Dude, I watched your channel a lot, but this video is seriously great. I'm 41, I had tapes. I knew about demag, etc, but a lot of this is VERY helpful. I had already ordered type 1, then realized I care about fidelity too much and ordered type 2. This video made me realize I made the right choice. The output voltage info is great. I now know it's something to look at. I've wanted to make a mixtape for a girl for a long time and I want to it reflect my love of fidelity.
Other than the point of cassette's or their purpose, i really like the physical touch and feel and the sounds the cassette makes when you handle it. Its has that unique sound to it that a cd or record simply does not have. When you handle it, you can hear the reels inside shift and move, that sound is like no other.
Another tip, you can buy pre-recorded commercial tapes at your local record store typically very cheap, and look for the ones that are on chrome tape, put tape over the 2 knock outs at the top of the shell and now you can record over it. And now you got yourself a very inexpensive chrome tape.
Made with a very cheap shell and the cheapest tape. The shell is what controls wow and flutter. The tape controls the frequency response and noise. No prerecorded tape is as good as a TDK SA.
pre-recorded tapes have lots of oxide on them, to make sure they never lose the original song. so you're left with a cassette that will hardly erase and will ruin your heads faster
I bought a Sanyo M1050 handheld cassette recorder recently (5 euros, score!) I've been recording my beats onto it and love the sound. I can't find any info about my particular model though. Gonna try and find some tapes, the one it came with says Chrome TR60 (no name brand) seems a little noisy. Thanks for the tips! Love the sound, recorded a trac.k from Spotify onto it and wow.. sounds so nice. Thanks for the tips!
Boy oh boy! I just unearthed a cassette from my basement - The Eagles, recorded on Maxell UD XL II in December 1978 off of record. The deck used to record the tape was a Kyocera D-801 (long gone) and the tape has not been played in a decade at least. Playing it now on a Luxman K-120 2-head deck. WoW!! It sounds fantastic. And extremely little if no noise between tracks. You are absolutely correct - use great tape, record well on an excellent deck. Did I say WoW! On a diffent note, I have quite a few tapes I recorded live at outdoor blusgrass festival in the 1980s using a Sony WM-D6C (also long gone). Tapes were generally TDK SA-C90 and TDK AD-C90. These 30 year old tapes also sound good after all these years.
Just a couple of tips that have helped me when using cassette tapes over the years. When you first open a new tape, I always fast forward the tape through side A and then side B. This "aligns" the tape to your machine. Do this if you use the same cassettes on your home player and in the car. And when recording, always wind on the leader to the start of the actual tape with a pencil. Then when you release the pause button to start record/play, you do not lose the start of your recording.
1st The tape pack is EXTREMELY smooth in an unused (new) cassette the tape won't vary as it is unwound from the supply reel nearly as much following the FF rewind technique you mentioned 2ndly for storage in the industry the engineers from what I understand ALWAYS left the tail out (at the end of the recording) and it was done in play so the tape pack was absolutely smooth. 3rdly the leader in modern cassettes of quality had a built in nonabrasive head cleaner it also served as a 5 second cue and then the actual tape would be available, however this transition could potentially case distortion at the very beginning of the tape all commercially recorded cassettes ALWAYS let the actual tape itself run for 4 to 5 seconds before the recording started as per the tape had a chance to run properly (align itself for smooth sound at the start this followed into the commercially recorded video tape as well 30 seconds or so for the duplication machines to get the tape properly running through the machine. It yielded far better results so that's as I understand why the blank space on cassettes and video tape.
Thank you Mark I will definitely keep those tips in mind and Europe in 1984 I love cassettes there’s something wonderful about recording on a cassette and testing it to see if it works on a specific deck and they have such amazing sounds what cassettes do you recommend and what length? The two cassettes I have right now are Maxwells and TDK. I have a mixture of 90 minute concert and 120 minute ones.
@jesserussell7242. Apologies for the late reply. TDK are IMHO definitely the best brand. I always liked their ‘AD’ specification. My recordings always sounded good on my Aiwa tape decks and in the car without going to Chrome or Metal spec. And you could really push the signal going onto the AD tape to the limit, especially for playback in the car. I recorded a tape for a friend who had an in -car graphic equaliser with LED VU meters. When he played my recording on AD tape, the meters “peaked” constantly but without distortion! I can remember buying TDK AD tapes with 80 minutes running time to fit with the full time on a CD. And back in the last century I am sure I bought TDK AD - 46 tapes which were equal to the playing time of the average LP vinyl disc. I would avoid 120 minute cassettes because the tape has got to be thinner to fit in the standard shell casing. So they would be prone to problems. Maxell are also a good brand. Hope this helps you in your journey into the world of ferric oxide tape! Stay safe and well.
Oh ! What an amazing video ! I completely agree with all you say. I used to work for a high end hi-fi store in Montreal. in the 90's. We where authorized Nakamichi service center. I can say that those decks are not only sounding great, but they are also very reliable. The record/playback heads last forever (or almost). I got a BS-150 and a CR-7 (yes, the one with auto calibrate). I LOVE then. I'm not using then since years, but they are NOT for sale ! I also like Thanberg close dual capstan model that I had to service once in my career. Not easy to repair, but sound absolutely fantastic.
Guido, one thing I love about your videos is your passion for all the different types of gear. Cassettes and reel to reels are definitely fun to play around with. I kept a lot of my albums in pristine condition by making cassette copies for everyday playing. Take care my friend.
We often did this back in the day, for convenience and to avoid damaging / wearing out records, and making mixtapes. I just taught my 15 year old son how to make a cassette mixtape. He has a Walkman, loves it. Yes he can just stream a playlist. Not the point. He said he likes holding the media in his hand- I get it my son!
Thank you ... Superb ... You have given my cassettes a whole new reason to come back to life ... I have visited a local old shop which gad maxell 2 with recordings on them i must say the gentlemen was tired of looking at them had near 100 and said give me 20 dollars and take them all! I skipped all the way home and began my new adventure ... Thank you your knowledge is a blessing for us uncalibrated people ... Maybe i can calibrate now ! ...
Hey! What a TH-cam channel! Low speeds are good too for many situations, speed are good for hi but low frecs go down. So many masters in half inch are better in 15ips, the bass and drums are so better. In Dub music the real eco sound comes from a reel to reel and low speeds are better. The chorus effect using two tape machines recording the same at the time.. Im in love too. Thanks!
Hi there, all your video clips are perfect which are covering TAPE decks and cassettes. I love them all and personally I think that companies should start producing tape decks again, as well the cassettes for us. Thank you for your afford and passion that you are bringing to us. We love tape decks... Best regards from Belgrade - Serbia (Technics lover)
Thanks for another amazing video, I am sure your love cassettes and I do understand why. When I speak to some of friend they laugh and say man it’s trash. I have invited them to come home and listen. People need to realise how great a cassette can sound when you use the right deck. I am using a Nakamichi LX5 and a BX300 and got it serviced by ex Nakamichi tech. I can challenge someone that it sounded as good as my Turntable or may end better in few cases. I played a commercial cassette of Eagles greatest hits and it sounded as good as the vinyl version which is AAA recording. Strongly get a good deck if you need to hear how fascinating a cassette sound. And yes it’s fun and compact and yes much compact than a CD
Recently got into cassettes after my cousin introduced it during dinner - unbeknownst to me, I found a TASCAM 122 MK3 at home. Can't wait to utilise it and make my own mix tapes from vinyls
I NEVER gave up on cassettes, I've seen their pisspoor earlier performance develop into something BEYOND spectacular, and despite what I've been told, KEPT them alive and now....THEY'RE BAAACK! I ❤ them and have become so much better at recording, I get TOP performance from normal bias tapes, I have A GANG of type II and type IV and never really touch them much! The smoothest NB tapes I personally like are Fuji DR 1, next Maxel UR, Sony HF, and TDK NB HO, which have RIDICULOUS PB levels!
I love your videos! As a kid who grew up in the 80’s (born in 1977). I’m thinking of upgrading from my sharp double cassette player to an Akai. Can’t wait to add another cassette player to my collection. Cheers from Houston! 🥃
I had an Akai GXF-90 deck from early '80s with manual tape calibration, and it was wonderful! You could record really "hot" without distortion, especially with chrome and metal.........I miss that machine.
Oh yeah!!! Hi-Res audio taped on compact cassette tape. Love it. Actually like it more than the digital streaming version. Add dbx for 92db SNR and music is barely discernible from the original, except music is a tad rolled off at high frequencies. Totally acceptable and enjoyable.😁
Still have my Aurex PCX88AD by Toshiba - 3 heads, manual calibration and ADRES (a DBX type compression / expansion system). An amazing though grossly under rated machine that could match it with the best.
@@cubdukat I got mine in Australia so it runs 220 -240V. I use it in Canada withn a step up/down transformer from Amazon. The brand is called Seyas. I got the 500 watt version. It is fully automatic and relay controlled with circuit breakers that will trip if there is an issue. It can run to 100% of rated output without any issues at all. It is now around 60 bucks. Hope that answers your question. Cheers
I do not like noise reductions, I think that a deck that is right calibrated and updated can handle Type 1s with no problem and with extreme low noise, and good high frequency responce.
