Nakamichi 580 2 Head Cassette Deck

This Nakamichi 580 is a stereo cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction, it was first sold by Nakamichi in 1978 with a recommended retail price of USD $650 and discontinued 3 years later in 1981.

The main features of the Nakamichi 580 cassette deck are: 2 heads, mechanical 3 digit tape counter, manual tape type selection and capable of handling normal and chrome tapes with additional manual equalization selection, belt driven dual-capstan transport.

Typical front loading cassette deck with the cassette compartiment located on the left side of the deck. Tape eject is operated mechanically and the cassette needs to be placed with the side to be played facing forward in the cassette well which is opened by a damped mechanism. Additionally the compartement can be accessed easly for head cleaning by removing the well-cover.

Level meters used on the Nakamichi 580 cassette deck are analog needle VU reading meters. Full-logic transport controls used on the Nakamichi 580 let it respond to the slightest finger contact for fast and effortless transport function selection. Cue and review can be used to easily and quickly locate the beginning of a passage at two speeds.

To ensure the best response from the wide variety of tapes available adjustment of, bias and sensitivity, to optimum levels can be performed prior to recording.

The Dolby-B system reduces tape hiss on tapes recorded on the Nakamichi 580 by as much as 10 dB at the highest frequencies. The 19kHz multiplex pilot slgnal present in FM stereo broadcasts can cause false triggering of the noise reduction system. The switchable MPX filter of the 580 filters out the pilot signal, and assuring proper Dolby processing of FM stereo programs.

For undisturbed listening a jack connector for a pair of stereo headphones is supplied. Connection to other audio components for plaback can be achieved by a RCA cable and recording from a source by a RCA cable. All main transport commands can be issued remotely with a wired remote control.

• Diffused-Resonance Transport
• Double Capstan
• Silent Mechanism
• Asymmetrical Dual Capstans