Let's discuss consumer hi-fi cassette decks

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diggy_dude

diggy_dude

Now 169% diggier!
As a conservative estimate, I'd say it's been at least 10 years since I listened to tape until yesterday. :eek:

Besides the spycorder among recent Ebay bargains, I found a ca. 1981 Technics M205 with soft-touch transport buttons that seem rather more mechanical than logic-controlled, mechanical counter, normal/CrO2/metal switch, Dolby B, analog peak meters, and smooth (but apparently not oil-sealed) level pots. I got it because it matches my Technics amps, and could thus end up in any room.

As I don't have an XLR-to-TRS adapter, the first thing I did was put it in the tape loop of a UB1202 and record my voice with a 58 clone on Type I tape, with Dolby. :cool: From that experiment arose truly awful oscillatory noises, which I've (inconclusively) diagnosed as the death of a second 1202 in a week's time. :rolleyes: At least I hope it ain't the tape deck that's fux0r3d. :eek:

Next, I plugged my iPod into the line inputs, set the knobs to 5 :cool:, and watched the meters knock on +6dB's door :D as it taped EW&F's "Mighty Mighty". Then I played it back. A few times. Although the meters were close to peaking while recording, they stayed mostly below +3dB during playback. :confused:

As I'm rediscovering, the thing tape recorders always did for me that digital recorders don't is this: they compel me to record something. Anything.

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As I'm rediscovering, the thing tape recorders always did for me that digital recorders don't is this: they compel me to record something. Anything.
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Yeah, there's something magical about seeing tape roll as it gives you a visual clue that you're using resources and energy to accomplish that task. So there's more inspiration to make it worthy of the effort.

The digital process robs us of that sensation. Sort of like eating with your eyes closed. The visual of the juicy steak adds to the joy and taste of devouring it! :cool:

Cheers! :)
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Yeah, there's something magical about seeing tape roll as it gives you a visual clue that you're using resources and energy to accomplish that task. So there's more inspiration to make it worthy of the effort.
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I think that's it exactly. Those of us who lived before the digital age, which includes the majority of people who have ever lived, associate production, whether artistic or industrial, with the expenditure of energy and resources.

The Ghost of FM said:
The digital process robs us of that sensation. Sort of like eating with your eyes closed. The visual of the juicy steak adds to the joy and taste of devouring it! :cool:
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Funny you should mention that, because you're going to experience a stark contrast when you start using the MR-8. It's 100% solid state. No moving parts. The storage system even reclaims all unused space. No waste. It waits patiently and does what you tell it to. Digital plays Spock to analog's McCoy. :laughings:
 
Neutrally biased

diggy_dude said:
As a conservative estimate, I'd say it's been at least 10 years since I listened to tape until yesterday. :eek:
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As a conservative estimate, I'd say it's been at least yesterday since I listened to tape. :p

diggy_dude said:
Digital plays Spock to analog's McCoy. :laughings:
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Ironically, my two premier characters from the original series. But much as I dig the doc, I was always a Spocky {I never made it to 'Trekkie' !}.
 
diggy_dude said:
As I'm rediscovering, the thing tape recorders always did for me that digital recorders don't is this: they compel me to record something. Anything.
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Oh man that's profound to me, diggy...there's so much in sensory cues to a tape deck that says "I am now recording!!" and frankly I think there's a little endorphine release when that happens...you know something is being committed to tape..."UNDO" is not such an easy endeavor you know? There's committment in tracking to tape and in a society that is very non-committal I think it is something some of us just long for, on top of the familiarity or "right" feel of tape, and then there is the sound that comes off that playback head...
 
Now that tape is becoming scarce and expensive, it's more of a commitment than ever. One can imagine that a time will come when we will use tape cautiously, and only for elements that we deem "tapeworthy". :D

I'm not really looking to start an "analog vs. digital" debate, as that horse has been quite thoroughly beaten to death over the years. I use both, and I hope to become good at exploiting each to its best advantage. I probably wouldn't do a final mix or master on cassette, and I don't have any particular desire to assume the cost of ownership of a 2" open reel deck - let alone the space to keep one. I think, for me, cassette is as good as it's going to get in the analog recorder department.
 
diggy_dude said:
Now that tape is becoming scarce and expensive, it's more of a commitment than ever. One can imagine that a time will come when we will use tape cautiously, and only for elements that we deem "tapeworthy". :D
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For all our sakes, I sure hope you're wrong....
 
Audiophallic said:
For all our sakes, I sure hope you're wrong....
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Ha! I'm already there my friends! I don't know about y'all, but shelling out at least $10 - $20 on a tape for my Fostex R8 that will yield 2 or 3 songs at most is damned expensive to me and not something that I can do any time I want for sure.

I have some songs that I choose to do on my Tascam 424 MK III because I just want to, but songs that I want to give the R2R treatment to still get demoed on the 424 so I can work out any kinks before I start wasting tape.
 
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What kind of tape are you paying $10 to $20 each for? :eek:
 
diggy_dude said:
What kind of tape are you paying $10 to $20 each for? :eek:
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I was talking about 1/4" tape for my Fostex R8 reel to reel machine. That stuff is expensive, to me at least. That's actually why I sold my Tascam 38 machine; it used 1/2" tape, and I just simply couldn't afford it!
 
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