A simple, but really great well thought up and put together video as always. Here's a little tweak you can try whenever you have the time tho, When using a 'Piano keys style' cassette deck that has Full Auto Stop, the easiest way to do the finger test with the rewind function, is simply to activate the 'Pause' function on the deck first before you press the Rewind button to temporarily disable the Auto Stop feature. It may not work for all decks, depending on what type of mechanism is used, but from the looks of that TEAC, I'm almost sure it'll definitely work.
I'm Gen Z and grew up with cassettes since I was poor. I would record songs off the radio with them. I even still have a sealed blank cassette tape in my drawer.
I know it's already redundant but again, thank you VERY MUCH for providing subtitles, it helps a lot non English native speakers like me. (but, to be honest, your dictation/speech and voice are very good and I can understand you most of the time without reading the subtitles. 👍👍
Sub titles are great, I sometimes see a really good video in Hindi or German, French, Italian and I only speak English. So I am able to follow what they are telling me.
Great advice for new people getting into the hobby! Like you said don't worry about finding a Nakamichi. Teac, Kenwood, Pioneer...etc are all fine choices especially for a beginner! Basically any Japanese brand is going to treat you well IMO
@@Edgeedman get an audio interface, connect interface outputs (likely TRS/balanced) to the deck's input (RCA) a simple dual TRS to RCA cable will do just fine.
@@vinniemorciglio4632 This is a criminally underrated point. Internally bias the deck to the tapes you most commonly use and adjust the slider with a test tone. Rewind and play until it's right. Did that for years until I got a 3 head deck with an auto bias.
“All the high end decks are strictly single deck designs” whilst panning down in front of a 6 cassette pioneer changer unit (albeit still only with a single deck inside the changer of course)😂 Great video, though. Especially for people who didn’t grow up with cassettes and learned the hard way! I should add - I still have my Technics RS-BX606 cassette deck I bought from new back in 1991 and it still works perfectly. Sadly we don’t have Goodwill in the U.K. - stuff either goes on EBay or it gets recycled at the ‘tip’.
The closest to Goodwill in the UK is charity shops and they either don't take LX kit or over charge for it. I've bought some cassette deck bargains on eBay UK but the risk is always underpacking so delicate chassis parts get smashed in transit.
I'm a big fan of cheap and cheerful hifi (although I have nice gear as well). You can have a surprising amount of fun resurrecting something that doesn't cost very much, and its a great way for a beginner to learn because cheap and cheerful is easier to understand and a whole world less stressful if it ultimately doesn't work.
Thumbnail looks familiar, looks identical to my Technics M5 :) Picked it up for free at the local recycling store and it worked perfectly, probably wouldn't have paid much attention if it didn't have the VU meters. I just love feel of old AV equipment, they feel so much more robust and all the knobs are so smooth and switches are solid. Completely different from the modern shiny plastic garbage
Actually, I think it's the M-205, I owned both of them, the M-205 I still have. The decks are indeed very similar, same functionality and share also many parts, I managed to make the M-205 working again by using some salvaged parts from the M-5. The M-5 has direct mechanical piano-style keys and a plastic housing, the M-205 is a bit more elaborate with a metal housing (that is much easier to take apart) and a fully mechanical soft-touch control mechanism. I like the way you feel the mechanism take over when you press the play-key slowly ;-).
I didn’t know about the Tape Monitor button. I knew it was there, but didn’t know what it did. Now I can tape my records directly to a cassette, and play in my Walkman. Thanks for the tip!
Tape monitor was originally intended for use with high end reel to reel tape decks. They had an extra playback head, allowing you to play what was recorded a fraction of a second earlier, making it easy to fine tune the recording levels / bias / etc while the recording was being made (especially while recording live music). The Tape Monitor button on a stereo receiver is usually an easy to toggle button so that you can compare the source material with the recording with a quick toggle of the switch. For those of us without the fancy reel to reel tape decks, Tape Monitor serves as an extra line level input for the stereo receiver. This is especially useful on vintage stereos may not otherwise have enough inputs to have a tape player and cd player connected at the same time.
'We want T not Sugar'... God, was it really almost 30 years ago that he told Venables 'you're fired'? I won't touch Amstrad stuff, it's the 80s equivalent of Crosley and it must be only through sheer luck that any has survived into the modern era.
i love that Realistic Amplifer, I remember it in all the radio shack catalog when i was a kid.. this is a great video for the next generation of people who want to get into this stuff. great work.
That thumbnail is 1000% a Technics RS-M205. I've been around one my entire life, and would recognize it anywhere, even if I ended up in a coma for 30 years!
Well done. I am a diehard cassette man, have been since the late 70s. I’ve made literally hundreds of great sounding tapes of rare material from the internet. How? You just use the headphone Jack on your computer! Can’t download? I never let that stop me! Love doing it “old school”!
Ah, recording level in, that was a great treat on the deck we had at home. I fashioned an "electric guitar" out of an acoustic one and one earpeace of a cheap walkman style headphone. By varying the recording level in, I was able to get it to overdrive. Sounded crap off course, but started a hobby which I still enjoy.
@VWestlife. Thank you for this information about cassette decks. Just a couple of additional things that may help your viewers who may venture into the world of ferric oxide tape. Before playing a cassette, fast forward the tape side A and then side B. This "aligns" the tape to your deck. Do the same for a brand new tape out of wrapper/box, especially if you want to make a recording. Plus it only takes a few seconds with a pencil to wind the leader up to the start of the tape before you load it into the deck. You can then cue your recording source and release tape pause simultaneously and not risk losing any information. You and yours stay safe and well.
If it's an old deck and you can't test it in the store or have doubts about condition, IMHO a fully mechanical deck OR a full logic/electronic deck is more likely to work than a "mechanical soft touch" model as those tend to have more belts, gears, pulleys that can break.. If you read the Technics text at 1:50 it's very telling... Anyway, thanks for a great video that's sure to inspire many future cassette enthusiasts!
Indeed, the mechanics behind an older soft touch deck I have is pretty bonkers, and involves a bunch of protrusions on a rotating rod triggering other mechanical parts. Impressively it still works fine though, but you have to hold the buttons slightly longer or sometimes it misses the press.
Thanks so much for this. Your advice about the noise during playback, and jiggling the write-protect detector while pressing record, meant I could fix my faulty NAD 6220 in seconds, after months of worrying about how I was going to transfer some valuable (to me, anyway) old home recordings to digital. Totally amazing, and totally delightful!
Those mechanical tape counters are awesome, especially when you discover that a carefully annotated tape with the "counter" numbers corresponding to individual tracks are useless on a different deck.
This was a great video. I've been into hifi since the late 70s and have had my fair share of decks over the years. I love your last point about elitism in the hobby. For 90% of people, a cheap deck will be just as useful as an expensive one, and really won't be noticeable with sound reproduction. It's a bit pointless having a $1000 cassette deck to record on, then play it back on a $100 Boom Box or knock-off Walkman. My rule of thumb is to purchase what you can reasonably afford, keeping in mind you may have to do some work on it (if it hasn't come from someone who looks after them). Replacing belts and a service can add to the price. Also, I look for decks that are made before 1995 as a rule of thumb as that's when cassettes really disappeared of the shelves and cheap mechanisms started flooding the market. I also tend to avoid the decks which are all electronic as when things go wrong, they are VERY expensive to fix. Look for good late 70s early 80s deck made by a good brand (Pioneer, Sony, Teac, Denon etc) and you really won't go wrong. My problem now is trying to find places to buy blank tapes from. Second hand tapes are generally useless now. And new here are SO expensive.
One suggestion for IF your testing a cassette mechanism at a thrift shop. Carry a cheap set of earbuds and a 3.5 to larger plug (can't remember right name) we all carry earbuds or headphones already. Find a cassette (preferably one that was already on the store), then the tape deck, then test the cassette deck in the shop, and plug your headset in. If their are oither features, test thoes too. I picked up a Sony hst-211 all in one (duel cassette, radio, 3 input and a phono amp built in, but it was missing the removable record player.) With it I found the cabinet with its glass door, cabinate speakers. I later traded the speakers for a STR-K7000 A/V AMP. I found this a good trade, and a great way to merge vintage and modern technology in my living room. Best $40 at goodwill I've spent yet.
