Anyone still into audio casettes?

[Electric Grave]

Dude, is it easy to cut tapes down? Can you just put the end right back in the spool, or are there any other things I need to be aware of?

I've been trying to buy different length tapes and fill them up as best I can so that I don't waste any, but it's hard.

There are two ways.

1. Take the very end of the tape where is transparent, or white, or you know...the part that doesn't record at all, so at the tip of it where it meets the actual recording tape, there's a stickers that holds them together, it's very fine but if you peel it, you can then dispose of whatever tape you find unnecessary.

2. Take the tape and a small phillips screw driver keep one side flat on a surface and take the screws off, after that you can get to the wheel with the teeth that has the end of the tape, if you look at the end where it hooks with the tape there's a little piece that just snaps in there, you can remove easily and place the tape wherever you want length wise. Is basically skipping the clear unrecordable tape at the beginning of most tapes.

Suggestions: Always record the longer side first regardless if it's side B, just rewind properly before you start, record the longer side first, give it maybe 10 seconds extra after the longer side is finished, stop it, pull the rest of the tape until you get to the end and do the cut, then you can record the shorter side.

I had a lot of fun recording tapes as a kid, the music, man I got to listen to so much Death, Thrash, all the underground shit at the time that is now big time, it's crazy man, Tapes...

 

[ki_atsushi]

Ah, I didn't even think about that little tape in between the leader and the rest of the tape, thanks for the tips man!

 

[xsq]

EG preachin' the tape business! Do you still own those old Metal tapes? Might be cool to see some of that hand drawn magic

 

[Tripredacus]

If you can get them for under $2 a pop shipped, I'd say go for it! Usually a box of 10 nets you the best price per tape.

What's wrong with it?

I see sealed tapes at thrift all the time. Not looking to buy bulk online because I don't have the time to spend making recordings. If I see some sealed Metal, I might as well grab them.

Currently the deck has a problem on both sides where there is a droning sound. At first I thought it was just one tape, but known tapes do it and on both sides. I already had cleaned it but no change. It has been awhile now since I last tried it, but it probably would be the kind of thing to get a video of because its hard to explain the sound.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Ah, might be some dried out parts making a whirr. You should probably go in and oil the moving parts.

 

[Electric Grave]

EG preachin' the tape business! Do you still own those old Metal tapes? Might be cool to see some of that hand drawn magic

I'll take a pic one of these days...

 

[norton9478]

I'mma buy a shit ton of tapes at the Library Book Sale this May.

I think they go for:

$1.50-$1 first weekend.
$.75-$.25 second weekend
$.10 third weekend.

I only picked up one tape last year (on a lark):
http://www.discogs.com/Shadowy-Men-On-A-Shadowy-Planet-Savvy-Show-Stoppers/release/5079639

A few years ago, I picked up some other tapes so I could calibrate the pitch of my deck at work (Marantz PMD-350).
-Which I use for Tape to CD transfers of other materials.

 

[norton9478]

I like the MEGADETH tape.

That's so metal.

 

[Tripredacus]

I like the MEGADETH tape.

That's so metal.

Its Rust in Peace, not a dub. No J-card, I got it that way. I usually don't like to buy loose tapes or ones without j-card, but can't say no to that album!

 

[Electric Grave]

Rust in PEace is the best Megadeth album...you could have just that and not need to listen to much other megadeth except for Peace Sells...

 

[Tripredacus]

Ah, might be some dried out parts making a whirr. You should probably go in and oil the moving parts.

I hooked it up today to give it another shot and guess what. It works perfectly fine.

 

[ki_atsushi]

I hooked it up today to give it another shot and guess what. It works perfectly fine.

Badass!

Just gave all my tape heads a cleaning today... man it made a huge difference, especially in my car deck!

 

[norton9478]

So anyways, this old dude finally got done transferring all of his record albums onto 10" reel tapes and is allowing me to come and buy the records up. But I have to wait on the 45's since he isn't done transferring them yet.

Seriously, the dude loves his 10" reel deck.

 

[ki_atsushi]

So anyways, this old dude finally got done transferring all of his record albums onto 10" reel tapes and is allowing me to come and buy the records up. But I have to wait on the 45's since he isn't done transferring them yet.

Seriously, the dude loves his 10" reel deck.

