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Yamaha KX 380 cassette deck

For rubber (belts and rollers) I use first Platenclene (sparingly), let it rest, then wipe it off with isopropanol.

As for why belts from specific sources have the reputation of being 'bad', while they also have thousands of 'happy' customers: there is more to a cassette deck belt than just its macro dimensions. Thickness, compliance, and surface finish all play an important role in determining exactly how the motor power is transferred to the tape. The slightest mishap adds to wow and flutter. Sure, the deck 'works', but ...

The days that original belts were available are long since gone. All that is left now are generic belts. Specialist hobbyists are on a perpetual quest to seek out those belts that still work properly. There are a few outfits that recently starting making new belts aimed at decks, i.e. Russel/PRB and Dynamic Technology, but while generally a bit better, they often still are a crap shoot.
 
Sorry but the 580 is inferior to the 300 and 500 if you don't need dolby S, the 300 and 500 have an amorphous head, a better transport and less complex signal path (no 4066 switches). The 580 is very overrated in my view
 
Just acquired a new (to me) KX-390 which is pretty much the same as the KX-380. The reason why I'm adding a note to this little old thread.

So far I'm really liking it. It has useful controls, all in the right places.
Sounds very pleasant and competent especially on metal tapes where it comes darn close to actual Hifi.

Only trouble being that metal tapes cost nearly as much as the deck itself these days.

Still, it's fun digging through the old collection of cassettes.
A bit of nostalgia.

 
I've had the KX-390 for a couple of months now, so here is a mini review.

The most astounding thing to me is a total absence of flutter which on a budget cassette deck I was fully expecting tbh.

Even on solo piano recordings including the higher registers. It's as stable sounding as the original.

I have to say that the cassette format is obviously anachronistic in this day and age, so I'm really just indulging in nostalgia for it's own sake.

When it sounds so good even with basic ferric tapes it's such a shame the cassette format is redundant nowadays.
 
You are doing it for fun as you mentioned, I did the same, got Maxell ur tapes from Amazon, I would go for it, it may suprise you. Try to get Dolby c or s if possible.
 
I've been working on a few interesting decks recently, a Philips N5748, part of the "Black tulip" range and very expensive when new. 3 ferrite heads, a huge Papst direct drive motor and insustrial transport. Replacement 3d printed gears fitted, new belts/pinch roller and a full recap. Sounds amazing. And two 3-head Tandbergs, a TCD-330 and a 440A, both 3 head, again a full recap, new belts and pinch rollers, full service and so on. They are fantastic sounding decks and on a par with just about any Nakamichi, the Nak's are arguably better from a techinical perspective but the Tandbergs are always musical and enjoyable.
 
df_genius said:
I've been working on a few interesting decks recently, a Philips N5748, part of the "Black tulip" range and very expensive when new. 3 ferrite heads, a huge Papst direct drive motor and insustrial transport. Replacement 3d printed gears fitted, new belts/pinch roller and a full recap. Sounds amazing. And two 3-head Tandbergs, a TCD-330 and a 440A, both 3 head, again a full recap, new belts and pinch rollers, full service and so on. They are fantastic sounding decks and on a par with just about any Nakamichi, the Nak's are arguably better from a techinical perspective but the Tandbergs are always musical and enjoyable.
Click to expand...

At least Tandberg never came up with the bright idea of having a conservatory where the tape compartment door should have been.

https://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/3472739-88ef9871-nakamichi-rx-505-rare.jpg

I'd agree re comparable sound quality, but Tandberg's reliability on cassete decks was always second to the best Japanese products.
 
notevenclose said:
At least Tandberg never came up with the bright idea of having a conservatory where the tape compartment door should have been.

https://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/3472739-88ef9871-nakamichi-rx-505-rare.jpg

I'd agree re comparable sound quality, but Tandberg's reliability on cassete decks was always second to the best Japanese products.
Click to expand...

And those Nakamichi RX well covers often get lost. The Tandbergs do need re-capping as they can be fitted with a few types of european capacitors that don't age well, yellow can axials and so on. The Philips also has many of the blue axials in which can go bad over time. I would like to own a Tandberg 3014 but they are crazy money now.
 
Hello all,

Sorry for my bad English (using google translator)

If I may allow myself a few remarks from my point of view, concerning the Tandbergs and Nakamichi.
The 2 brands are very reliable over time, but there are mainly mechanical differences between these two brands.

.Tandberg the mechanics are not as well done as on the Nakamichi:

.the heavy flywheels of the double capstan do not have polished ranges (330, 440, 3004 and 3014), similar problem with the Linn LP12, appearance of this feature on the Naks from the ZXL.ZXE series.. ..but this can be done, great improvement in the signal/noise ratio, you can also change the autolube bronze bearings to more precise ones or even opt for nylon bearings, or simpler to use molybdenum disulphide to take up play

. the parts holding the pinch-rollers are simple on Tandberg and therefore lack rigidity, whereas they are double on the Naks.

.but above all the big problem concerning the Tandbergs is the pinch-rollers, especially the first (the smallest), in fact the pinch rollers of the Tandbergs have a hollow profile when they should have a rounded profile, have in find correct ones.

.To finish the heat of the excessive food on the Tandbergs (but it is valid a little for all the Tandberg products(3014).

In any case, you have to do a full recap, and adjust all the mechanics and electronics, see modify each other.

But Tandberg and Nakamichi are the best

Regards
 
KX-380 is a fair-sounding tape deck, under-rated. While it won't set the world alight like a good and well-serviced Nak, or a solid 3 head Pioneer etc, it can produce good recordings if one takes time to set the record bias for the particular tape being used. It's a bit of a faff as it's 2 head, you need to set level and then record a slow sweep varying the bias - playback and choose the best-sounding setting to make your recording with. Decent, though not as solidly-built as an early 80's deck.

If you were buying one that needed service, better to get an old Nak and get that serviced. a BX300 will eat a KX380 for breakfast.
 
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