Thank you for this video. And I also wanted to thank you for inspiring me to reconnect w/ my stereo system. I cleaned my Optimus deck using your instructions. I also bought a vintage Fisher receiver and another Realistic tape deck serviced w/ new belts. I’m building a nice cabinet for the system too. So thank you so much Kevin, I appreciate your videos.
I have a JVC-Deck that i bought for a 10€ + shipping a few years ago with Dolby-B/C NR, a pretty modern one with a lot of features with the logic circuit. I keep maintaining it and it still runs like as their first days.
I have a JVC deck that is from the 80's with the big analog meters. I have found the JVC decks, although likely not in the realm of the more expensive decks, tend to be very reliable.
Thank you for this. I just picked up a Teac R-435x from goodwill for $12. I do have some black goo to clean up but I’m excited to actually have something beyond just a portable or shoebox recorder.
Great tips and tricks, very well-structured video! When I've bought my '80s JVC deck, I just brought my large headphone with me, and some cassettes to test it out. When my Vanessa Mae tape played beautifully, without noticeable wow and flutter, I was convinced. It was also around $8 in my local currency, and was advertised as faulty/not tested. Luckily it was the latter. BTW, cool Panasonic walkman, I had the same model, but in blue :)
I just bought a Philips D6350 for my IBM 5150 to load programs from Cassettes and nostalgia struck me like Zeus with lightning. I had like 2-5 cassettes and a Walkman when I was a kid in 2000s, but now I really understand the value and importance of cassettes. I really hate the digital era, it's boring to have 100 songs on a 15mm micro SD card that can be played by a push of a digital button on our phone screens. Sure I use my phone when I'm on the road, but cassettes, it's like a ritual you must do to get them playin'. AND I ENJOY IT EVERY TIME! I laughed at one of my school mates for not knowing how to open a cassette case when my teacher gave it to him. Guess he never saw one. Thank GOD I'm here to keep the old tradition alive.
My dad's been looking for a good cassette deck lately, and I think I just might show him this video. It's full of some nice tips and tricks he might find useful. Also, that tape at 10:06 is "Pray for the Wicked" by Panic! At The Disco, an album that came out in 2018! I had no idea it was released on cassette!
I enjoyed watching this even though I already know this because I've used and done just about everything with tapes including using a pencil to rewind a tape. I still have my tapes but don't use them much for recording.
Love cassette decks. My old 1997 Ford F-150 truck had a cassette deck in it. Had that for 24 years. Gone now sold it. I am a cassette geek nut for recording music. I do have a cassette to cd recorder by TECH because my 2015 1500 Silverado has a cd deck in it. When playing a cd recording from cassette it does have that hissing sound but only when the volume is turn up almost all the way for volume. So I'm satisfied with my buy of what I got (from 976-CREOLEMAN).
Grew up with cassettes and loved them back in the day, but to be honest, I changed my game to minidisc and never looked back. Media still available as are the machines. Far superior in reproduction as well.
I actually have had the first two items in the intro to this video (of which I still have my Sony boom box, but I no longer have my Panasonic Shock Wave cassette player). Excellent video!!!
That Teac cassette deck was my first one I ever bought, some time in 1986 or 87ish. Had it for 5 or 6 years before upgrading to a Pioneer cassette changer.
4:20 - There's a deck for Techmoan. VFD spectrum analyzer, bouncing analog VU meters, brushed aluminum faceplate... 21:29 - I can highly recommend Memorex dBS and TDK SA tapes, I've used them both quite a bit, and they hold up to a lot of re-re-re-re-recording. Amazing to find that deck still encased in its protective layer after all of those years! Sounds great, too! No doubt it's got low "miles," definitely worth $7.
I was asked from younger generations for something like... "Seriously, so we can really make our own recording on cassette tapes? Is that REALLY the case???" "The tape isn't at the very beginning of the cassette. Do I have to let it play through its end, then start over?" "Help! My cassette player had acted up. Now I have a cassette with about 2" of tapes spilled out of its shell. How can I put it back?" Some plain simple knowledge had already "evaporated" within less than a few decades. Hmmmmmmm...😕
When I was a kid I learned any cassette issues the hard way and learned how to fix my tapes and keep my equipment clean, I'm 25 now and still collecting and recording my tapes. I started collecting from the age of 4 and haven't really stopped except for the last 4 years, but now I'm back.
I got a functioning Technics dual tape deck from Goodwill a few years back, and after an hour or so the drive gear on the record side lost too many teeth to continue. Apparently it's a common flaw with that line. I just got a Sony one a few days ago at another thrift store as part of a stereo bundle and so far so good, but I haven't recorded yet.
I wish you could still pick up a component tape deck for under £10 in the UK. With most charity shops (thrift stores) not accepting electronics now, your used options are the few that get listed on FB marketplace or the vastly inflated prices on eBay. Cassettes have become a hipster medium now which as with the vinyl revival, has pushed prices out of the reach of the casual nostalgia nerd. Fortunately I saved the low-end Sony twin deck I used in my teens to record and dub many hours of mixtapes from the Sunday afternoon charts, but upgrading it to the Technics or Panasonic I always wanted is now out of the question. I bet millions of perfectly serviceable or easily repairable cassette decks went to landfill during the period when the format was abandoned as obsolete.
Not under £10 but there's always a good few basic but serviceable models under £50. If you actually are gonna use it that's not bad and way cheaper than when new. Typing this whilst PAT testing an amplifier in a charity shop btw... Do check out the bigger - often furniture orientated ones - which are popping up btw, many do sell electrics.
@@snapea On interest does the shop(s) own the PAT tester ? At work an external company comes iin every couple of years and spends several days testing evrything with a plug.
@@MrDuncl We do the testing in house. So, yes, one tester in each shop that sells electrical items. The basic models are few hundred quid, they pay for themselves fairly quickly. As a side note, for a few years now the HSE guidance has encouraged a risk based approach to workplace PAT testing frequency - eg. a handheld corded power tool in a workshop would need looking at more frequently than a stationary computer in an office (which might actually never need to be PAT tested - a visual inspection may suffice). This approach makes good sense but most companies seem to find it easier to pay a contractor to sticker everything annually rather than maintaining a complex inventory of items and their inspection intervals.
God, i've had a Sony Sports WM-FS111 Walkman for a couple years, that I thought had broken headphone jacks because it only played on the left ear, it just needed cleaned -___- Thanks for this video! Us new dummies need as much help as we can get. Finally I can listen to tapes in stereo hahahaha
I wish I had known about the finger test before I bought my Technics RS-T20. It won't take up tape nor readily available belt sets are available. Perhaps, the latter is also an important thing to consider before buying an old deck.
Yes, thats generally a good idea for retro equipment, do a little research into serviceability in general, and in that, the kind of decks suggested in this video are typically fairly easy to service, and not that much of a loss when that doesn't work out. I do own my 'dream deck' (aiwa ad-f990), which I wanted to own ever since it was released somewhere in late 1983.. its quite fancy and very capable... and an absolute nightmare to work on... which I knew, so no big deal to me, but not what I'd suggest unless you don't mind very complex and potentially expensive repairs (as those often involve finding a donor unit for parts, and possibly hiring some experienced tech to work on it as it is an absurdly complex device) If you can figure out the size and shape of the belts, you may well be able to find appropriate ones. Keep in mind shape is also important.
When someone asks to choose between a couple of available models on cassetteculture, the first thing I do is check for the availability of belt kits for each one.
Very often "different" decks used the same tape mechanism. Look online for the service manuals (not user manuals) for several decks close to the model number of yours, e.g. RS-T22, -T30, ... and from more or less the same year (+/- 1 or 2) and see if the mechanism looks exactly the same. If it does you can than search for a belt kit with the other model number. Also bear in mind that Technics was practically the same company as JVC and Panasonic, sharing a lot of components. So it might be helpfull to seek out service manuals from similar looking devices from JVC and Panasonic of the same year too. It needs probably some digging, but I'm confident that it's possible to find belts for that mechanism.
Why did I chuck our mid-80s Realistic deck, kicking myself now. Nothing special then but would have been cool now. Hopefully someone found it in a thrift shop for $7.99 :)
Great video! One thing to add…if you are recording in Dolby, there is often a Dolby logo on the VU meter which should indicate the ideal peak position to use VS. setting the peak at zero DB. This is used because Dolby decoding utilizes amplification on playback of suppressed upper frequencies.
