Sony TC-WE475 - Are entry level cassette decks worth it for the hobby ?

Lots of videos review higher end cassette decks like Nakamichi, Teac or Denon. Is a $20 cassette deck from the pawn shop worth it ? Let's find out ! Let's say the results might be a surprise...

[@asher3491]

Picked one of these up for $8 at a thrift store. Figured it wouldn’t be amazing but just good enough. And I guess it is exactly good enough. Thank you. I appreciate the comparison of audio and your thoughts as somebody who knows a lot about this sort of tech.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

These are good, don't get me wrong. They are HIFI devices with enough quality to enjoy cassettes. They might not be on par with Denon or Nakamichi, but much better than a boombox.

[@GOGGLETUBESUCKS4UIC]

When you buy a used cassette deck be sure to make sure it was serviced and fully tested. I have had a few returns already on eBay that ate my tape or did not work properly.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

OH you're definitely right. Luckily I'm able to do some servicing on these things, like replacing the belts or cleaning the heads and rollers. This Sony had nothing done to it, it was in a plug and play condition. But most of the time, something has to be done to them.

[@daveleblanc1791]

Don't know about you but I would never use a normal bias tape for playing or recording. Store bought titles used normal bias material. Back in the day, I recorded my albums from a good Technics turntable to a Sony Deck using High bias tapes. Normal bias lacked the ability to reproduce high frequencies thus leading to a dull sounding recording.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

It depends on the tape. Some type I were good. Sadly enough finding a good type Ii is hard nowadays. But you are right on this

[@DarronBirgenheier]

I just bought one of these at a thrift store in Winnemucca, Nevada for $5. All I've done with it so far is plug it in to see that the display lights up, and also I had a look at the heads and pinch rollers (all looked clean). Should be fun to play with!

[@MrAnalogDan12]

good catch !

[@marie-linemattone1968]

Alors Dan, c’est sûrement très intéressant et très pointu pour un initié qui comprend l’anglais de surcroît,mais étant abonnée je regarde quand même,et j’espère 🤞 que vous aurez beaucoup de commentaires plus intelligents que le mien ! A très bientôt. DeProvence.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

Merci. Cette chaine est positive. Mon but, c'est de partager ce que j'apprécie, et votre commentaire est positif, donc tout à fait à sa place ici. Merci encore !

[@windowsuser321]

The nice thing about these decks is that because they are new, they are less likely to need significant service. I just picked up one of these again recently, I got rid of one years ago and regretted it almost immediately. I have had so many tape decks - Onkyo, Kenwood, Nakamichi, JVC, Technics, and a lot of them, even with servicing, gave up *something* because of their age. I'm more liable to trust this Sony.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

I cannot agree more. And these are really cheap.

[@Hankerang]

Honestly, for the comparison at the beginning, the tape sounds much warmer and better to me. It's not so tinny.

[@MrAnalogDan12]

And all this with an afforbable deck !