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Sir.Byrd
03-08-2008, 11:33 PM
So I got this tape deck at my favorite store GoodWill. It caught my eye because of how you loaded the tapes, you push the door up and it latches and then there is about 4 inches that you put the tape back, and then you push it down into it. There is also a mirror for some reason, but its harder to see the mirror than it is to see the tape.

Is there any reason for this way of loading the tapes?
Model TC-5115

I'll post a picture tomorrow.
Rat44
03-08-2008, 11:35 PM
Do you have a model number?
Sir.Byrd
03-08-2008, 11:59 PM
Do you have a model number?

Model number TC-5115,
like I posted ;)
Rat44
03-09-2008, 12:40 AM
Oops.Are you sure its not a TC-511S?
Sir.Byrd
03-09-2008, 01:02 AM
Oops.Are you sure its not a TC-511S?

So it is. =D
Rat44
03-09-2008, 01:34 AM
Many older decks were not very user friendly.The mirror was supposed to make it easier to see the tape.Many of my older Technics were that way.By the way,the Yamaha decks are pretty decent.You might get lucky with that one.Vintagecassette.com has some basic specs on it.
mhardy6647
03-09-2008, 05:32 AM
I always liked that deck. Very simple and no nonsense; sounds good (at least when they were new).
OscarEmmy
03-09-2008, 06:09 AM
Project One decks and even some early Pioneers I think had a similar loading angle - almost a halfway house between the original horizontal decks and the final vertical decks with which we are all familiar. The big problem with this design, for me at least, is that inspecting and cleaning the heads and rollers is a pain in the butt.
mhardy6647
03-09-2008, 08:25 AM
Let's see if this works
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79200
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79201
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79202
Sir.Byrd
03-09-2008, 11:11 AM
Well it is in perfect condition. It was $10. It doesn't sound quite as good as my H/K CD-401 tape deck, although that was originally $750 while the Yamaha was $237
Sir.Byrd
03-17-2008, 08:01 PM
Pictures, flash so you can see the depth of the loader.
hammr7
03-17-2008, 08:53 PM
You'll have a tough time besting the 401. While there are a few other HK decks that claim slight improvements, and a few other decks that claim better specs (pretty much Naks), I'd put the recording performance of the 401 with any of them, and the playback just as good for those tapes originally recorded on it.
Sir.Byrd
03-17-2008, 09:13 PM
You'll have a tough time besting the 401. While there are a few other HK decks that claim slight improvements, and a few other decks that claim better specs (pretty much Naks), I'd put the recording performance of the 401 with any of them, and the playback just as good for those tapes originally recorded on it.

The 401 with type 4 tapes sounds way better than all other formats. Vinyl, cd, mp3, etc. The best part about it is that I got the deck for free.
Fred Sanford
03-18-2008, 05:58 AM
Pictures, flash so you can see the depth of the loader.

My Teac A150s loaded like that, the mirror was supposed to help see how much tape was left.

Nice looking deck.

je
Sir.Byrd
03-18-2008, 01:39 PM
My Teac A150s loaded like that, the mirror was supposed to help see how much tape was left.

Nice looking deck.

je

You have to lean down even more to see the mirror =P
SkyLounger
03-18-2008, 09:01 PM
Nice looking deck indeed... very simple and classy!