That's actually a misnomer. The Dolby logo on the meter just indicates the Dolby calibration reference level. It has nothing to do with the recommended maximum recording level. (Technology Connections was wrong about this in his video about Dolby NR.)
Here I am from the new Marantz deck video...pretty much already knew the stuff! Now we need to find a pre-recorded tape that's not baked in the sun or placed too close to a bare speaker... About the window cleaner on rubber - there's nothing wrong with isopropyl alcohol (standard procedure on O-rings and industrial seals) and if the rubber would simply break off or sludge away it's pretty much over for that "tire". 99% alcohol would be preferred because there's no water to slow the drying process...and no scents or moisturizers and everything else to contaminate. The ingredients on Windex does seem to be kinder to rubber but ammonia! Still can't get over that last tape pretty much clipping...ouch
I bought two of these deck. One has the soft control and the other has the hard button. The soft button control had stopped working and my tape is stuck inside the player. It has been on he shelf for a year now. The other deck that has the hard buttons has been much more reliable since it is more direct and does not require power to make the mechanism move and my tape won't get stuck since the mechanism will disengage manually; If you don't want your tapes to get stuck get a recorder direct control so it be more reliable. I hear that the mechanisms are more simple in these types.
hi Vwestlife, great video for people who are just getting into cassettes. one thing i would like to know is what are the internals of this deck? and the speed adjustment tutorial would be great as well as replacing the pinch roller and aligning the heads which i think the most important things that should be done before any recording is performed. i look forward to part 2 of this series.
Am I the only one that likes extra-sharp treble EQ? By that, I mean, I would record onto tapes with the Dolby turned on, but would play them back with it off. (sometimes also the same with the type 2 switch) This video made me look up some old photos of the setup I used in the 90s, back when I still made mix tapes. Hell I probably have 100 of those tapes in various boxes scattered around (as all of my cars have working tape decks of some kind in them) But I remember my first stereo cassette recorder... a cheap boom box gifted me in Xmas 1984, purchased at the nearby Ft. Collins Safeway store. It was so cheaply constructed that I had to take it apart more than once to jerry-rig fixes to broken plastic support pillars for the tape mechanism. (that is, until a couple of years later when I blew out the tape recording circuits by making a horrible newbie mistake of hooking up the mic input to the speaker output of a tube-driven stereo amp. AARRGGH)
I have a ton of audio cassettes I inherited from my parents, and a cassette player a friend gave me, but I don't know how to set up the cassette player to connect to speakers (which I don't have yet). Would love to see a Dummies video for connecting a cassette player to speakers/stereo system, from A to Z.
The lead in/lead out of a compact cassette is approximately 5 seconds. Easy to time when starting the cassette and a recording, not quite so easy when ending, as you cannot tell exactly when the tape ends and the lead out begins. (This information I learnt via a Maxell cassette recently. Also it showed how you can tell what side is which and the direction of playing etc.). Just thought I'd share as I never knew this before. Great video as always and some very good points.
@@vwestlife Yep, I'm just mentioning for those who wondered, especially as I'd never known how long the leader was before then. I'd never even bothered to question it before either, LOL.
Dolby B, C, S HX PRO and dbx. Also the good machines are backlit in the tape wells. 3 head units with a closed loop capstan system. Good for monitoring recorded content as it records from the source. I own several tape machines the higher end.
I'd be interested in seeing more about aligning the azimuth, testing wow and flutter, etc. :) I was looking at getting a decent cassette deck several years ago (for copying a lot of tapes I have - probably a few hundred or so - to PC) and one of the features that came up in my research then was auto azimuth adjustment, which was featured on some I think 1980s vintage Nakamichi decks that were going for around $1K or so.) Another thing I think they had were things like dual capstans, or another feature that I can't remember the name of but it kept the tension on the tape properly applied and didn't even need another feature that's common on cheaper decks but I don't remember what it was either. (My budget was nowhere near the $1K Nakamichi decks, more like I think about $100 or so, therefore I didn't buy one then, and still haven't yet.) I'd still like to get a decent deck for copying a bunch of tapes to PC / digital format, although for now the project is kind-of taking a back seat because of other things going on. When I do, though, I'll want to get a deck that will get as good of a quality play off the tapes as possible, ideally making them almost sound like new without having to use any kind of signal processing. Multiple decks would be even better, so I can copy multiple tapes simultaneously.... maybe some of the decent component decks could be mounted in a rackmount server cabinet? Also I've had a couple of that same model Panasonic Shockwave over the years, as well as its little brother the RQ-SW10 ... still have some, but they all have various issues now, like on one the radio's not working properly, on another the tape won't play, and so on. I've also had an RQ-SW44V ... the tape on that thing when it worked was alright, but failed a bit faster than the others; also the AM radio had very poor sensitivity - for example, a signal that was strong enough to light the "tuning" LED on the '20 or '10 was barely audible on the '44, and a local-grade near-noise-free signal on the '20 and '10 (lighting "tuning" on the 1st-adjacent channel) still had a fair bit of noise on the '44. (For example, the only static-free station at my location on the '44 was a 50kW station on 1170 about 6 or 7 miles away, blasting me with about 250-300 kW or so, before they moved their transmitter 9 miles away after which it had a little noise even though it was aiming about 100-125 kW at me. A few 5kW stations in the 7-9 mile range on 600, 760, 910, 1360 sounded on the '44 about as strong as 50kW stations on 640 and 1070 about 99 and 111 miles away on the '10 and '20, with 1070 being slightly stronger due to a partial saltwater path.) I wasn't a huge fan of the selectivity on the Shockwaves either - for example that 50kW station on 1170 when it was about 6 miles away still sounded just as loud / strong on 1200 as on 1170 on the '20 and '10, and could be heard weakly up to about 1260 or so (with local stations on 1210 and 1240 being strong enough to have those frequencies to themselves; also 1170 didn't leak down as far, partially due to asymmetrical IF sidebands, and a strong station on 1130 that was still fairly strong on 1100. On 1150, 1170 was the sole station audible.) When I would visit my foster grandma several years ago (she's since passed away and the house was sold), with her being 1/3 mile from a 50kW on 1430 and a 23kW on 1300, those stations would take up like almost half the band, and the one on 1430 had a very strong image on 530.
As a rule of thumb, I've found that the belts in Technics/Panasonic and JVC decks have stood the test of time, while Pioneer, Sony and Hitachi belts are likely to have turned to goo. Also, if your deck works but sounds a little muffled, a head demagnetiser can work wonders; they can often be found on eBay for £20 or less. Finally, as an alternative to window cleaner, it's possible to clean the pinch roller by pressing a dry cotton bud against it as it rotates - just keep it clear of the capstan!
This TEAC deck is from 1987 and its belts are still perfectly fine, while I've seen Sony and Pioneer decks that are over a decade newer and their belts are totally shot.
For each mechanical Piano Key style tape deck mechanism that fails, there are a hundred soft touch mechanisms that fail and about ten full logic mechanisms that fail. (your mileage may vary) Also... oh there's a song on the radio that I need to tape NOW quick hit record c'mon hurry, the piano key mechanism immediately starts. The soft touch and the full logic can take their time, sometimes more than a second, and for full logic decks you often even need to wait for them to boot up their microcontroller which could take several seconds. Oldschool piano key decks however take about half a second from off to record (because my fingers can't move any faster).
Excellent point! My Sony TC-WR635S, when you hit the Rec button, immediately responds by going into Rec Pause mode, requiring me to then hit the Pause button to start. I used to just let one cassette record off the radio in A-B Auto Reverse, and then replay that tape later to dub the songs I wanted.
huh? even old tech had input lag! Agree that a shoebox recorder would always win hands down.. Or even a mid 70s pioneer mechanical piano keys controled deck.
So, if I'm understanding correctly, I can listen to audio simply though powered speakers with the correct connection, no amplifier necessary? (I'm new to this cassette stuff and just needed a confirmation. Thanks. )
Have had a ton of different tape decks over the years and currently I have a Mitsubishi dual deck and also a Yamaha dual Digital deck, both are at the top end of their models
This is very well done, thanks! Would love if you made a part II demonstrating basic calibration of speed, head, etc. Or maybe there is a video like that from someone else that you'd like to recommend?
