Germain - The Victor's meters are working because it is a 3-head deck and it is in source-mode (see the red indicator under the meter). As such, it is monitoring the input signal even when the tape transport is idle. 2-head decks don't have this ability.

Had the V541 since '92. Sounds very good on metals, TDK MA-X being my favorite. For some particular reason Dolby C doesn't work well on this particular machine (might be the Sony Dolby chip being used CXA 1330 or something like that), but Dolby B makes very good sounding copies, so use B if the extra noise doesn't bother you. The heads are permalloy and they wore out on my 541 machine. Naks, Akai's have better heads. TD-V1010 (1050) has amorphous heads and they last long time. This deck is made after 1990 and 0dB level is referenced to 250nWb, comparing with the older norm of 0Vu dB at 160nWb, so remember that on older machines will show the level being 4dB higher, and if you record on Metals you can sometimes make other machines with really crapy heads distort (saturation). I still have the Service Manual for it. For the money it was a good machine. The 561(2) is almost the thing, only cassette doors in the middle for cosmetics, again suffers from permalloy heads.

A demo with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto. Fantastic. In their day they filled the airwaves on every type of radio station--"The Girl From Ipanema." I really like JVC (Japan Victor) and the step-up decks have a direct drive motor that cuts wow & flutter down to super low levels. I'm such a fan that I've started selling them on the Bay 11/22. Pardon the spiel!

But with files you are always at the mercy of computer technology. Synching iPods got so annoying I ditched the whole affair after taking 2 years to digitize my music collection. I still have the mp3 files on 2 back up hard drives but to be honest vinyl and cassettes are much more fun and sound real in comparison to digital music.

I'm surprise this unit has no back light for tape view after all the nice features it has.

Indeed good sir, indeed!

2:57 Mazzy Star - into dust, Really Love that one!!

@gilmour509 ...where is the good old time... so sad that it's all gone.. :/

Awesome deck! Hope your auction ended well!

Nice deck

hi there gilmour! Ive bought one for 80 bucks in Hungary, the problem was the speed was too fast after reparation it was all right,and on the swtchleaf board the swich was not reliable that function was switching normal or chrom.Otherwise some adjustement,record level,bias pots. now in excellent condition, I use it with normal tape I ma poor man,and frequency range from 15-19000 hz is good for me at -20 db s level. GREATdevice,IVE got six ones ,2 DD5,1KDA55,1 KDV-6,1TDV-531,that also a good deck,but a little plastic gear went,the rear motor,so far Idid put some silicon grease on the plastic gear

how much AWESOME!!!

Way cool!!!

THAT VICTOR CASSETTE DECK LOOKS LIKE A SONY NEVER HEARD OF VICTOR UNLESS ITS A SIDELINE FOR JVC (JAPANESE VICTOR COMPANY)

Can you pls give us the titles of the rest of the tracks? Cool deck, and excelent sound!! One question, how come that the level meter of the Victor deck is working, if that one isn´t recording? In the tape decks I've used, the meter only works during playback and recording...

@gilmour509 ..the cassette-tapes I recorded where really awesome...perfect sound ..as clear as on CD or Vinyl...where is the time... :/ (I used Chrome-Vanadium tapes...(with black tape.. = high bias)

The victor looks awfully like a Denon I have. Do you still have it?

i didn't know that JVC have a new name Victor, anyway great products from JVC.

My dream...

You probably sold it by now, but my TD-V541 is stuck in 2x play back speed mode. Any idea how or why ?

By the way, I couldn't find your ad in eBay anymore... Has the bid finished?

@gilmour509 ...in the past..I had (new) the also..3-head...".Denon DRM800A" an unbelievable cassette player too... :/

How did you record the audio from the deck?

To enjoy Dolby You have to listen in Dolby to a Tape recorded in Dolby , i could not understand your switching any way the switching should have being done in the Source machine .

Mazzy Star - Into Dust