Uploaded September 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
A little over a year ago, I made a video comparing 3 different cassette decks. Each one represented different price ranges - low end (Optimus SCT-86), entry level (Aiwa AD-R40), and mid-high range (JVC TD-V661).
Since then I bought more decks and other players. There's too many to choose, but the big dogs I've been featuring in my videos haven't been properly compared, so lets fix that!
Let me know in the comments about what differences you hear, which you thought sound best, and which decks actually surprised you in a good or bad way. My thoughts in the comments pinned below.
If you want to skip to the test clips, go to 6:20
Notes:
Recorded with Audacity at 24-bit 96 kHz saved in lossless FLAC.
100% line input level. No digital amplification except as noted below.
Digital amplification done with Audacity to match levels with other decks.
Digital Recording Equipment:
Integrated audio built into Asus Zenith Extreme
ESS SABRE9018Q2C - 113 dB SNR input
asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-ZENITH-EXTREME
Cassette:
1989 BASF Chrome Maxima II (NOS-see previous videos of unwrap)
Overwatch Soundtrack
Recorded on Nakamichi ZX-7 without noise reduction at up to 0 db
Cassette Decks/Portables Tested:
Nakamichi ZX-7 - 1981 - ($1000-$1300) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
Nakamichi RX-202 - 1982 - ($160-$300) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
JVC TD-V661 - 1993 - ($150-$220) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
Aiwa AD-R40 - 1989 - ($10-$60)
Optimus SCT-86 - 1990 - ($10-$55)
Aiwa HS-PC202 mIII - 1990 (?) - ($90-$130)
Sony WM-FX141 - 1999 - ($5-$20)
Price ranges as of September 2019 based on eBay, thrift store finds, and Facebook Market listings, etc.
To download the FLAC files so you can compare for youself, download them here:
drive.google.com/open?id=1EtV8FOjXOyjOK5Fd5XFlz-rmeQ5s8cgT
My first deck comparison here:
youtu.be/HH_nkKRvNuQ
A little over a year ago, I made a video comparing 3 different cassette decks. Each one represented different price ranges - low end (Optimus SCT-86), entry level (Aiwa AD-R40), and mid-high range (JVC TD-V661).
Since then I bought more decks and other players. There's too many to choose, but the big dogs I've been featuring in my videos haven't been properly compared, so lets fix that!
Let me know in the comments about what differences you hear, which you thought sound best, and which decks actually surprised you in a good or bad way. My thoughts in the comments pinned below.
If you want to skip to the test clips, go to 6:20
Notes:
Recorded with Audacity at 24-bit 96 kHz saved in lossless FLAC.
100% line input level. No digital amplification except as noted below.
Digital amplification done with Audacity to match levels with other decks.
Digital Recording Equipment:
Integrated audio built into Asus Zenith Extreme
ESS SABRE9018Q2C - 113 dB SNR input
asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-ZENITH-EXTREME
Cassette:
1989 BASF Chrome Maxima II (NOS-see previous videos of unwrap)
Overwatch Soundtrack
Recorded on Nakamichi ZX-7 without noise reduction at up to 0 db
Cassette Decks/Portables Tested:
Nakamichi ZX-7 - 1981 - ($1000-$1300) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
Nakamichi RX-202 - 1982 - ($160-$300) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
JVC TD-V661 - 1993 - ($150-$220) (+3.8 db digital amplification)
Aiwa AD-R40 - 1989 - ($10-$60)
Optimus SCT-86 - 1990 - ($10-$55)
Aiwa HS-PC202 mIII - 1990 (?) - ($90-$130)
Sony WM-FX141 - 1999 - ($5-$20)
Price ranges as of September 2019 based on eBay, thrift store finds, and Facebook Market listings, etc.
To download the FLAC files so you can compare for youself, download them here:
drive.google.com/open?id=1EtV8FOjXOyjOK5Fd5XFlz-rmeQ5s8cgT
My first deck comparison here:
youtu.be/HH_nkKRvNuQ
