The Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck was produced from 1984 to 1987 and manufactured in Japan as a 3-head stereo cassette deck. Finished in black, the Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck formed part of Nakamichi’s ZX series and was designed around a 3-head layout, 3-motor transport, direct drive double capstan mechanism, Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduction, and manual bias adjustment.
The Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck uses three heads, allowing separate recording and playback head functions rather than relying on a simpler combined record/playback head arrangement. This made the Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck suitable for more serious recording use, with the 3-head configuration supporting source and tape monitoring during recording.
The transport system of the Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck uses three motors and a double capstan arrangement with direct drive. This transport layout was intended to provide stable tape running and consistent tape contact across the heads. The deck also includes rear tape control, adjustable output level and a switchable MPX filter.
The Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck supports Type I, Type II and Type IV cassette tapes. Recording setup includes adjustable bias, allowing the deck to be matched more precisely to the tape in use. Noise reduction is provided by Dolby B and Dolby C, with listed signal-to-noise performance of more than 64dB with Dolby B and more than 70dB with Dolby C.
Performance figures for the Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck include wow and flutter of 0.027% WRMS, frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz within ±3dB, and distortion below 1%. The deck provides line input, line output and headphone output connectivity, with a listed power consumption of 23W.
The Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck was also documented as the Japanese version of the Nakamichi BX-300E. With its 3-head design, 3-motor direct drive double capstan transport, Dolby B and C noise reduction, adjustable bias, Type I, Type II and Type IV tape compatibility, and 5.6kg construction, the Nakamichi ZX-5 Cassette Deck was a capable mid-1980s Nakamichi cassette recorder built around stable tape handling and flexible recording control.
Features
- 3-head stereo cassette deck
- 3-motor transport system
- Direct drive double capstan mechanism
- Type I, Type II and Type IV tape support
- Dolby B noise reduction
- Dolby C noise reduction
- Adjustable bias control
- Adjustable output level
- Switchable MPX filter
- Headphone output