I bought a couple of cases of new production "black box" generic no name, no label type II chrome tapes a few years back. These were surprising, and sounded better than some name brand NOS tapes. Sometimes it is a gamble, and there are pleasant surprises.
That 1988 SA-X was a beast. Not only did it have a beautiful shell, its sound reproduction wasn't really linear compared to the SA or XLII even if you could calibrate sensitivity and bias. It sounded punchy and crisp due to the slight "dent" in the high-mids and low-treble which was typical for two-layer ferricobalt types of the time. If you had a three-point calibration like Pioneer's BLE, you could make these linear as well. But I really liked how they sounded "out of the box". It was a perfect tape for funk music and the extra treble served very well in a car or mobile players. Also, it could take loads of level with a really low noise floor ☺️ Downside: TDK tapes are somewhat sensitive towards bad mechanisms and tend to show railroading if your mech is out of alignment so used tapes will often be in bad condition. And getting these as NOS will cost you dearly. Paying 20€ for a single SA-X90EB is pretty common.
Thanks for the video! I know it’s now two years old, but… What’s your take on Nakamichi 600? I know it’s not 3 but 3 heads… anyway, how do you see it? Thanks. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for nice video. Cassettes still might be used as good format for listening however if you have appropriate network player then it can change your mind completely for further recording of cassettes. I have tried to listen Mark Levinson 5101 which has amazing sound quality, by the way, better from streaming than from CD except from SACD sources. If you want to get warmer sound then tube amplifiers are recommended, for instance Audio Note Soro line. But this point is related to quality of sound otherwise I fully agree on your analyzed other points to use audio cassettes.
Nice tips! NR especially DBX (in a good quality deck) should be used when available. Even on high quality tapes such as TKD MA-XG, which I paid $106 for the evaluation (I do not recommend this tape as a new top-quality ATR Masters R2R tape costs less than this TDK but, when used with a pro r2r deck, walks all over anything from the cassette world including a freidn's Nakamichi Dragon) there is a noticeable improvement as BDX does not introduce any distortion (or "squish the spectrum") that is audible, based on my extensive testing. The noise reduction and enhancement in DR are VAST (my deck has a DR range of "at least 108 Db" , according to the manual, well above that of the CD). Also, there is NO detectible noise nor any loss in high frequency details (I used a pair of high quality Audezee phones and 4K preamp/amp combo to do this test). BTW, recording from high res sources is the way to go (the only reason I am going back to the cassette tapes, as CDs/vinyls (pops and clicks) aren't hifi enough and I have DSD, hi res PMC and copies of master r2r tapes).
i only use dolby when erecording demos in my home studio , this because of diferent sources with diferent outputs to iliminate some hiss coming from diferent amplifiers and the DBX NR is a module that worKs better than the dolby in regular decks,
Hey! No convincing here 😁 I've had a AIWA ADF800 since 1989 and apart from installing MARS belts she still shines and I absolutely love her! Right up there with the top NAKS for a couple of hundred euro, you just can't beat them for the money and there are also the ANT mods!!
Check the service manual for your deck. The calibration on my Onkyo was completed with Maxell MX90, XLII90 and UDI90. In my efforts to grab a bunch of XL-IIS (1986) a lot includes some XLII and a UDI! Plus, I have some great jazz now (transferred to VHS EP (4 cassettes)) with only cassette containing "Miles Davis Solstice - 1989 - 1st concert - Opera House - Boston"!!! Great 36-minute set with crowd and everything!
I still love cassettes, they might not be audiophile, but a good cassette desk can sound amazing, I have lots of that suono metal cassettes, in my opinion one of the best metal was ever made, great video well done👍
Hey! My favorite topic. Thanks Guido.. ..am forever experimenting for something new but worthy with the dbx voltage control amps, 700 adc/dac , and lll-NR systems. cassette tape has always been my passion and guilty sin of the flesh, Frankenstein experimentation... ...when I've found some solid advance I always commit them on the thicker C10-30 min types ll-lV from niche manufactures like thomasin and such------I have the patience when it comes to ultimate reproduction. music?--->WBA(Was Born Analog!)
The way I hear it, the hiss is all around us in everyday life (all that background noise we don't really notice), and that's why I consider tapes to be the most natural sound reproduction source. It's the hiss that gives tapes "that something" extra. That's why Type I tapes should not be underestimated. You can create great recordings on your standard TDK D easily. So the way I love to record my tapes is with DolbyB, peaking at max 1db, then switching Dolby off for a playback. That's my preference, but as I said, I've learned to embrace hiss long time ago.
Thanks for sharing, I still have many cassettes, particular original rare band demos. What do you recommend for reattaching cassette labels that have fallen off due to age? Is there a glue that won't damage the tape or old label paper?
Just bought a JVC CD-1636 for 60$, just need clean up and GO exellent recording and playback. Quite surprised by the ANRS Noise reduction, real y get a boost in the treble and quite compatible with Dolby B encoded tape. It's remarkable that the caseet I record in the 70's on TDK SA still sound good. Pre-recorded tape are always low quality... I connect an external DAC with the 24-96kHz version of FZ Sofa Album...sweeeet....with a TDK SA tape.
Good video thank you bro like your equipment you got cool stuff I'm just started to build my studios so I put all my record n cd n cassettes tape collection n my tape decks collection you right I had a few tape deck put away for years n some of them was tripping I have to send it to fix soon cus they are expensive for what I see on ebay now those nakamichi revox n I got other pretty good decks now once in a while I put it to use so the machine don't get stuck they need to be play you right about that I love tape 2 they sound really good than tape 1 more bass I like the revox for recording n you right I could make it sound better than the cd some cd are low valume I could make it a little louder when I record in cassettes tapes I love tape deck n turntable they got some nice tape deck that look fresh n cool that what good about tape decks 😅👍😎
One very important thing for me in playback, i don't record anymore just listen to my old tapes, is play trim, I bought a Yamaha with play trim and it corrects bad bias recordings just before Dolby, a must to copy or listen to old tapes, a lot of tapes have bad bias recordings. Nobody talks about that and the main use is to play not to record, play trim is kind of a playback rebias. I love Dire Straits Brothers in Arms on a Basf Chrome extra recorded from CD at the low level this tape needs, and is better than CD, richer than vinyl, with sharp and profound sound, seams like a studio pro master processor, lots of air and everything in its place.
A warning about true chromes: buy new. And by new, I mean, buy versions towards the end of the tape's run. Even sealed true chrome tapes have a tendency to deteriorate, so the younger you buy, the less of a problem that should be. But beware the BASF/EMTEC chromes; they're not true chromes anymore. They're still really good and mostly chrome, just not pure chrome.
One simple tip that I used back in the 80s and 90s (when I was using cassettes in a BIG way) is to always fast forward and then rewind a new tape before use. This frees up the tape inside the cassette mechanism and leaves it correctly wound on the hub for your particular deck. Also I've never found a deck that had variable audio level outputs, everything is either line level (phono) out or professional level transformer balanced XLR out. It would only be the headphone output that would be variable, and you wouldn't normally use that to connect to an amp or other device. Dolby NR should essentially sound "lossless" in that there should be no treble loss when it it switched in on playback (assuming that the tape was recorded with Dolby on in the first place). The big problem was that lots of (cheaper) decks had a very bad implimentation of Dolby where, when engaged on playback, it sounded like the whole top end was muffled. I agree, that on those decks you were best to leave it permanently switched out and just watch your recording levels (keeping them as high as possible without going permanently into the red) to achieve a good signal-to-noise ratio without distortion. Also, 3-head decks were a must for any tape recoding enthusiast, as you could instantly tell how good a recording you were getting with off-tape monitoring. In the late 1990s, I moved on to MiniDisc - still the best home recording system ever invented IMHO (and I've never forgiven Sony for basically killing it off purely for copyright reasons) but I still have hundreds of tapes in the loft (mainly Sony or TDK Chromes and Metals) but also including an unopened TDK MA-R 90 :)
I’ve got a fostex 8 track reel to reel from 2000. Maybe I should get it out and do and record a couple of records to see how it sounds. Even got a few tapes still in their wrappers
I was lucky to find in a local (rarely open) pawn shop two home-recorded type III tapes - BASF SM (90 minutes) and a Sony FeCr 90. I also got there Sony CDit II and a TDK CDing, all 90 minute, each for a less than dollar after conversion. They all sound excelent with what's on them, but I might try recording something on a decent deck.
