Introduced in 1982, the Nakamichi RX-202 was a unidirectional auto-reverse cassette deck designed to provide the convenience of continuous playback and recording without using a conventional bidirectional transport. Rather than reversing the direction of the tape through the heads, Nakamichi’s Unidirectional Auto Reverse system physically disengaged the cassette, rotated it through 180 degrees, reloaded it and resumed operation. This allowed both sides of the cassette to be played or recorded while the tape always travelled through the transport in the same direction.
Nakamichi developed the system to avoid the bidirectional azimuth error associated with conventional auto-reverse cassette decks. In a normal reversing transport, the tape moves from left to right on one side and from right to left on the other. Small variations in the cassette shell and tape guides can cause the tape to contact the head at a slightly different angle after the direction changes, producing high-frequency losses and affecting noise-reduction tracking. By mechanically turning the cassette over and retaining a single tape direction, the Nakamichi RX-202 maintained the same head and tape relationship on both sides.
The Unidirectional Auto Reverse mechanism operated independently of the tape transport and therefore did not alter its mechanical design or precision. At the end of a side, the deck disengaged the cassette from the transport, rotated it, reinserted it and resumed operation. The sequence was controlled by a microprocessor intended to prevent incorrect operation and could perform the cassette reversal rapidly without requiring intervention from the user.
The Nakamichi RX-202 offered multiple auto-reverse operating modes. One-way operation played or recorded a single side, once-through operation continued from Side A to Side B, continuous operation repeated both sides, and one-way record-through mode supported uninterrupted recording across the cassette. The system could also detect the end of a side and reverse before the leader reached the heads, avoiding a prolonged silent section between sides.
Direct Operation simplified normal use. Inserting a cassette and pressing play automatically loaded the cassette, closed the door and entered playback. The deck could also be switched directly from one operating mode to another without first pressing stop. The microprocessor monitored the operating sequence and managed the transport functions automatically.
The Auto Rec Standby system was developed to make two-sided recording easier. One press rewound the cassette, passed over the leader, recorded approximately six seconds of blank tape, reset the counter and left the deck in record standby. Pressing Auto Rec Standby twice performed the same preparation on both sides, with the cassette automatically turned over between the two sequences.
The Nakamichi RX-202 used the same recording and erase heads for both sides because the cassette itself was reversed. This allowed the deck to preserve the same recording geometry and head relationship on each side rather than relying on separate reverse-direction head gaps. The arrangement was intended to provide consistent recording and playback performance on both sides of the cassette.
A single RP-2D record/playback head served both recording and reproduction functions. Nakamichi used a laminated sendust core with a 1.2-micron gap, designed to provide the flux-handling capability required for recording while retaining the sensitivity needed for playback. The head was shaped with Nakamichi’s hyperbolic contour and was specified to provide playback response extending to 20kHz.
The E-2D erase head used a double-gap design and a low-loss ferrite core. This allowed a high-frequency, high-level erase field to be applied without excessive heating and supported complete erasure of high-coercivity metal tape. The Nakamichi RX-202 accommodated normal, chrome and metal formulations through independent tape and equalisation selectors.
The high-performance single-capstan transport was powered by four motors. One motor operated the Unidirectional Auto Reverse mechanism, another drove the reels, a third powered the capstan and a fourth operated Nakamichi’s Motor-Driven-Cam control system. The capstan used a DC servo motor, while the reel drive used a specially developed motor intended to provide consistent torque.
The Motor-Driven-Cam system controlled transport engagement without relying on conventional solenoids. It generated less heat and was designed to move the heads into position gently. A microprocessor monitored the cam position and inserted any necessary operating steps to allow direct mode changes without damaging the tape.
Nakamichi stated that the transport avoided excessive reel torque and chassis vibration, both of which could contribute to flutter. The precision metal pulley and independent motor arrangement were intended to improve speed stability and minimise wow and flutter. The Nakamichi RX-202 was specified at less than 0.11% weighted peak and less than 0.06% WRMS.
The deck incorporated wide-dynamic-range recording and playback electronics using low-noise operational amplifiers. Nakamichi’s Double-NF circuit topology was used to reduce distortion and improve equalisation accuracy. The playback preamplifier also used Double-NF equalisation with selected low-noise transistors matched to the characteristics of the playback head.
The bias oscillator operated at 105kHz and used a high-frequency design intended to reduce even-harmonic distortion and improve recording-level stability. Extensive internal calibration controls were provided during manufacture, and Nakamichi stated that each Nakamichi RX-202 was individually adjusted and tested before leaving the factory. Bias and recording levels were set independently for each track and for normal, chrome and metal tape types.
Recording level was controlled through independent left and right sliders. A record-mute function allowed blank sections to be inserted while recording, and one-touch recording could be initiated directly. Levels were displayed by two fast-acting peak-reading LED indicators covering a 37dB range from -30dB to +7dB.
The Dual-Speed Master Fader allowed smooth recording fades. A single touch moved the master fader through a four-second fade, while holding the control produced a two-second fade. The fader could be used to fade out Side A and fade in Side B without changing the individual channel-level settings or interfering with recording mode.
The four-digit electronic tape counter included a minus-one display and supported memory stop and memory play operation. The Nakamichi RX-202 also provided automatic counter reset, allowing prepared recording and playback sequences to begin from a known counter position.
Independent tape-type and equalisation switches accommodated different cassette formulations. Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduction were provided, together with a defeatable MPX filter for FM recording. The deck also included adjustable output level and a headphone output with its own level control.
Timer-controlled recording and playback were supported, allowing the deck to begin operation through an external timer. The transport offered one-way, once-through and continuous playback modes, as well as recording across both sides through the cassette-reversal system.
The Nakamichi RX-202 combined its unusual cassette-turning mechanism with a conventional unidirectional transport, avoiding the compromises of a reversing head or bidirectional tape path. Its microprocessor-controlled operation, four-motor mechanism, dedicated auto-record preparation, direct transport control, Dual-Speed Master Fader and comprehensive recording facilities made it one of the most distinctive auto-reverse cassette decks of its period.
Features
- Unidirectional Auto Reverse cassette-turning mechanism
- Physically rotates and reloads the cassette at the end of each side
- Eliminates conventional bidirectional azimuth error
- One-way, once-through and continuous playback modes
- One-way record-through operation
- Microprocessor-controlled cassette reversal
- Direct Operation transport control
- Automatic cassette loading and playback initiation
- Auto Rec Standby for automatic two-sided recording preparation
- Automatic leader bypass and blank-header recording
- Single RP-2D record and playback head
- Double-gap E-2D erase head
- Four-motor transport system
- Single-capstan transport
- DC servo capstan motor
- Independent reel-drive motor
- Motor-Driven-Cam transport control
- Independent normal, chrome and metal tape settings
- Independent tape and equalisation selectors
- Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduction
- Defeatable MPX filter
- Independent left and right recording-level sliders
- Record-mute function
- One-touch recording
- Dual-Speed Master Fader
- Four-second automatic fades
- Two-second manual fades
- Two peak-reading LED level indicators
- Four-digit electronic tape counter
- Minus-one counter display
- Memory stop and memory play
- Adjustable output level
- Headphone output with level control
- Timer-controlled recording and playback
- More than 30 individual internal adjustments