[Rocket]

Hi Guys,

Its sorted as it was a bad interconnect cable. For the record to use a cassette deck with an SST Ambrosia preamplifier:

Copy - is used to enable recording between 2 cassette decks
Tape - is used to enable playback of the cassette deck thru the SST Ambrosia preamplifier i.e. as the source.
Select which source to record from ie. MM, MC, CD, Tuner and Aux

The user manual of the SST Ambrosia doesn't provide enough detail but I get there in the end with Greg C and Walter Leiderman's help and also my audiocircle colleagues. The first tape recording is a bit disappointing but it is only a cheap Maxell Type 1 and I have almost no idea how to use the Nakamichi cassette deck 

Regards Rod

[/mp]

Whilst I was there he was servicing a Kenwood SL07D turntable made during the 1980s.  A serious turntable and would cost a fortune to make these days. I just checked the prices in Australia and they are mid 20k's aud.

Kenwood L series were good stuff back in c.1980. I don't know how they'd fair against what's currently available at similar price points. Moving from a pair of L-07 amps to a Classe CA-200 was a significant upgrade.

[Rocket]

Hi Guys,

Well I've been experimenting with my Nakamichi CR7 cassette deck, making quite a few recordings and I have to say I am very impressed with the sound quality. I think I have a relatively good system and I can clearly tell differences when using poor recordings etc. I have been recording using my technics sl1200g turntable as the source with mofi recordings and also other good quality vinyl.

I actually find it very difficult to hear any differences at all between the source and the recordings that I have made. I still have no idea how to make adjustments using the azimuth or changing bias as it seems to be set and forget.

All in all I'm pretty happy with my vintage cassette deck.

Cheers Rod

[ArthurDent]

Thanks for the update Rod, good to hear it's working as desired and you're happy with the result. Listened to one of my oldest tapes not long ago, recorded on a TDK D-180 cassette, which even back in the day was an acknowledged low quality level tape, trading quality for length (90 min a side). Recommended for voice recording only. Likely recorded in the late 70's or very early 80's, not only did it play, but with only a few exceptions of random cuts it was surprisingly dynamic on the whole. Didn't approach the levels of the best CrO2 and other top line tapes, but really not bad.

Keep on spinnin', recording, and enjoying. 

JD