this deck. Perhaps the low noise phase compensated electronics help here too. Uses the same power transformer as the YBA INTEGRE DT integrated amp. I love euro stuff. This one is built to last forever.