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My brother aquired this deck new back around 1985. He handed it down to me in 1992, and I used it in my hi-fi set until 1999 when one day the transport tray stopped functioning. The unit was put into storage until 2016 when I took it to a shop for repair. The technician told me had got it working again, but when I got it home, I found that while the tray opened and the tapes would play, but the UDAR mechanism wasn't spinning the tapes around. He ended up not billing me for the work he performed, and I just lived with manually flipping the tapes. I moved in 2019, and the unit was boxed up until last spring. See the video link from then showing that deck powers up, the tray opens, and that (after a bit of light manual coaxing) the UDAR mechanism flip function does what it's supposed to. However, I found that capstan was no longer operating, which lead me with the dilemma of either shipping the deck out for repair/refurbishment with a Nak specialist or putting it up for sale. I decided on the latter and would like to pass this engineering marvel along to someone will get it back up running so it can be appreciated and enjoyed!
The US$825 asking price for this Nakamichi RX-505 is a genuine bargain, sitting well below the 25th percentile of US$653 in the typical used market for this cassette deck. Based on the ground truth from four recent comparable USD listings, the median is US$1,351, while this price is significantly lower than that fair value, making it a strong deal for any enthusiast.
This unit is a worthwhile buy because the RX-505 is revered as an elite, state-of-the-art cassette deck featuring auto-reverse that preserves head alignment and dual Dolby B and C noise reduction for pristine sound. Its original 1984 MSRP of US$1,549 underscores its premium pedigree, and acquiring one now at US$825 offers excellent timing and rarity upside without the risk of missing accessories or known failure points that typically accompany higher-priced listings.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Nakamichi was founded in 1948 by Etsuro Nakamichi as a research institute in Tokyo, Japan, initially providing R&D services for major corporations and government entities before transitioning to consumer audio manufacturing under its own name beginning in 1972. The brand emerged from deep technical expertise in electromagnetism, magnetic recording, and acoustics, establishing itself as a pioneering force in Japanese audio engineering. Today, Nakamichi operates as a subsidiary of Chinese holding company Nimble Holdings, maintaining its heritage while expanding into contemporary audio categories.
The brand built its legendary reputation on cassette deck innovation, introducing the world's first three-head recording deck and the iconic Dragon series (1982), which featured bi-directional replay and automatic azimuth correction—innovations that remain highly sought after by collectors, with pristine examples commanding thousands of dollars on the secondary market. Beyond vintage cassette decks, Nakamichi's modern product portfolio encompasses home cinema audio systems, sound bars, speakers, headphones, mini hi-fi systems, automotive stereo products, and automotive lighting solutions, reflecting a diversification strategy that extends its audio expertise across multiple consumer segments.
Nakamichi occupies a distinctive position bridging vintage collectibility and contemporary consumer audio. The brand commands respect among audiophiles and hi-fi enthusiasts for its uncompromising engineering standards and Japanese precision, while simultaneously serving the automotive and mainstream home audio markets. Its legacy as an innovator in analog audio technology, combined with its evolution into modern product categories, positions Nakamichi as a heritage brand with credibility across both specialist and general consumer segments.
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