using wrongkind of tape with my 8-track

[bubbasmith]

If I´m using wrong kind of tape, a tape that my 8-track is not calibrated to, can it make any harm to my machine (play or record heads or something)? Or is it just that my recordings may sound shit and that´s all.

-bubb-

[The Ghost of FM]

No physical harm would come to your heads from using the wrong tape unless the tape you are using is shedding oxide badly and clogging up the heads and guide posts but, even this can be rectified with a through cleaning afterward.

The sound quality may be the only victim of this mismatch that you refer to.

What machine are we talking about here and which tape brand and formulation?

Cheers!

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Bubba:

In addition to what the Ghost advised, if you're using an 8 tracker with regular cassettes, do not use 90 minute cassettes. Most 8 track tape decks recommend quality 60 minute tapes to record.

The 90 minute tapes tend to stretch and whine.

Also, run your 8 tracker at the FAST setting for better fidelity.

Green Hornet