My understanding is that cassette tape's sound doesn't really deteriorate with re-recordings unless there's actual physical deterioration of the tape, meaning that even all the old tapes one has, provided they have been stored well enough, should give equal results to an unused tape. My own experience re-using Type II and Type IV tapes from 30 years ago would definetely support this - and some of them had been taped over on estimate 3-5 times before, yet the magnetic capacity had not deteriorated at all. There's very close to true fidelity to the high-res files/vinyls i've taped on them.. they sound fantastic (just today did Radiohead's A Moon-Shaped Pool from vinyl and while i can't say it sounds EXACTLY the same, it sounds so close the difference is negligible with my average equipment more couldn't be asked for.) Point being, the problem most certainly is not that the tape had been recorded over many times... only that inherently tape is just not exactly same as vinyl. Still, soooo much better than CD. If you think otherwise, and that pristine or NOS tapes are better, maybe you could make some tests and a video on it... :)
This is also my impression. Lots of old pre-recorded tapes in charity shops where i live, but hard to find blanks - so I've tried recording over the pre-recorded ones and they also sound just as good
19:00 Actually the Dragon does not calibrate itself as far as bias, level, equalization is concerned, that is manual. It automatically calibrates the head azimuth to the recorded content on playback only. Just to clarify that to the audience. This has no effect on the recorded information laid down by the record head which is fixed and adjusted during a full alignment by a tech.
i bought my first cassette machine in 1970 and it was the original Philips mono portable with the mechanical play switch but i soon upgraded to Reel to Reel with a AKAI 4000DS but as Cassettes got better with Dolby 'B' i bought my first Top End Machine in 1976 it was a AKAI 325D with 3 Heads and Dual Capstan, that served me well for a number of years until i bought a SONY TCK81 in 1981 and i still have it but in the mid 2000's i bought my first Dolby S machine as it was only £50 on eBay i think it was a SONY TCK 554S 3 head adjustable bios but single capstan that served me well for a few years until the belts perished so i replaced that for another SONY a TCK711S Dual Capstan 3 head for a reasonable £150 but i wanted Better so last year i bought a SONY TC-KA6ES i think that was the last Top End Cassette that SONY sold in the UK, but i wanted Better i could afford a Nakamichi Dragon but i let my Head rule my Heart and Bought in my opinion a better Cassette Machine a REVOX B215 Fully Serviced, Motors Oiled, re-capped new Pinch Rollers and the reason i bought the REVOX over the Dragon is it has no Belts and is Direct Drive so it will last me and whoever i pass it on to for another 40 years i also have 6 Reel to Reel Tape Recorders but that's another Story
I shop at thrift shops....second hand stores looking for cassette tapes. Just today I found, in EXELLENT SHAPE, over forty Maxell XLIIS 90 minute tapes with music recorded on them for $.50 cents each. I'm in the process now of erasing them to use in electronic music production here at home studio....I'm using a Tascam 302 dual machine that I bought brand new in the year 2000...it has probably 20 hours use on it. I'm finally getting around to utilizing it.
I have a sound design cassette deck and I have a cassette tape I put tape over it to record over it but when I go to go back to play back the recording there's nothing there but the existing audio that was on the tape before it is not recording into the cassette 😢.
Pinch roller cleaning: In my opinion, avoid pure alcohol, it's drying them. If you don't have a "special product" for that you can use window cleaner on a cotton bud, it's less agressiv.
Well, back to my experinces around 1980, Nakamichi was the best if you recorded and play in the same deck BUT Teac deck was universal, means if it was calibrated you can play it in any deck with very good result. Automatic bias ? Well, I did not remember well if it was equal to manual bias using dolby level, speed check tape and azimuth tape. These are the tapes for recording calibration.
Hi, anybody know where to repair or check my old cassette decks ? I still have TEAC A-36 and TEAC V6000. If taking about cassette recording, where or which service center does have JIG, Dolby Level, speed check and azimuth tape ? That is the important tools for recording. Your help will.be appreciated. Thanks.
i have got the a few new sealed blank cassette form the stores recently, when i try to record it, non of them produce any sound, is there any way i can fix the problems?
Don't worry. That is Impossible. You must be doing a mistake along the road. Which deck are you using? Are the notches on top of the cassette sealed? Are you sure the source signal is reaching the deck?
Here is another tip: Those Tascam porta-studios can only use type 2 cassettes. They are only calibrated for hi-bias tape and it is not possible to switch to either normal or metal tape.
If you can get old cassettes, type I or much better type II and IV. If you want to go new I recommend the Type I by Recording the Masters and the good old Maxell UR.
I have a 1973 Akai tape deck with chrome selection, one of the 1st to have I heard, gee just looked on ebay for tapes and they have gone up in price, I purchased 2 x 5 pack of Maxell Chrome for about $50 each pack about 6 yrs ago now well over $100.
1. Maxell UR is not ne. It is new old stock as the rest, except that it was in production for much longer. 2. Pre used is a gamble, since you don't know the life of them, unless bought from a known person who treated them with respect. 3. BASF can be used in Japanese decks with very good results, comparable to equivalent Japanese tapes. The deal is to be able to bias them properly. 4. Clean pinch roller and capstan very important, as much or even more than the heads. 5. No consumer graded source puts out more than digital (i.e 2V rms). This is not a problem in setting the rec level on any deck. So no attenuation is needed. 6. Dolby (C at least to my experience) does not harm the stereo image. 7. Tapes do not need lubrication!
Yes, they absolutely do need lube when it dries out. A lot of people ignore that but it is part of any binder. I did a video on the topic: th-cam.com/video/ov9frNzqrhU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=x-C8bZLzqcoDXI2a In the video description you will find several scientific articles that demonstrate that this was a standard procedure in the past.
17:30 I have a collection of cassette decks. I prefer to record on my Denon DRM-740 from 1998 which uses Dolby HX pro in the recording process, is way easier to record on than the Nakamichi Dragon that I have, and keeps the hours off of the Dragon. I playback tapes that I have on the Dragon which will align itself to the plethora of machines I have used to record on over the years.
Denon cassettes decks are great I bought a few of them in the past never had trouble with them n use n some look cool good tape deck for they price on eBay but is good to buy a use one that was fix is the best if they even had problem..you need to use them too cus they get stuck all that mechanic stuff inside it happens to one of my tape deck had it in the closet for years never use it man I had to send it to fix to a professional cus a lot of people don't know how to fix them n make it worse for you always send it to a professional dude that know how to fix cassettes decks that happen to me too tried to go the cheap way 😂 he fuk it up for me make it worse
@@thehunterofdeath2180 I am a tech and I do work on my own decks, I have the test tapes and the equipment to repair and calibrate them, so I don't have to trust someone else's workmanship, I know who to blame. Leaving any electronic gear in storage for long periods of time without using it is very hard on it. Cold, dampness, dust, dirt, insects, rodents and such are also harmful in long storage in a garage or shed. Exercise the switches, and controls back and forth several times (50x back and forth) every few months or they will become oxidized, stiff, and noisy. I spray the controls only as a last resort, because the D5 spray can damage the carbon track in some potentiometers, and can also wash out the grease on the shaft making it not smooth feeling anymore.
No, headphones output is not a line output. I see you only have balanced XLR outputs. You can get an XLR to RCA cables and send the signal to the recorder that way. These for example are excellent: www.amazon.com/Oyaide-Class-Female-Cable-Green/dp/B00H95Y05K/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3HUD3IHI3F1DY&keywords=xlr+rca+oyaide&qid=1676708270&sprefix=xlr+rca+oyaide%2Caps%2C318&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f
I love tapes for recording and playback . We can use two or three decks for recording the problem is that the most decks are used and here in Greece the most of them are not working. Tascams have new decks. Do you know another company ? (except ion)
I'm finding that I need to re-calibrate the speed of my machine more frequently than I should have to. Is that sing that the capstan is needing to be replaced?
If the cassette is of high quality in most cases yes, it is not necessary IMO. Coming to your question, when you record you are the one deciding to use it or not, in playback it depends if the recording adopted it. If it was used, the you MUST use it also during playback at that point. In other words in playback it’s not a choice, it depends only if it was used or not during the recording phase.
Alcohol on the pinch rollers is a very hard way. Maybe go with something softer. Windex etc... Im intersted about the things with the input/output voltages. Ill never had a Problem with that. Maybe it was a sensitiv machine in your chain? Nice greetings from Austria
I'm nostalgic for tapes too...but old tapes eventually die. If you enjoy recording in analog, try getting a good Hi-Fi VCR. They actually record audio diagonally making them the equivalent of a 3/4" wide tape. Also, you can buy VHS tapes that give you up to 6 hours on a single tape. I've been told wider tape result in better audio, hence the 1" and 2" reel to reel tape recorders.
Also cassettes must be stored properly upright away from heat and dust or they will warp, dry out and the pressure pads will fall off (can be stuck back with care). And also when cleaning the heads, be careful not to apply pressure or the heads will go off alignment and cause wow and flutter. But in some cassette decks , you can remove the cassette cover compartment, play a tape and with a small screwdriver, turn the small left screw on the playing head a very tiny bit left and right and listen for the sound to become nice and solid and seal screw with nail polish to stop it from moving over time. Tape are the best sound medium. All the best audiophile recordings are from analogue tape recordings.
Wow, ferrichrome... did somebody turn back the time machine? I had my old Sanyo dual cassette down in Florida with me for awhile. On a whim, I gifted it to someone. It happens.
Great video!!! I have my Onkyo 3 head TA-2700, which when using Metal tape, very accurately reproduces the sound on a CD. I just want to say that the NOS TDK MA 110 cost me almost $40, just wanting to try Type IV again. The new, not NOS, Maxell UR=90 tape, in its physical construction, sounded like it was going to physically come apart when forward winding and rewinding. So, in my opinion, this newly produced Maxell Type I tape has lower physical quality than the NOS versions.
