Recording : speed and high bias

G

Gladyyyys

New member
Hello everyonx,

I have a question. I own a Fostex xr7. I'd like to record a song on a tape, but don't understand with one i have to take.
If a chose a tape I, the song is very very slow on another tape device (walkman for instance). Is there a way to use those tapes I or will I have to use tape II?
And if i used tape II, will the speed be normal on a usual tape device??

Thanks you so much in advance
gladyys:facepalm:
 
The Fostex XR7 has two speeds. Hi speed is 9.5cm/sec, which is 3.74in/sec. This is double the speed of the normal cassette spec as found on a regular deck or walkman. The lower speed is 4.75cm/sec which is the standard speed for cassettes.

Be away that you also have an issue with using the proper tracks. On a standard cassette, tracks 1 and 2 will play. Tracks 3 and 4 will be above the playback heads. If you flip the tape, tracks 3 and 4 will play backwards.

Ideally, you would record everything on the Fostex and then send the resulting mix to another machine, either another cassette or digital recorder.

You can get the owners manual on the Fostex website here.
 
TalismanRich said:
The Fostex XR7 has two speeds. Hi speed is 9.5cm/sec, which is 3.74in/sec. This is double the speed of the normal cassette spec as found on a regular deck or walkman. The lower speed is 4.75cm/sec which is the standard speed for cassettes.

Be away that you also have an issue with using the proper tracks. On a standard cassette, tracks 1 and 2 will play. Tracks 3 and 4 will be above the playback heads. If you flip the tape, tracks 3 and 4 will play backwards.

Ideally, you would record everything on the Fostex and then send the resulting mix to another machine, either another cassette or digital recorder.

You can get the owners manual on the Fostex website here.
Click to expand...


Hello, thank you so much for your answer.
I know the the xr7 has two speeds.

But what is unclear to me is the process of recording in order to manage the speed.
I have a stock of tape I on which i'd like to record with the xr7.
The problem is that the speed on a a normal deck is too slow.
My question is : is there a way to manage this and have a normal speed on a basic deck?
Or am I stuck with tape II? If so, will a tape II play at normal speed on a basic deck?

Ok, hope this is clear?

Also, I don't get when you say that : "
Ideally, you would record everything on the Fostex and then send the resulting mix to another machine, either another cassette or digital recorder."
What would be the gain?


Thannnnnkkks for you time and patience
gladys
 
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Tape type (I or II) doesn't have anything to do with tape speed. You can use either on the Fostex at either speed. Type II will simply be higher fidelity.

If you want to record on the Fostex with Type I and have it be playable on a standard cassette deck, then you'll need to set the Fostex to 1 7/8 ips (standard cassette speed).

What Talisman meant is that, since the Fostex is a 4-track recorder, you'd normally fill up all four tracks on it (if necessary) and then mix down to a stereo deck (be it DAT, Cassette, a computer interface, minidisc, whatever).

If you record 4 tracks on the Fostex and then play that back on a standard cassette deck, two of the tracks are going to play backwards, because the Fostex is recording all four tracks on the tape in the same direction. On a standard cassette deck, two are used for side A (stereo left and right) and two are used for side B (stereo left and right).
 
Gladys, maybe the term Tape I and TapeII is a problem. If you can give us the brand of tape (TDK SA90, Maxell UDXLII, TDK Dynamic, etc) we might have a better idea.

Are you referring to TYPE I and TYPE II tape? Type I tape is lower bias ferric oxide coating. Type II tape is either chromium dioxide or ferrichrome coating. It has nothing to do with speed. HOWEVER, there is a difference in the case. Next to the record inhibit tab on the back of the cassette, there will be a slot for Type II tape, and no slot for Type I. If Fostex used that slot for sensing the tape and sets both bias and speed, that could be an issue.
 
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