TASCAM 122mkIII cassette deck question

Rickson Gracie

New member
Since this deck is three heads...would it be worth it to master down to it before going to a CDR? Can you output the 3rd head to the CDR? So my TSR-8 recording will essentially be mixed down to analog first?

Would the fidelity just be better to go directly to the CDR?

Anyone have any experience doing this?

Also...does a deck such as this use the whole side for the two tracks or is like a regular deck that you can flip the cassette over? If not is there cassette deck like that?

Thanks
 
Your mixdown deck / medium should always be at least as good as your main, tracking deck [if you wish to preserve quality, that is]. Thus, it would not be advisable to mixdown to cassette, from your TSR-8, prior to going to CDR. Go direct to CDR, either via PC or stand alone CD recorder.

Half track cassette decks exist but I'm unsure about the makes / models.

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What are the three heads for?
Record
Play
Erase
Or some other config?
I don't know - I'd have to look it up.
& I did...
What's the difference between 2-head and 3-head cassette decks?

A: For recording, a tape head functions as a small electromagnet powered by the audio signal. The current flowing through its coils induces a magnetic field that penetrates the tape and alters the magnetic state of the tape particles. During playback, this process is reversed: The magnetic field of the tape is picked up, inducing an electrical current in the head's coils.

A 2-head cassette deck uses a single head for the recording and playback functions. The second head is for erasing. This design produces fine results in both recording and playback.

If you do a lot of recording, stepping up to a 3-head deck has several advantages. For better performance, it uses separate heads for play, record and erase. With each head optimized for its singular task, you'll enjoy better recording and playback performance — including improved frequency response — than you would with a 2-head deck.

Also, 3-head decks are arranged so that the erase head comes first, the record head second, and the playback head last in the tape path. This design lets you listen to the signal on a tape just instants after it was recorded, without interrupting the recording process. This is especially useful for checking the quality of a recording in progress, and for making fine adjustments to signal level and bias.

I mix to cassette sometimes - just to get that "cassette" sound. Pre 2005 I mixed to cassette all the time - I didn't & still don't have a prob with the quality - if done properly it's GOOD GOOD GOOD.
From the explanation above - it'd do fine - particularly if you used it as the play back source when creating the CDR - but how you go about that particular process has a significant impact too.
 
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really having 3 heads would allow you to set the input level by EAR. which would be very useful but otherwise might create slightly worse phase response. Also if this deck requires a manual bias calibration then the 3 heads are nice. I am using a 2 head deck with auto calibrate which is a pretty sweet thing. I would split your mixdown to both and see what you like! cassette has more depth than CD but slightly higher noise floor (just a couple db if done right tho). Like any piece of gear you can make it suck or you can make it rock. Personally I would go for a tape deck that is somewhat newer.
 
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