This double cassette deck looks like 👍 a 1980’s model. My first home 🏠 stereo had this feature, but I cannot remember if it had an auto reverse 🔄 feature or not. I bought the stereo back in 1988, when I was still in school 🏫. It had soft touch controls, and many 👨 LED lights, in red and green. I thought the stereo was a great 👍 buy. I had no trouble with it, other than a broken 😞 on/off switch. Your friend, Jeff.
these cassette decks are still pretty good, like it has the most useful features you would use with most cassettes. those fancy ones definitely fall under the law of diminishing return.
Great introductory video, thanks. As a reliable rule of thumb I've found the more segments in an led meter the better the deck. 6 segs per channel is pretty low rent for a Dolby C deck.
I found an Onkyo TARW411 cassette deck, barely used, at a thrift store that was listed for $25. It was also Mart 50% off. OK. I like about this cassette tape the audiobook to play. I think this cassette player is from like 94 or 95 so probably about as old as I am. But it seems to be a very good and reliable one.
hi, in your guide you say: "Cassette decks from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s from well-known brands [...] almost always offer better audio quality, superior durability, and more features [...] than modern entry-level decks, and will greatly outperform most portable cassette players and recorders." I am thinking of getting a brand new TEAC AD-850 Cassette and CD Player, so I am wondering if these compare to decks from the old golden age of tape players? Are they entry level too" and inferior to old decks like the 3-head decks etc from the 80s and 90s? Thanks and congrats on all the great content on your channel :)
"Even though I have no need for this cassette deck, because I already have other ones that are far superior to it, I thought it was worth picking up." This is so relatable lol
Thanks for the video! I finally found a component tape deck at my local thrift store, a Technics RS-T11, made around 1988, for $3. But… it didn’t have a power cord (found one at home), and the belts appear to be worn (the take-up reel sometimes goes slower than the other reel, resulting in the tape being ‘eaten’). Is it worthwhile to try to obtain new belts and replace these ones? Or keep looking and hope for better luck next time?
@@vwestlife Laughing… my skill level is zero so far, but it doesn’t look impossible with more research. Each tape unit has a wider belt plus 2 smaller belts. (Unless the smaller is really one long belt and I just can’t see where it connects.)
You're so lucky having thrift stores close by that you can buy a double tape cassette deck for 7.50 , here in Scotland that would only be available on eBay and would prob cost about £30
Not necessarily. For playback, it's irrelevant. The advantage of a 3-head deck is the ability to hear how the recording is turning out while you're recording it, rather than having to stop, rewind, and play it again afterwards.
I was born in 2003, I was born just a bit too late to grow up with cassettes. This vid is definitely informational and very helpful in giving a good idea of what to look for. Also, what song is that at 19:04? I couldn't find it anywhere.
11:38 is the part where you can clean the mechanism. I do the same cleaning as well on my Technics RS-B11W cassette deck. I can also do the same cleaning with my reel-to-reel tape recorder like my Akai 1721W and my Concord 220T.
I had the same deck in 1991 with a niko r25 receiver and two Victor audio 8 inch two. Way speakers which is an off with brand of JVC along with two Gemini djq 1200 directive turntables and Gemini MX 2200 mixer
I used to love cassette decks. Now I can't imagine having one for anything other than a show piece, so it would have to be the most baller one I could find.
Great video. I have a big question for you on hook up. I worry about ruining my receiver. I have a pioneer receiver capable of laser disc, cd, and tuner. Phono, sat tv. I purchased a 1981 Panasonic stereo cassette deck 635. The back has two sets of male adapter plugs, one set for out and one for in. I hooked it up to the tape setting on the back of the receiver. The cassette player does play. However, the tape plays on all component settings, meaning if I click on phono, the tape plays through over the album. This goes all the way down the line. I watched the video to hook up. Any help would be appreciated.
How do i connect my cassette deck to a modern reciever that only has a rca inputs but no rca outputs ? I want to record from my reciever and items like my turntable and cd player that are connected to the reciever ...
If your receiver doesn't have any tape or pre-amp outputs, you won't be able to use it for recording. You'll need to either replace it with a receiver that does have tape outputs, or connect the cassette deck directly to the source you want to record from.
you may have cheated slightly, I believe one of the close-ups is not from a cassette but the Sony el7 elcaset. if it's not the el-7 it certainly a closely related deck. I am very familiar with the el7 as I brought my own back to life about 3 or 4 years ago
"Even though I have no need for this cassette deck..." LOL! I'm a 25 year thrifter and I bet a dozen times a day in every thrift stores across the USA, that thought accompanies the purchase. God knows it has at least half of mine!
I am glad to have come across to your channel. An inquiry for advice; what do you recommend between TEAC AD-500, AD-450 and W-1200, strictly in terms of the playback audio quality? Thanks much for great channel contents and in advance for your help.
I really like your videos. I got both interesting info about old consumer electronics and some bangers on these cassete tapes. I also like those hidden jokes like the "Truth about sex" tape.
I've done it on my TEAC W-1200. It still generally sounds fine and will completely erase any existing recording on the tape. It just is a little lower in level and sounds rather bright.
The finger test part is wrong. Many tape decks are specifically designed to have weak spindles, as those do not move the tape (the roller and capstone do). Spindle just picks up the slack and is deliberately designed to slip when caught to avoid tearing the tape.
The belts in my cassette deck I just purchased from a pawn shop (for only $5 might I add) are melted or disintegrated, how do I go about replacing those? More so how do I find belts that will actually fit my cassette deck. It's a Studio Standard by Fisher Double Auto Reverse Stereo Cassette Deck
A simple, but really great well thought up and put together video as always.
Here's a little tweak you can try whenever you have the time tho,
When using a 'Piano keys style' cassette deck that has Full Auto Stop, the easiest way to do the finger test with the rewind function, is simply to activate the 'Pause' function on the deck first before you press the Rewind button to temporarily disable the Auto Stop feature. It may not work for all decks, depending on what type of mechanism is used, but from the looks of that TEAC, I'm almost sure it'll definitely work.
Thanks for the tip!
@@vwestlife You're most welcome...
That brings back memories! I remember doing that pause/rewind trick back in the 1980s and 90s.
You got me. This is indeed exactly what I need
Yes, i always push pause to avoid auto stop in rewind mode, i have a lot of manual decís and always works
This video is exactly what the Gen-Z crowd who never touched cassettes as kids need to help them get started. Well done.
Can confirm!
I am Gen Z and got my first deck recently! It has some things that need fixing but so far loving the sound of tape 📼
Yes that’s me!
I'm Gen Z and grew up with cassettes since I was poor. I would record songs off the radio with them. I even still have a sealed blank cassette tape in my drawer.
I’m Genzie and I’ve got some cassettes
I know it's already redundant but again, thank you VERY MUCH for providing subtitles, it helps a lot non English native speakers like me. (but, to be honest, your dictation/speech and voice are very good and I can understand you most of the time without reading the subtitles. 👍👍
It is also good for the hard of hearing.
Sub titles are great, I sometimes see a really good video in Hindi or German, French, Italian and I only speak English. So I am able to follow what they are telling me.
It also allows people to use the auto-translate subtitle option, which sometimes works pretty well :)
Great advice for new people getting into the hobby! Like you said don't worry about finding a Nakamichi. Teac, Kenwood, Pioneer...etc are all fine choices especially for a beginner! Basically any Japanese brand is going to treat you well IMO
Teac, Kenwood and Pioneer made high end cassette decks though
Yes!! And Technics have been pretty consistent and are great too if you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars!:)
Can someone tell me how to record audio from my laptop into cassete
@@Edgeedman get an audio interface, connect interface outputs (likely TRS/balanced) to the deck's input (RCA) a simple dual TRS to RCA cable will do just fine.
@@illiyakorniyenko thanks
A deck with Dolby C for 7 bucks is a pretty good find.
Basically any working deck is great find for that price...
@@MetalTrabant Mostly agree, but... If it's wow and flutter city by sheer bad design, not wear, to begin with, it's not any good for any price.
And bias adjust.
