Marantz SD-57 Tape Deck Review

Is it worth buying a tape deck?
GIK Acoustics, global market leader for professional acoustic room treatment: gikacoustics.c...
If you'd like to support the channel you can buy me a beer here! Cheers! 🍻www.buymeacoff...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By buying through any of the links below I will earn commission to support the channel at no extra cost to you. Thank You.
U.K. Associate Links
Fosi Audio ZA3 amzn.to/4aeU6Tn
WORLDS BEST CABLES 1.5 Meter ULTIMATE - 9 AWG amzn.to/431R1DE
WORLDS BEST CABLES 1.5 Meter ULTIMATE - 7 AWG amzn.to/3P5tEDs
Scart to HDMI Converter amzn.to/4bLjPV1
Leak Stereo 130 amzn.to/3ujKN5e
Leak CDT CD Transport amzn.to/3urKxkq
Marantz Cinema 70s amzn.to/3Ph7pef
Marantz NR1200 amzn.to/3YXzRVA
AV Receivers amzn.to/3JMmPT5
Wharfedale Speakers amzn.to/3mYyrbO
Amazon Music amzn.to/3Jk9q3W
Amazon Prime amzn.to/3KXahYJ
Amazon Kids amzn.to/3L1Hr9H
U.S. Associate Links
Fosi Audio ZA3 amzn.to/49O9g25
WORLDS BEST CABLES 8 Foot Ultimate - 9 AWG amzn.to/3v3xMwN
WORLDS BEST CABLES 8 Foot Ultimate - 7 AWG amzn.to/48SsUc1
RCA Svideo to HDMI Converter amzn.to/4bEIlqL
Marantz Cinema 70S amzn.to/45SU0OQ
AV Receivers amzn.to/3pSNiWZ
Wharfedale Speakers amzn.to/3nl0iTR
Amazon Prime 30 day trial amzn.to/3JhS1Zy
Amazon Music amzn.to/3IhOclW

[@fergusjohn9720]

I've had the Denon version of this, (exactly the same just rebranding) for almost 15 years and am very pleased with recording and playback quality

[@chrislj2890]

That almost made me crave a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. I recently got a very nice TEAC V-6030S cassette deck on eBay that has 3 heads, Dolby S and HX-Pro. It was a Japan model in mint condition with all new belts and it was not inexpensive. You got a great deal.

[@adaboy4z]

I finished restoring 4 of my own tape decks two Yamahas K-350 and K-850, Nakamichi RX-202 and a Vector Research VCX-300. They sound wonderful!

[@nuznikas]

Also have aiva cx 80mz cassette reciever with bbe processing very interesting sound enhancement

[@Rockin_Kat]

0:10 I'm knocked out :D 3:11 I love your sense of humor. It has reached a new level.

[@Rockin_Kat]

Decks of 1987-1995 period from Aiwa, Sony, A&D with a frequency response of 15-21000Hz sounds phenomenal, for high-quality recording it is better to take them, or something from Nakamichi. Marantz SD-57 produces 25-18000Hz, and it seems to me that the recording without Dolby would be better, but with Dolby S it sounds blurry.

[@shemsureshot]

This reminds me I dug my Sony mini disc player out of the loft a while back and it still sounds so good today. I thought it sounded better than streaming from my iPhone.

[@johnjudge6601]

I've a pioneer and aiwa and love them 3 head decks, I've also a dual deck Sony with auto reverse, sounds great

[@AllHandlesHaveBeenTaken]

I miss my technics cassette deck. I loved it

[@chrisnunya7171]

Turntables & cassette decks are right up my alley! I have a brand new (old stock) Sony dual cassette deck myself! By the way, I just ordered a set of "Worlds best cables" for my system on YOUR advise! lol Love the channel ol' buddy! 💯👏🏼👍🏻

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Ah cool, nice cables!

[@gogo-fk1lu]

It's nice to have physical media. With streamer, when you stop paying, you are left "empty-handed". I have everything from a fm and dab radio, a turntable, a CD player and of course a streamer, because I have to keep up with progress, because I don't live in a cave.

[@tjeerdkruidhof5808]

Same goes if you stop paying your electric bill 😂 no current is no music 😂

[@user-et2cc7he5z]

You Are The Best !😀😀😀. Love the opening , “Punches” , Good job..