Fuck yeah man, I'd rather have a reel to reel that can handle 10" reels than any record player.

Someday, I will have a deck that plays 1" tape. Fuckin' master quality right there.

 

[Tripredacus]

One thing I noticed after testing a few different decks. It doesn't seem to matter what kind I have. Also the tapes all seem to sound better with Dolby NR turned off, but it may have to do with the fact my receiver is set up for movie sound, and I do not have a separate receiver or setting for listening to tape. So of all the decks I have now, they all sound the same and I choose which one I like best based on the channel/level meter. And it NEEDS to have that lol.

The latest one is this JVC HX Pro, with auto-reverse. I have not tested if it will do the switch or not. It rewinds without eating/breaking/despooling the tape like my last deck.

 

[madman]

If you're playing back a Dolby encoded tape w/out Dolby enabled on playback you're essentially just boosting the high frequencies. Either the playback azimuth is off on your deck(s), that EQ on your receiver is jacking up the sound or maybe you just prefer the boosted highs.

 

[ki_atsushi]

That's true, most tapes are Dolby B mastered at least, and playing them back with Dolby NR of any sort shouldn't make them sound worse in any way. I'd say your receiver is coloring your sound, especially since you say all the tape decks you've tried sound the same.

 

[norton9478]

Also wouldn't hurt to check the bias setting.

 

[madman]

Also wouldn't hurt to check the bias setting.

Bias doesn't do anything except in record, of course it'll affect playback of those tapes if set incorrectly in the first place but it'll do nothing on playback for pre-recorded tapes.

 

[norton9478]

Bias doesn't do anything except in record, of course it'll affect playback of those tapes if set incorrectly in the first place but it'll do nothing on playback for pre-recorded tapes.

Try toggling the switch during playback for yourself.

 

[madman]

Try toggling the switch during playback for yourself.

I believe you're referring to the 70us vs 120us EQ selector. That's not bias.

Edit: Well I suppose it could be dual purpose on decks that don't have separate EQ selection buttons and don't have auto-detect based on the cassette holes. Either way, bias itself only affects recording, but yes the EQ can affect the highs as well. The deck he posted has auto-select and no button, so either way that's not his issue.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Actually nortie has a point, bias (which is exactly what the 70μs vs 120μs EQ you're talking about) does affect playback. If you're on the chrome or metal settings (type II or IV), it can have a big impact on the way type I's sound. Doesn't hurt to check.

However, a lot of higher end decks have auto bias iirc. His looks like it would.

 

[Tripredacus]

Yeah the JVC HX Pro has indicators for metal/chrome but there is no button for it. I have not seen it light up, but I have only tested with a couple of tapes.
It may well be something the receiver is doing. When on tape mode, it does enable the subwoofer and the A+B fronts have bass capability as well. Turning on NR makes the sound like it strips too much of the treble out, or there is too much bass. The only time I had gotten good results of using NR on a deck on that receiver was when I had first gotten it and the eq/zones were all screwed up. I am certain that those settings would make a big difference on either of my other two receivers.

 

[madman]

Actually nortie has a point, bias (which is exactly what the 70μs vs 120μs EQ you're talking about) does affect playback. If you're on the chrome or metal settings (type II or IV), it can have a big impact on the way type I's sound. Doesn't hurt to check.

However, a lot of higher end decks have auto bias iirc. His looks like it would.

EQ is NOT bias!! You guys are confusing the two concepts. EQ != bias. You can record Chrome tapes at 120us EQ using high-bias (which Chromes need).
For starters: http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=26505
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....us-and-120us-equalization-really-mean.436401/

And yes as I mentioned there could be a single button/knob controlling both, but many early piano key style decks allowed independent settings for each, as well as higher end decks such as Nakamichi throughout their lifespan. And even if both were controlled with the same button they're not the same thing.

No offense to him, but that deck is not higher end, it's not even a 3-head deck.

And to Trip, HX-PRO is used during recording only so that's the only time you should see it light up. All decks can play back HX-PRO tapes as HX-PRO relates to bias, which I'll say again only affects a recording.

 

[Tripredacus]

Yeah I am aware of HX PRO only being something relating to recording. But as I said, I choose what my main deck is based on how cool the LED meter looks.