@@vinniemorciglio4632 This is a criminally underrated point. Internally bias the deck to the tapes you most commonly use and adjust the slider with a test tone. Rewind and play until it's right. Did that for years until I got a 3 head deck with an auto bias.
“All the high end decks are strictly single deck designs” whilst panning down in front of a 6 cassette pioneer changer unit (albeit still only with a single deck inside the changer of course)😂
Great video, though. Especially for people who didn’t grow up with cassettes and learned the hard way!
I should add - I still have my Technics RS-BX606 cassette deck I bought from new back in 1991 and it still works perfectly.
Sadly we don’t have Goodwill in the U.K. - stuff either goes on EBay or it gets recycled at the ‘tip’.
The closest to Goodwill in the UK is charity shops and they either don't take LX kit or over charge for it. I've bought some cassette deck bargains on eBay UK but the risk is always underpacking so delicate chassis parts get smashed in transit.
I'm a big fan of cheap and cheerful hifi (although I have nice gear as well).
You can have a surprising amount of fun resurrecting something that doesn't cost very much, and its a great way for a beginner to learn because cheap and cheerful is easier to understand and a whole world less stressful if it ultimately doesn't work.
Thumbnail looks familiar, looks identical to my Technics M5 :)
Picked it up for free at the local recycling store and it worked perfectly, probably wouldn't have paid much attention if it didn't have the VU meters. I just love feel of old AV equipment, they feel so much more robust and all the knobs are so smooth and switches are solid. Completely different from the modern shiny plastic garbage
Actually, I think it's the M-205, I owned both of them, the M-205 I still have. The decks are indeed very similar, same functionality and share also many parts, I managed to make the M-205 working again by using some salvaged parts from the M-5. The M-5 has direct mechanical piano-style keys and a plastic housing, the M-205 is a bit more elaborate with a metal housing (that is much easier to take apart) and a fully mechanical soft-touch control mechanism. I like the way you feel the mechanism take over when you press the play-key slowly ;-).
Why does anything modern have to be garbage though?
I didn’t know about the Tape Monitor button. I knew it was there, but didn’t know what it did. Now I can tape my records directly to a cassette, and play in my Walkman. Thanks for the tip!
Tape monitor was originally intended for use with high end reel to reel tape decks. They had an extra playback head, allowing you to play what was recorded a fraction of a second earlier, making it easy to fine tune the recording levels / bias / etc while the recording was being made (especially while recording live music).
The Tape Monitor button on a stereo receiver is usually an easy to toggle button so that you can compare the source material with the recording with a quick toggle of the switch.
For those of us without the fancy reel to reel tape decks, Tape Monitor serves as an extra line level input for the stereo receiver. This is especially useful on vintage stereos may not otherwise have enough inputs to have a tape player and cd player connected at the same time.
Terry Venables endorsment of the Amstrad cassette deck at 1:27 is actually hilarious for several reasons
'We want T not Sugar'... God, was it really almost 30 years ago that he told Venables 'you're fired'? I won't touch Amstrad stuff, it's the 80s equivalent of Crosley and it must be only through sheer luck that any has survived into the modern era.
i love that Realistic Amplifer, I remember it in all the radio shack catalog when i was a kid.. this is a great video for the next generation of people who want to get into this stuff. great work.
Or a tape whose contents you don't mind recording over : "The truth about sex - A seminar for parent & teens"
Well and good that it is on a cassette tape. Otherwise, had it been on a podcast, you "can't handle the truth".
That thumbnail is 1000% a Technics RS-M205. I've been around one my entire life, and would recognize it anywhere, even if I ended up in a coma for 30 years!
Well done. I am a diehard cassette man, have been since the late 70s. I’ve made literally hundreds of great sounding tapes of rare material from the internet. How? You just use the headphone Jack on your computer! Can’t download? I never let that stop me! Love doing it “old school”!
Ah, recording level in, that was a great treat on the deck we had at home. I fashioned an "electric guitar" out of an acoustic one and one earpeace of a cheap walkman style headphone. By varying the recording level in, I was able to get it to overdrive. Sounded crap off course, but started a hobby which I still enjoy.
@VWestlife. Thank you for this information about cassette decks. Just a couple of additional things that may help your viewers who may venture into the world of ferric oxide tape. Before playing a cassette, fast forward the tape side A and then side B. This "aligns" the tape to your deck. Do the same for a brand new tape out of wrapper/box, especially if you want to make a recording. Plus it only takes a few seconds with a pencil to wind the leader up to the start of the tape before you load it into the deck. You can then cue your recording source and release tape pause simultaneously and not risk losing any information. You and yours stay safe and well.
If it's an old deck and you can't test it in the store or have doubts about condition, IMHO a fully mechanical deck OR a full logic/electronic deck is more likely to work than a "mechanical soft touch" model as those tend to have more belts, gears, pulleys that can break.. If you read the Technics text at 1:50 it's very telling... Anyway, thanks for a great video that's sure to inspire many future cassette enthusiasts!
Indeed, the mechanics behind an older soft touch deck I have is pretty bonkers, and involves a bunch of protrusions on a rotating rod triggering other mechanical parts. Impressively it still works fine though, but you have to hold the buttons slightly longer or sometimes it misses the press.
Thanks so much for this. Your advice about the noise during playback, and jiggling the write-protect detector while pressing record, meant I could fix my faulty NAD 6220 in seconds, after months of worrying about how I was going to transfer some valuable (to me, anyway) old home recordings to digital. Totally amazing, and totally delightful!
Those mechanical tape counters are awesome, especially when you discover that a carefully annotated tape with the "counter" numbers corresponding to individual tracks are useless on a different deck.
This was a great video. I've been into hifi since the late 70s and have had my fair share of decks over the years. I love your last point about elitism in the hobby. For 90% of people, a cheap deck will be just as useful as an expensive one, and really won't be noticeable with sound reproduction. It's a bit pointless having a $1000 cassette deck to record on, then play it back on a $100 Boom Box or knock-off Walkman.
My rule of thumb is to purchase what you can reasonably afford, keeping in mind you may have to do some work on it (if it hasn't come from someone who looks after them). Replacing belts and a service can add to the price. Also, I look for decks that are made before 1995 as a rule of thumb as that's when cassettes really disappeared of the shelves and cheap mechanisms started flooding the market. I also tend to avoid the decks which are all electronic as when things go wrong, they are VERY expensive to fix. Look for good late 70s early 80s deck made by a good brand (Pioneer, Sony, Teac, Denon etc) and you really won't go wrong.
My problem now is trying to find places to buy blank tapes from. Second hand tapes are generally useless now. And new here are SO expensive.
Sanyo and Realistic also made good decks
One suggestion for IF your testing a cassette mechanism at a thrift shop.
Carry a cheap set of earbuds and a 3.5 to larger plug (can't remember right name) we all carry earbuds or headphones already.
Find a cassette (preferably one that was already on the store), then the tape deck, then test the cassette deck in the shop, and plug your headset in. If their are oither features, test thoes too.
I picked up a Sony hst-211 all in one (duel cassette, radio, 3 input and a phono amp built in, but it was missing the removable record player.) With it I found the cabinet with its glass door, cabinate speakers. I later traded the speakers for a STR-K7000 A/V AMP. I found this a good trade, and a great way to merge vintage and modern technology in my living room. Best $40 at goodwill I've spent yet.
Thank you for this video. And I also wanted to thank you for inspiring me to reconnect w/ my stereo system. I cleaned my Optimus deck using your instructions. I also bought a vintage Fisher receiver and another Realistic tape deck serviced w/ new belts. I’m building a nice cabinet for the system too. So thank you so much Kevin, I appreciate your videos.
I have a JVC-Deck that i bought for a 10€ + shipping a few years ago with Dolby-B/C NR, a pretty modern one with a lot of features with the logic circuit. I keep maintaining it and it still runs like as their first days.
I have a JVC deck that is from the 80's with the big analog meters. I have found the JVC decks, although likely not in the realm of the more expensive decks, tend to be very reliable.
Thank you for this. I just picked up a Teac R-435x from goodwill for $12. I do have some black goo to clean up but I’m excited to actually have something beyond just a portable or shoebox recorder.
Great tips and tricks, very well-structured video!
When I've bought my '80s JVC deck, I just brought my large headphone with me, and some cassettes to test it out. When my Vanessa Mae tape played beautifully, without noticeable wow and flutter, I was convinced.
