Nakamichi ZX-7 Cassette deck - Overhauled in 2022

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General:
The Nakamichi ZX-7 is an incredible vintage cassette deck with everything you need. It features three heads, super desirable manual azimuth control, double capstans, plus Dolby B and C noise reduction. 

Manual azimuth control helps to extract the very best sound quality from your vintage pre-recorded tapes and priceless live and home recordings. We've sold many of our bigger-brother Nakamichi CR-7A decks with this specific feature to recording studios, bands, and even governments because it can restore fidelity from damaged or roughly recorded tapes.

This particular machine was serviced and is working beautifully. It was an extensive service; For instance a total of 161 capacitors were replaced on this cassette deck! This level of service is rarely seen. It will come with a paper documenting the overhaul.

More from Nakamichi:
The ZX-7 features Nakamichi Discrete Head Technology in which record, play and erase heads are mechanically as well as electrically independent.
Mechanical independence reduces crosstalk and allows each head to be contoured for smoothest response.
Of even more importance, the mechanically independent heads of the ZX7 can be adjusted individually for proper azimuth and allow the user to readjust record-head azimuth to correct for differences in tape path from cassette to cassette.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Very light signs of use. No significant scratches or marks. Overall great.

SkyFi Technical Notes:
This deck received an extensive overhaul by Dan Barham in 2022. The work included the replacement of many of the aging and known to fail parts. All of the caps were replaced. The transport was extensively reworked, and the unit was calibrated and tested.

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:
Second Owner

Connections:
RCA input and output, Remote

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

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:
Just the unit and power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Specs:
Heads: 1 x record, 1 x playback, 1 x erase
Motor: 1 x reel, 1 x capstan
Tape Type: type I, CrO2 (type II), Metal (type IV)
Noise Reduction: B, C
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 21 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:
17.71" x 5.31" x 11.8" (450 x 135 x 300mm)

Weight:
21 lbs.

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

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.