[raghunath]

Dear knowledgeable folks at HeadFi,
 
Please tell me what are the best portable cassette players still around? The stuff that I am gonna do involves relocation and tape to mp3 conversion, and I want to do it the best possible way. So any ideas? I have heard about Sony WM-D6C and Marantz PMD-430. Are they good?

 

[Nagasaki_Kid]

If you want to do tape to mp3 conversion.Why go with portable cassette players and not a good three head cassette deck(maybe something nakamichi or kyocera). also aiwa had a couple of advance cassette player near the end of the era

 

[raghunath]

I know about Nakamichis, but what I want should be portable. And I think Marantz PMD 430 is three head. I also think it has azimuth correction, and dolby and idx filtering. My problem is, all the reviews that I read about these things are about their recording prowess, and not about playback. Thats the trouble. Also, it can be that while these are best portable recorders out there, there can be better portable cassette playback devices and what I need is really just great quality playback. So I am requesting you for your opinions guys. Please help me out.

 

[raghunath]

bump. Please help me out guys.
 
Regards
 
Raghunath

 

[andreu]

You can find more info about cassette walkmans here: http://www.stereo2go.com/forums/category/193392314111653284 
Those guys are very serious about portable cassette players. From what i have read on that forum the Sonys from the late '80s and early '90s are the best in terms of sound quality.  Sony WM-DD9, WM-D6C and WM-DC2 are considered top 3. 
I have the DC2 with laser amorphous head, Dolby B&C NR, metal casing, direct drive and the sound quality is pretty impressive for a portable cassette player. Hope this helps, bye bye

 

[wdiabc]

maybe a late reply, but comparing sony D6C and PMD430 side by side, the famous D6C stands no chance. I mean both recording and playback. 430 wins hands down. I have not heard D5M yet, but I assume D5M has pretty good playback ( not recording though)