It was also around $8 in my local currency, and was advertised as faulty/not tested. Luckily it was the latter.
BTW, cool Panasonic walkman, I had the same model, but in blue :)
That was a smart idea to bring your own music and headphones to test your deck.
Yours is National RQ-J9.
@@HamtaroEL Mine is a Panasonic RQ-SW20.
I just bought a Philips D6350 for my IBM 5150 to load programs from Cassettes and nostalgia struck me like Zeus with lightning. I had like 2-5 cassettes and a Walkman when I was a kid in 2000s, but now I really understand the value and importance of cassettes. I really hate the digital era, it's boring to have 100 songs on a 15mm micro SD card that can be played by a push of a digital button on our phone screens. Sure I use my phone when I'm on the road, but cassettes, it's like a ritual you must do to get them playin'. AND I ENJOY IT EVERY TIME! I laughed at one of my school mates for not knowing how to open a cassette case when my teacher gave it to him. Guess he never saw one. Thank GOD I'm here to keep the old tradition alive.
dummies are the ENTIRE world now. how does this not have more views??!!?!1
My dad's been looking for a good cassette deck lately, and I think I just might show him this video. It's full of some nice tips and tricks he might find useful.
Also, that tape at 10:06 is "Pray for the Wicked" by Panic! At The Disco, an album that came out in 2018! I had no idea it was released on cassette!
I enjoyed watching this even though I already know this because I've used and done just about everything with tapes including using a pencil to rewind a tape. I still have my tapes but don't use them much for recording.
super proud of the video you made. thank you for your help mrs.
Love cassette decks. My old 1997 Ford F-150 truck had a cassette deck in it. Had that for 24 years. Gone now sold it. I am a cassette geek nut for recording music. I do have a cassette to cd recorder by TECH because my 2015 1500 Silverado has a cd deck in it. When playing a cd recording from cassette it does have that hissing sound but only when the volume is turn up almost all the way for volume. So I'm satisfied with my buy of what I got (from 976-CREOLEMAN).
You should've ripped that CD player out of your Silverado and put in a car cassette stereo, then you wouldn't have to listen to CD rips
Grew up with cassettes and loved them back in the day, but to be honest, I changed my game to minidisc and never looked back. Media still available as are the machines. Far superior in reproduction as well.
I am so lucky that my uncles old late 1970's tape deck still works. I don't have to go to the thrift store.
I actually have had the first two items in the intro to this video (of which I still have my Sony boom box, but I no longer have my Panasonic Shock Wave cassette player). Excellent video!!!
Ah, loved those Walkman samplers!
That Teac cassette deck was my first one I ever bought, some time in 1986 or 87ish. Had it for 5 or 6 years before upgrading to a Pioneer cassette changer.
4:20 - There's a deck for Techmoan. VFD spectrum analyzer, bouncing analog VU meters, brushed aluminum faceplate...
21:29 - I can highly recommend Memorex dBS and TDK SA tapes, I've used them both quite a bit, and they hold up to a lot of re-re-re-re-recording.
Amazing to find that deck still encased in its protective layer after all of those years! Sounds great, too! No doubt it's got low "miles," definitely worth $7.
That JVC deck literally is from a Techmoan video: "Don't Digitise, Just Enjoy".
I was asked from younger generations for something like...
"Seriously, so we can really make our own recording on cassette tapes? Is that REALLY the case???"
"The tape isn't at the very beginning of the cassette. Do I have to let it play through its end, then start over?"
"Help! My cassette player had acted up. Now I have a cassette with about 2" of tapes spilled out of its shell. How can I put it back?"
Some plain simple knowledge had already "evaporated" within less than a few decades. Hmmmmmmm...😕
When I was a kid I learned any cassette issues the hard way and learned how to fix my tapes and keep my equipment clean, I'm 25 now and still collecting and recording my tapes. I started collecting from the age of 4 and haven't really stopped except for the last 4 years, but now I'm back.
I got a functioning Technics dual tape deck from Goodwill a few years back, and after an hour or so the drive gear on the record side lost too many teeth to continue. Apparently it's a common flaw with that line. I just got a Sony one a few days ago at another thrift store as part of a stereo bundle and so far so good, but I haven't recorded yet.
I got a Teac V-370 for 10 bucks at a tag sale. Single deck, not very high end but good for an entry point for me.
I wish you could still pick up a component tape deck for under £10 in the UK. With most charity shops (thrift stores) not accepting electronics now, your used options are the few that get listed on FB marketplace or the vastly inflated prices on eBay. Cassettes have become a hipster medium now which as with the vinyl revival, has pushed prices out of the reach of the casual nostalgia nerd. Fortunately I saved the low-end Sony twin deck I used in my teens to record and dub many hours of mixtapes from the Sunday afternoon charts, but upgrading it to the Technics or Panasonic I always wanted is now out of the question. I bet millions of perfectly serviceable or easily repairable cassette decks went to landfill during the period when the format was abandoned as obsolete.
Not under £10 but there's always a good few basic but serviceable models under £50. If you actually are gonna use it that's not bad and way cheaper than when new. Typing this whilst PAT testing an amplifier in a charity shop btw... Do check out the bigger - often furniture orientated ones - which are popping up btw, many do sell electrics.
@@snapea On interest does the shop(s) own the PAT tester ? At work an external company comes iin every couple of years and spends several days testing evrything with a plug.
@@MrDuncl We do the testing in house. So, yes, one tester in each shop that sells electrical items. The basic models are few hundred quid, they pay for themselves fairly quickly.
As a side note, for a few years now the HSE guidance has encouraged a risk based approach to workplace PAT testing frequency - eg. a handheld corded power tool in a workshop would need looking at more frequently than a stationary computer in an office (which might actually never need to be PAT tested - a visual inspection may suffice). This approach makes good sense but most companies seem to find it easier to pay a contractor to sticker everything annually rather than maintaining a complex inventory of items and their inspection intervals.
God, i've had a Sony Sports WM-FS111 Walkman for a couple years, that I thought had broken headphone jacks because it only played on the left ear, it just needed cleaned -___-
Thanks for this video! Us new dummies need as much help as we can get. Finally I can listen to tapes in stereo hahahaha
ah this vid disappeared from my watch later playlist for a while, glad its back. gonna watch it later though.
I wish I had known about the finger test before I bought my Technics RS-T20. It won't take up tape nor readily available belt sets are available. Perhaps, the latter is also an important thing to consider before buying an old deck.
Yes, thats generally a good idea for retro equipment, do a little research into serviceability in general, and in that, the kind of decks suggested in this video are typically fairly easy to service, and not that much of a loss when that doesn't work out. I do own my 'dream deck' (aiwa ad-f990), which I wanted to own ever since it was released somewhere in late 1983.. its quite fancy and very capable... and an absolute nightmare to work on... which I knew, so no big deal to me, but not what I'd suggest unless you don't mind very complex and potentially expensive repairs (as those often involve finding a donor unit for parts, and possibly hiring some experienced tech to work on it as it is an absurdly complex device)
If you can figure out the size and shape of the belts, you may well be able to find appropriate ones. Keep in mind shape is also important.
When someone asks to choose between a couple of available models on cassetteculture, the first thing I do is check for the availability of belt kits for each one.
Very often "different" decks used the same tape mechanism. Look online for the service manuals (not user manuals) for several decks close to the model number of yours, e.g. RS-T22, -T30, ... and from more or less the same year (+/- 1 or 2) and see if the mechanism looks exactly the same. If it does you can than search for a belt kit with the other model number. Also bear in mind that Technics was practically the same company as JVC and Panasonic, sharing a lot of components. So it might be helpfull to seek out service manuals from similar looking devices from JVC and Panasonic of the same year too. It needs probably some digging, but I'm confident that it's possible to find belts for that mechanism.
You can buy packs of belts in various lengths. It's not always ideal, but better than nothing.
Why did I chuck our mid-80s Realistic deck, kicking myself now. Nothing special then but would have been cool now. Hopefully someone found it in a thrift shop for $7.99 :)
Hindsight. Great stu$$ why did I sell my 69 camaro for $ 500 WHY did I sell a 48 panhead., for $900 . Kicking myself but can't go backwards.
kevin can make any bit of old tech sound cool!
