Nakamichi Dragon Cassette Deck - Serviced w/Original Box

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General:
Working Dragons are becoming more and more difficult to find.

While legendary for their performance, they age over time and will eventually need service.

Servicing a tape deck of this complexity is particularly difficult. Truly a labor of love. Just getting the mechanism out is a long endeavor!

This particular unit received just that - a full service and test.

We replaced all the consumable components including the azimuth belt, mechanism belt, drive wheel rubber, both idler reels with springs etc.

The unit was cleaned, lubricated, demagnetized and fully tested for performance.

For those avid collectors you'll be pleased to know it comes with the rare original Nakamichi Box!

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
A few marks on the bottom of the front panel and some buttons, but otherwise very presentable.

Check out this Deep Dive from our YouTube channel from a previous Dragon we listed for sale:

Brand Background:
Nakamichi was founded in 1948 by Mr. Etsuro Nakamichi, starting from a small research institute in Tokyo, Japan that provided R&D for major brands, government entities, universities and organizations.

Since then, it has established itself as a trusted creator of high-quality audio products, such as the Nakamichi 1000, the world's first 3-Head cassette deck.
Nakamichi's product lines are driven by an intense scientific curiosity, the passion for audio, and commitment to uncompromising quality and performance.

Ownership:
Single Owner

Connections:
RCA inputs and outputs, remote output, DC output

General Sound:
Neutral sound with little to no coloration

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Unit and box

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Specs:
Type: auto reverse, 3-head, single compact cassette deck
Heads: 1 x record, 1 x playback, 1 x erase
Motor: 2 x capstan, 1 x reel, 1 x auto azimuth, 1 x mechanism
Tape Type: Type I, CrO2 (Type II), Metal (Type IV)
Noise Reduction: B, C
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 22 kHz  (Metal tape Type IV)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 72 dB  (Dolby C)
Wow and Flutter: 0.04%
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.8%
Input: 50mV (line)
Output: 1V (line)

Dimensions:
17.7 x 5.3 x 15.7"

Weight:
21 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1982

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Testing Process:
First steps are performed to determine if the unit is a candidate for our full restoration process, or if it's just in need of a light service.

We perform a basic functionality test to ensure proper playback, fast forward, and rewind. We look for smooth operation of the motors, transport engagement, and associated rolling parts.

We then do an internal physical inspection to ensure the belts and rubber consumable parts are up to spec.

Internal components are checked to make sure there are no signs of heat stress or damage, particularly in the power supply section. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

A light service will involve replacement of belts and rollers, external cleaning of heads, mechanism and boards, and basic record and playback tests.

A full restoration will often include disassembly of the drive system and replacement of all consumable and wearable parts including pinch rollers, belts, brakes, and bearings. We then clean, lubricate, and re-assemble the drive and perform basic mechanical alignment to ensure proper tape path and head alignment.

Final calibration will involve adjustment of the playback, erase, and record heads, along with optimization of the bias for a specific tape type. We do this with the aid of a Sound Technology 1510A tape deck analyzer plus a Nakamichi T-100 Audio Analyzer with reference calibration tapes.

Final listening tests are performed while monitoring with our reference Grado HP-1 headphones and a variety of factory and custom reference recordings We find that there is no better system for critical listening on tapes than with headphones, especially when comparing a live feed to a recorded feed.