PURPOSE: To minimize a time from inserting and to loading a tape cassette by providing a sensor detecting the kind of a cassette on a position near to a caseette inserting port in which cassettes of plural kinds are selectively inserted.

CONSTITUTION: Both sensors detecting the kind of a cassette 22 and 23 are turned on when a large cassette 1 is inserted in a cassette holder 15, and only one sensor 23 is turned on when a small cassette 7 is inserted in the cassette holder 15. Thus, the size of the cassette 1 or the cassette 7 which is selectively inserted is detected by the sensors detecting the kind of a cassette. Since the sensors detecting the kind of a cassette 22 and 23 are disposed at the position near to the cassette inserting port 16 of the cassette holder 15, the size of the cassettes 1 or 7 is detected at the time of starting to inserting the cassettes 1 or 7. Then, the drivng motor of a reel base center distance adjustment mechanism is immediately driven based on an electric signal from the detecting sensors 22 and 23.