I always found the dbx noise reduction on my old Technics deck was vastly better than Dolby B or C. It completely removes hiss and gives you near perfect recordings. (I always used TDK AD which was a good quality “normal” tape). But now that car stereos and portable music players no longer use cassette they have no purpose as far as I am concerned. It’s a shame I sent all my old cassettes to landfill years ago, they might have been worth something now.
when i play a pre recorded cassette with the b side(record/ playback side) of my cassette player / recorder , it sounds like wonky. if i record (on the b side) a cassette and play it on the a side it plays the recording and its wonky. but playing a prerecorded tape on side a , it plays just fine. what does that mean?
Some tape shells(usually cheap sealed ones) are warped, so the path the tape takes is not straight. The best cure for that is to transfer the tape inside to another high quality shell with screws.
Re. #9 (don't use full output) - it's not applicable for all decks. Some decks have output buffer amps, some don't. In the latter case the Dolby or dbx IC drives the volume pot with a fairly low-level signal, which then goes from the wiper of the pot to a series resistor (usually around 1 kOhm, and as much as 2.5 kOhm in case of the Technics) and only then to the output RCA socket. There's no way it can overload anything downstream, and adding more resistance into the signal path makes little sense. When servicing such decks I'd usually connect the output RCA to the hot end of the pot via a 75-Ohm resistor; the pot remains functional for the headphone amp but not for line output.
I have recorded a cassette type ll on my Technics RS - B55 , obviously using dbx. Every time l play some of Yello songs on it l can't believe what l hear. l have put aside my cd player and don't use it anymore. l play my deck through equilizer to a valve amp and set of Kenwoods KL - 4040 ( 1975). ln my opinion l don't need a deck with three heads and five motors to make quality recordings. Obviously deck must be in good condition ( heads , mechanizm etc.) Prices of those decks with three heads are insane...and l really don't understand why. I would like to try one to find out whether it makes any difference.....but l dont think is worth spending ten times more money.
sony is a brand that wasn´t the best but kept releasing well built cassettes and the UX from 93 was one of the best built cassettes ever but i prefer the UX-pro, those esprit series i bought them to play in the car , were great ,some think that ES stands for elevated standart but always meant esprit series , in comercials, cheap av receivers where they didn´t had nothing to put there they wrotte elevated standart but it´s only for comercial reasons i think the cassettes says esprit also ,my first ES system was bought in 82 and it was written there esprit series
ciao Guido, eppure io ti aspetto con una bel video che spieghi come regolare un ottimo livello di registrazione parlando di SOL, MOL, e compagnia bella (ovvero in base alle caratteristiche dichiarate della nastro), ti rinnovo quindi la richiesta :-) Magari inserendo nel video come calibri tu una registrazione, i passi che fai... del tipo riavvolgi prima tutto il nastro? Mandi avanti di un paio di minuti e poi setti la calibrazione? Poi la rifinisci in cuffia o con il semplice ascolto dagli speaker switchando tra source e tape?
I disagree with you on noise reduction for perfectly sensible technical reasons. If a person has the opportunity to use Dolby C on a well calibrated deck, even decent Type I tapes can give spectacularly good performance. As well as providing excellent noise reduction, Dolby C was designed to combat the effects of tape saturation with a technique called spectral skewing. This linearises the tape's performance and makes a good Type I tape behave almost identically to a Type IV tape in terms of frequency response and dynamics. I have two decks here that I've specifically calibrated for cheap TDK FE Type I tapes and they both give a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz within 1dB when using Dolby C.
Hi - thanks for your channel and this video. Please, don't start a video with a 5 min introduction :) Y a w n !!! My tip - and you probably covered it, keep (cassettes) away from magnets. Be it speaker magnets or what ever. I have a watch charger and torch charger both are very magnetic. Been using cassettes a while. Great fun in the 80's and 90's. I'm over 50.
i have used several cassette devices but the same series of the same manufacturer but the sound quality is not the same - LO-D78 - TECNNICK M222 - AKAI63 - TECNNICH M202 ..... why???
Hi guys, i think all tolled about cassette tapes/deck is all about our nostalgia and how embroidered (decored) sound including noise, some about design and tactile feedback. Using cassette tape you do not thinking about quality and usability its all about nostalgia :( But thanks for the video, like and subscribe exactly!
@@grantthrasher3220 Sorry, you're wrong. I owned a Technics RS-BX601. Now I use Denon DRM-710. The collection includes many chrome and metal tapes. However, this does not negate the fact that the sound quality is affected by many aspects of the mechanics (belts, pinch rollers, idlers) of the deck and its electrical part, such as the material of the playback head. Digital era is more affordabble and user frendly. It's a fact!
@@Avtoigor1 Many people are tired of listening to 0s and 1s…….want some of that compressed sound back in there lives.Yes we grew up with it and thats nostalgia.The rest is choice.
I really want to invest in a cassette deck but unfortunately i just have bad luck with them. The last 3 i bought were either in need of repair or broken and i do not want to shell out $300+ for a audio player that is not even supported that much. I did hear how cassettes can sound good but only with type 2 and type 4 tapes which are hard to come by and record labels always use type 1 with no noise reduction and they're always recorded horribly so why even bother. I bought U-Turn Orbit plus brand new for $120 at a clearance sale at urban outfitters and its so good. If i try to get a cassette deck for the same built quality, i will have to pay triple of what i paid for a high end record player.
I hear you, sorry to read this. I agree on prerecorded cassettes, unfortunately they sound pretty bad but a lot of people like low-fi so they have their purpose in that sense. Try looking small online vintage shops. With half of that or even less you can find some jewels. The main purpose IMO should be recording, possibly quality digital streaming so its easy, good price, and good sounding.
@@anadialog that's honestly the main reason i want a cassette deck. To record my own tapes but trying to find a working deck with w 3 head is hard. Trying to get one with Dolby S is near impossible with my budget but I'm still looking. My main focus is just trying to find a decent deck with a 3 head. Dolby S is a luxury i can't afford right now. But yeah I'm looking through offer up, mercari, and eBay in hopes in finding a quality deck with my budget. Not giving up but i am losing faith :(
I just started recording at home again and am planning on using a new digital 12 channel Teac mixer into Studio One. Once I have everything recorded and sounding the way I want I’m going to play it back into the room through my system because that’s when it usually sounds the best. Then I’ll use my Ribbon mic to record the mastered song into a 1968 Teac 3 mixer and from there into a cassette. The deck recording will then be fed back into the computer. I’m assuming they recorded a lot like this in the 50’s but I can’t really find out much about this method. I thought of this method because I do it all the time with my cell phone. Any suggestions?
Somebody tell me why a blank cassette is so dreadfully expensive. I haven't bought one for years. But when I recently checked the price on Ebay, a 2 pack of 110 minute TDK brand metal tapes was $50.00. That price is higher than whichever compact disc I might be copying. Furthermore, it's not as if there are a lot of new tape decks on the market, and the ones which have existed for a while, even the best brands, are dead.
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Dude, I watched your channel a lot, but this video is seriously great. I'm 41, I had tapes. I knew about demag, etc, but a lot of this is VERY helpful. I had already ordered type 1, then realized I care about fidelity too much and ordered type 2. This video made me realize I made the right choice. The output voltage info is great. I now know it's something to look at. I've wanted to make a mixtape for a girl for a long time and I want to it reflect my love of fidelity.
Other than the point of cassette's or their purpose, i really like the physical touch and feel and the sounds the cassette makes when you handle it. Its has that unique sound to it that a cd or record simply does not have.
When you handle it, you can hear the reels inside shift and move, that sound is like no other.
Tight righto
Another tip, you can buy pre-recorded commercial tapes at your local record store typically very cheap, and look for the ones that are on chrome tape, put tape over the 2 knock outs at the top of the shell and now you can record over it. And now you got yourself a very inexpensive chrome tape.
Made with a very cheap shell and the cheapest tape. The shell is what controls wow and flutter. The tape controls the frequency response and noise. No prerecorded tape is as good as a TDK SA.
And what about the noches in the cassette housing? In the commercial tapes the holes for Chrome tape are not there.
pre-recorded tapes have lots of oxide on them, to make sure they never lose the original song. so you're left with a cassette that will hardly erase and will ruin your heads faster
I bought a Sanyo M1050 handheld cassette recorder recently (5 euros, score!) I've been recording my beats onto it and love the sound. I can't find any info about my particular model though. Gonna try and find some tapes, the one it came with says Chrome TR60 (no name brand) seems a little noisy. Thanks for the tips! Love the sound, recorded a trac.k from Spotify onto it and wow.. sounds so nice. Thanks for the tips!
Boy oh boy! I just unearthed a cassette from my basement - The Eagles, recorded on Maxell UD XL II in December 1978 off of record. The deck used to record the tape was a Kyocera D-801 (long gone) and the tape has not been played in a decade at least.
Playing it now on a Luxman K-120 2-head deck. WoW!! It sounds fantastic. And extremely little if no noise between tracks.
You are absolutely correct - use great tape, record well on an excellent deck.
Did I say WoW!
