Onkyo TA-2025
A two-head cassette deck from Onkyo's mid-1980s TA-series, built for high-fidelity tape playback and recording on metal, CrO2, and standard Type I tapes.
Overview
The Onkyo TA-2025 is a stereo cassette deck made in Japan. It belongs to Onkyo's TA-series, along with the TA-2015, TA-2035, and TA-2070. It has 2 heads - one for record and playback, and a separate erase head. It records 4-track, 2-channel stereo at the standard speed of 4.8 cm/s. It takes all the major tape types: Type I (ferric), CrO2 (Type II), and metal (Type IV). Dolby B noise reduction is there to improve signal-to-noise performance during playback.
Frequency response depends on the tape type: 20 Hz to 15,000 Hz for Type I, 20 Hz to 16,000 Hz for CrO2, and up to 17,000 Hz with metal tape. The deck draws 18 watts and weighs 4.5 kg. Dimensions are 418 mm (W) × 100 mm (H) × 270 mm (D). It was originally priced at approximately 650 Deutsche Mark and came in silver or black.
Design
The deck uses a single DC servo motor for capstan drive and two additional DC motors, likely for tape transport functions. Its 2-head system separates erase and record/playback functions, allowing for optimized head alignment and reduced crosstalk during recording.
Market
As of 2025, used units have been listed for as little as 62 BGN or 560 PLN, though condition varies. A service manual was available for €25 in late 2023. One listing notes a unit "HAS ISSUES," but the available sources document no specific common failures or widespread reliability concerns.
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