Nope. It's probably in a Chinese landfill by now rotting. Those decks where less respected considering the competition at the time.
Diggit
Great video! One thing to add…if you are recording in Dolby, there is often a Dolby logo on the VU meter which should indicate the ideal peak position to use VS. setting the peak at zero DB. This is used because Dolby decoding utilizes amplification on playback of suppressed upper frequencies.
That's actually a misnomer. The Dolby logo on the meter just indicates the Dolby calibration reference level. It has nothing to do with the recommended maximum recording level. (Technology Connections was wrong about this in his video about Dolby NR.)
@@vwestlife interesting!!!!! Ok thank you for the education!
This video resolves everyone's doubts.
Btw, happy belated birthday!!
Thanks!
Here I am from the new Marantz deck video...pretty much already knew the stuff! Now we need to find a pre-recorded tape that's not baked in the sun or placed too close to a bare speaker...
About the window cleaner on rubber - there's nothing wrong with isopropyl alcohol (standard procedure on O-rings and industrial seals) and if the rubber would simply break off or sludge away it's pretty much over for that "tire". 99% alcohol would be preferred because there's no water to slow the drying process...and no scents or moisturizers and everything else to contaminate. The ingredients on Windex does seem to be kinder to rubber but ammonia!
Still can't get over that last tape pretty much clipping...ouch
I bought two of these deck. One has the soft control and the other has the hard button. The soft button control had stopped working and my tape is stuck inside the player. It has been on he shelf for a year now. The other deck that has the hard buttons has been much more reliable since it is more direct and does not require power to make the mechanism move and my tape won't get stuck since the mechanism will disengage manually; If you don't want your tapes to get stuck get a recorder direct control so it be more reliable. I hear that the mechanisms are more simple in these types.
hi Vwestlife, great video for people who are just getting into cassettes. one thing i would like to know is what are the internals of this deck? and the speed adjustment tutorial would be great as well as replacing the pinch roller and aligning the heads which i think the most important things that should be done before any recording is performed. i look forward to part 2 of this series.
Which deck are you talking about?
@@vwestlifesorry i was referring to the teac deck used in this video.
Am I the only one that likes extra-sharp treble EQ? By that, I mean, I would record onto tapes with the Dolby turned on, but would play them back with it off. (sometimes also the same with the type 2 switch)
This video made me look up some old photos of the setup I used in the 90s, back when I still made mix tapes. Hell I probably have 100 of those tapes in various boxes scattered around (as all of my cars have working tape decks of some kind in them) But I remember my first stereo cassette recorder... a cheap boom box gifted me in Xmas 1984, purchased at the nearby Ft. Collins Safeway store. It was so cheaply constructed that I had to take it apart more than once to jerry-rig fixes to broken plastic support pillars for the tape mechanism. (that is, until a couple of years later when I blew out the tape recording circuits by making a horrible newbie mistake of hooking up the mic input to the speaker output of a tube-driven stereo amp. AARRGGH)
I have a ton of audio cassettes I inherited from my parents, and a cassette player a friend gave me, but I don't know how to set up the cassette player to connect to speakers (which I don't have yet). Would love to see a Dummies video for connecting a cassette player to speakers/stereo system, from A to Z.
The lead in/lead out of a compact cassette is approximately 5 seconds. Easy to time when starting the cassette and a recording, not quite so easy when ending, as you cannot tell exactly when the tape ends and the lead out begins. (This information I learnt via a Maxell cassette recently. Also it showed how you can tell what side is which and the direction of playing etc.). Just thought I'd share as I never knew this before. Great video as always and some very good points.
I like to leave a few seconds of blank tape at the beginning after the leader because it gets the most wear and tends to have dropouts.
@@vwestlife Yep, I'm just mentioning for those who wondered, especially as I'd never known how long the leader was before then. I'd never even bothered to question it before either, LOL.
Dolby B, C, S HX PRO and dbx. Also the good machines are backlit in the tape wells. 3 head units with a closed loop capstan system. Good for monitoring recorded content as it records from the source. I own several tape machines the higher end.
Finally, a cassette deck video for me!
I'd be interested in seeing more about aligning the azimuth, testing wow and flutter, etc. :)
I was looking at getting a decent cassette deck several years ago (for copying a lot of tapes I have - probably a few hundred or so - to PC) and one of the features that came up in my research then was auto azimuth adjustment, which was featured on some I think 1980s vintage Nakamichi decks that were going for around $1K or so.) Another thing I think they had were things like dual capstans, or another feature that I can't remember the name of but it kept the tension on the tape properly applied and didn't even need another feature that's common on cheaper decks but I don't remember what it was either.
(My budget was nowhere near the $1K Nakamichi decks, more like I think about $100 or so, therefore I didn't buy one then, and still haven't yet.)
I'd still like to get a decent deck for copying a bunch of tapes to PC / digital format, although for now the project is kind-of taking a back seat because of other things going on. When I do, though, I'll want to get a deck that will get as good of a quality play off the tapes as possible, ideally making them almost sound like new without having to use any kind of signal processing. Multiple decks would be even better, so I can copy multiple tapes simultaneously.... maybe some of the decent component decks could be mounted in a rackmount server cabinet?
Also I've had a couple of that same model Panasonic Shockwave over the years, as well as its little brother the RQ-SW10 ... still have some, but they all have various issues now, like on one the radio's not working properly, on another the tape won't play, and so on. I've also had an RQ-SW44V ... the tape on that thing when it worked was alright, but failed a bit faster than the others; also the AM radio had very poor sensitivity - for example, a signal that was strong enough to light the "tuning" LED on the '20 or '10 was barely audible on the '44, and a local-grade near-noise-free signal on the '20 and '10 (lighting "tuning" on the 1st-adjacent channel) still had a fair bit of noise on the '44. (For example, the only static-free station at my location on the '44 was a 50kW station on 1170 about 6 or 7 miles away, blasting me with about 250-300 kW or so, before they moved their transmitter 9 miles away after which it had a little noise even though it was aiming about 100-125 kW at me. A few 5kW stations in the 7-9 mile range on 600, 760, 910, 1360 sounded on the '44 about as strong as 50kW stations on 640 and 1070 about 99 and 111 miles away on the '10 and '20, with 1070 being slightly stronger due to a partial saltwater path.)
I wasn't a huge fan of the selectivity on the Shockwaves either - for example that 50kW station on 1170 when it was about 6 miles away still sounded just as loud / strong on 1200 as on 1170 on the '20 and '10, and could be heard weakly up to about 1260 or so (with local stations on 1210 and 1240 being strong enough to have those frequencies to themselves; also 1170 didn't leak down as far, partially due to asymmetrical IF sidebands, and a strong station on 1130 that was still fairly strong on 1100. On 1150, 1170 was the sole station audible.) When I would visit my foster grandma several years ago (she's since passed away and the house was sold), with her being 1/3 mile from a 50kW on 1430 and a 23kW on 1300, those stations would take up like almost half the band, and the one on 1430 had a very strong image on 530.
As a rule of thumb, I've found that the belts in Technics/Panasonic and JVC decks have stood the test of time, while Pioneer, Sony and Hitachi belts are likely to have turned to goo. Also, if your deck works but sounds a little muffled, a head demagnetiser can work wonders; they can often be found on eBay for £20 or less. Finally, as an alternative to window cleaner, it's possible to clean the pinch roller by pressing a dry cotton bud against it as it rotates - just keep it clear of the capstan!
This TEAC deck is from 1987 and its belts are still perfectly fine, while I've seen Sony and Pioneer decks that are over a decade newer and their belts are totally shot.
For each mechanical Piano Key style tape deck mechanism that fails, there are a hundred soft touch mechanisms that fail and about ten full logic mechanisms that fail. (your mileage may vary)
Also... oh there's a song on the radio that I need to tape NOW quick hit record c'mon hurry, the piano key mechanism immediately starts. The soft touch and the full logic can take their time, sometimes more than a second, and for full logic decks you often even need to wait for them to boot up their microcontroller which could take several seconds. Oldschool piano key decks however take about half a second from off to record (because my fingers can't move any faster).
