Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1
The Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1 — also referenced in some sources as the CD-1 or "Cassette deck One" — was introduced around 1979–1980 as Nakamichi's deliberate attempt to offer a deck at a lower price than its premium 1000, 700, and 600 series models. At $450, it was the company's first budget-oriented two-head design, aimed at broadening the brand's reach without, ideally, surrendering its engineering identity.
The deck uses a two-motor transport: an outer-rotor direct-drive capstan motor paired with a separate reel motor. The record/play head is Nakamichi's own laminated Sendust design, and the unit offers a user bias adjustment — though this is a fixed-frequency (400 Hz) bias trim rather than a full alignment control. The deck has RCA line-level inputs and outputs, a stereo mini headphone jack, two analog VU meters with peak LEDs, and timer-start auto-record/pause functionality. Power consumption is rated at 36W.
The spec sheet quoted a frequency response of 30–20,000 Hz on normal tape and ±3 dB (30 Hz–18 kHz) with CrO₂ tape, with wow and flutter at a claimed 0.05% WRMS. Signal-to-noise was listed at 62 dB with Dolby B engaged on CrO₂ tape and 58 dB without noise reduction. THD at 0 VU with Maxell UD tape was rated at 1.0%. The deck weighs roughly 10.5 kg and measures approximately 430 x 125 x 300 mm (WxHxD), though some sources give slightly different figures for both.
HiFI-Stereo (May 1992, p.41) noted that the two capstan systems in this design were intentionally asymmetric so they would not share common resonance frequencies — a detail that could otherwise have increased wow and flutter.
The record here is mixed. Owners who love the CD-1 describe its sound as "amazingly natural" and praise its reliability. But technicians and more critical reviewers point out genuine compromises: there's no record-head azimuth adjustment, the internal bias adjustments are limited, and the front-panel bias control only affects the middle frequency range — it won't fully align a tape. The transport is also not the quietest; some owners note a slight motor noise compared to the whisper-quiet 1000/700 series.
Common failure points include the main belt (which goes bad and needs replacement), pinch roller wear, idler tire failure, and aging capacitors in the power supply and audio path. Dirty record/play switch contacts can cause "no output" issues. Nakamichi OEM belts are no longer available, but aftermarket replacements are sold by vendors like Marco's Belts and WJOE. Typical repair work involves cleaning and relubricating the mechanism, replacing the belt, and adjusting bias. Serviced units typically sell for between $200 and $400 on eBay, with one example selling for $275.
For a first attempt at a budget two-head deck, the CD-1 is a fascinating piece of Nakamichi history — a company known for three-head, calibration-heavy machines trying to distill its approach into something more affordable. It's not a Dragon, and it wasn't meant to be.
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