On a diffent note, I have quite a few tapes I recorded live at outdoor blusgrass festival in the 1980s using a Sony WM-D6C (also long gone). Tapes were generally TDK SA-C90 and TDK AD-C90. These 30 year old tapes also sound good after all these years.
Sweet!!
Nice rundown on tapes. I never knew the subject ran this deep.your knowledge and experience is very much appreciated.
Keep informing the people...
Just a couple of tips that have helped me when using cassette tapes over the years. When you first open a new tape, I always fast forward the tape through side A and then side B. This "aligns" the tape to your machine. Do this if you use the same cassettes on your home player and in the car. And when recording, always wind on the leader to the start of the actual tape with a pencil. Then when you release the pause button to start record/play, you do not lose the start of your recording.
1st The tape pack is EXTREMELY smooth in an unused (new) cassette the tape won't vary as it is unwound from the supply reel nearly as much following the FF rewind technique you mentioned
2ndly for storage in the industry the engineers from what I understand ALWAYS left the tail out (at the end of the recording) and it was done in play so the tape pack was absolutely smooth.
3rdly the leader in modern cassettes of quality had a built in nonabrasive head cleaner it also served as a 5 second cue and then the actual tape would be available, however this transition could potentially case distortion at the very beginning of the tape all commercially recorded cassettes ALWAYS let the actual tape itself run for 4 to 5 seconds before the recording started as per the tape had a chance to run properly (align itself for smooth sound at the start this followed into the commercially recorded video tape as well 30 seconds or so for the duplication machines to get the tape properly running through the machine. It yielded far better results so that's as I understand why the blank space on cassettes and video tape.
Thank you Mark I will definitely keep those tips in mind and Europe in 1984 I love cassettes there’s something wonderful about recording on a cassette and testing it to see if it works on a specific deck and they have such amazing sounds what cassettes do you recommend and what length? The two cassettes I have right now are Maxwells and TDK. I have a mixture of 90 minute concert and 120 minute ones.
@jesserussell7242. Apologies for the late reply. TDK are IMHO definitely the best brand. I always liked their ‘AD’ specification. My recordings always sounded good on my Aiwa tape decks and in the car without going to Chrome or Metal spec. And you could really push the signal going onto the AD tape to the limit, especially for playback in the car. I recorded a tape for a friend who had an in -car graphic equaliser with LED VU meters. When he played my recording on AD tape, the meters “peaked” constantly but without distortion!
I can remember buying TDK AD tapes with 80 minutes running time to fit with the full time on a CD. And back in the last century I am sure I bought TDK AD - 46 tapes which were equal to the playing time of the average LP vinyl disc. I would avoid 120 minute cassettes because the tape has got to be thinner to fit in the standard shell casing. So they would be prone to problems. Maxell are also a good brand. Hope this helps you in your journey into the world of ferric oxide tape! Stay safe and well.
Oh ! What an amazing video ! I completely agree with all you say. I used to work for a high end hi-fi store in Montreal. in the 90's. We where authorized Nakamichi service center. I can say that those decks are not only sounding great, but they are also very reliable. The record/playback heads last forever (or almost). I got a BS-150 and a CR-7 (yes, the one with auto calibrate). I LOVE then. I'm not using then since years, but they are NOT for sale ! I also like Thanberg close dual capstan model that I had to service once in my career. Not easy to repair, but sound absolutely fantastic.
Guido, one thing I love about your videos is your passion for all the different types of gear. Cassettes and reel to reels are definitely fun to play around with. I kept a lot of my albums in pristine condition by making cassette copies for everyday playing. Take care my friend.
Do you have a receiver or amplifier with tape output. so it's as easy to record as it was in the '90s
We often did this back in the day, for convenience and to avoid damaging / wearing out records, and making mixtapes. I just taught my 15 year old son how to make a cassette mixtape. He has a Walkman, loves it. Yes he can just stream a playlist. Not the point. He said he likes holding the media in his hand- I get it my son!
Thank you ... Superb ... You have given my cassettes a whole new reason to come back to life ... I have visited a local old shop which gad maxell 2 with recordings on them i must say the gentlemen was tired of looking at them had near 100 and said give me 20 dollars and take them all! I skipped all the way home and began my new adventure ... Thank you your knowledge is a blessing for us uncalibrated people ... Maybe i can calibrate now ! ...
Hey! What a TH-cam channel!
Low speeds are good too for many situations, speed are good for hi but low frecs go down. So many masters in half inch are better in 15ips, the bass and drums are so better. In Dub music the real eco sound comes from a reel to reel and low speeds are better. The chorus effect using two tape machines recording the same at the time.. Im in love too.
Thanks!
Hi there, all your video clips are perfect which are covering TAPE decks and cassettes. I love them all and personally I think that companies should start producing tape decks again, as well the cassettes for us. Thank you for your afford and passion that you are bringing to us. We love tape decks... Best regards from Belgrade - Serbia (Technics lover)
Thanks for another amazing video, I am sure your love cassettes and I do understand why. When I speak to some of friend they laugh and say man it’s trash. I have invited them to come home and listen. People need to realise how great a cassette can sound when you use the right deck. I am using a Nakamichi LX5 and a BX300 and got it serviced by ex Nakamichi tech. I can challenge someone that it sounded as good as my Turntable or may end better in few cases. I played a commercial cassette of Eagles greatest hits and it sounded as good as the vinyl version which is AAA recording. Strongly get a good deck if you need to hear how fascinating a cassette sound. And yes it’s fun and compact and yes much compact than a CD
Absolutely yes!
Recently got into cassettes after my cousin introduced it during dinner - unbeknownst to me, I found a TASCAM 122 MK3 at home. Can't wait to utilise it and make my own mix tapes from vinyls
Nice!👍🏻
Teşekkürler.
Bende tesekkur! Thank you very much for the support!
I NEVER gave up on cassettes, I've seen their pisspoor earlier performance develop into something BEYOND spectacular, and despite what I've been told, KEPT them alive and now....THEY'RE BAAACK! I ❤ them and have become so much better at recording, I get TOP performance from normal bias tapes, I have A GANG of type II and type IV and never really touch them much! The smoothest NB tapes I personally like are Fuji DR 1, next Maxel UR, Sony HF, and TDK NB HO, which have RIDICULOUS PB levels!
I love your videos! As a kid who grew up in the 80’s (born in 1977). I’m thinking of upgrading from my sharp double cassette player to an Akai. Can’t wait to add another cassette player to my collection. Cheers from Houston! 🥃
Top guidance.Thank you very much clear and concise.
Excellent !
I had an Akai GXF-90 deck from early '80s with manual tape calibration, and it was wonderful! You could record really "hot" without distortion, especially with chrome and metal.........I miss that machine.
Oh no!
Oh yeah!!! Hi-Res audio taped on compact cassette tape. Love it. Actually like it more than the digital streaming version. Add dbx for 92db SNR and music is barely discernible from the original, except music is a tad rolled off at high frequencies. Totally acceptable and enjoyable.😁
Oh yeah!
Great video, thanks!!
Still have my Aurex PCX88AD by Toshiba - 3 heads, manual calibration and ADRES (a DBX type compression / expansion system). An amazing though grossly under rated machine that could match it with the best.
Can you use that model in the US, or would you need a converter? If I recall right, Japanese market electronics run on 100V as opposed to 120V.
@@cubdukat I got mine in Australia so it runs 220 -240V. I use it in Canada withn a step up/down transformer from Amazon. The brand is called Seyas. I got the 500 watt version. It is fully automatic and relay controlled with circuit breakers that will trip if there is an issue. It can run to 100% of rated output without any issues at all. It is now around 60 bucks.
Hope that answers your question. Cheers
I do not like noise reductions, I think that a deck that is right calibrated and updated can handle Type 1s with no problem and with extreme low noise, and good high frequency responce.
Can't disagree
Excellent suggestions. The only one I might consider querying was the one on using noise reduction.
I bought a couple of cases of new production "black box" generic no name, no label type II chrome tapes a few years back. These were surprising, and sounded better than some name brand NOS tapes. Sometimes it is a gamble, and there are pleasant surprises.
That 1988 SA-X was a beast. Not only did it have a beautiful shell, its sound reproduction wasn't really linear compared to the SA or XLII even if you could calibrate sensitivity and bias. It sounded punchy and crisp due to the slight "dent" in the high-mids and low-treble which was typical for two-layer ferricobalt types of the time. If you had a three-point calibration like Pioneer's BLE, you could make these linear as well. But I really liked how they sounded "out of the box". It was a perfect tape for funk music and the extra treble served very well in a car or mobile players. Also, it could take loads of level with a really low noise floor ☺️
Downside: TDK tapes are somewhat sensitive towards bad mechanisms and tend to show railroading if your mech is out of alignment so used tapes will often be in bad condition. And getting these as NOS will cost you dearly. Paying 20€ for a single SA-X90EB is pretty common.
Extremely good work. Thank you, Guido. I always loved that sweet smell of maxell. Just had to notice.
True!
Thanks for the video! I know it’s now two years old, but…
What’s your take on Nakamichi 600? I know it’s not 3 but 3 heads… anyway, how do you see it? Thanks.
Keep up the great work!
This was great video !
Thanks !
