Chris Fallen
New member
What are some good quality cassette recorders and players?
Christopher
Christopher
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Chris: [keep from Fallen}
If you want a GOOD cassette dual deck, check out the Sony model TC WA8 ESA.
This is a dual cassette deck; records on both wells; has good headroom; has an auto-recording level feature but I usually overide it to increase input signal.
Has all of the features you would find on a good deck.
Avoid the Tascam dual deck. I have one in my basement storage area; it was put together with more click noises from switches than any deck I've ever used. Ugly.
Make sure you check out the ES models of Sony -- they are top of the line.
Green Hornet
If you want a GOOD cassette dual deck, check out the Sony model TC WA8 ESA.
This is a dual cassette deck; records on both wells; has good headroom; has an auto-recording level feature but I usually overide it to increase input signal.
Has all of the features you would find on a good deck.
Avoid the Tascam dual deck. I have one in my basement storage area; it was put together with more click noises from switches than any deck I've ever used. Ugly.
Make sure you check out the ES models of Sony -- they are top of the line.
Green Hornet
Chris Fallen
New member
I'm searching for those, but I can't find anything. Can you link me?
Christopher
Christopher
Scooter B
New member
RE Sony ES Series,
I know Crutchfield (mail order and online)
carries these. If you can't find them locally (Best Buy, Circuit City) Crutchfield would be a good way.
They have GREAT customer service - fast efficient knowledgable and they warranty 100% satisifaction.
I cant get to any of my catalogues right now but you should find them with any good search engine. If not post back and I will look it up for you later.
I know Crutchfield (mail order and online)
carries these. If you can't find them locally (Best Buy, Circuit City) Crutchfield would be a good way.
They have GREAT customer service - fast efficient knowledgable and they warranty 100% satisifaction.
I cant get to any of my catalogues right now but you should find them with any good search engine. If not post back and I will look it up for you later.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
My personal fav. The Nak.
http://www.nakamichi.com/home/ACASSDEC/DR10.HTM
http://www.nakamichi.com/home/ACASSDEC/DR10.HTM
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo TRack RAt & Chris:
Hey, Tracker, you're right....Nakamichi decks are very good but more expensive than the Sony ES models.
I'll look and see if I still have the phone number of a big discount place in Chicago. I made contact there through a friend. It was the best price for the model I have -- will get back if I can find the Name of the place and the number.
Either deck will put you in the high end zone and I like the quality of Sony or Naki.
Green Hornet 
Hey, Tracker, you're right....Nakamichi decks are very good but more expensive than the Sony ES models.
I'll look and see if I still have the phone number of a big discount place in Chicago. I made contact there through a friend. It was the best price for the model I have -- will get back if I can find the Name of the place and the number.
Either deck will put you in the high end zone and I like the quality of Sony or Naki.
Green Hornet
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Chris:
I got my Sony ES Dual Deck at:
ABT
9000 N. Waukegan Rd.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
847-967-8856
The deck ran, then, about 410.00 pezzutos plus ten bucks for H/S.
High end cassette decks are pretty hard to find in the Grand Rapids area. One place did carry Nakimichi decks but I don't think they do any more -- not enough demand.
I'm sure there are other places that will order you a deck; well, at least you have a price comparison.
I also have the Sony 3 head single deck but the dual deck is better.
Green Hornet
I got my Sony ES Dual Deck at:
ABT
9000 N. Waukegan Rd.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
847-967-8856
The deck ran, then, about 410.00 pezzutos plus ten bucks for H/S.
High end cassette decks are pretty hard to find in the Grand Rapids area. One place did carry Nakimichi decks but I don't think they do any more -- not enough demand.
I'm sure there are other places that will order you a deck; well, at least you have a price comparison.
I also have the Sony 3 head single deck but the dual deck is better.
Green Hornet
Chris Fallen
New member
What would you suggest for the best tape deck for two hundred instead of four?
Christopher
Christopher
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Chris:
You can get a KaKamichi for 200 pezzutos but not a Nakamichi.
Suggest you look at the dual deck Teac models, and JVC and Sony also makes less expensive models.
What I notice about new gear, like when I bought my Sony dual deck, is that it is SO MUCH LIGHTER than the old gear.
When I got the box with the Sony and picked it up, I thought they mailed me an empty box. But, it was there and with technology moving ahead about every 90 days, new gear, quality new gear, is nice.
If you get a less expensive tape deck, you probably will only be able to record on one well; well, that's all right but I like being able to record on both wells. Well, that's all for now.
