This is it.

You have found calibration tapes for your nakamichi deck

Now some frequently asked questions:

How good is this set of tapes?

They are not the originals, but definitively quite as goods, and certainly excellent for bringing back to life miss-aligned decks. Read customer's feedback hereunder!

Is this all I need to calibrate my deck?

No. You need more gear. At least a Digital Multimeter, and service manual for your deck. The calibration manual I provide here can serve you as a guide only. I can also provide an electronic copy of the Service Manual for most decks. Please bear in mind this is not a product provided in this sale, only a service to my customers.

What if it doesn't work for me? Can you provide technical support?

The tapes do work for you and everybody else. Sometimes you may have questions, and I would definitively try to help via email on a best effort basis. Other than this, I can take your deck for service.

Are this tapes good for my Nakamichi cassette deck Model XYZ ?

Certainly, they are. These tapes are good for ALL Nakamichi cassette decks.

Are this tapes good for my cassette deck brand X ?

Yes, they are. Well mostly. Track alignment and azimuth are common to the cassette standard, so they will be good. 3KHz speed cassette is good too, because speed is also a standard. 400Hz level tape may not suit your brand X, as this a Nakamichi standard. For example, Yamaha decks use a different level reference, so this one should not be used on Yamahas.

Are these tapes full track?

No, they are 2 track recordings.

Is the 1Khz tape an intra-track recording like the Nakamichi original?

No. It is a 2 track recording - this is why you need to look for maximum output, not minimum.

How much are they?

This calibration tapes and Test Tone Set are yours for only 65€, plus S&H, 5EUR to western europe, 10EUR elsewhere. Please use the PAYPAL button above!

How much is shipping and handling? Can I pick them up? Can you ship via (your-favourite-courier-here)?

You are welcome to pick them up in Madrid. Other way, I can ship worldwide for 10€. Other courier express methods available on request. Please note: Even though it has not yet happened, I can not (never ever) be liable for items lost in post. If you don't agree with this, please do not buy. Should you need to track the shipment or want insurance, I can arrange the courier of your choice (like DHL or UPS), please ask before buying!

When will my tapes arrive?

Tapes are made to order. Usually recording is completed in the next 2 - 3 business days. They are then brought to shipping dept. and to the post office in another 1-2 business days. Parcels then usually reach Western Europe within a week, rest of Europe in about 10 days, and rest of the world before 2 weeks. Your mileage may (will) vary. 

What's in the package?

Two alignment cassettes, a Test Tone link to download te tone set, a measured performance document.

I would also need a set of belts / parts, and a Service Manual for my deck . Can you help?

Yes, I can source belts for your deck, and sometimes other parts. Please contact me at luis at naks.es and we will discuss the matter. Should you need a Service Manual, I can provide an electronic copy of the Service Manual for most decks - not all. This is not a product provided in this sale, only a service to my customers.

I see a lot of gear, decks and more on the pictures. Are they included in the sale?

No. Scopes, decks, gauges, original calibration tapes, or any other gear or goods are NOT INCLUDED in this sale. Read "What's in the package?" above.

I have several other questions regarding my cassette deck. Can you help?

I will gladly try to help, or redirect your questions to the appropriate forums and mailing lists. Some of the most common Nakamichi Cassette Decks' problems an solutions, can be found in my Nakamichi pages, at naks.es. You are also encouraged to join the NakTalk mailing list. Please visit http://naks.com

These tapes are defective! I can't hear anything recorded on the 15KHz tape!

The tape is - most probably - good. Your deck is probably way off azimuth, so no signal is read - or heard. Besides, if you see the meters moving but still can't hear the tone, it could be you simply can't hear up to 15KHz - something that happens after a certain age.

Playback head height (track alignment) should be adjusted to obtain MAXIMUM (not minimum) readings at output terminal. This puts the deck in the same track alignment position as the original Nakamichi test tape. Side B includes my own wow and flutter (very low) and should be used to adjust speed, or detect severe wow & flutter problems.

After completion, the tapes are rechecked, and measured. A calibration report is then issued, and sent along with the tapes.

These are a must have if you intend to do some adjustment on your deck, and are for sale! The set of two tapes, cost 75EUR plus s&h, 5EUR to western europe, 10EUR elsewhere. They are payable by paypal, or international money transfer if you are located in Europe. You can write to me for further details: luis at naks.es

Thanks for looking !