Thanks for nice video. Cassettes still might be used as good format for listening however if you have appropriate network player then it can change your mind completely for further recording of cassettes. I have tried to listen Mark Levinson 5101 which has amazing sound quality, by the way, better from streaming than from CD except from SACD sources. If you want to get warmer sound then tube amplifiers are recommended, for instance Audio Note Soro line. But this point is related to quality of sound otherwise I fully agree on your analyzed other points to use audio cassettes.
Nice tips! NR especially DBX (in a good quality deck) should be used when available. Even on high quality tapes such as TKD MA-XG, which I paid $106 for the evaluation (I do not recommend this tape as a new top-quality ATR Masters R2R tape costs less than this TDK but, when used with a pro r2r deck, walks all over anything from the cassette world including a freidn's Nakamichi Dragon) there is a noticeable improvement as BDX does not introduce any distortion (or "squish the spectrum") that is audible, based on my extensive testing. The noise reduction and enhancement in DR are VAST (my deck has a DR range of "at least 108 Db" , according to the manual, well above that of the CD). Also, there is NO detectible noise nor any loss in high frequency details (I used a pair of high quality Audezee phones and 4K preamp/amp combo to do this test). BTW, recording from high res sources is the way to go (the only reason I am going back to the cassette tapes, as CDs/vinyls (pops and clicks) aren't hifi enough and I have DSD, hi res PMC and copies of master r2r tapes).
i only use dolby when erecording demos in my home studio , this because of diferent sources with diferent outputs to iliminate some hiss coming from diferent amplifiers and the DBX NR is a module that worKs better than the dolby in regular decks,
Hey! No convincing here 😁 I've had a AIWA ADF800 since 1989 and apart from installing MARS belts she still shines and I absolutely love her! Right up there with the top NAKS for a couple of hundred euro, you just can't beat them for the money and there are also the ANT mods!!
Check the service manual for your deck. The calibration on my Onkyo was completed with Maxell MX90, XLII90 and UDI90. In my efforts to grab a bunch of XL-IIS (1986) a lot includes some XLII and a UDI!
Plus, I have some great jazz now (transferred to VHS EP (4 cassettes)) with only cassette containing "Miles Davis Solstice - 1989 - 1st concert - Opera House - Boston"!!! Great 36-minute set with crowd and everything!
I still love cassettes, they might not be audiophile, but a good cassette desk can sound amazing, I have lots of that suono metal cassettes, in my opinion one of the best metal was ever made, great video well done👍
Hey! My favorite topic.
Thanks Guido..
..am forever experimenting for something new but worthy with the dbx voltage control amps, 700 adc/dac , and lll-NR systems.
cassette tape has always been my passion and guilty sin of the flesh, Frankenstein experimentation...
...when I've found some solid advance I always commit them on the thicker C10-30 min types ll-lV from niche manufactures like thomasin and such------I have the patience when it comes to ultimate reproduction.
music?--->WBA(Was Born Analog!)
The way I hear it, the hiss is all around us in everyday life (all that background noise we don't really notice), and that's why I consider tapes to be the most natural sound reproduction source. It's the hiss that gives tapes "that something" extra. That's why Type I tapes should not be underestimated. You can create great recordings on your standard TDK D easily. So the way I love to record my tapes is with DolbyB, peaking at max 1db, then switching Dolby off for a playback. That's my preference, but as I said, I've learned to embrace hiss long time ago.
recording with dolby B and then playing back with it turned off is often great - sometimes it just makes a recording sound amazing
Never thought about doing that.. I think I’ll try it.
I have a really Basic Deck. Its an technics m13 Tapedeck and it Sounds really good
Thanks for sharing, I still have many cassettes, particular original rare band demos. What do you recommend for reattaching cassette labels that have fallen off due to age? Is there a glue that won't damage the tape or old label paper?
Just bought a JVC CD-1636 for 60$, just need clean up and GO exellent recording and playback.
Quite surprised by the ANRS Noise reduction, real y get a boost in the treble and quite compatible with Dolby B encoded tape.
It's remarkable that the caseet I record in the 70's on TDK SA still sound good.
Pre-recorded tape are always low quality...
I connect an external DAC with the 24-96kHz version of FZ Sofa Album...sweeeet....with a TDK SA tape.
Good video thank you bro like your equipment you got cool stuff I'm just started to build my studios so I put all my record n cd n cassettes tape collection n my tape decks collection you right I had a few tape deck put away for years n some of them was tripping I have to send it to fix soon cus they are expensive for what I see on ebay now those nakamichi revox n I got other pretty good decks now once in a while I put it to use so the machine don't get stuck they need to be play you right about that I love tape 2 they sound really good than tape 1 more bass I like the revox for recording n you right I could make it sound better than the cd some cd are low valume I could make it a little louder when I record in cassettes tapes I love tape deck n turntable they got some nice tape deck that look fresh n cool that what good about tape decks 😅👍😎
Take'm out! :-)
One very important thing for me in playback, i don't record anymore just listen to my old tapes, is play trim, I bought a Yamaha with play trim and it corrects bad bias recordings just before Dolby, a must to copy or listen to old tapes, a lot of tapes have bad bias recordings.
Nobody talks about that and the main use is to play not to record, play trim is kind of a playback rebias.
I love Dire Straits Brothers in Arms on a Basf Chrome extra recorded from CD at the low level this tape needs, and is better than CD, richer than vinyl, with sharp and profound sound, seams like a studio pro master processor, lots of air and everything in its place.
A warning about true chromes: buy new. And by new, I mean, buy versions towards the end of the tape's run. Even sealed true chrome tapes have a tendency to deteriorate, so the younger you buy, the less of a problem that should be. But beware the BASF/EMTEC chromes; they're not true chromes anymore. They're still really good and mostly chrome, just not pure chrome.
One simple tip that I used back in the 80s and 90s (when I was using cassettes in a BIG way) is to always fast forward and then rewind a new tape before use. This frees up the tape inside the cassette mechanism and leaves it correctly wound on the hub for your particular deck. Also I've never found a deck that had variable audio level outputs, everything is either line level (phono) out or professional level transformer balanced XLR out. It would only be the headphone output that would be variable, and you wouldn't normally use that to connect to an amp or other device.
Dolby NR should essentially sound "lossless" in that there should be no treble loss when it it switched in on playback (assuming that the tape was recorded with Dolby on in the first place). The big problem was that lots of (cheaper) decks had a very bad implimentation of Dolby where, when engaged on playback, it sounded like the whole top end was muffled. I agree, that on those decks you were best to leave it permanently switched out and just watch your recording levels (keeping them as high as possible without going permanently into the red) to achieve a good signal-to-noise ratio without distortion. Also, 3-head decks were a must for any tape recoding enthusiast, as you could instantly tell how good a recording you were getting with off-tape monitoring.
In the late 1990s, I moved on to MiniDisc - still the best home recording system ever invented IMHO (and I've never forgiven Sony for basically killing it off purely for copyright reasons) but I still have hundreds of tapes in the loft (mainly Sony or TDK Chromes and Metals) but also including an unopened TDK MA-R 90 :)
Tdk, Cd Bass is my favorite to use for recording
I’ve got a fostex 8 track reel to reel from 2000. Maybe I should get it out and do and record a couple of records to see how it sounds. Even got a few tapes still in their wrappers
Yeah!
I was lucky to find in a local (rarely open) pawn shop two home-recorded type III tapes - BASF SM (90 minutes) and a Sony FeCr 90. I also got there Sony CDit II and a TDK CDing, all 90 minute, each for a less than dollar after conversion. They all sound excelent with what's on them, but I might try recording something on a decent deck.
My understanding is that cassette tape's sound doesn't really deteriorate with re-recordings unless there's actual physical deterioration of the tape, meaning that even all the old tapes one has, provided they have been stored well enough, should give equal results to an unused tape. My own experience re-using Type II and Type IV tapes from 30 years ago would definetely support this - and some of them had been taped over on estimate 3-5 times before, yet the magnetic capacity had not deteriorated at all. There's very close to true fidelity to the high-res files/vinyls i've taped on them.. they sound fantastic (just today did Radiohead's A Moon-Shaped Pool from vinyl and while i can't say it sounds EXACTLY the same, it sounds so close the difference is negligible with my average equipment more couldn't be asked for.) Point being, the problem most certainly is not that the tape had been recorded over many times... only that inherently tape is just not exactly same as vinyl. Still, soooo much better than CD.
If you think otherwise, and that pristine or NOS tapes are better, maybe you could make some tests and a video on it... :)
This is also my impression. Lots of old pre-recorded tapes in charity shops where i live, but hard to find blanks - so I've tried recording over the pre-recorded ones and they also sound just as good
Thank you for you service
Thank YOU!
Excellent information
Great video dear Guido as usual . Happy April :-)
Thank you my man!
BTW, can you do aretrospective or measurements of DDR cassettess, ORWO?
19:00 Actually the Dragon does not calibrate itself as far as bias, level, equalization is concerned, that is manual. It automatically calibrates the head azimuth to the recorded content on playback only. Just to clarify that to the audience.
This has no effect on the recorded information laid down by the record head which is fixed and adjusted during a full alignment by a tech.
