cassettes CAN sound better than vinyl.

If anyone on this planet thinks an optimum sound system designed around an optimum cassette deck, Nakamichi or no, can sound better than an optimum or even a modest high-end system designed around a vinyl source (i.e. decent TT) playing at concert or performance level gain, then please tell me what you’re smokin’ because I want some of that! Now, admittedly, I’ve never heard or spent quality time with a Nakamichi deck but 1 & 7/8 IPS? Really? Even when recorded from a live source, under optimum conditions, on a quality multi-head cassette machine, in Dolby B/C HX-Pro on the best metal tape, there’s no way! Of course, this is IMHO. Now, 15 IPS on a quality reel to reel machine? Well, that’s a whole other story! Again, IMHO, 3.75 IPS is better and 7.5 IPS better still but no way better than vinyl!

@rfnoise

It was cool to read about your MCS deck. I had several of them in the late 70s and early 80s; forget which models. They got me started in this hobby (really an old table-top tube AM radio did) and I've just gone further and further down the rabbit hole. Back in the day, with a decent deck and table, the deck was pretty close. I had the Teac R999-X and it was very very good though as at least one other posted mentioned, those machines of the time had mechanical trouble fairly regularly. I lived near the Teac facility and could take it there, but it always cost me over a hundred bucks to get it back. For me, I always bought the record, recorded for the car, and put the vinyl away. Was fun thinking about this, thanks OP for starting this thread.

I can see a reel to reel master tape sounding better then vinyl .
Nakamichi Dragon was the best of the best , and if cassette 
Was of good quality it can sound very respectable .
not as good as a top  turntable which is $$.

Your dreaming!!

even on a nakamichi deck, i could tell that there was a mild haze over the music compared to the original LP, esp. if it was DD or digital master. but i have heard elcasets which my ears could not distinguish from the original. the elcaset sounded to my ears like top-grade consumer R to R.