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Thanks 😁

[@Gez492]

Sounded very decent fairplay. I had a e taoe decks back in the day two from the 80's and one mid /late 90's Sony 909es which had dolby S. Beautiful nachine. I still preferred my Aiwa 3 head ADF990 from mid 80's, though it was a devilishly complex machine which had the most amazing auto calibration system I have ever used, including vs Nakamichi. That deck could go toe to toe with the Nak's in my view. I rarely used Dolby because the S/N ratio was so good with chrome and metal on that deck that it always sounded better without it. It could even fool some people that a good Ferric tape was a Chrome. You could really push the saturation points of tapes. I had the gorgeous Sony machine from staff sales in Bridgend and bought a wack of Sony super metal ceramic master tapes cheap as chips in the staff shop, Still have a fair few. although was also a fan of Teac That's , Maxell and TDK MAXG 's as well as TDK Chrome. I'd so love another Cassette deck they can sound very very good, in fact so many people underestimate how good. Your Marantz just proved it. Top end machines now sell for stupid money. To think I let a working ADF990 out for the junkman. What a plonker I was. Because of that dumb error, I now tend never to part with my Gear. Getting pressure from my better half though!

[@nuznikas]

I have older marantz sd with b and c and also sound is sweet

[@supstersmodelrailways3202]

Good morning! Love my tape decks. It’s as you say about the media, watching the tape spoils move at different rates. Seeing the meters respond to the music. More bling colour the better! If you can try recording with the different Dolby settings. See if you prefer one against the other or non? What tape did you use? Great video. Keep them coming!

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Thanks, I used a TDK SA90 chrome tape.

[@drandall1000]

Again another fab review

[@AlexanderG-mi7ip]

So, it's all very nice, but will we ever see your record, tape and cd collection?

[@matytinman]

You better try without Dolby. On my Denon double recorder deck that I had many years ago, the sound was better without Dolby.

[@MisterYeko]

It depends how an cassette are prerecorded or how you set the NR to the deck you recorded. And also, even Cassette Types are also a thing. Unless most of the 90s Cassette decks are automatically recognized due to the knob inside of the mechanism on the deck. Since the 80s decks do have the option to set the EQ which type of Cassette you use. Like normal, Cro2 (chrome) and Metal tape. It can be annoying when prerecorded cassette have the normal tape shell and its prerecorded on Chrome, which is why you always get normal type on the 90s decks. Not many tapes where equally produced in any Countries. So they do have difference to the sound quality and the use of the prerecorded decodings. Noise Reduction is mostly used if the tape is decoded for the NR. So sometimes it gives a reasonable result (such as if the label says Dolby B or even S). The „Dolby System“ logo where mostly meant as Dolby B but by decoding doenst really get the same result by playback. To my opinion about Decks, they can have good sounds if you use it right to the Playback and how an cassette tape is recommended, Either Dolby NR or tape types. But its a mixed bag when the result are sometimes good, mid or bad. It can be a hazzle.

[@tjeerdkruidhof5808]

Yep! Next question! 😊👍 why do you think VHS died 😉

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

They were hunted into extinction! 😄

[@tjeerdkruidhof5808]

@@UTILITARIANTVUK or something better came along. I am all about the experience, so if that is why you keep one around, I am all for it, but sound quality wise it’s just obsolete 😁

[@davidrubert1536]

​@@tjeerdkruidhof5808Sorry for the intrusion. You are very wrong about using VCR VHS Hi-Fi to record only audio. Get a good brand, mid-level Hi-Fi VCR VHS, with RCA inputs and outputs. use a sealed NOS VHS tape and record using a DAC dongle from a tablet or cell phone from an HD audio streaming platform and your head will explode. The quality is the same as a CD, even if you record at slow speed (LP mode) the audio quality is not affected and a 240 min. It becomes an 8 hour tape. Try it and you won't regret it. Then you can transfer that recording to the computer using an inexpensive ADC, save it as a WAV or FLAC file and you will be paying off the paid subscription to the HD audio streaming platform. Think about it. I am not kidding.

[@vincebagusauskas278]

Well I must be a fool. I got hold of a a couple of Luxman cassette decks (free) including a K 105 that I have sent in for repairs. Why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Sounds awesome to me!

[@trondam]

Not bad at all 😎👍

[@acswales]

Hi Mart. Was that a metal tape used in the recording, or a type 1 or 2?

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Type 2, chrome.

[@turbomustang84]

I still have a DAT and DCC unfortunately they both need repair

[@turbomustang84]

Oh and a 10" reel to reel that still works beautiful

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

I have been looking at DCC players. Even ones selling for parts are expensive!

[@dmvinyl8326]

Have you seen the WAL-POL football match? 🙃🙃🙃

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

I had my memory wiped.

[@hankhill5409]

That thumbnail 😂

[@joc1016]

The elf on the shelf thing was rubbish

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

My mother liked it? 🤔

[@joc1016]

@@UTILITARIANTVUK But your marantz tape deck is cool

[@joc1016]

@UTILITARIANTVUK When you where talking with the high pitched voice I felt like I needed a boxing glove on a spring like Jack nickelson as joker.

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

@@joc1016 ok, you're back in the club. 👍🤣

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

@@joc1016 Unfortunately, that's my normal voice. The voice you normally hear is edited. 🙄