At 18:58 I said for playback and then In fact I mentioned the Dragon
i bought my first cassette machine in 1970 and it was the original Philips mono portable with the mechanical play switch but i soon upgraded to Reel to Reel with a AKAI 4000DS but as Cassettes got better with Dolby 'B' i bought my first Top End Machine in 1976 it was a AKAI 325D with 3 Heads and Dual Capstan, that served me well for a number of years until i bought a SONY TCK81 in 1981 and i still have it but in the mid 2000's i bought my first Dolby S machine as it was only £50 on eBay i think it was a SONY TCK 554S 3 head adjustable bios but single capstan that served me well for a few years until the belts perished so i replaced that for another SONY a TCK711S Dual Capstan 3 head for a reasonable £150 but i wanted Better so last year i bought a SONY TC-KA6ES i think that was the last Top End Cassette that SONY sold in the UK, but i wanted Better i could afford a Nakamichi Dragon but i let my Head rule my Heart and Bought in my opinion a better Cassette Machine a REVOX B215 Fully Serviced, Motors Oiled, re-capped new Pinch Rollers and the reason i bought the REVOX over the Dragon is it has no Belts and is Direct Drive so it will last me and whoever i pass it on to for another 40 years
i also have 6 Reel to Reel Tape Recorders but that's another Story
What a journey! Remember though that also the Dragon is direct drive.
I shop at thrift shops....second hand stores looking for cassette tapes. Just today I found, in EXELLENT SHAPE, over forty Maxell XLIIS 90 minute tapes with music recorded on them for $.50 cents each. I'm in the process now of erasing them to use in electronic music production here at home studio....I'm using a Tascam 302 dual machine that I bought brand new in the year 2000...it has probably 20 hours use on it. I'm finally getting around to utilizing it.
Nice!
I have a sound design cassette deck and I have a cassette tape I put tape over it to record over it but when I go to go back to play back the recording there's nothing there but the existing audio that was on the tape before it is not recording into the cassette 😢.
I think the recording head is broken!
Pinch roller cleaning: In my opinion, avoid pure alcohol, it's drying them. If you don't have a "special product" for that you can use window cleaner on a cotton bud, it's less agressiv.
I agree but I must say that a lot of tapeheads do that...
Well, back to my experinces around 1980, Nakamichi was the best if you recorded and play in the same deck BUT Teac deck was universal, means if it was calibrated you can play it in any deck with very good result. Automatic bias ? Well, I did not remember well if it was equal to manual bias using dolby level, speed check tape and azimuth tape. These are the tapes for recording calibration.
Got video love make cassette this days.
WOW !!!! 🙏👍✌️🤯
Hi, anybody know where to repair or check my old cassette decks ? I still have TEAC A-36 and TEAC V6000. If taking about cassette recording, where or which service center does have JIG, Dolby Level, speed check and azimuth tape ? That is the important tools for recording. Your help will.be appreciated. Thanks.
i have got the a few new sealed blank cassette form the stores recently, when i try to record it, non of them produce any sound, is there any way i can fix the problems?
Don't worry. That is Impossible. You must be doing a mistake along the road. Which deck are you using? Are the notches on top of the cassette sealed? Are you sure the source signal is reaching the deck?
Could we just proceed ?
I used the basf pro 2 chrome tapes
Here is another tip: Those Tascam porta-studios can only use type 2 cassettes. They are only calibrated for hi-bias tape and it is not possible to switch to either normal or metal tape.
I own a Pioneer CT-F700. Just recently purchased. May I ask which cassette you recommend for recording. Thank you!
If you can get old cassettes, type I or much better type II and IV. If you want to go new I recommend the Type I by Recording the Masters and the good old Maxell UR.
I have a 1973 Akai tape deck with chrome selection, one of the 1st to have I heard, gee just looked on ebay for tapes and they have gone up in price, I purchased 2 x 5 pack of Maxell Chrome for about $50 each pack about 6 yrs ago now well over $100.
1. Maxell UR is not ne. It is new old stock as the rest, except that it was in production for much longer. 2. Pre used is a gamble, since you don't know the life of them, unless bought from a known person who treated them with respect. 3. BASF can be used in Japanese decks with very good results, comparable to equivalent Japanese tapes. The deal is to be able to bias them properly. 4. Clean pinch roller and capstan very important, as much or even more than the heads. 5. No consumer graded source puts out more than digital (i.e 2V rms). This is not a problem in setting the rec level on any deck. So no attenuation is needed. 6. Dolby (C at least to my experience) does not harm the stereo image. 7. Tapes do not need lubrication!
Yes, they absolutely do need lube when it dries out. A lot of people ignore that but it is part of any binder. I did a video on the topic: th-cam.com/video/ov9frNzqrhU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=x-C8bZLzqcoDXI2a
In the video description you will find several scientific articles that demonstrate that this was a standard procedure in the past.
Nice video, also guys try to buy new cassettes support the market and maybe someday we will have new type 2 or even type 4 tapes
Indeed!!
@@anadialog Never again :( progress will not stop. We are just a bunch of marginals who are still fumble on the ruins of the former empire :)
The best place to find new unopened cassette tapes is at an open air swap meet. I’ve bought about a dozen of them over the past couple of weeks.
17:30 I have a collection of cassette decks. I prefer to record on my Denon DRM-740 from 1998 which uses Dolby HX pro in the recording process, is way easier to record on than the Nakamichi Dragon that I have, and keeps the hours off of the Dragon. I playback tapes that I have on the Dragon which will align itself to the plethora of machines I have used to record on over the years.
Denon cassettes decks are great I bought a few of them in the past never had trouble with them n use n some look cool good tape deck for they price on eBay but is good to buy a use one that was fix is the best if they even had problem..you need to use them too cus they get stuck all that mechanic stuff inside it happens to one of my tape deck had it in the closet for years never use it man I had to send it to fix to a professional cus a lot of people don't know how to fix them n make it worse for you always send it to a professional dude that know how to fix cassettes decks that happen to me too tried to go the cheap way 😂 he fuk it up for me make it worse
@@thehunterofdeath2180 I am a tech and I do work on my own decks, I have the test tapes and the equipment to repair and calibrate them, so I don't have to trust someone else's workmanship, I know who to blame.
Leaving any electronic gear in storage for long periods of time without using it is very hard on it. Cold, dampness, dust, dirt, insects, rodents and such are also harmful in long storage in a garage or shed. Exercise the switches, and controls back and forth several times (50x back and forth) every few months or they will become oxidized, stiff, and noisy. I spray the controls only as a last resort, because the D5 spray can damage the carbon track in some potentiometers, and can also wash out the grease on the shaft making it not smooth feeling anymore.
Ciao, i use Akai CS-34D what do you think? ;)
Hi, is correct to connect cassette recorder inputs to audio interface headphone outputs (I have an Apogee Element 46)?
No, headphones output is not a line output. I see you only have balanced XLR outputs. You can get an XLR to RCA cables and send the signal to the recorder that way. These for example are excellent: www.amazon.com/Oyaide-Class-Female-Cable-Green/dp/B00H95Y05K/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3HUD3IHI3F1DY&keywords=xlr+rca+oyaide&qid=1676708270&sprefix=xlr+rca+oyaide%2Caps%2C318&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f
What about good cassettes for pioneer decks?
I love tapes for recording and playback . We can use two or three decks for recording the problem is that the most decks are used and here in Greece the most of them are not working. Tascams have new decks. Do you know another company ? (except ion)
Check this (terrible list I made): th-cam.com/video/NjLUDQpLcTc/w-d-xo.html
I'm finding that I need to re-calibrate the speed of my machine more frequently than I should have to. Is that sing that the capstan is needing to be replaced?
That is surely one aspect to check but maybe also belts!
Hello, about noise reduction you recommend to not use it with type II and upper cassettes, is that for both playback and recording?
If the cassette is of high quality in most cases yes, it is not necessary IMO. Coming to your question, when you record you are the one deciding to use it or not, in playback it depends if the recording adopted it. If it was used, the you MUST use it also during playback at that point. In other words in playback it’s not a choice, it depends only if it was used or not during the recording phase.
Thanks!
Alcohol on the pinch rollers is a very hard way. Maybe go with something softer. Windex etc... Im intersted about the things with the input/output voltages. Ill never had a Problem with that. Maybe it was a sensitiv machine in your chain? Nice greetings from Austria
I'm nostalgic for tapes too...but old tapes eventually die. If you enjoy recording in analog, try getting a good Hi-Fi VCR. They actually record audio diagonally making them the equivalent of a 3/4" wide tape. Also, you can buy VHS tapes that give you up to 6 hours on a single tape. I've been told wider tape result in better audio, hence the 1" and 2" reel to reel tape recorders.
Yup, did 2 videos on the subject: th-cam.com/video/cnD_h5BVLec/w-d-xo.html
I need some one to make chrome and metal cassettes.
Me too!