And now some UNASKED-FOR FEEDBACK FROM HAPPY NAKAMICHI ENTHUSIASTS

(email addresses available on request), left for me on NAKTALK forum, from naks.com :

From Tadej Marinko, Nov. 28th 2007:

Hi Luis,

At present, after all adjustments have been done, I would like too share my experience with you and all other nak lovers :

After purchasing nak 628zx in great technical and optical condition, I soon found out that all recorded tapes were sound terrible on all other decks (nakamichi, non nakamichi and even car decks).

I was despairly search for the solution on the net, and at the end found Luis.I ordered immediately test tapes from Luis and calibrated my nak following his test-cal instructions. And now at this very moment may nak in calibrated and I`am happy again.

Especially I must emphasize Luis`s full cooperation at all time.

Thank`s Luis for your support.

Best regards

Tadej Marinko

From Dan Barham, July 27st 2007:

Hi Luis,

    I bought a set of your cal tapes a while back and they are awesome! Since then, I've also managed to acquire a few genuine Teac test tapes [...] after setting the PB azimuth with your alignment tape and my Tektronix oscilloscope , I compared the setting to a genuine Teac 14kHz azimuth tape and also a 6kHz head alignment tape and they all matched exactly. Good job on those tapes! You really are providing a valuable service to us do-it-yourself Nakkers who can't get original Nak tapes. Keep up the good work and I am eagerly watching the progress on the alignment jigs you, Tom and a few other NakTalk members are working on.

Warmest regards,

Dan Barham

Again from Tim Skorick, March 24st 2007:

I just adjusted yet another deck with Luis' tapes (my other 582) and it sounds fantastic.  Whether or not it's precisely what the Nak originals would do or not is irrelevant when these decks now sound better than they have since I've owned them.  Excellent work Luis!

-Tim

From Tim Skorick, March 2nd 2007:

So after a few weeks of taking care of other urgent matters, I finally got around to the adjustment on my RX-202.  Normally I work on older model Naks, this was the first of the RX series I'd worked on, and I have to say it was a bit of a pain.

In any event, using Luis' excellent calibration tapes, I found that VR101 and VR201 needed .2 turns counter-clockwise, and the R/P head needed .125 turns clockwise to hit the proper levels on my old-ass RCA VTVM and sound perfect again.  The RX-202 lacks a lot of the easily-accessible adjustment avenues that other Naks have, and I don't know that it even has a head height adjustment option, so Luis' tapes were a lifesaver.

-Tim

From Bob Naylor, Dec. 21st 2006:

Good morning Nak-ers,

This is concerning Luis' alignment tapes.  I bought a set from Luis.  On 6 tape decks, 2 MR1's, cassette deck 1, cassette deck 1.5, cassette deck 2, and a cheapie Sony, I could not hear anything on the 15Khz tape on all decks.  Luis sent me another tape just in case there was a problem with the first one.  Well It was my mistake.  Once I got the azimuth adjusted on the "cassette deck 1", the tone was there!  That's the only deck of these 6 that has an external azimuth adjustment and the only deck I could hear the tone (after using the external adjustment).

My point here is that Luis was a great help in helping me with this and was very generous in sending me another, half way across the planet!

Thank you very much Luis!  The other tape is in the mail today on it's way back to you!

Happy Holidays all!

Bob

From  Adrian Finn, November 11th, 2006:

hi all..

just wanted to put out a public thank you to luis for his calibration tapes..

i got a quick and excellent service from him with a bit of technical support too!

My Nak collection has been slowly growing, I now have an orange cap. sickly 680, a 480, a dead 582 and a 682ZX i've won tonight on eBay with a broken eject lever!

I used the calibration tapes on my 480 which was going to sit in for my 680 while I tried to replace all the orange caps...

I managed to go through about 60% of the service manual's electrical adjustments so far... I'm going to do the last ones when I get my new cam motor belt...    Even though I'm quite new to this and don't have much electronics experience I'm really pleased and surprised by the results I've obtained so far..

My 480 sounds like a different machine, not as good as my 680 but really enjoyable.. I've been listening to tapes all day on it.. I've actually started to quite like the funny way the transport keys lock down..

I know without all the transport gauges and some of the more specialized test gear I'll never be 100% sure of getting all the calibration correct but I'd definitely recommend these tapes for anyone with a few DIY skills and an interest in getting their Nak's to sound as good as they can..

Thanks again to Luis and this list!

adrian

Please use the PAYPAL link below to buy this set of Calibration Tapes !

This Calibration Tapes and Test Tone Set are yours for only 65€, plus S&H, 5EUR to western Europe (anything west of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, and south of Germany), 10EUR elsewhere using STD Air mail. Should you prefer to pick them up here in Madrid, or use your prepaid courier of choice, please use the option “No shipping” when buying. Should you still have questions, please drop an email to luis at naks dot es

Thanks for looking !