In 2020, these were $150. In 2025, a restored, calibrated CT-W901R sells for $600 to $900 USD. A "for parts" unit goes for $100.
Most dual decks use a single, cheap motor to run both wells. The CT-W901R does not. It utilizes a system for each well. This means Transport A (Play/Record) and Transport B (Play only) each have their own dedicated motor and capstan system.
On the last day of February, he dubbed the final tape. It was a blank he had bought in 1993 and never used. No music. No voices. Just silence. He recorded it anyway, at 1x, with no source input. The result was a perfect, 60-minute document of the CT-W901R’s own noise floor—the bias oscillator’s faint signature, the whisper of the motors, the ghost of the power supply’s ripple. pioneer ct-w901r
“...and so I told him, Arthur, if he wants to call himself a poet, he has to at least try the clove cigarette. It’s about the aesthetic, not the lungs.”
The CT-W901R features a for recording/playback (Well A) and a dedicated Ferrite head for playback (Well B). In 2020, these were $150
The is not just a dubbing machine; it is a fully calibrated recording instrument. It offers the convenience of dual wells without the sonic compromise of its peers. It is the deck you buy if you want to digitize your old live bootlegs with clarity, or create new mixtapes for your Walkman that sound better than commercial releases.
The CT-W901R is packed with features that were cutting-edge in 1990 and remain useful today. Most dual decks use a single, cheap motor to run both wells
If you are looking to buy a Pioneer CT-W901R today, be aware of its age (30+ years).