Dragon

About the Dragon

The Nakamichi Dragon is a legendary auto-reverse, three-head cassette deck produced from 1982 to 1993, renowned for its advanced technology and superior sound quality. It introduced Nakamichi's NAAC (Nakamichi Auto Azimuth Correction) system, which continuously and automatically adjusts the playback head azimuth to the recorded track on the tape, optimizing playback even for tapes recorded on other machines. The deck uses separate record, playback and erase heads with off-tape monitoring, and supports normal (Type I), chrome (Type II/CrO2) and metal (Type IV) tapes via manual tape-type and EQ selection. It incorporates Dolby B and Dolby C noise reduction, but not HX-Pro or Dolby S. The Dragon employs a closed-loop, dual-capstan, direct-drive transport for highly stable tape handling and low wow and flutter, and its audio path is engineered for wide frequency response and low distortion, performance that helped it rival some open-reel machines in perceived quality. Its robust, high-precision construction and distinctive front-panel design have made it one of the most sought-after cassette decks among audiophiles and collectors.