Information:

Wow and Flutter   0.07% W.R.M.S
0.20% (DIN 45 500)

DOLBY NR Off   55dB
DOLBY NR On   65dB at over 5 kHz

Width    390mm
Height    102mm
Depth    229mm
Weight    3.2 Kg
Tape Speed   4.8 cm/sec. (1-7/8 ips).

While looking for a product to write a review about I remembered a recording that I did yesterday for my daughter Grace. I taped some songs from my computer system to my Sharp cassette deck. This gave me the idea to write a review of this long lasting product.

I purchased the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 many years ago and it is still going very nicely today. The only repair I ever had to do with it was add a Rubber Wheel because the old one, about 8 years ago, fell to pieces. This is the little rubber wheel that can be found where you enter the cassette tape.

The Tape Selector options are:

Normal
CrO2 – Cromium Dioxide and Ferri-Chrome cassette tapes.
Metal – Metal Alloy cassette tapes.

The Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 has a socket for you to plug in ear phones and two sockets for plugging in left and right microphones for stereo sound recording.

Recently we used two microphones to send a tape to a relation. My children and I read jokes into the microphones. One microphone was on one side of the room while another microphone was on the other side of the room giving a ‘full room effect’ so that the listeners would hear the recording as if they were in a room with us all.

I am using a 5 Pin DIN plug to connect the Sharp to my AKAI amplifier. As far as I can remember the 5 Pin DIN plug cable came with the tape deck, the cable is gray and not very long at all, it just reaches the Amplifier. RCA plug sockets are also available for use at the back of the unit in case you prefer to use them.

An AC Mains Voltage Selector is at the back of the unit. This should be checked before you plug in the unit so you can be sure that the Sharp Cassette deck is using the voltage that is used in your country.

Voltage Options:

110v – 127v – 220v – 240v – 50/60 Hz

A decent size manual was with the unit when I brought it, it covers the RT-200H and the RT-200HB modals. The manual is written in 6 different languages.

And a ‘must have’ for the home technician is the full schematic wiring diagram that comes with the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200. I once used this to add a speed control to the motor of the cassette drive, without the schematic diagram this would have been a lot harder to do. You can also give your technician the schematic diagram so that they can fix it easier, but be sure to get it back when they have finished with it, or you can photocopy it and then give them the copy.

Its a pity that more manufacturers don’t give away schematic diagrams with their products. I have often read how Electrical technicians are often stuck on a repair job because they cannot get a schematic diagram of the product that needs repairing or they have to wait months to get it from the manufacturer. If the manufacturers gave a free schematic diagram with each product this would solve the problem.

The Sharp has a Tape Counter and it has a DOLBY NR on off button to remove hiss. I personally don’t use DOLBY on any of my stereo equipment as I am not pleased with the sound quality after DOLBY steps in and does its stuff. But its there if you need it or for those that want it.

When recording with this cassette deck you can use two ‘slider’ controls for Left and Right channel recording these have Min and Max markings and a LED (Light Emitting Diode) indicator display is used to show you the dB levels for both the Left and Right channels.

One of the things I really liked about the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 is the Full Logic Control buttons. You don’t see these on many cassette decks, but I prefer them. The buttons are steel and all that is needed to set on off or on is a simple press of your finger. You can actually work with speed using these buttons. An example is that I press REW then STOP and PLAY in a very short amount of time and what’s even more impressive is that you don’t need to remove your finger from the buttons as they are all flat.

The REC and PAUSE buttons have LED’s that light up when they are pressed and when you are recording or using the pause function.

The most amazing thing about the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 is how long it lasts, as I stated earlier in this review I have had mine for many years, somewhere between 15 to 20 years is my guess.

If you can pick up one of these cassette decks at a sale or garage sale I think that you should seriously consider it.

Mine is currently connected so that I can work on my computer and play tapes or record off my computer system to cassette tapes. I have also used my Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 for recording off television, CD-ROM, VCR, and other stereos.

I assume that I will be using the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200 for a few more years yet, at least I hope so. I have owned other cassette decks but none have outlasted the Sharp Stereo Cassette Deck RT-200.

All the best from
James M Sandbrook.
August 2003.