Green Hornet
You can get a KaKamichi for 200 pezzutos but not a Nakamichi.
Suggest you look at the dual deck Teac models, and JVC and Sony also makes less expensive models.
What I notice about new gear, like when I bought my Sony dual deck, is that it is SO MUCH LIGHTER than the old gear.
When I got the box with the Sony and picked it up, I thought they mailed me an empty box. But, it was there and with technology moving ahead about every 90 days, new gear, quality new gear, is nice.
If you get a less expensive tape deck, you probably will only be able to record on one well; well, that's all right but I like being able to record on both wells. Well, that's all for now.
Green Hornet
Chris Fallen
New member
Okay, one more question.
In order from Mandatory to Extras, list me features of a tape deck that I would want no matter what tape deck I get to what are nice but not essential to what I shouldn't need at all.
Thanks in advance!
Christopher
In order from Mandatory to Extras, list me features of a tape deck that I would want no matter what tape deck I get to what are nice but not essential to what I shouldn't need at all.
Thanks in advance!
Christopher
MISTERQCUE
Not Just Anutha Brutha
I own a TEAC 516W which I have had for 6 years and never had a prob. Got it for less than a hunnert!
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Fallen One:
Most of the mid-priced cassette decks come with standard features that are just that, standard features: continuous play from one side to the other, song search, and some type of noise reduction. {I never knew that Dolby makes many types of noise reducing chips, some good, and some just there.}
My deck has an automated record volume feature that sets input volume to the best level considering the type of type in the deck. However, I usually over-ride this feature so I can burn "hotter" from my recorder to tape. My deck has some features that I've never bothered to use. I guess we just learn what we need to learn.
One nice feature on decks is automatice tape recognition which gives you optimum performance without pushing a switch.
High speed rewind is a nice feature which I have. As the tape nears the end of rewind, it automatically slows down so as not to tear the tape.
High speed dubbing is another neat feature I have. I can dub from the left well to the right well at very high speed which gives better fidelity to the cloned tape. It's also fun to record that high speed sound into my other tape deck and wind up with Alvin and the Chipmonks.
As Q man said; Teac is a good name. Get out there and spend some money.
Cheers,
Green Hornet
Most of the mid-priced cassette decks come with standard features that are just that, standard features: continuous play from one side to the other, song search, and some type of noise reduction. {I never knew that Dolby makes many types of noise reducing chips, some good, and some just there.}
My deck has an automated record volume feature that sets input volume to the best level considering the type of type in the deck. However, I usually over-ride this feature so I can burn "hotter" from my recorder to tape. My deck has some features that I've never bothered to use. I guess we just learn what we need to learn.
One nice feature on decks is automatice tape recognition which gives you optimum performance without pushing a switch.
High speed rewind is a nice feature which I have. As the tape nears the end of rewind, it automatically slows down so as not to tear the tape.
High speed dubbing is another neat feature I have. I can dub from the left well to the right well at very high speed which gives better fidelity to the cloned tape. It's also fun to record that high speed sound into my other tape deck and wind up with Alvin and the Chipmonks.
As Q man said; Teac is a good name. Get out there and spend some money.
Cheers,
Green Hornet
TexRoadkill
Audio Bum
why are you mixing to tape? Can anybody actually play those anymore?
J/K I'm assuming that you want to rerecord old tapes. The nakamichi's are nice.
J/K I'm assuming that you want to rerecord old tapes. The nakamichi's are nice.
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo non-edible meat on the road:
[From Texas]
Even with my DAW 2816 by Yamaha, I will mix some stuff to tape because it will sound very good. Also, I can record in 24 bit and send that stuff to tape, not to CD, and that will sound good.
So, why not have a good tape deck? DAT? That would be even better but I just don't have any more "up" space in my studio's configuration although I use much ratiocination about DAT.
Green Hornet
[From Texas]
Even with my DAW 2816 by Yamaha, I will mix some stuff to tape because it will sound very good. Also, I can record in 24 bit and send that stuff to tape, not to CD, and that will sound good.
So, why not have a good tape deck? DAT? That would be even better but I just don't have any more "up" space in my studio's configuration although I use much ratiocination about DAT.
Green Hornet
Scooter B
New member
Some of the decks have adjustable biasing that is supposed to optimize especially the higher frequency response between differing brands of tape. I have two JVC decks 1 single three head tape with the optimal biasing and selectable Dolby A, B, C and S noise reduction. The S type is supposed to be completely diffferent than the A, B, and C types by not compromising your high end response and if you record on to the tape with the S type the other decks do not have to the S type feature to benefit or decode it.
