Nakamichi BX-3 (1979)
The Nakamichi BX-3 was introduced in 1979 as a Japanese-market cassette deck. It was part of a BX family that also included the BX-1 and BX-2, and the BX-3 sat at the top of that line. The BX-300, a later three-head model, was described as Nakamichi's lowest-priced three-head deck at $650 (HiFI-Stereo, December 1984, p.29). The BX-2 and BX-1 served as export variants, which is why the BX-3 itself is comparatively little known outside Japan. The record on this model is thin in places, and some published specs conflict depending on the source. The core identity is clear: a dual-capstan, two-head stereo deck from Nakamichi's early BX era.
The transport is what sets the BX-3 apart. The Vintage Knob describes a quartz-locked, direct-drive dual-capstan arrangement with a coreless DC servomotor, controlled by microprocessor-based feather-touch keys. That is serious transport technology for a deck positioned below Nakamichi's flagship 600/700 series. The record/playback head is Sendust, paired with a ferrite erase head. The BX-3 is a two-head design (combined record/playback), not a three-head machine like the later BX-300. Noise reduction was Dolby B and C, though Hi-Fi Engine lists only Dolby B. The deck handled both IEC I (Normal) and IEC II (CrO₂) tape, with 70µs equalization for chrome tape.
Japanese pricing at launch was reported as 552,000 yen by The Vintage Knob, though Hi-Fi Engine lists 884,000 yen. That is a big gap, and it likely reflects regional variants or tax treatment. Treat either figure with caution. Dimensions were 440 × 130 × 245 mm and it weighed 5.6 kg. Wooden side panels were available as an option.
A few specification conflicts between the two principal sources are worth flagging honestly. Frequency response is given as 20Hz–20kHz ±3dB by The Vintage Knob versus 20Hz–23kHz ±3dB by Hi-Fi Engine; signal-to-noise (Dolby off) is 63dB versus 66dB; wow and flutter is ±0.02% versus 0.045% WRMS. Without a service manual or period review to settle these, I'd treat them as approximate.
Little else is documented. No owner reviews specific to the BX-3 surfaced in the research, and no service manual or spare-parts information is readily available.
- Type: Stereo cassette deck, 4-track / 2-channel
- Transport: Dual-capstan, quartz-locked direct-drive, microprocessor-controlled feather-touch keys
- Heads: Sendust record/playback (combined), ferrite erase
- Noise reduction: Dolby B and C (The Vintage Knob); Dolby B (Hi-Fi Engine)
- Tape types: IEC I (Normal), IEC II (CrO₂), 70µs equalization for chrome
- Inputs: Line (70mV / 50kΩ), mic (0.3mV); Output: line 0.5V, headphone 25mW
- Power: 110–120 / 220–240V, 50/60Hz, 30W
- Dimensions / weight: 440 × 130 × 245 mm, 5.6 kg
- Accessories: Optional wooden side panels; remote control connector
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