Throughout much of its history, cassettes were deemed inferior to reels or vinyl among audiophiles.
But then along came Nakamichi stereo cassette decks. The year was 1973.


This dual cassette deck was released between 1974 and 1978.
Two models came out in the 500 series. This one and the 550 Versatile Cassette System, which some claim is the first real ‘walkman.’
The 500 models were aimed at the consumer.
They’re not too hard to find these days and not as collectible or pricey as the higher end models such as the 700 and 1000 series. But to collectors and audiophiles most anything made by Nakamichi is worth getting.