I have been quite happy with them but I use my MD player to bounce tracks and mix to from my 4 track cassette so I don't use the decks as much any more. I need to get a second MD to put with my home stereo to listen and evaluate "final mixes" and to go to the PC for CD burning and stay digital once digital.
I am not sure how good the coverters are supposed to be in consumer level MD' players though. They do let you use a higher sampling rate than CD's but I believe they are still 16 bit like the CD's. I have been meaning to check the manual.
Green Hornet,
I do have a question about the high speed dubbing = higher quality recording.
From what I understood the higher speed for recording the original sound gets better quality because (in crude terminology) you are getting more info to tape each second so it is more accurately reproduced (and ? better S/N ratio I'm not sure about the S/N ratio).
It's the analogue equivalent of like 16 vs 24 bits.
But if BOTH the "Master" and the dubbed tape are high speed you get lower fidelity than normal speed. You are not getting the advantage of more sonic information per sec to tape on recording or playback but actually less.
If I'm missing something here let me know but I'm pretty sure about the high speed DUBBING being lower quality.
I have been quite happy with them but I use my MD player to bounce tracks and mix to from my 4 track cassette so I don't use the decks as much any more. I need to get a second MD to put with my home stereo to listen and evaluate "final mixes" and to go to the PC for CD burning and stay digital once digital.
I am not sure how good the coverters are supposed to be in consumer level MD' players though. They do let you use a higher sampling rate than CD's but I believe they are still 16 bit like the CD's. I have been meaning to check the manual.
Green Hornet,
I do have a question about the high speed dubbing = higher quality recording.
From what I understood the higher speed for recording the original sound gets better quality because (in crude terminology) you are getting more info to tape each second so it is more accurately reproduced (and ? better S/N ratio I'm not sure about the S/N ratio).
It's the analogue equivalent of like 16 vs 24 bits.
But if BOTH the "Master" and the dubbed tape are high speed you get lower fidelity than normal speed. You are not getting the advantage of more sonic information per sec to tape on recording or playback but actually less.
If I'm missing something here let me know but I'm pretty sure about the high speed DUBBING being lower quality.
T
The Green Hornet
New member
Yo Scoot Doot De Scoot:]
When I used the Tascam 488, two of them, one at a time, I always ran the record speed at "fast" or "high" [can't remember the exact term] because the product would be in the best fidelity possible with that unit.
When I speak of hi-speed dubbing, I already have a tape done; I want another tape, or a copy or a clone; so, I can, on my tape deck, select "hi-speed" copying or dubbing, and the end result is, I think, a better fidelity copy, second generation tape.
But, the thing I like to play around with is "copying" the high speed dub on my other tape deck. I've done some things that nobody's fingers could ever do on a keyboard at realtime.
Well, I guess that's cheating but anything for a creative idea that is enjoyable listening, at least to me.
Will be doing a session on the 2816 tomorrow; will let you know if I found the right buttons to push.
Green Hornet
When I used the Tascam 488, two of them, one at a time, I always ran the record speed at "fast" or "high" [can't remember the exact term] because the product would be in the best fidelity possible with that unit.
When I speak of hi-speed dubbing, I already have a tape done; I want another tape, or a copy or a clone; so, I can, on my tape deck, select "hi-speed" copying or dubbing, and the end result is, I think, a better fidelity copy, second generation tape.
But, the thing I like to play around with is "copying" the high speed dub on my other tape deck. I've done some things that nobody's fingers could ever do on a keyboard at realtime.
Well, I guess that's cheating but anything for a creative idea that is enjoyable listening, at least to me.
Will be doing a session on the 2816 tomorrow; will let you know if I found the right buttons to push.
Green Hornet
Scooter B
New member
Well my Green Winged Friend,
Les Paul himself sped up the tapes to get his guitar licks in. Anything that works and is creative works for me in creating music.
It's not a problem unless you have to do it live!
Do let me know about the Yamy 2816.
I do hope to afford one someday but the learing curve and poor instructions (translation?) I have read about scare me a little. Nothing kills the inspired moment than complete frustration breakdown with equipment that just is not cooperating like you want it to.
Les Paul himself sped up the tapes to get his guitar licks in. Anything that works and is creative works for me in creating music.
It's not a problem unless you have to do it live!
Do let me know about the Yamy 2816.
I do hope to afford one someday but the learing curve and poor instructions (translation?) I have read about scare me a little. Nothing kills the inspired moment than complete frustration breakdown with equipment that just is not cooperating like you want it to.