New 2022 Marantz PMD-300CP cassette deck review & test

The Marantz Professional PMD-300CP cassette deck has been improved with new mechanisms and motors, but it's still a quirky, low-budget design. It's OK if you just want an easy way to transfer your old tapes into MP3 files, but it's far below the quality level that cassette tapes can achieve.

This deck is manufactured by Fortex Industrial Ltd. and is sold under various other brand names worldwide, including Auna, Pyle, and Renkforce. I'm pretty sure the improvements I showed apply to all of them, but I can't guarantee it. If you have one of those other decks that was manufactured since 2021, pop the lid and let me know if it matches what I showed in this video.

Time flow:
0:00 Introduction
2:00 First impressions
3:00 Features & controls
5:40 What's your type?
6:32 Connections
8:06 USB setup & ripping to digital
11:45 Improved components
16:10 Shortcomings & drawbacks
19:49 Annoying quirks
22:27 Conclusion & a useful quirk
25:32 CD/cassette equipment news

Music featured in the video:

Emile's Telegraphic Transmission Device - All That May Happen

Slugbug - Pointless Journey

Backtraxx Music Library - Pacesetter

Les Gillis & Mountain Fire - Never Met a Lady (That I Didn't Like)

Organonomy - Renovation

I Have Four Names - IH4N (DX)

Anders Enger Jensen - Retro Grooves Vol. 3

Flower Crown - Hypnausea

Tommy - Vuba Mumba

Silverimage - Troubled Hearts

Includes clips from:

Michael Yates - ION Tape2PC twin cassette deck tape to mp3 converter vs Vintage Sharp HiFi Tape Deck, Pyle PT649

shango066 - 1968 RCA Victor Black and White Remote TV Set Repair KCS160:

#cassette #tape #marantz

[thanosb.]

Your attention to detail is inimitable!! Plus, I cannot imagine a better way to tuck myself in than the combination of VWestlife + Cassette Deck review! Keep up the good work and thanks for the knowledge that your passion brings out.

[johnromberg]

Pleasant! The word just kept popping into my mind while watching this. You're steadily progressing beyond presentation, beyond "content" into art territory. Your videos make me feel good, is what I'm trying to say!

[TheSquaredM]

Thank you Shango for the wonderful color schemes!

[nazznomad]

Bravo for keeping the cassette light burning !
Please keep it up, appreciate all the cassette based videos tremendously

[AaronBlair]

Was having a stressful day and see vwestlife published a 30 minute review on cassette deck and the calmness of it just helped my anxiety, just wanna say thanks and keep up the good work.

[larryblake]

I have owned cassette decks since the 70's and made hundreds and hundreds of tapes. I have owned Nakamichi, Teac, Sony, Kenwood, Yamaha and many others. I recently picked up a used (Technics RS-B605 for $125) on E-Bay. I must admit this makes the best sounding tapes of any I have ever owned. Comes equipped with Dolby B and C AND DBX, even HX Pro. If you can find one at a reasonable it!

Type: 2-head, single compact cassette deck
Track System: 4-track, 2-channel stereo
Tape Speed: 4.8 cm/s
Heads: 1 x record/playback, 1 x erase
Motor: electronic control DC
Tape Type: type I, CrO2, Metal
Noise Reduction: B, C, DBX
Headroom Extension: HX Pro
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 19kHz (Metal tape)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 92dB (DBX)
Wow and Flutter: 0.06%

[KennethwhiteWhite]

Thank you so much for posting this review, I bought one of these on line 2yrs. ago, it's a pretty fair cassette deck although i have not seen very much if any real reviews on it. I totally agree about what you said about the quirks of this deck, so true, over-all i'm happy with it, i'm a kinda ''audiophile guy'', from the late 70's & early 80's, so most of my vintage cassette decks are just to exspensive to get repaired, so this deck was my best choice. and thanks so much for sharing info on this Marantz deck.😃

[douglasallen]

While this cassette deck isn’t perfect by any means, it’s still a big step in the right direction for those who are in the market for a decent cassette deck for their home stereo system, or are simply looking for a decent device to digitize their old tapes into mp3 audio files. Outstanding job as always!!!

[LakeNipissing]

Great review... the cameo appearance from Shango066 was a fun addition!

[Markimark]

I’m glad you contacted the manufacturer to produce a better tape deck. Also it’s not the real Marantz company, since Marantz professional is a spin-off company owned by Denon Holdings, the company also bought the Pioneer and Onkyo from bankruptcy! It’s so messy that lots of these audio manufactures have been through different ownerships!

[rednwhitecooper]

I always appreciate when you use good music for demonstrations. I’ve found several great new-to-me bands from these videos.

[JohnBrown-jkfq]

Love your retro transition clips and overall early 2000's vibes. It takes me back to a simpler time.

[thenewman]

This guy keeps his excitement cool while narrating videos. However, you can bet your sweet cassette deck he jumps for joy off-camera when a company actually listens to him.

[TorontoJon]

Cassette deck or cassette WRECK? Stay tuned to find out. :)

[LawrenceMacMacster]

There's two main issues with this deck;
Marantz & Professional.
Great review.

[harrystevens]

I rate your reviews very highly, no nonsense BS just clear and precise information one of the best on YT. Great channel.

[robine]

Happy to see someone still cares about these decks. I thought when the german Renkforce branded model sold out some time last year that would be it. Maybe they do come back with a slightly improved model, too. (Mine is still working fine, let's see about that once the warranty runs out.)
P.S.: Now that I think about it I believe mine doesn't have the USB 🤔

[alextirrellRI]

Interesting factoid: The parent company of Marantz Professional is inMusic Brands. They are headquartered in the town I live in and I have a friend that works there. They also own M-Audio, Alesis and even Ion who made one of the earlier decks, as well as some "Professional" off-shoots of other primary brands. So in this case, they own the branding for Marantz Professional but not Marantz itself. Likewise, they own the branding for Denon Professional and Denon DJ, which are completely separate from the main Denon we know for AV receivers.

[markhesse]

Love the image of the "discerning audiophile" who looks like he's on a circa 1960 album cover--also looks like he's just heard some disturbing tape hiss on the headphones while enjoying that Benson & Hedges and cognac on the rocks.

[Monacomaverick]

Thanks for bringing back the transition jingle. I missed it!