MP3 to Cassette recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter shynd
  • Start date Start date
Hi, thanks but I dont think that's the problem as I have now tried it through 2 different sets of cables, one jack to standard twin phono output and one with the added yellow phono output. Both sets have resulted in the sound playing from the left speaker. :(
 
I dont know if its a case of equipment or user error but its as easy as making hardboiled eggs.

Needed:
A stereo mini jack to two rca male plugs. (Y cord)
An ipod or computer.
A cassette deck with L/R rca inputs

Just make a playlist and you can use the headphone jack as long as you control the volume. (Output level)
Plug the rca plugs into the input of the deck.
Insert tape and record.

You said you have a nice system with vinyl. Why not add a high end cassette deck to the system as well.

There are plenty of nice units to be had cheaply. 90s era decks usually have very little wear on them because of the CD revolution.
 
shynd said:
Hi, thanks but I dont think that's the problem as I have now tried it through 2 different sets of cables, one jack to standard twin phono output and one with the added yellow phono output. Both sets have resulted in the sound playing from the left speaker. :(
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You're looking at the wrong end. The one with the yellow phono plug will have 3 insulators on the 1/8th end. It absolutely won't work correctly.

Here is something to test: Plug headphones into the computer. Do you hear sound on both sides? If so, it isn't the computer.

Now, look at the adapter you are trying to use and the plug on the headphones. Are they exactly the same? (and I mean exactly) If not, you have the wrong adapter. If so, try this:

Use the adapter to connect the computer to the stereo and confirm that the left side is recording. If it is, swap the left and right phono plugs. Does only the right side record now? IF yes, the adapter is wrong or broken. If not, either the tape deck is broken or you are plugging it in wrong. (you should be plugging it into the red and white plugs on the bottom)
 
RFR said:
A stereo mini jack to two rca male plugs. (Y cord)
Click to expand...
I would just like to point out that, in most circles, if you say "Y cord", people will think you are taking one signal and splitting it to send it to two different places. The cable that is needed is one that takes the left and right signals from the mini jack and adapts it to RCA.
 
Well that's exactly what I have been doing.
The only thing that's different is that there is also an 'out' phono output on the system I am using. But I dont think that would make any difference.

I don't have enough room for another system to be added at the moment. Plus I don't really want to listen to cassettes for good sound quality, its just for my car and the novelty of using a Walkman again really, oh and my ghettoblaster ;-)
 
Yeah the adapter jack is the exact same as the headphone jack, computer sound is fine. Players perfect stereo which is why I'm a bit stumped. I will try swapping them round tomorrow. Your right it might be the machine itself that's not right.
 
shynd said:
Well that's exactly what I have been doing.
The only thing that's different is that there is also an 'out' phono output on the system I am using. But I dont think that would make any difference.
Click to expand...
What has a phono out?

Part of the confusion is the word 'phono'. The connector is an RCA connector. A phono input would be where you would plug in a phonograph (record player). It is different from an aux input because it has a preamp and special EQ that is necessary for records to be heard properly.

I assume you are using the word 'phono' to describe the RCA connectors, but it's really confusing to read and makes me second guess what you are saying.
 
Yeah sorry, I wasn't 100% sure of the correct terminology.
But here is the pic to help you understand.

WIN_20150803_144219.webp
 
Farview said:
I would just like to point out that, in most circles, if you say "Y cord", people will think you are taking one signal and splitting it to send it to two different places. The cable that is needed is one that takes the left and right signals from the mini jack and adapts it to RCA.
Click to expand...

I clearly stated that it was a Stereo mini jack that went to two male rca plugs. Not too much confusion there. Many refer to that as a y cord. No big deal.

Jeeezus
 
Get it set up the way you had it, so you're only getting playback from tape through one speaker.

Now swap the rca plugs around at the back of the hifi and make a new recording.

If you still get playback on the same side, the fault is with the recording unit.
If you get playback on the opposite side, the fault is with the computer or cable.



Alternatively, play back a known-to-work tape, CD or even radio.
Do both speakers play?
 
Thanks.
I will try that tomorrow. That is the best advice I have gotten on it so far, you even dumbed it down for me ;-)
 
No worries.
Hope I wasn't meaning to be patronising at all. Just trying to be clear. :)

Here's the image again.
If it doesn't work, for some reason, I've circled the bottom two phono sockets.

Screen Shot 2015-08-04 at 12.14.03.webp
 
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bouldersoundguy said:
No, but I'm curious. Maybe he'll come back and say it's a prop for a play. Or maybe it's for an older relative who just wants to use a cassette player. There could be an interesting story behind this.
Click to expand...

He didn't say what bitrate the mp3s were. Maybe they're lossless?

And not all cassette recorders sound crappy! Although, I agree that the vintage portable cassette recorders --- assuming he's talking about something like the attached picture --- probably isn't going to provide stellar audio. :)
 

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Sorry ... I didn't realize this thread was 4 pages long.

Yes, you should use a cable like the attached photo. Note the single plug end (the 1/8" end) has two black bands on it. This is very important.

Attach the 1/8" end to your computer's headphone out and attach the white (or black or gray) RCA plug to the white jack that Steen circled and attach the red end to the red jack that Steen circled.

If that doesn't work (and your headphones work in your computer), I guess the tape deck is faulty.

It's possible that one of the AUX input jacks has a short in it as well. Have you tried plugging headphones into the tape deck and listening to that while you have your computer connected to the deck (as outlined above)? If it's only coming in one ear, try wiggling the plug on the back of the deck (the one that's not working) to see if it has a short.
 

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Sorry for the delayed reply, but I am very thankful in saying that I have now got the sound working properly through both speakers.
The culprit of the problem was in the cable I was using. After purchasing a new one from amazon I am getting 'clear' enough sound from a cassette from both speakers.
Its funny though that when I went to test the cassette in my ghettoblaster I inserted it into the right cassette slot, I usually use the left one but as their was a cassette already in that slot I thought nothing of it and used the right. The sound came out of both speakers but sounded muffled, I was very disappointed. But after further investigation I have found that the right cassette slot play's back muffled sound while the left one is clear, so in the end the recording was fine just my equipment was the problem haha.

IMG_0002.webp
 
shynd said:
Sorry for the delayed reply, but I am very thankful in saying that I have now got the sound working properly through both speakers.
The culprit of the problem was in the cable I was using. After purchasing a new one from amazon I am getting 'clear' enough sound from a cassette from both speakers.
Its funny though that when I went to test the cassette in my ghettoblaster I inserted it into the right cassette slot, I usually use the left one but as their was a cassette already in that slot I thought nothing of it and used the right. The sound came out of both speakers but sounded muffled, I was very disappointed. But after further investigation I have found that the right cassette slot play's back muffled sound while the left one is clear, so in the end the recording was fine just my equipment was the problem haha.

View attachment 94196
Click to expand...

Glad to hear you got it working. It sounds as though your right cassette slot may need to be cleaned and/or demagnetized.
 
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