retro stereo mic?

[kr236rk]

Hi,

Can anybody tell me what type (impedance?) of mic the 1980s era cassette decks took please - I remember they had two separate, Right and Left jack plugs?

Many thanks,

Ric

 

[A Reel Person]

...

Microphone Impedance

There are three general classifications for microphone impedance. Different manufacturers use slightly different guidelines but the classifications are roughly:
1.Low Impedance (less than 600Ω)
2.Medium Impedance (600Ω - 10,000Ω)
3.High Impedance (greater than 10,000Ω)

Note that some microphones have the ability to select from different impedance ratings

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/tech_support/pdfs/MC102_om.pdf

(Input A & B)
Microphone impedance: 10K Ohm or less
Input impedance: 20k Ohm

.....
What's the nature of your question, a DIY project?

 

[kr236rk]

Thanks, I want to record some live audio onto cassette tape, but most decks come without mics, and many didn't have mic sockets anyway. Obviously I want the best cassette audio I can get so I will have to match the mic (impedance) pretty accurately to the deck i get - probably a retro JVC.

 

[A Reel Person]

Quick eBay scan...

Yeah, okay.

I'd probably be inclined to get this:

Technics RS B57R Auto Reverse Stereo Cassette Deck 2 Motor MX Head Auto Tape Sel | eBay

This:
FREE SHIPPING! WORKING TECHNICS RS-B555 SINGLE RECORD AND PLAYBACK CASSETTE DECK

or this:
Vintage Technics RS B48R Stereo Cassette Deck | eBay

 

[A Reel Person]

And I'd probably front-end it with something like...

this:
Vintage Realistic Stereo Electret Condenser Microphone Original Box 33 1065 | eBay

This:
Realistic Stereo Electret Microphone System 33 919A 600

or a couple of these:
Audio Technica Pro 2AX Dynamic Cable Consumer Microphone | eBay

 

[kr236rk]

Thanks

Cool. It's a shame these are all US though :-o but will let you know how I get on

 

[A Reel Person]

Yeah, US here....

or maybe this:
Teac Me 330E Cardoid Stereo Electret Condenser Microphone | eBay

 

[kr236rk]

Nice! quite a few on the Bay i notice - looking good

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Most likely any of those mics will work on most any of those machines.

 

[kr236rk]

portastudio?

Thanks. I may go in for a 4 track cassette 'portastudio' - because this will give me more recording latitude - i wonder if those stereo mics will work with those as well please?

 

[BroKen_H]

Man. I used to own that Technics dbx deck. Made great sounding, high quality recordings that you could only play back on itself (couldn't find other decks with dbx at the time). Great deck.

 

[A Reel Person]

Yes.

Those mics will all work with a Portastudio.

 

[rob aylestone]

The jap kit of that era used unbalanced medium impedance mics, exactly the same as all the common ones today. So any dynamic with pins 1 and 3 shorted with audio to the tip from pin 2 will work fine. My very first sm58 worked fine on my technics cassette.

 

[kr236rk]

The jap kit of that era used unbalanced medium impedance mics, exactly the same as all the common ones today. So any dynamic with pins 1 and 3 shorted with audio to the tip from pin 2 will work fine. My very first sm58 worked fine on my technics cassette.

Thanks, wouldn't it just be easier to source some unbalanced medium impedance mics on the Bay though - or are the modifications you suggest fairly straightforward?

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Thanks, wouldn't it just be easier to source some unbalanced medium impedance mics on the Bay though - or are the modifications you suggest fairly straightforward?

Low impedance source into high impedance load tends to work fine. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you try something and it clearly doesn't work. The modification he's talking about is just how the cable is built, not something you do to the mic: XLR-F to TS, with pin 2 to tip and pin 1 and pin 3 to sleeve.

 

[kr236rk]

Thanks. I think the best thing is if I report back when the hardware is being put through it's paces. What are the recommended tapes btw - ferric please?

 

[Farview]

That silver Realistic mic works quite well. I have two of them, I haven't used them in years, but I used to record all band rehearsals and shows with them. I also used to use that mic and a kick mic for recording drums. Great stereo mic.

 

[kr236rk]

picked up a Tascam 424 mkii portastudio 4 track cassette

 

[A Reel Person]

Nice choice!

 

[rob aylestone]

chrome or ferrichrome tape did it for me - ferric tapes, even when these machines were new, were horrible!