Excellent point! My Sony TC-WR635S, when you hit the Rec button, immediately responds by going into Rec Pause mode, requiring me to then hit the Pause button to start. I used to just let one cassette record off the radio in A-B Auto Reverse, and then replay that tape later to dub the songs I wanted.
huh? even old tech had input lag!
Agree that a shoebox recorder would always win hands down..
Or even a mid 70s pioneer mechanical piano keys controled deck.
So, if I'm understanding correctly, I can listen to audio simply though powered speakers with the correct connection, no amplifier necessary? (I'm new to this cassette stuff and just needed a confirmation. Thanks. )
Yes. By definition, powered speakers have a built-in amplifier. That's what makes them "powered".
@@vwestlife Many thanks :)
Have had a ton of different tape decks over the years and currently I have a Mitsubishi dual deck and also a Yamaha dual Digital deck, both are at the top end of their models
This is very well done, thanks! Would love if you made a part II demonstrating basic calibration of speed, head, etc. Or maybe there is a video like that from someone else that you'd like to recommend?
I still have my mix-tapes from high school (1983 to 1987)!
I just found a Sony TC-WE435 being given away new in box as part of the remains in an estate sale. Ordering new belts, because they’ll be gum by now🤞
This double cassette deck looks like 👍 a 1980’s model. My first home 🏠 stereo had this feature, but I cannot remember if it had an auto reverse 🔄 feature or not. I bought the stereo back in 1988, when I was still in school 🏫. It had soft touch controls, and many 👨 LED lights, in red and green. I thought the stereo was a great 👍 buy. I had no trouble with it, other than a broken 😞 on/off switch. Your friend, Jeff.
Excellent video. Very informative and to the point. Great job!
I love your chapter jingle!
these cassette decks are still pretty good, like it has the most useful features you would use with most cassettes. those fancy ones definitely fall under the law of diminishing return.
Great introductory video, thanks. As a reliable rule of thumb I've found the more segments in an led meter the better the deck. 6 segs per channel is pretty low rent for a Dolby C deck.
I found an Onkyo TARW411 cassette deck, barely used, at a thrift store that was listed for $25. It was also Mart 50% off. OK. I like about this cassette tape the audiobook to play. I think this cassette player is from like 94 or 95 so probably about as old as I am. But it seems to be a very good and reliable one.
hi, in your guide you say:
"Cassette decks from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s from well-known brands [...] almost always offer better audio quality, superior durability, and more features [...] than modern entry-level decks, and will greatly outperform most portable cassette players and recorders."
I am thinking of getting a brand new TEAC AD-850 Cassette and CD Player, so I am wondering if these compare to decks from the old golden age of tape players? Are they
entry level too" and inferior to old decks like the 3-head decks etc from the 80s and 90s? Thanks and congrats on all the great content on your channel :)
"Even though I have no need for this cassette deck, because I already have other ones that are far superior to it, I thought it was worth picking up." This is so relatable lol
Thanks for the video! I finally found a component tape deck at my local thrift store, a Technics RS-T11, made around 1988, for $3. But… it didn’t have a power cord (found one at home), and the belts appear to be worn (the take-up reel sometimes goes slower than the other reel, resulting in the tape being ‘eaten’). Is it worthwhile to try to obtain new belts and replace these ones? Or keep looking and hope for better luck next time?
Open it up and see how much of a job it would be to replace the belts, and if your skill level is up to it.
@@vwestlife Laughing… my skill level is zero so far, but it doesn’t look impossible with more research. Each tape unit has a wider belt plus 2 smaller belts. (Unless the smaller is really one long belt and I just can’t see where it connects.)
You're so lucky having thrift stores close by that you can buy a double tape cassette deck for 7.50 , here in Scotland that would only be available on eBay and would prob cost about £30
Will 3 head tape deck sound better then a 2 head deck?
Not necessarily. For playback, it's irrelevant. The advantage of a 3-head deck is the ability to hear how the recording is turning out while you're recording it, rather than having to stop, rewind, and play it again afterwards.
@@vwestlife Thank you for that. It will make choosing a deck easier for me as the 2 heads decks are more affordable then the 3 heads decks.
I was born in 2003, I was born just a bit too late to grow up with cassettes. This vid is definitely informational and very helpful in giving a good idea of what to look for. Also, what song is that at 19:04? I couldn't find it anywhere.
11:38 is the part where you can clean the mechanism. I do the same cleaning as well on my Technics RS-B11W cassette deck. I can also do the same cleaning with my reel-to-reel tape recorder like my Akai 1721W and my Concord 220T.
I always used those Laser Cassette tapes for my Commodore Vic 20 and 64. LOL Memories.
I had the same deck in 1991 with a niko r25 receiver and two Victor audio 8 inch two. Way speakers which is an off with brand of JVC along with two Gemini djq 1200 directive turntables and Gemini MX 2200 mixer
I used to love cassette decks. Now I can't imagine having one for anything other than a show piece, so it would have to be the most baller one I could find.
8:45 or it will play but not at a constant speed (had that happen on a deck but it stabilised after about a minute of playback)
Great video. I have a big question for you on hook up. I worry about ruining my receiver. I have a pioneer receiver capable of laser disc, cd, and tuner. Phono, sat tv. I purchased a 1981 Panasonic stereo cassette deck 635. The back has two sets of male adapter plugs, one set for out and one for in. I hooked it up to the tape setting on the back of the receiver. The cassette player does play. However, the tape plays on all component settings, meaning if I click on phono, the tape plays through over the album. This goes all the way down the line. I watched the video to hook up. Any help would be appreciated.
How do i connect my cassette deck to a modern reciever that only has a rca inputs but no rca outputs ?
I want to record from my reciever and items like my turntable and cd player that are connected to the reciever ...
Also please add info about head demagnetizing to the how to series ,,,thanks for your hard work and time investment
If your receiver doesn't have any tape or pre-amp outputs, you won't be able to use it for recording. You'll need to either replace it with a receiver that does have tape outputs, or connect the cassette deck directly to the source you want to record from.
See this video for info on how to clean, align, and demagnetize cassette deck heads: th-cam.com/video/kYK9Y7HMOR4/w-d-xo.html
you may have cheated slightly, I believe one of the close-ups is not from a cassette but the Sony el7 elcaset. if it's not the el-7 it certainly a closely related deck. I am very familiar with the el7 as I brought my own back to life about 3 or 4 years ago
"Even though I have no need for this cassette deck..." LOL! I'm a 25 year thrifter and I bet a dozen times
a day in every thrift stores across the USA, that thought accompanies the purchase. God knows it
has at least half of mine!
I am glad to have come across to your channel. An inquiry for advice; what do you recommend between TEAC AD-500, AD-450 and W-1200, strictly in terms of the playback audio quality? Thanks much for great channel contents and in advance for your help.
I really like your videos. I got both interesting info about old consumer electronics and some bangers on these cassete tapes.
I also like those hidden jokes like the "Truth about sex" tape.
Very good Kevin. You produce some of the best videos on TH-cam. Very informative and enjoyable.
cool to this video, i wish this was there before i started, would have been alot of good tips!
The clip at the very end of the outro sounded like the theme from Burt Reynolds' Cannonball Run.
You should do an experiment, record on a Type IV cassette on non-Type IV equipment.
I've done it on my TEAC W-1200. It still generally sounds fine and will completely erase any existing recording on the tape. It just is a little lower in level and sounds rather bright.
@@vwestlife Does the W1200 support type 2 (CrO2)?
@@manFromPeterborough Yes.
I miss my old Technics dual cassette deck I bought in 1987. It had Dolby C and it could handle metal tapes. It died in 2012.
Great video.
Bias Fine in action for next video, please. Greetings from Argentina, thanks.
The finger test part is wrong. Many tape decks are specifically designed to have weak spindles, as those do not move the tape (the roller and capstone do).
Spindle just picks up the slack and is deliberately designed to slip when caught to avoid tearing the tape.
you saved my life thanks
Thanx for this nice video.
what is the song that starts around 19:35 ? sounds really catchy!
The PATD pray for the wicked tape threw me for a loop
Excellent video.
The belts in my cassette deck I just purchased from a pawn shop (for only $5 might I add) are melted or disintegrated, how do I go about replacing those? More so how do I find belts that will actually fit my cassette deck. It's a Studio Standard by Fisher Double Auto Reverse Stereo Cassette Deck
Brilliant video.