Also cassettes must be stored properly upright away from heat and dust or they will warp, dry out and the pressure pads will fall off (can be stuck back with care). And also when cleaning the heads, be careful not to apply pressure or the heads will go off alignment and cause wow and flutter. But in some cassette decks , you can remove the cassette cover compartment, play a tape and with a small screwdriver, turn the small left screw on the playing head a very tiny bit left and right and listen for the sound to become nice and solid and seal screw with nail polish to stop it from moving over time. Tape are the best sound medium. All the best audiophile recordings are from analogue tape recordings.
Wow, ferrichrome... did somebody turn back the time machine? I had my old Sanyo dual cassette down in Florida with me for awhile. On a whim, I gifted it to someone. It happens.
Great video!!! I have my Onkyo 3 head TA-2700, which when using Metal tape, very accurately reproduces the sound on a CD. I just want to say that the NOS TDK MA 110 cost me almost $40, just wanting to try Type IV again. The new, not NOS, Maxell UR=90 tape, in its physical construction, sounded like it was going to physically come apart when forward winding and rewinding. So, in my opinion, this newly produced Maxell Type I tape has lower physical quality than the NOS versions.
I always found the dbx noise reduction on my old Technics deck was vastly better than Dolby B or C. It completely removes hiss and gives you near perfect recordings. (I always used TDK AD which was a good quality “normal” tape). But now that car stereos and portable music players no longer use cassette they have no purpose as far as I am concerned. It’s a shame I sent all my old cassettes to landfill years ago, they might have been worth something now.
Indeed, I have shown that here: th-cam.com/video/dFyFnKF33vo/w-d-xo.html
But some fine detail is lost, compressed
when i play a pre recorded cassette with the b side(record/ playback side) of my cassette player / recorder , it sounds like wonky. if i record (on the b side) a cassette and play it on the a side it plays the recording and its wonky. but playing a prerecorded tape on side a , it plays just fine. what does that mean?
Some tape shells(usually cheap sealed ones) are warped, so the path the tape takes is not straight. The best cure for that is to transfer the tape inside to another high quality shell with screws.
Re. #9 (don't use full output) - it's not applicable for all decks. Some decks have output buffer amps, some don't. In the latter case the Dolby or dbx IC drives the volume pot with a fairly low-level signal, which then goes from the wiper of the pot to a series resistor (usually around 1 kOhm, and as much as 2.5 kOhm in case of the Technics) and only then to the output RCA socket. There's no way it can overload anything downstream, and adding more resistance into the signal path makes little sense. When servicing such decks I'd usually connect the output RCA to the hot end of the pot via a 75-Ohm resistor; the pot remains functional for the headphone amp but not for line output.
these tapes are only available the unites states
anybody know where and how we can order them?
thanks
I have recorded a cassette type ll on my Technics RS - B55 , obviously using dbx. Every time l play some of Yello songs on it l can't believe what l hear. l have put aside my cd player and don't use it anymore.
l play my deck through equilizer to a valve amp and set of Kenwoods KL - 4040 ( 1975).
ln my opinion l don't need a deck with three heads and five motors to make quality recordings. Obviously deck must be in good condition
( heads , mechanizm etc.) Prices of those decks with three heads are insane...and l really don't understand why. I would like to try one to find out whether it makes any difference.....but l dont think is worth spending ten times more money.
Congrats!! 3 heads do make a difference
..soon a video on this and related topics.
sony is a brand that wasn´t the best but kept releasing well built cassettes and the UX from 93 was one of the best built cassettes ever but i prefer the UX-pro, those esprit series i bought them to play in the car , were great ,some think that ES stands for elevated standart but always meant esprit series , in comercials, cheap av receivers where they didn´t had nothing to put there they wrotte elevated standart but it´s only for comercial reasons i think the cassettes says esprit also ,my first ES system was bought in 82 and it was written there esprit series
ciao Guido, eppure io ti aspetto con una bel video che spieghi come regolare un ottimo livello di registrazione parlando di SOL, MOL, e compagnia bella (ovvero in base alle caratteristiche dichiarate della nastro), ti rinnovo quindi la richiesta :-) Magari inserendo nel video come calibri tu una registrazione, i passi che fai... del tipo riavvolgi prima tutto il nastro? Mandi avanti di un paio di minuti e poi setti la calibrazione? Poi la rifinisci in cuffia o con il semplice ascolto dagli speaker switchando tra source e tape?
Grazie Vincenzo, vedrai che alla fine lo faccio ma non tu immaginare chissà che cosa! ;-)
I disagree with you on noise reduction for perfectly sensible technical reasons. If a person has the opportunity to use Dolby C on a well calibrated deck, even decent Type I tapes can give spectacularly good performance. As well as providing excellent noise reduction, Dolby C was designed to combat the effects of tape saturation with a technique called spectral skewing. This linearises the tape's performance and makes a good Type I tape behave almost identically to a Type IV tape in terms of frequency response and dynamics. I have two decks here that I've specifically calibrated for cheap TDK FE Type I tapes and they both give a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz within 1dB when using Dolby C.
Hi - thanks for your channel and this video. Please, don't start a video with a 5 min introduction :) Y a w n !!! My tip - and you probably covered it, keep (cassettes) away from magnets. Be it speaker magnets or what ever. I have a watch charger and torch charger both are very magnetic. Been using cassettes a while. Great fun in the 80's and 90's. I'm over 50.
I bought a cassette player that isn't used in 20 years or something, do you think it still works?
It could but it will not perform optimally even if it was brand new
Why dont you put a tape in and find out…….)
@@mattyg499 i dont have one XD
@@Thomatensoep got me there…]
@@mattyg499 got one! But the belts are broken 😐 😂
i have used several cassette devices but the same series of the same manufacturer but the sound quality is not the same - LO-D78 - TECNNICK M222 - AKAI63 - TECNNICH M202 ..... why???
There are differences, in the heads, the wear of parts, capacitors health, transport quality, choice of electronics for the preamp...so many variables
@@anadialog thanks
When I was a kid we used paper spit wads to stick in the hole when the tabs were broke out....Can I get a witness?
Hi guys, i think all tolled about cassette tapes/deck is all about our nostalgia and how embroidered (decored) sound including noise, some about design and tactile feedback. Using cassette tape you do not thinking about quality and usability its all about nostalgia :( But thanks for the video, like and subscribe exactly!
clearly you have not had exposure to a good 3 head deck, with good tape & a good source. Its NOT just about nostalgia.
@@grantthrasher3220 Sorry, you're wrong. I owned a Technics RS-BX601. Now I use Denon DRM-710. The collection includes many chrome and metal tapes. However, this does not negate the fact that the sound quality is affected by many aspects of the mechanics (belts, pinch rollers, idlers) of the deck and its electrical part, such as the material of the playback head. Digital era is more affordabble and user frendly. It's a fact!
@@Avtoigor1 Many people are tired of listening to 0s and 1s…….want some of that compressed sound back in there lives.Yes we grew up with it and thats nostalgia.The rest is choice.
I really want to invest in a cassette deck but unfortunately i just have bad luck with them. The last 3 i bought were either in need of repair or broken and i do not want to shell out $300+ for a audio player that is not even supported that much. I did hear how cassettes can sound good but only with type 2 and type 4 tapes which are hard to come by and record labels always use type 1 with no noise reduction and they're always recorded horribly so why even bother. I bought U-Turn Orbit plus brand new for $120 at a clearance sale at urban outfitters and its so good. If i try to get a cassette deck for the same built quality, i will have to pay triple of what i paid for a high end record player.
I hear you, sorry to read this. I agree on prerecorded cassettes, unfortunately they sound pretty bad but a lot of people like low-fi so they have their purpose in that sense. Try looking small online vintage shops. With half of that or even less you can find some jewels. The main purpose IMO should be recording, possibly quality digital streaming so its easy, good price, and good sounding.
@@anadialog that's honestly the main reason i want a cassette deck. To record my own tapes but trying to find a working deck with w 3 head is hard. Trying to get one with Dolby S is near impossible with my budget but I'm still looking. My main focus is just trying to find a decent deck with a 3 head. Dolby S is a luxury i can't afford right now. But yeah I'm looking through offer up, mercari, and eBay in hopes in finding a quality deck with my budget. Not giving up but i am losing faith :(
HOW DID HE KNOW I LISTEN TO CASSETTE TAPES?
I just started recording at home again and am planning on using a new digital 12 channel Teac mixer into Studio One. Once I have everything recorded and sounding the way I want I’m going to play it back into the room through my system because that’s when it usually sounds the best. Then I’ll use my Ribbon mic to record the mastered song into a 1968 Teac 3 mixer and from there into a cassette. The deck recording will then be fed back into the computer. I’m assuming they recorded a lot like this in the 50’s but I can’t really find out much about this method. I thought of this method because I do it all the time with my cell phone. Any suggestions?
Hi, not sure if I understood correctly but I don’t recommend to record your room, the results will always be quite poor.
Somebody tell me why a blank cassette is so dreadfully expensive. I haven't bought one for years.
But when I recently checked the price on Ebay, a 2 pack of 110 minute TDK brand metal tapes was $50.00.
That price is higher than whichever compact disc I might be copying.
Furthermore, it's not as if there are a lot of new tape decks on the market, and the ones which have existed for a while, even the best brands, are dead.
Cassettes are trendy and a lot of people use them for recording and producing electronic or underground music...it's the cassette culture!