Nakamichi CR-7A Cassette Deck - Restored

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General:

This tape deck is in stock ready to ship!

These usually have a 3 month lead-time if not more.

Here's your chance to own a fully working CR-7A.

These are always in crazy high demand thanks to the full manual azimuth control. Desirable by savvy pro recording studios and HiFi enthusiasts in the know. 

We've shipped this model more than once to special facilities archiving rare or historical tapes to digital. 

Please do not try to purchase one of these that has not undergone a full restoration as it will surely lead to tears. Lifespan is 12-15 years before requiring service as all the rubber components disintegrate over time. 

This super clean machine was fully serviced including the replacement of all consumable belts, rollers, and wheels. The power supply was recapped and received a full cleaning, lubrication, and calibration. 

The result is factory-like performance in both playback and recording. The front display is super bright, both meters are responsive, and the drive mechanism engages quietly and quickly.

Watch this walkthrough from our YouTube for complete details (*From a past CR-7A that has since sold)

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Some light scratches on the front panel, some heavier scratches visible at the top. Overall good condition for its age.

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

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
7/10 = Good. One or two minor scratches. Well Maintained. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab.

Included:
Just the Unit

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Specs:
3-Head Single Cassette Deck

Heads:
1 x Record, 1 x Playback, 1 x Erase

Motor:
1 x Reel, 1 x Capstan, 2 x Mechanism

Tape Type:
Type I, CrO2 (Type II), and Metal (Type IV)

Dolby Noise Reduction:
B, C

Frequency Response:
18 Hz to 21 kHz (Metal Tape Type IV)

Signal to Noise Ratio:
72 dB (Dolby C)

Wow and Flutter:
0.027%

Total Harmonic Distortion:
0.8%

Input:
50mV (line)

Output:
1V (line)

Dimensions:
17-1/8" x 5-5/16" x 12"

Weight:
19.89 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.